Painting Pressboard Cabinets With Formica Tops

Unroll plastic sheeting onto the Formica top. Trim the plastic with a utility knife so that it is 1 inch shorter than the Formica top in each direction. Secure the plastic to the Formica top by placing a piece of painter's tape along each edge. Cover any nearby walls with plastic and the floors with drop cloths. Tape the edges. Leave only the pressboard surfaces uncovered.

Inspect each pressboard surface carefully. Locate every dent, ding, hole and crack in the wood. Fill all of the blemishes with wood putty. Let the putty dry overnight. Sand the pressboard surface with medium-grit sandpaper. Clean up the dust and debris with a shop vac.

Load the hopper of a handheld paint sprayer with oil-based, enamel paint. Hold the tip of the sprayer 15 to 18 inches away from the surface to be painted. Spray the pressboard surface with short bursts of the sprayer by swinging the tip from side to side with each burst. Apply three coats of paint, allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next one.

Rinse out the hopper of the paint sprayer then load it with polyurethane. Spray the polyurethane over every painted surface to seal the wood. Let the polyurethane dry overnight before continuing.

Remove the plastic sheeting from the Formica top. Mix automotive body filler, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Apply the filler to any damaged areas on the Formica top with the putty knife. Let the filler cure overnight. Mix up fresh body filler then apply it over any repair areas where the first coat sunk below the surface of the Formica. Let the touch up areas cure overnight.

Sand the repaired areas on the Formica top. Scuff up the filler, along with a 1-inch-diameter area of the Formica top around each spot. Wipe the entire top with a damp rag to remove any dust and debris. Let the area dry completely before continuing.

Paint each of the repaired areas with oil-based enamel paint. Apply the paint with an artist's brush. Mix the colors, as necessary, to blend the repaired areas with the existing Formica surface. Let the paint dry overnight.

Spray the Formica top with a coat of polyurethane. Remove the plastic drop cloths and tape from the work area. Let the polyurethane on the Formica dry for 24 hours before using the cabinets and counter again.