Color change on a brand new vanity

[Bernie Kopfer]

We purchased, but have not installed, a new large bathroom vanity from Wayfair but the color is not at all to our liking. My wife asked me to change it from the muddy brown color to a white shade. The factory finish is lacquer on mostly a mdf wood product (yes I know, that is not fine woodworking but SWMBO liked the looks etc). Two questions I have are,
1: do I need to do anything to the surface to prep? If going with an acrylic I would prime with BIN. But if I spray with a WB lacquer type product wouldI even need to prime?
2: any recommendations for a sprayable colored WB lacquer product?

[Jim Becker]

Bernie, the WB "lacquer" is also pretty much an acrylic.

Thoroughly clean for sure. I'd probably prime to insure adhesion over the existing finish without having to do a lot of abrasion/deglossing as well as to start things on the way to the lighter color finish. Some WB manufacturers have their own primers available...Target Coatings, for example...but are also compatible with other primers such as the BIN you mention. I typically use Target Coatings EM6500 for a colored product. But I've also sprayed and enjoyed the GF "Milk Paint". That's not billed as a "lacquer" but it's excellent, as long as one of the available colors meets your needs or you're willing to mix your own color using the chart they provide. Target's product can be tinted to any BM or SW color you want right at the factory. Please note these colored products are a little thicker than the clears, so you'll need to work out your gun setup before you spray on your real project. Burn some finish on scraps to be sure you have things dialed in!

[Dennis Jarchow]

I recently sprayed some Target Coatings WB tinted lacquer and primer over a UV prefinished panel and found I could scratch it off really easily even after a couple days. I had to go back and scuff the finish on the panel with 150 to get it to stick. I didn't have any BIN but did spray some Zinser 123 primer on it and it scratched right off too. You might want to test on a small spot before spraying the whole thing to be sure there aren't any issues with the factory finish and whatever you are spraying.