Painting Pre-finished plywood … wacky, I know

[Tom Bain]

I made a stupid mistake in a small cabinet I built. I have one side panel that needs to get painted, but it’s prefinished plywood. If I abrade the surface with sandpaper, will it take primer and paint? I’m thinking yes given that I’ve painted over other finished surfaces with similar technique before but curious if anyone has ever tried this.

[Mel Fulks]

Sure, but don’t knock yourself out, I would just brush on some Kilz primer and let it dry. Then paint

[Jim Becker]

Abrading and then using a good primer should give you a very nice end result. You're actually starting with a very nice smooth surface which is a nice thing for paint. The abrasion and primer is pretty much for good adhesion. The end result will then be based on the quality of the product you use and your skill at applying it.

[David Stone (CT)]

Yes, it will work fine, at least provided you sand properly
. I needed to do just this on end cabinets I built for my kitchen and the result (using General Finishes "milk paint") looks good and has held up well. ...It's been several years since I did the work, but I remember being struck by how tough the finish they use on pre-finished ply is. I feel like I ended up using 80 grit, or maybe 100, on the sander to do the bulk of the work and took it down to the point where there was still some finish present but it the surface was very flat, both with respect to sheen and the total absence of pores or grain (like Jim says in his reply).

[Jim Becker]

I don't think it's necessary to "super sand" the pre-finished material in prep for paint. Just abrade it enough to give a little "tooth" for the primer and go from there.

[Tom Bain]

Yes, it will work fine, at least provided you sand properly
. I needed to do just this on end cabinets I built for my kitchen and the result (using General Finishes "milk paint") looks good and has held up well. ...It's been several years since I did the work, but I remember being struck by how tough the finish they use on pre-finished ply is. I feel like I ended up using 80 grit, or maybe 100, on the sander to do the bulk of the work and took it down to the point where there was still some finish present but it the surface was very flat, both with respect to sheen and the total absence of pores or grain (like Jim says in his reply).

According to the Columbia website: "Columbia’s UV Wood panels feature a durable, clear, epoxy acrylic coat that enhances the warmth and beauty of their hardwood veneers. This tough finish is ideal for cabinet interiors and exposed outer faces." So, I can understand the "hardness" of the finish if they are adding epoxy.