TIL the hard way why you never skip sanding between coats on MDF

I was at a custom kitchen shop in Portland last month and rushed through a set of painted cabinet doors without doing a full sanding pass between primer and paint. Now I've got this nasty orange peel texture that won't sand out smooth without going through the color. Has anyone else dealt with MDF grain raising and found a quick fix besides starting over?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_beth7h ago

Been there with MDF cabinets. The grain raising is a nightmare once it sets in hard. Try wet sanding with a fine grit like 400 between coats next time, it knocks down the fuzz without tearing through the primer. For your current orange peel, a light scuff with 320 grit and a tack cloth before a second coat of paint can hide it enough if you're careful not to burn through the color.

blake_smith3h ago

Ngl sometimes a heat gun on low can soften the paint enough to let you smooth it with a clean scraper.