Desk paint job

[blizzardfreak72543]

Just wondering on any preparations I should make before painting my desk, such as sanding or whatever.

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/5664/51sgjx3hh4lss500vx3.th.jpg (http://img71.imageshack.us/my.php?image=51sgjx3hh4lss500vx3.jpg)
Sorry for the stock picture, but I don't have a digital camera.
Also, this is my first post, as I've lurked for over a year and have been too timid to join the fray. Figured it was about time. :)

[Airbozo]

Hey!

Welcome to the boards!

What part of the cart are you planning to paint?

The metal parts would probably require some sanding to prep the surface for paint. Same with the "wood" parts ( probably plastic veneered pressed wood).

There are a few paint related faqs on the site that will better prepare you for painting that desk. Do a quick search and I will see what I find as well.

EDIT: Check here (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=89) and see if you can find any info on prepping...

[blizzardfreak72543]

Thanks a ton. Its only about 2 weeks old, so everything is still smooth. My roommate says paint doesnt really stick to super smooth surfaces like metal like you said, so I'll probably be sanding that, if i end up painting that part. And yes, the wood is pressed with that weird plastic coating, veneer you said. Cheap wal-mart desk that does the job :P

[slaveofconvention]

If you want the paint job to last, and the metal parts are actually bare metal, the primer you use (and you will need one) is very important. If you don't use a decent etch-capable primer, the paint WILL peel off - its a matter of when, not if. Etch primer actually bites into the metal, and then provides a surface that the regular paint can properly stick to. Personally, I use automotive paint methods for all of my painting, but it's a really expensive method of painting to get into - I'm lucky in that I work at a place where I can get the gear at close to cost price - even so, I've probably spent in excess of £200 (roughly $400 US) on equipment and materials - it now means I can paint a full case for about £10 - but the initial outlay was expensive. You can get aerosol etch primer which should do the job without you needing to spend a fortune. No matter what you're painting though, you should sand the surface down - use a fairly coarse sandpaper - it should be coarse enough to scratch the surface, but not coarse enough so that those scratches are too deep to fill with the paint - find a middle ground - something like 600-800 grit wet n dry (used wet) should do the job nicely.