Which type of Flat/Satin Black Paint for a Computer Desk?

[crxdriver]

Hey all. I am wanting to build a computer desk, but wasn't sure what paint would best produce a good Flat or Satin Black finish.

Was curious if anyone has ever painted their desk in either satin or flat black.
The wood I would be using is just regular birch plywood.


I was tied between using either of the two below, but if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

1. Minwax PolyShades - Classic Black Satin Stain and Polyurethane ( http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202061451/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053 )
2. Rust-Oleum - Painter's Touch Flat Black General Purpose Paint ( http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ecodZ5yc1v/R-100121945/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053 )

The two above state that no primer is required. I'm ignorantly stupidly braindead when it comes to painting. So I'm not sure if using a primer helps much on wood as long as it sticks.


Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[crxdriver]

Forgot to mention what look I was looking for.


Was wanting a finish much like this:

 

[OCCrisisMaker]

The minwax is a stain which does not conceal the wood grain, the grain will still show - that could be a good effect. I have had very nice results using minwax stains.
The Rustoleum is a latex which will hide the wood grain completely.
The latex will be easier clean up (soap and water) than the stain (turpentine or distilled mineral spirits for clean up) although as far as "bonding" to the wood, the stain is better since it gets absorbed into the wood.
Better still would be an enamel (harder surface than latex when dried and will chip rather than peel)
I spent a few years doing woodworking (I still do some but not as much as before) and never used primer on woods (sealers, yes, on cured hardwoods, but not primers)
AFTERNOTE: This type of question would be better served in a woodworking or painting forum (and you'll get better answers than mine I'm sure)

 

[crxdriver]

Yeah. I plan on posting a few in woodworking forums.


Seems I might just go with an enamel.

 

[Diggrr]

I use both Pine and HDF/hardboard in my projects, and I've had the best luck using spray enamel paints.
I spray a coat of clear polyurethane first, to both soak into the wood and seal it, and to lock the stray fibers down so they don't show through. Let dry a full day.
Then I lightly sand with 400 grit or finer, and spray two thin coats of color. I've been using the Rustoleum X2 paints lately, and they work great.

Plywood edges can be a pain with any finish, it will always show through unless you get the iron-on veneer/edge-banding to finish them first. Home Depot has it hanging in the isle by their board stock.

 

[Diggrr]

BTW, Rustoleum X2 enamel spray paint comes in a Satin Finish Canyon Black that works nice.
Flat finish dark paints tend to get shiny spots where there's wear/use, like on drawer edges and knobs/pulls, so I use the Satins.

 

[JPicasso]

Are the spray enamel paints hard enough to not chip/crack if you use the desk for writing?

I finished a (cheap) dresser, with black wall paint and put poly on the top only. The top is in great condition, no chips or anything, but the sides have quite a few places where the paint has worn off.

Does the spray enamel require a coat or two of poly? Are you talking "rattle cans", or some kind of home spray tool?

 

[Diggrr]

I was talking rattle cans. I have an HVLP sprayer, but my brother seems to have endlessly borrowed it.

I don't usually do a poly coat on top of the paint, it's pretty tough on it's own as long as it's had a chance to fully harden...remember that unsealed wood will absorb some of the VOC's from that paint, so it will take up to a week to fully harden as those VOC's evaporate out of the wood through the paint layers.
If you're using it as a writing surface, I'd put a pane of glass or plexiglass on the top anyway, but the paint is tough enough to handle it.
The polyeurethane layer underneath helps a lot with the toughness, because it soaks in nicely and cures to lock all the fibers in place, so it's pretty hard to dent the surface by writing.

The specific paint I use is "Rustoleum Painter's Touch, Ultra cover" with a big 2X on the label. Mostly white label with a blue banner through the middle. Home Depot has tons of it in the paint section, you'll see a big wall of it in different colors.

 

[Laurahellers]

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