Veneer is a thin layer of plastic that people apply to particle board to make it look like natural wood. While the material cannot be stained like traditional wood, you can paint it successfully. Paint will not adhere to a dirty surface or veneer that is too smooth, so prepare it carefully. A fireplace provides the focal point of a room, so update a veneer fireplace to add new life to your space.

  • Veneer is a thin layer of plastic that people apply to particle board to make it look like natural wood.

Clean the fireplace with trisodium phosphate cleanser and a sponge or rag. Rinse the surface with water to remove any soap residue, and then allow the fireplace to dry.

Sand the surface with 150-grit sandpaper. Use a tack cloth or damp cloth to remove any dust particles from sanding.

Put down a dust sheet on the floor to catch any falling paint. Use painter's tape on the wall along the perimeter of the fireplace to prevent the paint from bleeding onto the walls.

Apply a layer of primer on darker veneers using a paint roller. Allow the primer to dry completely before adding paint.

  • Put down a dust sheet on the floor to catch any falling paint.
  • Apply a layer of primer on darker veneers using a paint roller.

Paint your top coat using a paint roller to minimise the appearance of brush strokes. If you need more than one coat, allow the first coat to dry overnight and then sand with 220-grit sand paper. Use tack cloth to remove the dust, and then add the second coat of paint.