Painting Melamine coated MDF

[Andrew Joiner]

I need to paint some Melamine coated MDF. I sanded a sample lightly and interior latex paint sticks fine. It won't stick at all to the unsanded melamine.

I have 2 questions.
1- It's bathroom walls and ceiling so I'd like avoid sanding. Is there some magical primer?
2- What's a good paint for bathrooms?

Thanks

[Jason Roehl]

I think you've answered your own question. But, even after sanding, I'd still use a bonding primer from a dedicated paint store, not a big box.

As for paint appropriate for bathrooms, it's all about ventilation. If your bathroom doesn't have a fan, get a mildecide additive for the finish paint and be forewarned that it may fade medium to deeper colors. Wouldn't hurt to use the mildecide regardless of whether you have an exhaust fan. Other than that, flat paint generally does not wear well in bathrooms. If you want to keep the sheen down, a quality satin, eggshell or low-luster paint will do the trick (obviously those sheens are nebulous and vary greatly between manufacturers). IMHO, semi-gloss, while quite durable and washable in a bathroom, is unnecessary and doesn't look good because it causes glare and highlights imperfections in the wall to the greatest degree.

[Andrew Joiner]

Thanks Jason. I was hoping you'd respond.

[Jason Roehl]

Thanks Jason. I was hoping you'd respond.

Sometimes I think it's an illness that I can't resist.