Blackboard paint onto MDF - to prime or not to prime?

Ithaca

Hi, we have a large section of MDF which we'd like to turn into a blackboard for the children. I picked up some Wilko Blackboard Paint which says "no need to prepare surfaces, just paint straight on".

As it's water-based will it be OK on raw MDF without a primer? Anyone tried similar primed / non-primed? Or should I just gently sand down the MDF and slap on the paint?

spadoosh

Dont sand it down. If you do, youll never get rid of the fibres.

I would be putting a primer on myself. MDF is very fibrous, so it soaks up paint. That said, paint sticks to most things and there shouldnt be huge issues with going straight on, it just might not look as good or last as long.

phill99

You must prime it. Otherwise the paint will chip and flake off very easily.

Working_Mum

The only other word of caution is the amount of dust the chalks create!!

I did exactly this for my kids and ended up changing it for a whiteboard as the dust was really slippery on our kitchen floor.

The kids loved it but it drove me mad!!