How to make this computer desk look half decent

sand_hun

Hi folks, I have a large, grey (out of warranty) desk from Maison Du Monde. It's mostly fine, but the surfaces that are touched/leaned on regularly are in a bad way. The paintwork has come off and it looks a mess. I was tempted to sticker-bomb the bad parts, but my partner said that will look daft. She suggested I sand it down and re-paint it.

So my questions is....can this cheap type of wood be sanded down and be re-painted to a neat finish? 

My preference is to find a way to make it look half decent, rather to replace the whole thing.

Emmia

sand_hun said:

Hi folks, I have a large, grey (out of warranty) desk from Maison Du Monde. It's mostly fine, but the surfaces that are touched/leaned on regularly are in a bad way. The paintwork has come off and it looks a mess. I was tempted to sticker-bomb the bad parts, but my partner said that will look daft. She suggested I sand it down and re-paint it.

So my questions is....can this cheap type of wood be sanded down and be re-painted to a neat finish? 

My preference is to find a way to make it look half decent, rather to replace the whole thing.

That looks like you've worn a chunk out of the top...

I'd be tempted to sand it down so it's level, paint it (or stain it if suitable) and then put a piece of toughened glass over the top.

I've refurbished a black IKEA lack coffee table by colouring in the scrapes and dings with a Sharpie(!), and then popping a cut to size coloured perspex sheet on top (the perspex did cost more than a new LACK coffee table though)

born_again

Or try the Blue Peter approach.

Sticky backed plastic or felt 😍

WIAWSNB

Sand it gently until it's smooth - using no coarser than 120 grit paper - until you cannae feel any ridges under yer fingertips - and then lightly mini-foam-roller on a few coats of Zinsser satin AllCoat in whichever shade you like. 

Jobbie jobbed.

mlz1413

Is that some type of foam on top of the wood that's worn away?  Then the paint is also coming off the wood thats been exposed?

Can the foam be scraped off and then sand the whole thing down to the wood?  

I think the idea of glass or perspex is a good idea 

sand_hun

I'm not entirely sure what the black stuff is, could be foam. It can be scraped off and reveals a lighter shade of grey. I think maybe at one point I tried to paint over some of these patches with acrylics.

The glass thing could work but bear in mind this is a wide desk and also the lip part would still be exposed.

Anyway thanks for all the replies, including the very Scottish one

mlz1413

Have a look at Kitchen Vinyl Wrap.
If you can get the desk flat then you could wrap the vinyl around so it gives a solid colour all over, including the edges

WIAWSNB

Could you take some close-up shots, please, to show the texture of that damaged bit?
Looking at it again, it looks like deep damage, whereas before I'd assumed it was an optical effect, but it was just a bit rough.
If that worn bit is genuinely a number of mm deep, then sanding it all flat ain't going to happen! It'll instead need building up with filler.
Or, as folk have suggested, a solid sheet over it.

kipsterno1

Take the top off and turn it around so the damage is behind the monitor. 

Mistral001

You could paint over it, but after you paint it, I would put on at least three coats of a hard-wearing varnish, such as polyurethane varnish.

Alternatively, a piece of felt with a hard piece of cloth over it works well.  I actually have an old dark blue tablecloth over felt on my computer table. It also acts as a great mouse mat.