Paint IKEA Hemnes: New look for Hemnes chest of drawers, shoe cabinet & co.

With the Hemnes series, Ikea has launched a furniture collection made of solid wood. This basis makes the furniture stable and extraordinarily durable. Do you also want to customise your Hemnes and give it a unique look with a little DIY? You are not alone! Of course, the easiest way to do such an IKEA hack is with paint and a brush.

Table of contents

1. Painting IKEA Hemnes: A new look for your chest of drawers, shoe cupboard & co.
2. Painting the Hemnes chest of drawers: The preparation
3. Painting the IKEA Hemnes: How it works
4. Paint, chalk paint or varnish - the right choice for every look
5. Helpful accessories for painting & designing by MissPompadour

Did you know that IKEA uses recycled wood for the Hemnes range? This means that Hemnes furniture is produced sustainably – by painting it instead of discarding it, you’re continuing to support this eco-conscious approach. Whether it’s a Hemnes bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, or shoe cabinet: simply grab a paintbrush and some paint, and transform your Hemnes furniture into a unique upcycled piece that will be unrecognisable as originating from a large furniture store. Your newly painted furniture will be dry to the touch in just a few hours, and will develop its full durability over a curing period of approximately 10-14 days – after which you’ll have a robust, everyday-ready surface that you'll love for years to come!

Inspiration: Your IKEA furniture could look like this

It's the simplicity of Ikea furniture that makes it so popular - it fits into pretty much any interior. If you want to paint your Hemnes chest of drawers, you're guaranteed to find what you're looking for in the pictures from our community!
Whether you want to paint with chalk paint or our varnishes, just let yourself be inspired by the many DIY painting results and creative ideas from our customers: from plain monochrome to stylishly decorated with stencils and furniture stickers - there's something for everyone

Painting the Hemnes chest of drawers: The preparation

First think about which colour shade you want your shelf or chest of drawers to shine in. If you want to set an accent, then paint to complement your wall paint. If you want to paint your piece of furniture in the background, you can use the same colour shade for the wall and chest of drawers.
Now it's time for the brush. Unlike most Ikea furniture, which is veneered with plastic, the solid wood in the Hemnes range is stained or glazed. For your project, this means a different preparation than you are used to with your other Ikea furniture, but you don't have to despair! You can find out what you should bear in mind in these instructions.

The furniture series is available in white or black-brown stain and grey glaze. There is also a white lacquered version. IKEA has the surfaces stained or stained to make the wood structures visible. While staining only works on the surface of the wood, stain penetrates deep into the wood structure. Nevertheless, the surface structure remains visible with both methods.
Unlike furniture with lacquered and plastic veneered surfaces , however, stain and stain require a primer.
We recommend our To Bond & Block - MissPompadour Primer. This bonding and stain block ensures that neither stain nor stain will leak out and leave unsightly marks on the new varnish. If your Hemnes is painted white, a primer is also recommended so that the new varnish can adhere well to the smooth surface.

If you would like to paint another piece of furniture with a wooden surface, take a look at our blog article on " Painting wooden furniture". There we also explain how you can easily paint with chalk paint.
Why not paint your own Ikea range: Malm, Billy, Kallax and other furniture in the same colour or in a similar style will make your rooms look more impressive.

Painting IKEA Hemnes: how it works

Clean, sand or can I simply varnish Hemnes furniture?

Every piece of furniture must be thoroughly cleaned before painting, as sanding dust, dirt particles and grease prevent the paint from adhering . Use the MissPompadour Cleaner to do this .
You do not need to sand varnished and stained furniture as long as its surface is intact.
However, be sure to prime the furniture - the water contained in the varnish can dissolve the stain. If this leaks into the varnish, it will become stained.
Even with a varnish, you cannot be sure whether pigments will come off. Also treat the substrate with our To Bond & Block primer. This means you can easily paint a black-stained Hemnes chest of drawers white without sanding first.

How To Paint IKEA Hemnes Furniture

With this how-to you can turn your Hemnes chest of drawers into a truly unique piece. Whether you're a beginner or a pro: just paint!

Step 1: Preparation

Firstly, remove all drawers and carefully clean your workpiece on all surfaces to be painted. Use the To Clean cleaner from MissPompadour to remove all dirt and grease residues effortlessly. Even if your piece of furniture is completely new, it still needs to be cleaned and degreased thoroughly. Because residues can also be found on new furniture.
Don't forget to wipe the surfaces with clean water afterwards.

Step 2: Priming

Now prime all surfaces with an opaque coat of To Bond & Block from MissPompadour. This will help your varnish to adhere particularly well to the surface of the Hemnes piece of furniture, even without sanding. You also ensure that neither stain nor varnish can penetrate your colour. Allow the primer to dry for at least 8 hours or overnight. Always make sure to use clean tools when priming.

Step 3: Painting

Now paint all surfaces in the colour of your choice. Leave the furniture paint to dry for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Then apply a second coat. Normally, no sanding is necessary between coats.
If you want to apply patterns with stencils or finish with wax, allow the second coat to dry well before continuing.

Step 4: Drying

Now comes the hardest step: let your piece of furniture dry! Please note that this can take between 6 and 14 hours, depending on the thickness of the coat. However, the varnish will only be fully cured after around 14 days.

Tip: If your chest of drawers is likely to be subjected to heavy use, we recommend applying an additional coat of MissPompadour To Seal, at least on the shelves. This will make your coating even more impact and scratch-resistant and longer-lasting!

Which Paint Will You Choose? Find the Perfect Finish for Your Look

By choosing the right paint finish, you can give your Hemnes chest of drawers a completely different look. Our Easy Eggshell! paint finish creates a subtle, almost matte sheen. It makes your piece of furniture look elegant and allows the colour to truly shine. If your furniture will be subject to heavy use, we recommend sealing the paint finish as a final step.

Useful tools for painting & decorating from MissPompadour

You can paint your furniture indoors with peace of mind, as MissPompadour's wood paints are low in emissions. Lay a dust sheet around your furniture to protect your floor. However, our paints are so low-splatter that this is more of a safety measure.
The practical brush pot will make your work much easier. You can stand your brush upright in it, keeping it always within easy reach.
And last but not least, here's the most important thing: you'll need a really good brush. Take a look at the fantastic brushes in our shop.
With the MissPompadour Fine brush, you'll work precisely and without brush marks. This brush guarantees a perfect finish and is, in the truest sense of the word, a 'brush for life'.