Painting Your IKEA KALLAX: DIY-Tips and Inspiration for a Beautiful Ambience

5 min reading time

Who doesn't know the indestructible, functional and inexpensive shelves from IKEA that offer so much welcome storage space? Unfortunately, there is only a limited selection of colours and so you may also be missing a little individuality. So if you want to turn an ordinary piece of furniture into something really special, then you should grab a brush and paint and simply paint your KALLAX shelving unit

Table of content

1. Turning old into new: repainting KALLAX shelves
2. Video: Painting a Kallax shelf
3. Before and After photos from our community
4. Painting an IKEA KALLAX shelf: how it works
5. DIY Scandi look or shabby style - paints and varnishes for your new KALLAX shelf
6. Little helpers: Buy tools from MissPompadour

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Give old furniture a new lease of life: Repainting KALLAX shelves

You're probably wondering: Can KALLAX shelves be painted? Will the paint actually stick to a smooth plastic surface? Yes, all IKEA furniture with a plastic veneer can be painted without any problems and without any sanding!

Painting furniture with plastic surfaces is a popular IKEA hack. At MissPompadour, you'll find not only the right paint, the right primer, and the perfect painting tools, but also ideas, inspiration, and the exact instructions you need to give your EXPEDIT or KALLAX a makeover.

Your newly painted furniture will be dry to the touch after a few hours and will develop its full durability during the curing time of around 10-14 days. You'll then have a robust, everyday-ready surface that you'll enjoy for a long time!

Inspiration: How to use and showcase your new KALLAX shelving unit

As the KALLAX shelf is open and has no back panel, you can not only place it against the wall, but also use it as a room divider. If you want to paint it, consider not only painting the outer walls, but also the inner walls. It can look nice to contrast the colour of the front edges.

Another option is to paint the IKEA shelf exactly the same colour as the wall paint. This makes it look restrained and discreet. This is particularly recommended for smaller rooms. If you have matching pieces of wooden furniture, why not paint them in a matching colour too? In our article on painting wooden furniture, we show you how easy it is!

With new legs and matching doors, which you can also paint in a matching colour, your KALLAX can easily be transformed into an individual chest of drawers.

Why the re-use? Why you should paint your KALLAX and not buy a new shelf or chest of drawers

One thing you have to give IKEA shelves credit for: they are stable and virtually indestructible. And why throw away something that can last for many years to come?

By giving your KALLAX or EXPEDIT a new coat of paint with our colours, you get the look of new furniture. Your KALLAX will probably look like no other in the world. And the environment will be happy about it. Why not give your other IKEA furniture a new, completely individualised look? We'll show you how to easily paint your MALM chest of drawers. You can find all blogs in our overview of IKEA upcycling.

Video: Painting Kallax shelves

Watch our video to see exactly how it's done.

Before and After photos: Kallax transformations from our community

Let our painting community inspire you! Our customers have already embellished many Kallax shelves.

Painting an IKEA KALLAX shelf: how it works

With precise instructions, you can achieve a perfect result even if you're a "painting novice". If you really don't know what to do, simply contact our friendly and competent customer service team, who are available almost around the clock.

Degrease, sand or simply paint?

Cleaning and degreasing IKEA furniture before painting is absolutely essential. The colour must be able to adhere well. The best way to do this is to use our mild MissPompadour To Cleaner. Even if your KALLAX is completely new, you need to clean it thoroughly. Because even new furniture has residues of grease or silicone. Rinse well with clean water and allow the furniture to dry thoroughly before painting.

KALLAX chests of drawers have a smooth, non-porous plastic surface. You should not sandthem . If you want a secure hold for your furniture paint, we recommend our MissPompadour-to-bond-and-block primer . This primer creates a perfect base for your paint. It is important to use separate, really clean rollers and brushes for primer and varnish.

Tips for painting the plastic surface of the shelf

The smooth plastic surfaces of IKEA shelves are easy to paint. Leave the primerto dry for approx. 3 hours, preferably overnight. Now start painting your EXPEDIT or KALLAX. Regardless of which varnish quality you choose, always paintat least twice. For the smooth surfaces of the KALLAX, we recommend working with a varnish roller.

Tip: If you are using your shelf as a shoe rack, for example, or if it is subject to heavy use in other ways, 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!

DIY Scandinavian Look or Shabby Chic – Paints For Your New KALLAX Shelving Unit

The colour you choose should complement the rest of the room. Light shades that go well with the Scandinavian interior design style emphasise the character of KALLAX. Or choose a bold colour to give your KALLAX shelving unit a fresh new look. With the right décor, it will become a real eye-catcher. With its strictly geometric shape, the KALLAX is less suited to the shabby-chic style. But with a soft pastel shade, it can also find its place in a vintage-style interior. Incidentally, it’s no problem to paint a black KALLAX white, as MissPompadour’s paints provide fantastic coverage.

Which colour you choose to paint your KALLAX depends, of course, on your personal taste. In any case, we recommend using paint. Choose from the wide range of shades in our Easy Eggshell range ! If you’re having trouble deciding which colour to paint your KALLAX, our colour charts are sure to help.

You can also paint your KALLAX with chalk paint. Please note, however, that chalk paints do not offer the same durability on furniture as paints.

Handy Helpers: Shop MissPompadour Accessories

As every seasoned DIYer and professional knows, good tools are essential for any project. And you'll certainly need the right tools when painting your IKEA furniture. First up, ensure you properly protect the floor beneath your project. If you prefer working with a paint roller, we also recommend our plastic-free paint tray. Our high-quality paint rollers make tackling larger surfaces a breeze. If you prefer a brush for painting your IKEA shelving, we recommend our fine MissPompadour brush. Its soft bristles help you achieve perfectly smooth surfaces with no brush marks. How convenient! Order your painting accessories straight away and save yourself a trip to the DIY store!