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DietSodaExpert t1_ja8oyld wrote

Is it worth it to repaint a particleboard desk? I kept getting different answers from online and people i ask. Basically:

  • I got this desk 3 years ago on clearance. It isn’t bad- but I definitely would want to upgrade eventually.

  • it has a weird gray teal color and now the paint is chipping and revealing the particleboard.

I have a little money to use- but what money I do have would only be able to get me another particleboard desk. I’m keeping an eye out in thrift stores and Facebook marketplace, though!

So in the meantime i was thinking just sand, prime (oil based) and paint (glossy black or green). If I wanted to go above and beyond I could fill the (Wildly unevenly placed) hardware holes and get new hardware. But I’m feeling kinda stuck here! I mainly do small diy stuff (if you can call making your own shelves out of wood and brackets that, lol) so I’m not sure if if it’s even worth it? Any guidance or insight is appreciated!

Edit to add: or if anything would a quick sand and some contact paper be better?

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--Ty-- t1_jaar6n8 wrote

Financially speaking, most low-end DIY is not worth it, because the cost of mass-produced good is SO low, that you can't really beat it once you factor in the consumables (paint, sandpaper, primer, etc.) and especially your time. This often keeps people trapped in an endless cycle of buying cheap products that don't last (the "Boots theory of socioeconomic unfairness".) The reason to DIY low-end objects is more for the satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, and learning opportunity they represent, rather than for financial gain.

However, the cost to DIY something is often much less than a high-quality good, so it would seem to make sense to DIY it -- but only if the base material is decent.

If I had the choice between spending $75 on paint and materials for a particle-board desk, or $150 for a solid-wood desk on the marketplace, I'd go with the solid wood one every time, because then, if it does need repairs in the future, I know its actually repairable, and that those repairs will last another 20 years, rather than 2.

What is your budget? There may be better options available for you.

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