How do prepare a masonite to paint oil or arcylic on it?

1) what a kind of masonite is suitable for painting? Is there any specific for the thickness?


2) how to treat the masonite before I start to paint?


3) If I paint arcylic on it, do I have to (or should) varnish it after finish? If yes, is it the same varnish for oil?


3) Thank you so much for the answers!!!How do prepare a masonite to paint oil or arcylic on it?
The thickness of the Masonite depends on the height and width of the work. Small peices are fine on 1/8 inch but if you go over 12 inches in height or width you will need either thicker Masonite (1/4 - 1/2';) or some type of brace on the back because it will warp. Apply gesso, allow it to dry, sand it lightly and add another coat of gesso. You can continue adding layers of gesso and sanding until you get a really smooth surface. If you are using acrylic there is no need to apply a varnish - acrylic tends to be fairly glossy on its own especially on a really smooth surface. There are polyurethane and acrylic finishes you can add if you like more of a gloss but I would not use Damar varnish or other varnishes typically used for oils.How do prepare a masonite to paint oil or arcylic on it?
any masonite will work. i use pretty thin stuff and apply a bonding primer to one side only and let the back (rough side) ';breath';...first i sand with 220 to give some tooth and apply two coats of bonding primer and sand lightly before i start my painting...acrylic bonding primer will take either oil or acrylics and no you do not have to varnish after you finish.


the only reason i apply any varnish to my work is to make it entirely dull dead flat.
I find that no matter how well you prepare them, they still suck the moisture (be it acrylics or oil) out of the paint .
Well, I'm glad you asked because this is exactly what I do about 3 times a month. I use 1/8 inch for a size under 18 x 24, above that I use 1/4 inch. the difference is that the thicker stuff will suppert a larger painting better, the thinner masonite is great for sizes 18 x 24 and below such as 16 x 20, 14 x 18, 12 x 16, 11 x 14, 9 x 12, 8 x 10 etc. I use a medium sanding paper and I lightly sand each masonite panel so that it will bind with my surafce prep which is common everyday gesso with the exception that add a coloring agent to my gesso because I have a tendency to paint blue/green and I like my artwork to appear warm. If I want to use acrylics, I will add about a cup of talcum powder to the gesso so that it will end up being ';absorbant';,.acrylics tend to dry fast and so it needs to bind with the gesso faster and the talc helps. after I finish a painting on masonite, I varnish it using a ';damar retouch varnish'; so that if I need for some reason to go back and change something, I can just wipe the varnish off with thinner and go back and re-do whatever it is. If I'm, satisfied with the artwork I can always go in with regualr ';damar'; and just put a coat of it on the finished piece. the formula for the gesso with the talc is one qt. of gesso to one cup of talc. I hope this has been helpful to you. .................................. Oh, one more thing, if you need to paint a larger sized piece and the wieght is a problem for you, use ';masonite sub-flooring'; which is the 1/8 inch masonite that has been hot pressed, it is alot sturdier%26amp; lighter. you can find it at most lumber yards like Homew depot or Lowes stores or at your local ';ace hdwr';.
My wife, who uses this material a lot to paint, uses oils and suggest that you lightly sand the board and then gesso both sides. You need to do both sides to keep the board from warping. The sanding allows the gesso to bond to the board better. Any thickness will work, as will any type of masonite (she goes to Home Depot and has them cut a sheet down for her); that's ultimately a personal choice. Another option is to use a bit of wood glue and adhere a canvas directly to the board, which elimates the problem of building stretchers. She's never done acryllics, so doesn't know the steps there and has never had to varnish any of her oil paintings.





Hope this helps.