I scored a matching pair of massive Kenwood tower speakers on Craigslist for $45. Made in Japan, late 1970s to early 1980s. The cones, woofers, and tweeters were practically mint thanks to the original grills. But the cabinets? Rough. Faded laminate, peeling veneer, dents, scratches, beat-up corners. The seller was ready to throw them away. I saw a weekend project.

Before and after

The Craigslist score

Kenwood made some of the most respected hi-fi speakers of the era — paper cones, sealed cabinets, real wood veneer over MDF. These were heavy, big, and built like furniture. Whoever owned them last had stored them in a basement for decades. Drivers fine, cabinets destroyed.

Step 1 — Teardown and dry sanding

First step was disassembling every speaker component and storing them safely in labeled bags. Woofers, tweeters, crossovers, badges, screws — everything off the cabinet.

Then I peeled off the old laminate and started dry sanding with 60-grit. Important: no water, no wire brushes. Dry sand only. MDF and old veneer soak up water and swell — that ruins the cabinet. I used an electric orbital sander for the rough stages. Focus on the front, sides, and top. The back doesn’t matter much, it faces the wall.

One detail: the black plastic subwoofer cone wouldn’t come out without risking damage. I layered masking tape and duct tape over it to protect it through every step. For sandpaper, an assortment pack that covers 60 through 220 grit handles both the rough and finish stages without having to buy multiple packs.

Step 2 — Wood filler and second sanding

After the rough sand, I used a wood filler compound to fill the deepest scratches, dents, and spots where laminate had peeled clean off. Applied with a drywall knife in thin passes — overfilling and sanding flat is easier than building up later.

Let it dry a couple of hours, then sanded again at 60-80 grit. Repeat. The cabinets needed three passes of filler before the surface was uniform enough to prime.

Step 3 — Primer

For primer, I used SprayMax 2K epoxy primer. It bonds to wood, metal, plastic, and pretty much anything you can sand — that flexibility matters when a cabinet has wood, filler, and plastic trim all in one spot.

Light coats only. Multiple passes beat one heavy spray every time. Heavy spray runs, light spray builds. I waited a few hours between coats, sanded with 100-120 grit, then checked under a light for remaining imperfections. Some areas needed an extra targeted pass.

Step 4 — Paint

I chose white. It’s the most forgiving DIY color. Every micro-scratch and imperfection that black or metallic would expose, white hides. White also makes the black speaker cones and the chrome Kenwood badge pop — they read as the design feature instead of just sitting on the cabinet.

Before painting, I wiped the cabinets down with rubbing alcohol to kill any sanding dust or hand oil. Then SprayMax 2K epoxy paint in white — two and a half coats outside, full dry between each. Always spray with the cabinet horizontal, not vertical. Vertical drips, horizontal lays flat and self-levels.

Step 5 — Clear coat

Next day, three coats of SprayMax 2K clear coat. Light first pass, progressively fuller passes after. This is what locks the paint in and gives the cabinet that automotive-grade gloss instead of a flat house-paint look.

I also clear coated the black plastic subwoofer cone. That brought it from faded grey-black to deep gloss black. Like new.

If you get a small run, carefully trim it off with a fresh razor blade before it fully hardens, or sand it flush with 800-grit sandpaper after curing. Wear gloves, goggles, and a respirator. 2K isocyanate-cured paint is not something you breathe. Always outside.

Step 6 — Reassembly

Full day of curing for the clear coat. Then I cleaned all the electrical contacts with electronic cleaner spray — old speakers always have some terminal oxidation that kills high-frequency response. Gently dusted the woofers with a soft brush, reinstalled drivers, badges, and screws, and plugged them into the system.

They sounded incredible. I sent a photo to the original seller and he didn’t believe they were the same speakers.

Real cost

• Speakers from Craigslist — $45
• Sandpaper assortment — ~$9
• Wood filler compound — ~$7
• SprayMax 2K epoxy primer — ~$25
• SprayMax 2K white paint — ~$30
• SprayMax 2K clear coat — ~$25
• Tape, alcohol, contact cleaner — ~$12

Total: about $153 all-in. For a pair of restored Japanese tower speakers that look like luxury furniture and sound phenomenal — that’s an absolute win.

Tools and materials

• Sandpaper assortment — 60 to 220 grit
• Electric orbital sander
• Drywall knife / putty knife
• Wood filler compound
• Masking tape and duct tape for driver protection
• SprayMax 2K epoxy primer
• SprayMax 2K epoxy paint — white gloss
• SprayMax 2K clear coat
• Rubbing alcohol and lint-free rags
• Electronic contact cleaner spray
• Nitrile gloves, safety goggles, organic-vapor respirator mask

Pro tips

• Work in a dust-free area. Outdoors with light wind is fine; a garage with the door cracked is fine. A windy day kills the finish.
• Dry sand only — no water, no wire brushes. MDF and veneer swell the moment water touches them.
• Light coats, always. Patience is the whole game with 2K paint.
• Let every coat fully dry before the next. Touch test in a hidden corner first.
• White is forgiving. Black and metallic show every flaw. Choose your color before you sand, not after.

FAQ

Will painting the cabinet hurt the sound?

No. The cabinet is structural, not acoustic. As long as you don’t paint over the drivers, the cone surrounds, or the sealing gaskets, sound stays exactly the same — sometimes better, because clean contacts and a sealed cabinet matter more than the finish on the outside.

Can I use regular spray paint instead of 2K?

You can, but it’ll chip, dent, and yellow over time. 2K is two-part isocyanate paint — same chemistry as automotive clear. Chemically cured, UV stable, hard. Rattle-can lacquer is fine for a cheap project. For something you want to keep looking like furniture in five years, 2K is worth the extra $20.

How long did the whole project take?

Two weekends of actual work. Sanding, filler, and primer on the first weekend. Paint and clear coat on the second.

What if my speaker cabinet is particle board, not MDF?

Same process, just be more careful. Particle board is softer and breaks if you press too hard with the orbital sander. Use a lighter touch and the wood filler step matters more — particle board has more voids to fill.

Related builds

• Custom Walnut Wall Mount for Kebab Skewers — same SprayMax 2K clear coat used for outdoor patio finish
• 1982 Porsche 911 → 993 Turbo Widebody Conversion — same paint chemistry, scaled up to a car body
• Facom Cantilever Toolbox with Foam Inserts — another “buy nice old hardware, customize it yourself” build

Affiliate disclosure: Some links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, Homeject earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. Every product linked is something I actually used on this build.