Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Old kitchen cabinets that aren’t worth stripping and staining can be painted and made to look like new. Sanding, priming, and painting is a time-consuming job, but if properly prepared and painted, your old cabinets will stay looking great for a number of years. Don’t hire a professional. You can do it yourself!

Choosing Primer and Paint

Don’t choose just any type of paint or primer when refinishing kitchen cabinets. If you choose the wrong type of paint, you’ll be wasting your time. Paint that isn’t durable will eventually begin to chip and peel, and you’ll have to strip and repaint your cabinets not long after their complete. Kitchen cabinets tend to take a lot of abuse, and not all types of paint will stand the test of time and wear.

Although oil-based enamel paint and primer emit more fumes and are more difficult to clean up, they are the best options for refinishing kitchen cabinets. Oil-based paint is highly durable, easy to keep clean, and it won’t chip or peel when the surface is properly primed. It’s clearly the best choice for kitchen cabinets.

Before Beginning

It’s of the utmost importance to protect your eyes, skin, and lungs from harmful chemicals. Take the time to put on safety glasses, a dust mask, and protective gloves when sanding and painting, or when working on any home improvement project.

Cabinet Preparation

Begin by removing everything from the inside of cabinets, especially food. Move things off counters or cover them, and pull out major appliances if necessary. Put down tarps to protect flooring.

Keep fumes from drifting to the rest of the house by covering doorways and vents with plastic sheeting. Attach the plastic with painter’s tape. In addition, open windows and turn on exhaust fans for proper ventilation.

Trying to paint around hardware is time-consuming and difficult. It’s much easier to remove knobs, handles, and hinges before beginning. The finished job will look neater, and you’ll avoid unnecessary headaches.

No matter the type of finish on cabinetry, it must be roughened up before priming and painting. Evenly sand the surface with course-grit sandpaper so primer and paint will more readily adhere, and thoroughly wipe away any dust or wood particles.

Make any repairs before priming and painting. Fill holes, dents, and cracks with wood filler, and sand it to a smooth finish.

Before priming and painting, apply painter’s masking tape around the edges of countertops, walls, and floors. Taking the time to apply tape will mean fewer cleanups as well as a neater finished job.

Painting Tips

The phrase “you get what you pay for” couldn’t be truer when it comes to painting supplies. Buy top-quality angled brushes to attain the smoothest finish, and buy top-quality paint and primer. It’s worth it to spend a little more for a professional looking finish that will last.

Paint cabinet doors while they’re lying flat to avoid runs and drips, and allow them plenty of time to dry before handling and reattaching.

Brush in one direction, and don’t make the mistake of excessively brushing one area. You’ll achieve a smoother more even finish by allowing the first coat to dry before applying a second coat.

Follow complete product label instructions for best results when priming and painting kitchen cabinets. Taking the time to read labels and follow instructions will result in a job well done.