We've all seen those cabinets. The oak ones that have been there for years and you want to change them but it doesn’t fit in your budget. Here’s an idea that I love and I wish I had photos to show you but I will start taking them on these type of projects:
Tools you will need:
· Corrugated board to place your cabinets doors on
· Sanding Paper (course)
· Paint
· Sander
· Fine Paint Brush, so as not to show the lines
· Sander (I have a DeWalt handsander that I use)
· Mineral spirits
· Rags – fine finish
· Dish Soap
· Polyacrylic Satin Finish
Remove the doors and drawers from the cupboards and remove any and all hardware
Suggestion 1: work with one of the smaller drawers to begin with to understand the sanding process but more importantly the painting technique.
Suggestion 2: I use a Tupperware container to keep all my hardware together. It helps. : )
Wash the kitchen cabinets down
Use dish soap and Water
I use the coarse sand paper and my hand sander for the main areas and work the decorative trim with one of those black hand sponges.
Note: If you don’t want the grain to show, give the door and drawers an extra thorough sanding
I use a wide paint brush to remove the dust on the cabinets and then apply some mineral spirits to a cloth to pick up any excess dust that would give your cabinets that “bumpy” look.
Let the cabinetry dry for a couple hours or overnight.
Next, you want to apply a Good Primer as these cabinets will require two coats of primer (do not cut corners here!).
I prefer and like Valspar’s Contractor Primer’s Bonding Primer. Allow the first coat to dry thoroughly. If there are some bumps on your cabinet, this is a good time to use a fine grain sandpaper to remove those bumps. Again, brush off the surface before you apply that second coat of primer. The primer you use, if you are doing distressed cabinetry where the edges will be sanded down, should be a light color.
Then you apply two coats of your choice of second color in satin finish. (again if this is distressed look, you want to use a darker complimentary color).
The two paints that I have found that work the best have been Glidden (but it has more of a grey base to it) and Lowe’s Valspar, which I have been in love with and works and holds well.
Make sure that you dry between application of paint.
If you are distressing your cabinets: Allow the paint to dry for 48 hours. Then use sandpaper (I do it by hand and fold the paper around a 2 x 4 block of wood as it works better) and sand the edges of the cabinets and trim.
If you are just painting your cabinets one color: Then you still need to apply two coats of primer and two coats of paint.
Once this is done, then apply a clean coat of polyacrylic satin finish, per the instructions.
Change the door hardware, which really enhances your new kitchen cabinet look!
Makes a huge difference and saves you money.
I love repainting and restaining existing kitchen cabinetry especially if the cabinetry design isn’t too dated because it makes a huge difference and it makes you appreciate your home even more.
Hint: When choosing colors for your cabinets, I tape the colors up on the cabinets and leave them up there for about a week to make sure that the color I choose, I am really happy with.
Comments(4)