Guide to Painting Kitchen Cabinets
by Daniel Roshard
Description: Tips for re-painting kitchen cabinets.
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One of the quickest and most economical ways to give a tired
kitchen a make over is to paint your kitchen cabinets. Applying
a coat of light paint to dark wood will not only brighten up a
dingy kitchen, it will also give the illusion of more space. It
doesn’t matter if your cabinets are wood or veneer, with the
proper preparation both surfaces can benefit from the
application of good quality paint. Bear in mind that kitchen
cabinets take quite a beating – from sticky little fingers to
oil residue from cooking, so the better quality the paint, the
longer the paint job will last.
This project can take about three days to complete, so allowing
yourself enough time is important. The key to any successful
painting job is preparation and when painting cabinets this is
most important. Generally, you don’t have to bother with the
insides of the cabinets, other than the insides of the doors
and maybe the frames, so you can save yourself a lot of time
and energy by concentrating on the outer surfaces only.
PREPARATION:
• Remove all doors and hardware.
• Hardware is expensive and very often it can be salvaged
rather than replaced. If it has been previously painted, you
can soak your hardware in a bucket of paint remover (outside or
in the garage – as the fumes can be dangerous). After a day or
so in solution, carefully remove hardware, using rubber gloves,
and then soak in a bucket of warm, soapy water. If necessary,
you can then give the pieces a quick scrub with a scouring pad.
In most cases, the paint will peel right off and your hardware
will look brand new.
• Before you begin to apply paint to kitchen cabinets, the
surface must be thoroughly cleaned. Washing cabinets with a
solution of warm water and TSP will remove most, if not all of
the accumulated grease and oils. Allow to dry completely.
• Next, a quick swipe with fine sandpaper (A good fine paper
for this project is a 200 to 300) will roughen up the surface,
allowing the paint to adhere better.
PAINTING:
• Choose a good quality, washable paint. Kitchens look brighter
and cleaner when the cupboards are finished with a semi to high
gloss paint, but that is entirely up to your own preference.
• Lay the cabinet doors on a flat surface in a room with plenty
of ventilation. Paint the outer edges with a brush then use a
roller to finish the job. Allow to dry according to
manufacturers’ recommendation. When thoroughly dry, turn over
and paint the other side. You will definitely need two coats of
paint, and if you have the time and energy, three is better.
ASSEMBLY:
• When paint is completely dry, you can then re-assemble the
hardware install the cabinets and your kitchen will look brand
new.
Daniel Roshard is a designer fascinated by
interior design, especially the making of better indoor spaces.
Daniel currently writes reviews and tips about Kitchen Design at
http://kitchencabinet.zupatips.com/ for http://ZupaTips.com
Related articles:
Kitchen Cabinets - Reface or Replace?
How To Antique Your Kitchen Cabinets
Painting Kitchen Cabinets
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