Cabinets, Kitchen and Bath Remodeling

7 Tips and Tricks in Painting Kitchen Cabinets

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in a house. You go in at least three times a day to prepare the meals for you or your loved ones. So if you are tired of the way it looks and want to give it a new life but your wallet is not on the same page, we have come with some tips and tricks for painting kitchen cabinets that will give your home a new heart without spending a lot. 

Table of Contents

Determine your cabinet condition. 

Before we start with this project there are a lot of things to consider: are your cabinets in good shape structurally? Do the doors close adequately ? Is there any damage in your cabinets you need to look into?

If you are wondering how to paint your kitchen cabinets, first we need to know if you have already painted them. Cabinets can be painted over again if the paint is in good condition. If not, you are going to need to remove it. You will need to apply  a stripping product and then after it reacts to the old paint you can peel it away. After that you will finish removing the paint with sandpaper. 

You should also remove all the hardware and put them away, you do not want them to get paint all over them, the objective is to have the nicest kitchen possible. Besides the hardware you should also all empty the insides of your kitchen cabinets to avoid getting any paint on your dishes. But if you are not painting the inside of the cabinets you could only put some plastic on them to protect them. 

Emptying your cabinets is also a good way to assess what you have, what you want to keep and what you can give away or donate. Get rid of all the clutter and start this new kitchen chapter fresh with only what you really need. 

Damage repair

Now that you have determined the condition of your cabinets it is time to repair any damage they might have. 

First you need to clean all surfaces and remove any dirt or grease they might have. If you find any dents or holes they can be filled with wood filler. If you are planning on changing your hardware you might as well use the filler to get rid of the old holes. It is highly recommended to label every knob and handle so you know where they belong. 

Prep time

It’s exciting! The time to paint your cabinets is getting closer, but before you do that you need to cover and mask everything that won’t get painted. This means floor, appliances, countertops, etc. We highly suggest taping the walls along the cabinets to avoid getting paint on them. 

Before we think about the kitchen cabinet paint, you need to sand your cabinets. For flat areas you could use a rotary sander, for harder parts and edges it is best if you hand sand them.

Priming.

If you want the best possible paint job, prime your cabinets, you will absolutely love the final result! Primers help you fill the grain of the wood to help the paint absorb more evenly and give your cabinets a smoother look, it helps the paint stay and it covers imperfections. If you are painting the inside of your cabinets you should start from back to front. For flat areas it is suggested to use a roller, you do not have to worry about perfection, primer’s purpose is to provide a good base for the paint. 

After priming, detecting flaws is so much easier! Dent, marks, chips and cracks are now easy to see. Everything you primed needs to be inspected, both sides of the cabinets bases, the doors and drawers. You can fill dents and sand out any rough spots to get your cabinets ready for a second primer coat. 

Remember that different materials call for different primers, be sure to find the correct one for your cabinet type. 

Also, if you are going from a darker color to a lighter one you should tint the primer to match the desired final color. After your first coat of primer dries it is important to sand your cabinets again.

Painting kitchen cabinets

The moment we have all been waiting for! After much preparation your cabinets are finally ready to receive the highly anticipated new coat of life. The best paint for kitchen cabinets can be applied in many forms depending on your preferences. You could use a brush and a roller if you are new in the DIY scene, but you could also use a sprayer if you are more advanced.

In this case we are going to show you how to paint your kitchen cabinets with a brush and a roller. First you start with the cabinet frames, for smaller areas you can use a brush and for larger surfaces a foam roller is recommended. Try to apply even strokes and feather  out the edges. 

In the front pieces of cabinets and drawers, you should start painting the backs, once they are completely  dried up you can paint the front. After you do this apply a second coat of paint.

Reassemble 

After you finish painting your cabinets it is time to put everything back in their place. Before reattaching your hardware you can clean them or  you could give them a new look by refinishing with  spray paint. 

Reinstall your hardware and put your drawers and doors back in their frame. Use your previous labelling to expedite the process.  

Bring back from the boxes your dishes and silverware and put them in their refreshed cabinets and  drawers. Now your kitchen is starting to come together. But we still have one final step to savor the final look. 

Clean up

After the assembly process one of the most satisfying steps is removing all the plastic and paper masking from doors, walls and countertops. Sweep away any accumulated dust, mop your floors, clean your countertops and appliances. It is also time to bring any new accessories like ornamental and edible plants to wrap up the new look. Your painted kitchen cabinets have brought new life to your house! Now it is time to enjoy the new kitchen you have worked so hard on!

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