Due to high traffic, kitchens tend to take a little more of a beating than other rooms in your house. Often people will feel pressured to replace everything. This can become expensive and is often times unnecessary. If you are already planning to replace appliances, countertops, flooring etc. consider saving money by keeping your cabinets. By properly painting your kitchen cabinets you can bring a fresh clean look with minimal effort, and even better, you will be saving hundreds or thousands of dollars in materials and labor.
Start by removing the cabinet doors and drawers that need to be painted, including all hardware. Take the cabinet doors and drawers to a workshop, or wherever you plan on painting them. In the kitchen make sure that everything is relatively clean. Kitchens tend to get grease buildup, negatively affecting your final result. Next, apply painter’s tape around the edges to keep paint off of surfaces like walls and ceilings, this will ensure a nice clean line and save you from a lot of cleanup work later. Once everything is taped off you will want to apply a layer of primer. Some surfaces may require sanding prior to the application of primer or paint, while others will not. It is important that you let the primer dry for the amount of time recommended. This is a wonderful time to clean and prime your doors and drawers. Keep in mind you want to prime and paint both the inside and outside to ensure an even look. Once all your primer is dry you can start painting. Painting cabinets involves different sized brushes and rollers and depending on the design of your cabinets may require some relatively detailed work. Make sure you consider all the tools you needed to get good coverage when purchasing supplies. You will want to keep a nice even coat in both the kitchen and on the doors and drawers. Once the first coat is fully dried you may find it necessary to apply an additional coat. To keep your paint job looking great consider applying a coat or two of clear coat. This will help avoid knicks and scratches. Once everything is painted, dried and tape has been removed, it is time to replace your doors and drawers. By ensuring that everything is hung properly, and all the lines are straight you will achieve a professional finished look while saving a lot of money.
Achieving professional results in your kitchen cabinet refinishing project takes just a little patience and planning. Just like with any painting job preparation is key to a professional quality end result. It is imperative that you have all the tools and materials necessary to finish the job before you start work.