Guide to Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Freshening up or giving your old kitchen cabinets a whole new look is easier than you might think. There is no need to call in costly professional painters to do a simple paint job. With a little time and effort, and a few materials, you can give your kitchen cabinets the beautiful look you want right at home.
1. Collect Materials. You'll need a scrub brush, a bucket with soap and water, sandpaper, primer, paint, paintbrushes, and a tarp or drying rack.
2. Remove Hardware. Remove any hardware that may get ruined during the painting process. You can reattach it later or change it out for new hardware.
3. Clean Cabinets. It is important to clean the cabinets thoroughly before painting to ensure the new paint goes on smooth. Use a scrub brush and mild soap and water to scrub all dirty, greasy, and/or stained areas. For harder to clean areas, try a kitchen spray that specializes in stuck on stains.
4. Sand Cabinets. Use course grain sandpaper and sand your cabinets. Make sure the entire cabinet has been sanded. Sanding the wood helps the paint adhere to the cabinets and gives the cabinets a smoother appearance.
5. Prime Cabinets. Using a quality primer, prime the cabinets one to two times. If the paint you are using is a primer and paint in one, you may skip this step.
6. Paint Cabinets. In an open area where there is good airflow, lay the cabinets on a tarp or drying rack. Paint the cabinets using paint and paintbrushes, being sure to cover all areas on the cabinet. Use clean strokes and do not leave blotchy or miss painted areas as it will dry that way, leaving a messy appearance.
7. Dry Cabinets. Let the paint dry completely before moving on. This may take hours or even a day or two depending on the brand of paint used and how thick the coat of paint is. Giving the cabinets a second paint coat too soon or touching the cabinets before they are dry may cause damage to the paint or give the cabinets an unfinished, rough appearance.
8. Repeat this process. If a second coat is needed, paint and let cabinets dry again. Also, you may need to flip the cabinets over and paint the other side.
9. Hang Cabinets. Once the paint is dry, you may hang your cabinets and add hardware.