The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in the house, and painting cabinets is a great way to refresh the look. But it’s important to do it right to ensure a long-lasting finish that will resist wear and tear.
Painting kitchen cabinets isn’t a complicated task, but it does require patience and a little bit of time. There are a few steps that will help you achieve the best results possible, including:
Choosing Quality Paint
The type of paint you use is a major factor in how durable your kitchen cabinets will be. Choose a high-quality paint, and it will be easier to apply and offer more protection. Oil-based and latex are good choices for your cabinets, but be sure to shop around and learn about the differences between each. You may also want to consider scuff-resistant or cabinet-grade paint.
Getting Ready for Paint
The first step is to clean all of the surfaces you will be painting. This kitchen cabinet painting will help to remove any caked-on dirt and grease that can impede paint adhesion. This is an especially important step if your kitchen has a lot of hard-to-reach spots, like under sinks and under appliances.
Using the correct roller and brush for the job is also key to achieving professional-looking results. For big flat surfaces, a six-inch roller is the best choice, while an angled sash brush is ideal for smaller surfaces like doors and drawer fronts.
Cleaning between coats is another important part of the process. It’s important to wipe away any sanding dust from the surface, which will create a smoother finish when it’s time to apply your second coat of paint.
Before you start, prepare a work area in an out-of-the-way location like a garage or basement with plenty of ventilation and fans to keep the air moving. Having a dedicated space for painting cabinets will make it much easier to keep your work area clean and prevent unwanted exposure to vapors from the paint.
It’s tempting to skip this step, but removing the cabinet doors is important for a few reasons. First, if you take off the doors, it’s easier to get to all of the cabinet interiors without dripping paint. It will also help to avoid smearing the painted door over the existing door and trim when you try to reattach it after painting.
To protect the cabinets, remove any hardware and put it in a protective container before you begin painting. Be sure to label your hardware with the corresponding number and cover it up with masking tape.
Painting the Kitchen Cabinets
To achieve the look of older furniture, you can paint your cabinets a dark color and then sand it to reveal the original surface. This is a simple technique that can be done on new or old cabinetry.
You can even get a crackle finish to mimic the look of cracked wood. This is best on old cabinetry that has already been painted, but you can do it on brand-new or lightly distressed pieces as well.