Painting your cabinets is an excellent way to provide your cooking area a fresh, make over without spending thousands of dollars on replacements. And there’s a lot more cash to be saved if you get the job done yourself– anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000, according to a few of the pros we spoke with.
To do a good task, you’ll need to element in adequate time so that when you’re completed, your cabinets will have the appearance of an expert task. “Ask yourself if you have a schedule and way of life that will enable you to finish the undertaking while not hurrying the task,” says Frank Vega, a senior supervisor at Waldwick Paint and Wallpaper. “Depending on the size and scope of your project, you could pull it off in a couple of days. In some cases, it could take at least a week.”
Ready to fool everyone into thinking you had your cabinets painted by a pro? Ahead, professional guidance on how to do the job.
Before You Start
Determine what kind of cabinet product you’re handling before you start painting. Cabinets made from wood, wood laminate, veneer, fiberboard, and metal are excellent prospects for repainting, but if your cabinets are made of plastic laminate or PVC vinyl thermofoil, you’ll need to research unique paints and application methods.
Next, measure the surface of your cabinets and choose if you’ll be painting simply the outside or the interior, too. “Once you’ve got your measurements in hand, seek out an expert at your local paint store who can crunch the numbers and figure out how much material you’ll require,” says Vega. “In regards to paint, plan on one gallon for every single 350 square feet of paintable surface and about half that quantity for a single coat of primer.”
Pick your color:
When selecting a paint color, it’s crucial to take a look at the repaired components in your cooking area, such as countertops, backsplashes, and hardwood floorings. “These items have their own color story and will impact your cabinet color selection,” states Andrea Magno, director of color marketing and design at Benjamin Moore.
Next, consider how much sunshine the space gets and which direction it originates from, noting that cooler light can make colors look dull or cold. “Some kitchens have an abundance of south-facing natural light, making the range of color alternatives numerous, whereas others have cooler north-facing light, limiting their selection,” says Magno.
Bear in mind the paint you pick requirements to hold up against the needs of a kitchen. A resilient, high-impact water and oil-based hybrid paint with a satin finish is what lots of pros grab when it comes to cabinet painting.
Clean your cabinets:
Utilizing the degreaser and a rag, completely wipe your kitchen area cabinets down. Removing surface area buildup is an important action when painting kitchen cabinets. “Cabinets are covered in grease, oils, dust, and dirt from everyday cooking and usage and when you include a water-based paint, for instance, to a cabinet that has an oil residue, your paint isn’t going to adhere,” states Vega.
Take off doors and drawers:
Empty your cabinets, clear your countertops, and transfer anything portable into another room before removing your cabinet doors. Usage sticky notes to label and match the doors to the matching cabinet boxes using numbers (you may also want to consist of where the doors lie in the room, e.g. cabinet above the dishwasher) to ensure you’re putting everything back in the same area when the job is complete.
Next, vacuum the space to get rid of any dust and dirt that could affect your paint task.
Eliminate any hardware:
Eliminate all hardware and location each piece in a little plastic bag. Recognize each bag with a number that refers the number on the doors and boxes, then keep the bag on that particular cabinet rack or drawer insert. “Paint your doors and drawers with the hardware still attached, and you run the risk of getting paint on the knobs, pulls, and hinges and accumulation around their edges,” says Vega.
Protect contact locations:
Before painting, tape off any essential contact locations, like the sink and range, using painter’s tape. Use drop cloths or brown contractor’s paper to secure floorings and drape a high-density plastic ground cloth over things like counter tops.
Scuff any wood to be painted:
Take the doors to a different location– like a well-ventilated garage or basement– and spread them about 2 feet apart (even much better, line them up on two-by-fours) and get sanding. “Your goal isn’t to remove the paint or stain down to the bare wood; you simply want to dull down the surface area so the subsequent coats of paint will have great adhesion,” says Dennis Fiorilli, director of product excellence for Sherwin-Williams.
After sanding, vacuum any dust and wipe down surfaces with a gently dampened microfiber fabric. Then, inspect the surface areas for chips and fractures to see if any wood filler work is essential, consisting of holes from old hardware.
Prime the cabinets:
Use the very first coat of primer and allow it to dry per the producer’s guidelines (some can take four hours, while others require approximately 24 hours). “You desire everything to treat to the appropriate level, specifically if your cabinets remain in poor shape and you need to use a second coat of primer,” states Mike Mundwiller, senior supervisor at Benjamin Moore.
Some people like to sand a 2nd time after priming to smooth away any ridges or drips and to ensure the surface area is as even as possible before painting. If you take this additional step, clean away residual dust with a somewhat damp microfiber cloth.
Start painting:
Use your foam roller to paint big, flat surfaces and your soft-bristled brush to cut into tight spots and corners. Apply thin layers of paint as you go, due to the fact that developing the surface with a thicker coat will make the cabinets more susceptible to future chips.
There’s no rhyme or factor to the order in which you paint, but lots of pros like to begin with the doors and then transfer to packages. Simply make sure to follow the producer’s directions in regards to drying times. At a minimum, let the cabinets dry in a well-ventilated location for 24 hours before applying the 2nd coat.
