Tips to Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets
You might find it surprising to learn that a key to success in painting kitchen cabinets lies in prepping the surface and priming the cabinet drawers and doors. Preparation involves removing years of grease and grime, sanding surfaces for absorption and adhesion, and priming cabinets with a high-quality brush.
Sounds simple, and it is--although painting kitchen cabinets may require your patience and elbow grease. And you'll need to select the right paint for your cabinets. Latex-based paints are quick-drying and it's easy to clean up your mistakes with water. But oil-based paints harden to a smooth and hard-wearing surface. Spray-on primers are recommended if you've used a sprayer on wood with good results before.
Prepping and Painting Kitchen Cabinets
The closer you can prep the surfaces to original wood, the better your results. Most jobs just require a strong, non-staining detergent like trisodium phosphate (TSP) or de-greaser. While the surface dries, grab a power drill and remove all the hinges, then the other hardware, pulls, and knobs.
Before you sand your surfaces with medium grit paper (150- or 180-grit), patch up any deep dents or grooves with non-shrinking putty. Brush or spray on a layer of primer and let it dry thoroughly. A two inch brush or three-inch roller work well indoors. You can avoid streaks by taking a final roll from end to end after completing a section.
Two finishing coats should complete the job. Let each dry before adding a second coat. And when it's all thoroughly dry, you can install new or your existing hardware. Wash up and admire your handiwork!
Additional Kitchen Cabinets Reading
