Give Kitchen Cabinets a Fresh Look by Matt Fox
Host of HGTV's Room by Room
Shari and I are often asked whether cabinets can be painted and as fast as we can say it together, we say, yes! It's easier than you may think, and if you have dark-stained cabinets here is the quickest way to brighten them up.
Materials:
150-grit sandpaper
220-grit sandpaper
primer/sealer
interior latex semi-gloss paint
paint brush
paint roller, 1/4-inch nap
paint tray
Steps:
1. Are you sure?
Kitchen cabinets are usually the main focus in any kitchen. When contemplating a makeover or a remodeling job on your cabinets, you need to decide whether to replace, reface or paint. If you are on a budget, painting can be a very good option. Most cabinets can be painted if you follow a few simple preparation steps.
2. Let's start the prep
The preparation of the cabinet is the most important step, so spend the necessary time and do a good prep job. If the cabinets have a natural or stained finish, they likely are sealed with a sealant or a varnish. For the paint to adhere you need to break through that finish and add a primer coat. This doesn't mean the sealer has to be removed completely, just roughed up. So you will need to do some sanding. But first, wash the cabinets with a mild soap and warm water solution (household dish soap will work great. Just make sure you rinse well).
After you have washed the cabinets, remove all the doors and hardware. The doors can be painted in a separate area, and it will be much easier to paint them once they are separated from the cabinet. Sand all surfaces with 150-grit sandpaper. The purpose here is to etch the surface, not to sand down to bare wood. A block sander will make the job easier. Once sanded, wipe the cabinets and doors down with a tack cloth or a damp rag to remove all the dust.
3. Your prime opportunity
After all the dust has been removed, prime the doors and cabinets with an oil-based primer/sealer. Primers give the final base coat a sealed surface that will assure proper adhesion. Primers can also be tinted fairly close to the color of the final basecoat, which is a big step saver, especially if painting with darker colors.
Sand the primed surfaces lightly with a 220-grit sandpaper. The primer will raise the grain of the wood causing a fuzzy feeling, and the light sanding will remove the raised grain and give you a velvet-smooth surface.
4: Go for the finish
Once all the preparation has been completed it's time to apply the topcoat of paint. You can choose between a latex enamel or an oil based paint.
Latex can be cleaned-up with soap and water and is a little easier to work with, plus it usually has less odor. Oil base paint requires paint thinner for clean up, and may be a little trickier to work with, and tends to have an odor. Whatever you choose be sure to purchase quality paint.
Start painting by doing the inside of the cabinets followed by the sides and then the front facings. The doors can be done at any time, just make sure they are thoroughly dried before reattaching to the cabinet.
To paint, cut in the edges using a 2 1/2 inch tapered paintbrush. Then, use a roller to apply the paint on the larger surfaces (cabinet fronts, doors). Be sure to use a 1/4 inch roller cover, the shorter nap will apply just the right amount of paint.
Once the paint is rolled on, lay off the surface with the paintbrush.
Note: "Laying off" is a term that means to pull the brush through the paint in long even pulls, and it's best to lay off in the direction of the grain of the wood. The inside walls of the cabinet are a great place to practice rolling and laying off.
After the paint has been applied, let the cabinets dry for at least 24 hours before putting items back on the shelves.
It may seem a little scary at first, but with practice and the correct preparation work, your cabinets will look terrific.
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