How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets - Easy Guide For Weekend Warriors And DIYers
We always suggest that you hire a professional to do the job for you for multiple reasons which include experience and insurance of a quality job! But for those who want to know how to paint kitchen cabinets without a professional spray, this is how you can get professional looking results for under $ 200.
How To Achieve Professional Results When Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets
I have been getting a ton of questions via lately about one of our Facebook postings in which I painted our kitchen walls and cabinets. Most people are curious and want to know how to paint kitchen cabinets, and how much it cost to get our cabinets looking like new.
Our house is very old and so are our cabinets. It did not bother us at first but ever, we got sick of looking at that ugly veneer look so we decided it was time for a makeover.
It's not very difficult to paint over veneer it just needs the right prep work. If you hire a professional I would suggest trying to do as much as you can yourself such as taking off the doors and hardware and maybe sanding them lightly with a 220 grit sanding block. Just a light scuff will do (imagine you are cleaning a window). That will save you a few dollars. But if you decide to do it on your own here are some tips on how to paint kitchen cabinets and get amazing and long lasting results.
Preparation When Painting Kitchen Cabinets
After you remove your doors (or just masking your hinges) light sand / scuff the surfaces that are being painted with a 220 grit sanding block. Use a type of degreasers such as Windex or Zep Citrus Degreaser.
Next, you have 2 options.You can use a 220 grit sandwich and lightly scuff your surfaces or use Krud Kutter-Gloss Off which you can wipe on using a rag and let it sit for 10 minutes. Your surfaces will be deglossed without having to sand them.
Your next step is to prime the surfaces with the right primer. I used one coat of "INSL-X Stix" which is a urethane acid You can find it online or at your local Benjamin Moore Supplier. Check your local Hardware store.
Using a good quality paint will help you get the best finish possible. I suggest using Benjamin Moore Advance Alkyd. It is very easy to work with and dries to a hard and durable finish.
Using a 2-inch Nylon paintbrush start cutting in around the hardware (if you did not remove the doors) and any places Your Whizz ™ roller will not reach. Next, use your Whizz ™ roller to apply your ALKYD enamel. Try to paint in the same direction as your grain (if your cabinet has a fake wood pattern). Let it dry overnight and repeat. You can hang your doors now but keep in mind that even though the enamel will dry overnight, it still takes 30 days to fully cure so be careful and try to avoid scrubbing them before those 30 days.