Apply The First Coat Of Paint To Your Kitchen Cabinets
When your primer is set, you can go in with your first layer of paint. Remember to stir the paint, especially if it’s highly pigmented as it will separate. Using your paintbrush, work in both directions to really get into the grain, for an even finish. Remember again that lots of thin layers is best when painting kitchen cupboards. Let that layer dry completely.
When completely dry, take a small sanding block to smooth out any spots which are a little clumpy. Then wipe it down with a soft cloth to remove any lingering dust.
Is It Better To Spray Or Brush Paint Kitchen Cabinets
The challenge that mostly comes with painting your kitchen cabinet is choosing which method to use. You can use two procedures to paint your kitchen cabinet, but which of the two is the best choice?
A spray painting cabinet uses a paint sprayer to apply a fine coat on the cabinet evenly. It is the most sought-after method nowadays. It is the fastest and most efficient method while giving the top quality. On the other hand, brush painting involves using a paintbrush or roller to apply the paint.
Due to its non-durability feature is only recommended for smaller cabinets projects because its more cost-effective.Like everything else, there will always be pros and cons to all methods of doing things. Lets examine the pros and cons of spray and brush painting, respectively.
Pros of spray painting
Cons of spray painting
Pros of brush painting
Cons of brush painting
- Its painting process requires a long time.
- The painting application process takes a long time as each coat applied on the surface needs to get before moving on to the next. It requires close attention to prevent missed spots and ensure even painting. Because the layers naturally go on thicker, it takes a long time to dry in between coats.
- It allows brush marks.
- While brushes are good for thick application, they arent quite perfect in giving even painting. Even professionals end up having brush marks on the cabinet surfaces after painting.
The Cost For Painting Kitchen Cabinets
The cost to paint your kitchen cabinets, whether professional or DIY, will be significantly cheaper than replacing them. Replacing your kitchen cabinets can easily go over $5,000 for a 10-by-12 foot kitchen.
Preparing your kitchen cabinets for painting can be a relatively inexpensive project if you do it yourself. All you need is some basic supplies and a little bit of time. However, the cost of painting kitchen cabinets can vary depending on the paint and supplies you choose.
If you decide to hire a professional to paint your kitchen cabinets, the cost will be higher. Of course, the quality of the job should be higher too.
But if youre willing to do the work yourself, the cost can be as low as $100 to $200. Heres a breakdown of the average costs associated with painting kitchen cabinets:
High-quality cabinet paint: $30-50 per gallon
Primer: $15-20 per gallon
Sandpaper: $5
Lacquer or sealant: $15-25 per can
The total cost of painting kitchen cabinets will also depend on how many coats of paint you need. A single gallon of paint will usually be enough to cover two coats for most cabinet projects. The amount of paint depends on how many cabinets you need to paint and if youll be painting the shelves and box interiors.
You may also need to purchase new hardware for your cabinets after painting them. This can add an additional $100 or more to the total cost of the project.
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How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets: A Step
If youre like most people, your kitchen cabinets are one of the first things that you notice when you walk into your kitchen. And if theyre outdated or dont match your current taste, it can really bring down the whole look of the room. This is when DIY homeowners look up how to paint kitchen cabinets.
But dont worry you dont have to replace them! You can hire a painting pro or paint them yourself and give your kitchen a whole new look for a fraction of the cost of replacing them.
Follow these simple steps, and youll have beautiful new kitchen cabinets in no time! You can also find out more about kitchen cabinet painting, such as cost, the best type of paint, and more.
Remove Doors Drawers And Hardware
Remove all doors and drawers and place in a designated workspace. Use painters tripods to elevate the doors from the workspace when painting. Remove all hardware from cabinets, doors, and drawers, and organize in plastic bags. If your cabinets feature removable shelves, it is wise to remove them, as well.
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Reassemble Cabinets And Hardware
After the paint dries thoroughly, professionals will reassemble all cabinetry and reinstall it back the way it was. In many cases, you will be free to use your new kitchen cabinets right away.
Contact Cabinet Painting Guru or call 982-0131 for a free quote on refinishing your wood cabinets with paint or re-dooring for a fresher, brighter kitchen today.
We Take Care Of Any Obvious Surface Imperfections
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Dings, cracks, or other imperfections are easier to see after priming, so we take care of them now. Everything weve primed gets inspected, including the cabinet bases and both sides of the doors and drawer fronts. We fill dings and sand out rough spots, taking extra care on the fronts, or visible sides of your cabinetry. And if your project estimate includes filling any existing hardware holes, we do that now too.
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Additional Tools Needed For Spraying Your Kitchen Cabinets
Paint suit: This would keep you clean, free of overspray, and protect your skin from absorbing the VOCs released by different paints.
Painters plastic: This is needed to prep the inner part of cabinets, appliances, and walling off the work area to avoid overspray getting into unwanted areas.
Full face charcoal respirator mask: This is a basic 3m respirator mask setup. And it helps to protect harmful vapors from penetrating the body through the eyes. So this mask helps to cover the sensitive parts of the body, such as the eyes, nose mouth, when painting.
Earplugs: Provided youd be using a full face mask as discussed above, an earplug is the following recommendation. This is literally to protect the brain, which is another area that harmful fumes can quickly enter the body.
Can You Just Paint Over Cabinets Or Should You Strip Them
When the existing finish is a clear coat, the best course of action is to strip the finish down to the bare wood before painting. This eliminates a potential adhesion problem between the old finish and the new paint.
But while stripping may be the ideal for purists, its not always practical or absolutely necessary. A thorough cleaning followed by light sanding should be enough to prepare the surface for new paint.
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How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Without Stripping
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Overview Of The Process
Ive been so thrilled to share our cabinet-painting process with others whove been curious about painting their cabinets, so Im so excited to finally be sharing a full tutorial here on how we did it! When we were re-doing our cabinets, I didnt think about it being a tutorial to share on my blog, so I didnt take step-by-step pictures I am SO BUMMED. But, stick with me, because even though we dont have as many pictures as Id like, Im going to give you a very thorough explanation of how we did everything, what materials we used , and recommendations for tips and tricks to help you save time AND do the project well. First, Ill give you an overview, then Ill list all the tools needed for the job , and then Im going to guide you, step-by-step, how to paint your cabinets so youre as happy with yours as we are with ours!
Heres an overview of what youll do well get into the details in a bit of exactly how to do this and what tools to use:
- Remove cabinet doors and the hardware , label them so you make sure you keep the right hardware with the right doors
- Remove drawers. Place cabinet doors & drawers outside for sanding.
- Sand doors and front of drawers. This is super important for a high quality paint job and it really doesnt take very much time if you have a sander . Wipe them all down after sanding to get em ready for priming and painting.
- Prime the cabinets & drawers
Cost To Paint Cabinets White
The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets white is $3 to $10 per square foot or $30 to $60 per linear foot of cabinetry depending on the condition of the cabinets, the painting method, and labor costs. White kitchen cabinets with satin finishes are the most popular choice among homebuyers.
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The Absolute Best Way To Paint Kitchen Cabinets
You may remember I already wrote a post on the right way to paint your kitchen cabinets, otherwise known as the worlds longest kitchen cabinet painting tutorial. After I published my original post, the question I heard most often was Is there an easier way?
Well, because I love you guys, I set out to answer that question. I had to buy a new house with ugly dark outdated oak kitchen cabinets, just to satisfy your curiosity. It was a sacrifice, but one I was willing to make. Just for you, my dear readers.
So now, after trying out a new product and a completely different process, I have the new and improved best way to redo your kitchen cabinets.
What makes it the best, you ask? Its faster, easier, and with WAY less mess. My previous process still works well, but if youre wanting a quicker turnaround, this will be the process for you.
Update: After living with my cabinets for several years, Ive found that this new easier way holds up just as well as the previous method. So theres no reason to feel like youre taking a shortcut. I can definitely say this is my favorite way to paint cabinets now!
Sand The Painted Kitchen Cabinets
After about four hours, the latex paint should have dried. You can now lightly sand the previously painted cabinets with 220-grit sandpaper. Follow the grain and ensure you smooth out any imperfections and brush strokes.
When youre done sanding, use a vacuum cleaner and tack cloth to get rid of the dust. Paint doesnt stick well to dust, so make sure you take your time to get this right.
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Diy Vs Hiring A Painter
Achieving a perfect paint job with even coats and no visible brush strokes is trickier than it looks. Different materials require different types of paint and different methods of painting. You might need to make repairs, and painting cabinets can get particularly complicated once you start taking doors off their hinges and stripping old paint.
Rather than risk damaging your cabinets, hire a cabinet painter or interior house painter near you. If you want to tackle a small paint job on your own, expect to spend $200 to $600 for supplies like paint, brushes, rollers, drop cloths, and tape.
Here Is How We Ensure You Get A Professional Job:
- We utilize TSP to clean and also degloss your cabinet surfaces to ensure proper primer adhesion.
- Whenever possible, we spray your cabinet surfaces to ensure uniform coverage, and achieve a finish free of brush strokes and other defects.
- This requires extensive prep and masking prior to the performance of your job, in order to protect your valuable surfaces like flooring, countertops, and appliances.
- We utilize high-performing adhesion primers made to adhere specially to stained surfaces, cover dark or rich stain colors, and also prevent tannins in the wood from bleeding through the paint job.
- We putty and caulk seams and nail penetrations that become visible after priming to give the cabinets a finished and professional appearance.
- We use oil or alkyd-based paints for topcoats on the cabinet surfaces, that offer self-leveling properties and a rigid, hardy surface that will hold up to the rigors of everyday use.
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My Painted Kitchen Cabinets
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Home » My Painted Kitchen Cabinets- 5 Years Later
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I find it truly hard to believe, but as of last month, my husband and I have been remodeling our fixer upper home for five years now. And manwhat a freaking journey it has been!
While a majority of the projects here have been a DIY effort, there have been a handful of projects we decided to hire out. One of which is the transformation of our existing kitchen cabinets.
In February of 2015, we hired a professional to paint our outdated, oak kitchen cabinets white.
Half a decade later, I am giving an honest, follow-up review of the oil-based paint job.
So before I get into the juicy details of my review, I wanted to show you the before photo of our cabinets. The picture above was taken the day we moved into our 1980s rancher.
Wanting to brighten up our dingy, outdated kitchen on a reasonable budget, the cabinets were one of the very first projects we invested in.
In addition to new flooring and back-splash, painting the walls and the cabinets dramatically transformed the space
Blue Velvet Barstools Add Color And Seating To Gray Kitchen
In the kitchen, blue, velvet barstools underneath the kitchen peninsula add a splash of color to the otherwise neutral kitchen as well as provides the space with additional seating and another casual dining option.
Suzanne Childress
Painting kitchen cabinets can be tiring and you can easily hire a pro to do the job, but if you’re up for the challenge and want to save money, try to do it yourself. Follow the steps we have outlined below to learn the best way to paint your kitchen cabinets.
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Hiring A Cabinet Painter Who Pays Attention To Detail
If you hire a painter who cuts corners and doesnt properly prepare your cabinets before painting, your cabinets will not last the expected 8-10 years. In order to achieve a factory-finish look, its important to hire a professional cabinet refinishing company that will be thorough and meticulous when it comes to the cabinet painting process. Preparation is an important step for any task, but its especially critical when painting cabinets to ensure a quality finish that will last. If cabinets are improperly prepped or painted, they wont last longer than a couple years.
Our process begins by setting up floor and wall protection around the entire room, so the dust and smell doesnt permeate the rest of the home. We completely seal off the room with plastic protection and zipper walls for easy access when needed. Its important to set up proper ventilation to create a negative airflow pushing the air out of the home. Once the room has been properly sealed off and every inch has been protected, its time to get to work on the cabinets!
Finally, once the cabinets have been prepared, we apply two coats of primer and three coats of lacquer to the cabinets. We apply at least three coats of lacquer to ensure that there is a thick finish that is durable enough to last. While you might be tempted to try and DIY painting your kitchen cabinets, if youre not willing to dedicate the time, energy, and cost for materials, then youre better off hiring a professional.
Cost To Reface The Cabinets
Refacing cabinets involves keeping the original cabinet box, but covering it with a veneer and replacing the drawer faces and cabinet doors. The average cost of refacing kitchen cabinets is $150 per drawer face and $265 per cabinet door. This usually averages out to a cost of $7,500 for a medium-sized kitchen. However, the cost commonly ranges from $4,500 to $15,000.
As a rule of thumb, refacing your kitchen cabinets can save you 50% compared to replacing them. You can use a method similar to the one outlined above for figuring out the cost of refinishing your cabinets to determine the cost of refacing them. The hardware, such as the knobs, handles, and hinges, may or may not be replaced when refacing cabinets. If you decide not to replace them, your cost will be slightly less.
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Whats The Best Paint For Kitchen Cabinets
This is a question that I struggled with and I did a lot of research to figure out. And, as with everything, there are tradeoffs.
After my research and experience, I recommend the Benjamin Moore Aura Semi-Gloss paint. Its not cheap , but you dont need much paint. I only used a single gallon for my entire kitchen. This is a great paint because its durable, gives a smooth finish, and is easy to work with. Its water-based, so its easy to clean. Its also zero-VOC, so its healthier than other paints.
My second recommendation is Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel . In fact, I actually prefer the finish of this paint. Its a bit harder and more durable, plus its easier to get a smooth finish. Even if you apply it with a brush, it will smooth out by itself leaving you with a perfect finish. Its also water-based, so its easy to work with and clean up. Its a great alternative to oil-based paints. The only downside is that it has some VOCs . Although it is technically low-VOC, its better to avoid any VOC if possible, especially when there are high-quality, zero-VOC alternatives. Thats why my #1 is Aura paint listed above.
Of course, there are plenty of other high-quality paints out there, but I definitely recommend going high-end. You wont want to repaint your cabinets just two years down the road because you used cheap paint and it turned yellow.