How to Paint Cabinets
Clean the cabinetry thoroughly., Remove all hardware from cabinets., Prepare the area., Fill in any holes with a polyester wood or auto body filler, if necessary., Gather your supplies.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clean the cabinetry thoroughly.
This is a very important step and must not be skipped or rushed.
Cabinets are most commonly found in kitchens, which means moisture and grease are likely to have coated them.
Any greasy or grimy build-up on cabinetry will make it impossible for paint to stick to its surface, so cleaning is essential.
Wash cabinets thoroughly.
If you have access to a product called TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate), this can help you.
Otherwise, use a suitable product or soap, "elbow grease" and water.
If there are some very oily/greasy buildups, try using a rag soaked in mineral spirits to remove these hard-to-shift spots.
Let your cabinets dry completely before doing anything else.
A wet surface won't absorb paint or primer as well as a completely dry surface. -
Step 2: Remove all hardware from cabinets.
Hardware means all doors, mounting hardware, drawer pulls, and pull-out drawers.
Remove these to protect them, being sure to label them methodically so that you know which hardwood and hardware fits where.
For the best results, you'll be painting the doors and drawers separately, not while mounted to the cabinets.
Of course, you should also remove all kitchen contents from the inside of the cabinets as well.
If you've ever done any painting, you know that paint gets in the strangest places; removing all valuable and common contents from your cabinets before you paint them is always a good idea. , Preparation is important for two reasons:
You don't want any renegade paint splattering over areas it should not; you don't want to have to clean up a huge mess afterwards.
Attach masking tape to any areas that meet walls/borders etc. so that paint doesn't accidentally bleed onto these.
This is especially important to allow you to get right to the edge of a cabinet — ensure that the masking tape fits tightly against the edge from the surface that you don't want painted.
Tape rosin paper over the countertops and tape plastic sheeting over the backsplash in between your countertop and cabinets.
Place newspaper or brown paper on the floor around the area you are working in.
This will catch all paint spills and you only need to roll it up and throw it out when finished.
A canvas drop cloth also works really well, and it common for painting projects. , If you want to relocate the hinges or drawers of your hardware, fill in the old screw holes.
Mix the filler in small batches, as it dries quickly, and make sure to overfill the holes, as it shrinks when it dries.
Sand it smooth once completely dried. , Make sure that you have all the tools that will help you do the job.
Set up your brushes, rollers, trays, and paint in a central, easily accessible spot that you can reach with ease during the painting session.
Wear gloves if preferred; it saves your hands from paint coloring and if you might be allergic to any of the paint contents, the gloves will protect you. -
Step 3: Prepare the area.
-
Step 4: Fill in any holes with a polyester wood or auto body filler
-
Step 5: if necessary.
-
Step 6: Gather your supplies.
Detailed Guide
This is a very important step and must not be skipped or rushed.
Cabinets are most commonly found in kitchens, which means moisture and grease are likely to have coated them.
Any greasy or grimy build-up on cabinetry will make it impossible for paint to stick to its surface, so cleaning is essential.
Wash cabinets thoroughly.
If you have access to a product called TSP (Tri-Sodium Phosphate), this can help you.
Otherwise, use a suitable product or soap, "elbow grease" and water.
If there are some very oily/greasy buildups, try using a rag soaked in mineral spirits to remove these hard-to-shift spots.
Let your cabinets dry completely before doing anything else.
A wet surface won't absorb paint or primer as well as a completely dry surface.
Hardware means all doors, mounting hardware, drawer pulls, and pull-out drawers.
Remove these to protect them, being sure to label them methodically so that you know which hardwood and hardware fits where.
For the best results, you'll be painting the doors and drawers separately, not while mounted to the cabinets.
Of course, you should also remove all kitchen contents from the inside of the cabinets as well.
If you've ever done any painting, you know that paint gets in the strangest places; removing all valuable and common contents from your cabinets before you paint them is always a good idea. , Preparation is important for two reasons:
You don't want any renegade paint splattering over areas it should not; you don't want to have to clean up a huge mess afterwards.
Attach masking tape to any areas that meet walls/borders etc. so that paint doesn't accidentally bleed onto these.
This is especially important to allow you to get right to the edge of a cabinet — ensure that the masking tape fits tightly against the edge from the surface that you don't want painted.
Tape rosin paper over the countertops and tape plastic sheeting over the backsplash in between your countertop and cabinets.
Place newspaper or brown paper on the floor around the area you are working in.
This will catch all paint spills and you only need to roll it up and throw it out when finished.
A canvas drop cloth also works really well, and it common for painting projects. , If you want to relocate the hinges or drawers of your hardware, fill in the old screw holes.
Mix the filler in small batches, as it dries quickly, and make sure to overfill the holes, as it shrinks when it dries.
Sand it smooth once completely dried. , Make sure that you have all the tools that will help you do the job.
Set up your brushes, rollers, trays, and paint in a central, easily accessible spot that you can reach with ease during the painting session.
Wear gloves if preferred; it saves your hands from paint coloring and if you might be allergic to any of the paint contents, the gloves will protect you.
About the Author
Evelyn Roberts
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in creative arts and beyond.
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