Many homeowners are reluctant to make changes in their kitchens because they are worried about how much it will cost. It is true, kitchen remodels cost a lot of money, but giving your kitchen an overhaul doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. With a few clever tricks you can have your kitchen look like new. One of those tricks is kitchen cabinet refacing painting. Kitchen cabinets are a central feature of any kitchen and giving them a new look will affect your whole kitchen. This article will give you tips on how you can successfully carry out this simple project and you will also learn a few things that you shouldn’t do.
• Make sure that you choose the right paint – there are many types of paint in the market. What you may not know is that the kind of paint that is used for cabinetry is very specific – if you use just any paint your cabinets will end up looking less than satisfactory and they will need to be repainted sooner or later. Talk to your local paint supplier about what kind of paint is best to paint the material that your cabinets are made of.
• Since you are not doing a full remodel you will not be changing your appliances, which means that as you choose colors for your new cabinets you should keep them in mind. You should look for cabinet paint colors that match your appliances. If, for example, most appliances in your kitchen are black and you choose a dark shade for your kitchen cabinet refacing painting they will disappear. Instead, you should choose a light color that allows them to stand out.
• Before you start painting make sure that you take off all the hardware from your cabinets. This includes knobs and hinges – if they get even a bit of paint on them the overall effect will look sloppy. You should also make sure that the wood is properly cleaned so that the paint can be properly absorbed. If you don’t know how to prepare wood for a paint job you can check online.
• One of the things you will have to do before you begin kitchen cabinet refacing painting is remove all items from every cabinet. You should do this in an orderly fashion. Do not leave anything lying out on the counters – you only risk getting paint on it. Instead, you should look for boxes and then pack the contents of each cabinet in a separate one. Label each to make re-arranging your cabinets easier.
• Make sure to protect your floor. You can lay plastic sheeting on it and remove all rugs. The same goes for other kitchen surfaces – if they are properly covered you will not have to spend any time getting rid of paint stains afterwards.
• Use an oil based primer. Wood tends to absorb water paint, which, which means that if you use water paint you will need several coats before you can get the desired effect. An oil based prime will require fewer coats and the end result will look much better.
• Make sure that you have all the right equipment for the job. You will need brushes with different bristles, paint rollers, rags and more. You should talk to your local paint supplier to find out everything that you need.
Here are some important things not to do:
• Do not assume that it will take you a day to paint your kitchen cabinets. Even for skilled DIY people a project like this can take several days. Make sure you set aside enough time for your kitchen cabinet refacing painting project. Set aside a room in the home that you can use as a kitchen as you carry out the remodel. It helps if you can prepare a few meals in advance, otherwise be prepared to eat a lot of take-out while your remodel is underway.
• Make sure that you take all doors off all cabinets as well as the drawers. It allows you to work faster and the end result looks professional. Label each door and drawer as you take it off so that everything can go back where it belongs.
• Don’t opt for a brand of paint just because it is cheap – cheap paint doesn’t lat. If you want your cabinets to look great and last a while it is a good idea to choose top quality paint.
Lastly, if you are not a handy person you may want to find a professional to do your kitchen cabinet refacing painting. It may cost you more but the final result will be worth it.
