Tips On How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Do you want to upgrade your kitchen cabinets without spending your hard-earned cash? Your best option would be to paint your kitchen cabinets.

However, you don’t just paint them with any available paint you see. Of course, there are factors you need to take into account first. Aside from using a water-based kitchen cabinet paint because it is more durable and creates a unique-looking piece, here are some useful tips for painting kitchen cabinets.

1. Use rosin paper to protect countertops.

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Painting jobs can be very messy. So, the last thing you want to do is to clean away all the paint that has splashed on your countertop.

One of the easiest ways to protect your countertop is to cover it with rosin paper or a brown builder's paper. Since it is commonly sold by 35"x140", you'll have more paper left for other painting jobs.

2. Put the hinges, doors, and drawer fronts away from the painting area.

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You've probably tried doing painting projects, where the doors, hinges, and drawer fronts end up covered with paint. Sure, you don't want that to happen again.

Although it is tempting to just put everything in place as you do your kitchen cabinet painting project, you have to remember that your output will become cleaner and more professional-looking if you just put them away.

Now, if ever they cannot be removed, you can use a masking tape to cover the hinges, doors, and drawers to protect them from paint.

3. Label the parts of the cabinets.

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Before you even begin your painting project, make a sketch of all the parts of the cabinets. If possible, number the parts. As you remove them from the cabinet, label them with the corresponding number in the sketch. This tip is especially helpful once you put them back to their original locations.

4. Avoid over-sanding the surface.

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It is important that you sand the surface of the cabinets before you start painting them to give the paint a great surface to grip. Then again, make sure you don't go overboard that you see bare wood.

If the cabinets you want to work on have a factory finish, a 120-grit sandpaper will suffice. Now, if the surface of the cabinet is too rough because of poor varnishing, consider using a sandpaper that is coarser, such as the 100-grit sandpaper.

5. Select a primer that quickly dries.

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Don’t you have enough time to work on the painting project? If that is the case, you have to use a fast-drying primer for the first coat. To know more about the recoating time, read the labels first.

Here's a handy tip. An enamel underbody primer makes a good choice. Although water-based paints are still acceptable choices, professional painters would rather use an oil-based paint as a primer. Not only does it dry fast, it also leaves lesser brush marks.

6. Fill all open grains.

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There are certain types of wood that have grains with open pores. One good example is oak. As you paint oak wood, the pores will show. While it is completely fine to leave the grains that way, you can achieve a smoother look if you fill all the pores before painting.

You can use different methods to fill in the pores. You can use high-build primers first, and then sand between every coating to make sure every pore is filled.

7. Check the kitchen cabinet parts after applying a primer.

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After you applied the first primer, you need to fill all the dents and unwanted holes with a wood filler. After which, get rid of the dust brought about by sanding. And then, do everything again until no more dents or holes are visible. Don’t worry because it is easy to spot the issues after applying the primer.

Summary

Painting kitchen cabinets could be daunting, but if you are ready to take the challenge and enjoy bigger savings, we suggest you paint the cabinets yourself. Consider the tips listed above to ensure a hassle-free kitchen cabinet painting experience.