If you have dark walnut kitchen cabinets and tire of the dark finish, painting them is a simple way to brighten and redecorate your kitchen. With new cabinets costing thousands of dollars, painting is an economical alternative. Your existing cabinets may be of better quality than many new cabinets on the market, so painting them makes a lot of sense. For a quality, professional-looking, hand-painted finish, you'll need to put aside the paint roller and pick up a paintbrush.
Instructions
1. Remove cabinet doors and drawers, as well as hinges, knobs and pulls. Cabinet parts are easier to work on when they are isolated and stripped of trim.
2. Clean wood surfaces with a general purpose cleaner to remove dirt, wax and grease. Remove stubborn grease with a foaming bathroom cleaner or trisodium phosphate (TSP). Rinse soap and chemical residue with a clean cloth and water.
3. Sand surfaces with 150-grit sandpaper to degloss -- or lightly scratch -- the finish so new paint will stick to it. Sand in the direction of the grain.
4. Fill holes left by vacant hardware with wood filler if you plan to install new hardware that requires fewer or different holes. You can also fill dings and gouges to smooth the surface. After the filler hardens, sand it smooth with 150-grit sandpaper.
5. Remove dust by vacuuming or wiping with a dampened cloth.
6. Prime the wood with primer. Use a paintbrush or foam painting brush and stroke the paint along the direction of the grain. Alcohol primer is thin, so be careful not to load too much paint onto the brush, or you will have drips. Shellac-based primer ensures a good stick between the old finish and the new top coat, as well as blocking stains that might seep through and mar the new surface. The alcohol vapors are strong, so ensure good ventilation. Allow the surfaces to dry.
7. Sand primed surfaces with 220-grit sandpaper. Remove the dust.
8. Apply the first top coat with a brush. Load the brush with paint for good coverage and even application. Apply in long strokes with the grain. On doors, paint recessed panels first, then rails (horizontal members) and finally stiles (vertical parts). On face frames, first paint members that terminate at others. This usually means painting the bottom rails first, then the stiles, then the top rails.
9. Sand the first top coat with 220-grit sandpaper after it dries to remove dust, thick brush marks and any other surface imperfections. Each sanding contributes to a smooth finish in the end and should not be skipped. Remove dust.
10. Apply a second coat in the same manner. Two top coats is often adequate to achieve good paint coverage, but you can add a third if you feel it's necessary. Sand between coats, but not after the final coat.
11. Reattach hardware after the final coat has dried. If you're using new hardware, you may have to predrill holes for knobs and pulls. Install the doors and insert the drawers to complete the job.
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