Painted cabinets add character to a home.
Cabinets add character to any room in the house, whether you want to spice up your kitchen, bathroom or living room. Cabinets also add more storage space to any room. When you decide to remodel your home or reface your cabinets, you may decide to change the cabinets color as well. You use the same technique for painting cabinets, whether you use a natural finish or use a color. Painting the cabinets yourself saves money that you'd have to pay a company otherwise. It takes few steps to make sure you get an even paint coating.
Instructions
1. Remove cabinet doors and hinges. Place cabinets on a special table or in the garage. Taking the doors off helps you paint covered spots. Mark each cabinet door to remember where they go.
2. Clean cabinets and doors. Remove all dirt, dust and grime from the inside and outside of the cabinets. If you are repainting the kitchen cabinets, you may have to remove food particles and oil from cooking. Use any all-purpose cleaner with degreaser to remove residue. Get into the corners where debris accumulates. A toothbrush or small brush gets into these hard-to-reach places. Make sure the hinge holes are cleaned as well.
3. Fill in any holes. Use a putty knife and wood putty to fill in old nail holes, especially if you are throwing away old hinges and doors. This prevents lumps when you begin painting the cabinets. Don't forget to do the same thing to the doors you've removed.
4. Sand the cabinet boxes and cabinet doors. Once cabinets have dried, use fine sandpaper to smooth out any ridges in the cabinet. Make sure to sand with the natural grain of the wood. Don't forget to sand the inside and the cabinet facings. Sanding helps extend the life of your paint job and prevent premature chipping. Clean any sawdust out of the room. You may have to wait for the dust in the air to settle before painting. You can use a sander or sandpaper on the doors. Sandpaper doesn't kick up as much dust.
5. Cover furniture and appliances. Use sheets, plastic or rosin paper to cover items you don't want to get splattered by paint. Use painter's tape to secure areas near the base of the cabinets.
6. Apply primer to each cabinet box and doors. Use a 2 1/2-inch paint brush to coat each piece. Start with the inside of each piece. Place the doors face down and prime the inside of the door. As it is drying, prime the cabinets inside the house. Once the doors are dry, flip them over and prime the outside. Let them dry for about five hours or overnight.
7. Sand the primer. The secondary sanding will even out any brushstrokes. Use a random-orbit sander and 220-grit sandpaper. Sand the trim and the cabinet boxes. After you sand the parts, add a second coat of primer and sand again if needed. You want a smooth surface.
8. Paint your desired color. Paint the back of the doors first and as they are drying, paint the cabinet boxes and any molding around the boxes. Add a second coat once everything has dried. Make sure to use a clean paintbrush. Once everything has completely dried, rehang the doors to their proper cabinet box.
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