But sprayed finishes, and especially lacquers, can be tricky to master. Heres our Austin branch manager Lex in front of the kitchen from the video, after priming: Different projects call for different primers. Most homeowners who paint their kitchen cabinets are looking for professional-quality work that makes their cabinets look new again. But were on it! We remove the doors and drawer fronts and either use a specially-made rack to hold the doors while were working, or take them off-site to our cabinet spray shop for spraying. Otherwise, your painted cabinets will still have the texture of the woods grain underneath. We think its the best paint for cabinets, hands-down (although there are some great pro-level water-based options as well). You can fill the grain with putty, but that can be time-intensive and challenging to get just right. How NOT to Pick Paint Color 5 Common Mistakes, How to Choose Wallpaper Online Tips and Tricks. Be sure to pick the right paint roller nap as well, Gibbons advises. (And check out our Google, Angies List, and Houzz reviews to see how our customers are thrilled with their new kitchens!). Real Simple may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email on this website. All you need is a tape measure and a little free time. How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets? Keeping foods chilled properly helps them last longer and stay fresher. When you tackle this project yourself, it can be a surprisingly affordable (yet time-consuming) DIY. Heres where youll start to see a difference! . And because professional cabinet painting is all we do, youll be surprised at the quality of your finished cabinets. Of course, there's no right or wrong color for your own kitchen. Having painters in your home is a big deal, so we make it a point to be as low impact as possible. . 2. Lay doors on painters pyramids so you can more easily maneuver a brush around the bottom edges. Monique Valeris is the senior home editor for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. In an effort to make painting your kitchen cabinets a breeze, we checked in with Nicole Gibbons, founder of the paint brand Clare, for her best tips and tricks. "This isn't a lazy Sunday project," says Sherry Petersik, who, along with her husband, chronicled kitchen painting projects on her popular blog Young House Love. Here are the steps we follow for painting kitchen cabinets: If youre looking for the best way to paint kitchen cabinets, be sure to get in touch with us. Are You Keeping Too Much Money in the Bank? Then stash screws and hinges in a jar for safekeeping. She recommends sanding them lightly with 120-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge. "A traditional woven roller will create too much texturing in your finish, so opt for a finer material such as a microfiber option to ensure an ultra-smooth finish," she says. This helps the primer bond to your cabinets, and is a critical step! This means you can leave any items like dishes in there, because well cover them with plastic to protect them from getting sprayed. Napo Ghonda | Posted on September 3, 2021 |. Feel free to read about our cabinet painting services, browse our gorgeousproject galleries, and see some fun before-and-after projects. Doors typically require a good amount of time, because you need to paint both sides and let them fully dry in between coats. Here's How to Tell. Can you paint cabinets without using primer? review process. While it may be a bit more than some other paints on the shelf, it's worth it. Ready to learn how to paint your kitchen cabinets? To make reattaching the doors much easier later on, number each cabinet door as you remove it. Well always paint both sides of your doors, both sides of your drawer front pieces, and the outsides of the cabinet bases and frames themselves (whether or not were painting the insides). Wait 24 hours before painting the second coat. From sanding and using primer to carving out enough drying time, here's how to get a smooth paint job. Well show your our professional process for painting cabinets step-by-step. Try one of these three easy methods to make sure your ring fits perfectly, every time. So happy with them and totally changed the look of our kitchen. Putting money in the bank is smart, but too much cash savings can actually be a poor use of that money. 1. PowerPoint Parties Are the Party Trend You Have to Try: Here's How to Host One. Then we pop off or remove the cabinet doors and take off the hinges. In that case, we use a special heavy-bodied primer that is designed to fill 95% of your cabinets grain. Patience and waiting the recommended drying time between coats will pay off with a sturdy finish. If properly painted and cared for, your newly painted kitchen cabinets can last up to 15 years before needing another coat of paint. Worried about visible brush marks? Before you start painting, most cabinets will require sanding the surface, filling in any cracks or uneven areas with wood filler, and allowing it to dry. We remove all the hardware such as drawer pulls and door handles. |. It is worth the money to buy the best paint there is for your cabinets. Visible damage to the wood that didnt get fixed but got painted over, like cracks, dings, and dents. Painting your kitchen cabinets is one of the easiest ways to give your kitchen a brand-new look, without embarking on a complete remodel. The Pros Say Avoid These 5 Design Mistakes, 8 Easy Ways to Update Your BathroomNo Remodeling Required, Not Letting the Cabinets Dry for Long Enough, All products and services featured are selected by our editors. office@papermoonpainting.com, Copyright 2020. Attention DIYers: Is Kitchen Cabinet Painting For You. Consider Clares fast-drying, multi-surface paint primer that can help conceal any imperfections and even block stains. In that case, everything needs to come out of your cabinets and drawers before we arrive. At last you can see your finished kitchen. And because we think your cabinets are too great an investment in your home to leave to just anyone, learn how to evaluate and choose a good painting company here. Arroyo Grande|Avila Beach|Buellton|Grover Beach|Lompoc|Los Alamos|Los Osos|Morro Bay|Nipomo|Oceano|Orcutt|Pismo Beach|San Luis Obispo|Santa Maria|Santa Ynez|Solvang|5 Cities | All Areas on the Central Coast. We think the best paint for kitchen cabinets is lacquer, but if theres a downside, its that lacquers are smelly while theyre being sprayed, theres no way around it.. Not every last bit of grain is always filled. He recommends a paint-prep degreaser called TSP, and a non-scratch delicate scrub sponge for stuck on spots. If you want to save money, you can do it yourself. All Rights Reserved. You might be able to remove a door, so you can bring it to the paint store. "But if your doors are engineered wood or MDF (medium-density fiberboard), you just want to sand lightly enough to rough up the surface for priming," she says. When it comes to interior painting, we do it all: trim, doors, walls, ceilings, fireplace mantles and brick, staircases, and pillars. If the wood is warped, badly worn or damaged, or is coming apart at the glued joints, the person you hire can buy a new set of unfinished doors and/or drawers. If your cabinets are in good shape and you like the style, a fresh coat of paint will be the most cost-effective way to transform your kitchen. Ask about equipment: Find out if the pro is comfortable purchasing paint and other materials on their own, or if you're required to pick up some of those tasks. And the process is very different. Kitchen Painting Projects Before and Afters. If you decide to hire an expert rather than DIY the project, Steckel has some recommendations for finding the best painter for the job: Check the painter's experience: Painting cabinets requires keen attention to detail and experience removing cabinet doors or drawers without damaging the cabinet itself. Interior Painting Checklist for Homeowner. We used brown masking paper here, but most often we use plastic sheeting to mask off the cabinet openings, as youll see in the next photo: Ah, heres where were really proud of our process! We remove them and leave the boxes themselves in place (which means you can leave items like silverware inside the drawers during the whole process). (512) 522-4887 However, its not a project you should tackle without first considering the cons and evaluating whether you can do the work. "Even if it wasn't super obvious when the wood was just stained, it's going to be more evident once the paint dries." I would highly recommend him! Were not painting cabinets yet! We go the extra mile to make the whole project as comfortable for you as possible. If you apply latex paint on top of oil-based paint, the paint will slowly peel off and require you to re-paint quicker than you anticipated," says Steckel. If they have a clear topcoat, as in the kitchen photo above, those are usually left as-is. Oops, there was an error sending your message. It will help you to understand why we exceed our customers expectations every single time. Will the primer fill the grain 100%, over every square centimeter? For a lighter, airier feeling, you can go white or neutral on your uppers and opt for a bolder choice on the bottom.". Since your cabinets are already fully prepped, primed, and sanded smooth, painting cabinets in the final color goes surprisingly fast. "While white paint can create a clean feeling in a kitchen, there are plenty of opportunities to add more colors that go beyond the basic," she says. "Priming helps paint to adhere to surfaces and is a critical step if youre painting cabinets," Gibbons says. "Older cabinets are typically painted with oil paint. You can choose from a slew of paint brands ranging from Clare to a Good Housekeeping Institute favorite, Benjamin Moore Advance, which has a smooth finish that's kitchen-friendly. Flat-front doors and drawers can be easily repainted. If youre curious to see how the pros do it, we show you here. Place the hardware for each door in a small bag and label each one with the coordinating cabinet number. Every part of our team, products, and process is different. This will prevent drips while allowing you to paint every surface of the cabinet, inside and out. Ask about time: Request an estimate for how long the project will take so you have a good idea of what you're up for before you dive into it. Browse our categories to find helpful posts by topic. 9 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose Intolerant, Feel Like You Don't Enjoy Anything Anymore? The best way to prevent this is with primer. Before you know it, youll have a new kitchen to enjoy and show off to family and friends in no time. Website by MK, Remodeling A Kitchen: Cabinet Painting Guru Featured As Expert In Redfins Recent Article, How To Prepare Your Kitchen For Your Professional Cabinet Painting, HOW TO Prepare & Professionally Spray Paint Kitchen Cabinets, Preparing For Cabinet Painting & Taking Care of Your Kitchen Cabinets Once Painted. Because the founder of our company is an artist, we see our work as an art form. If there are any light repairs that need to be done, such as dings or deep scratches in your cabinets, we address them after priming, when theyre easier to see. But because it can be a tiring and difficult job that requires special equipment and tools, you should hire a professional to do it for you. Chances are you've spotted painted kitchen cabinets on Instagram or Pinterest and thought of recreating the striking look in your own space. And without professional spray equipment, its almost impossible to get the smooth, factory finish look of new cabinets. Since we had already labeled the hardware hinges earlier, this step is pretty straightforward. If theres a way to reduce smell and make the process easy for you to live with while were in your home, were doing it! "This project is easy, but it's not the kind of job you're going to want to redo any time soon if you don't like the color," says Petersik. Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director. I appreciated their attention to detail to get everything exactly how I wanted it. You may have to relocate furniture and other items ahead of time. A mini-sized roller thats around 4.5 wide is best for a smaller surface area like a cabinet. Yes, it's frustrating to wait days for paint to cure. Heres a very poor shot, but you can see the dark muted green color (Sherwin Williams No. But none of these posts or articles shows you what the professionals do when they paint cabinets! PowerPoint nights are the new fun way to party togethereven when you're far apart. Just a few pieces of dust can ruin the look: "You'll get a gritty finish and it'll look like you painted over sand," says Fahrbach. Painted cabinets look lovely, but they aren't going to look totally smooth. ad nauseam, for multiple coats. However, if the insides of your cabinets are either stained dark or previously painted in a solid color, then the best design choice would be to paint the cabinets inside-and-out. If were not painting the insides of your cabinets, we tape paper or plastic over the openings where your doors and drawers go, protecting the insides from any overspray. Suite 103 Plus trying to paint both sides of the doors and drawer fronts while theyre still in place is extremely tricky, and its almost impossible to get a smooth result without getting paint on your hinges or leaving brush strokes on every surface. Cabinet Painting Guru has a unique 18-point process that will save you up to 75% over replacing or refacing. The best way to build up the surface is with multiple layers of thin paint rather than one thick layer that can more easily chip off. . "The biggest mistake is not taking the time to properly understand what is needed to prep the cabinets for painting," says David Steckel, Thumbtackhome expert. "Youll need to protect and tape off any areas you dont want to paint such as your countertops or the inside of your cabinets (if you dont want the inside painted) using painter's tape or drop cloths," Gibbons says. Plus the air scrubbers clean your air on a continuous cycle within the spray area. Until the cabinets are fully cured to a hard, durable surface, they'll be more susceptible to chips and marks. Even if you don't have a ton of cabinets, once all of the doors and hardware are removed, it can be difficult to remember what goes back where. that, and the visible brush strokes or roller marks you get when you dont spray them.) . 8. First of all, why is there such a huge difference between DIY-painted cabinets and a professional cabinet finish? If your cabinets have plastic laminate surfaces, you should speak to a knowledgeable paint dealer. Well, we think its the best primer for kitchen cabinets if you want to fill grain, but its not a miracle product! Get a 6 roller for the big flat surfaces, and an angled sash brush for the corners and edges. Keep reading for more top advice from Nicole as well as a few other paint experts. "Your cabinets and hardware will start to chip and show signs of wear within a month or even immediately." Weve been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. But if you accidentally smudge the paint, you have to sand the door and repaint it (a hard truth any woman who's rushed to leave the nail salon surely understands). Here's what not to do the next time you paint your kitchen cabinets. 2. Mental health experts explain anhedonia and how you can bounce back from this joyless state of mind. We would be happy to speak with you! Every surface that were going to paint gets cleaned, degreased, and scuffed. Having fixed many kitchen cabinets after they were completed by a DIYer or a budget painter, we can safely say there is very little room for error when it comes to quality and strength of the finish.