I’m going to show you how you can paint your own cabinets. Let me start by saying that this is not a weekend project! Even if you had an army of people to help! I did a lot of research on how to paint cabinets and it was overwhelming. After gathering all information I took a big leap and went for it! I have done plenty of painting projects before but not cabinets so I was up for the challenge! This project took me two weeks to complete. The owners wanted crisp white cabinets and that is exactly what I tried to aim for. I admit I was a little nervous and all I thought is if I messed up I would not have friends anymore! It’s amazing how your mind just goes there. Here is a before photo.
The owners took the hinges out and numbered the first set of cabinets which was a big help! The first thing was cleaning the cabinets with TSP. The guy at the hardware store recommended this to me when I was purchasing primer. I had to use gloves with this and it really cleaned the cabinets real good!
When I was done cleaning I started sanding with a medium grit hand held sander. It was a workout for sure! Make sure you use a breathing mask when sanding.
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Next, I laid out the cabinets doors in order on a cloth canvas and plastic tarp and they were ready to start priming. I used Kilz premium primer. I used two coats on each side and let dry overnight and sanded between coats. I used special rollers for cabinets that you may get at your favorite hardware store. This helped tremendously because it did not leave any brush strokes. I used an angle brush for the sides and indentations.
While these cabinets dried I worked in the kitchen area doing the same process cleaning, sanding and priming.
Next it was time to paint the color. The owners chose Valspar in Bistro White. I chose satin finish because it really has a natural look for the kitchen. I noticed after applying primer some gaps that needed caulking. I have never done this but took on the challenge. You can now call me the caulking queen! It really made a difference!
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I also learned that propping the cabinets up instead of laying them flat is best for painting. Two pairs of saw horses helped and I used plastic buckets that the owners had and it worked wonders!
After applying two coats on each side and letting dry overnight it was time to take the painter’s tape off. This time I ran into a minor set back. The tape was not coming off completely. I had to use a razor a putty knife to remove and it worked.
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The final stage is the clear coat. I used two clear coats on everything front and back. I used clear satin polycrylic. I wanted to use this because polyurethane gets yellow over time. I also suggested not to put hardware up for at least a week. The paint needs to cure. It takes up to 30 days for paint to cure. Here’s a sneak peek of the cabinets.
Overall I’m happy how they came out. They are beautiful! I am inspired to do my own too! Best of all the owners love them! That makes me super happy! All that hard work was worth it! Have you wanted to paint your cabinets? I will be painting some cabinets with chalk paint soon for a customer. I will let you know how that will turn out.
Black Pearl Upcycled 