If you’re looking for a way to transform an outdated kitchen, a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets can go a long way without breaking the bank. To make sure your cabinet painting project goes as smoothly as possible, the experts at General Paint have compiled a step-by-step guide.
How to Paint Kitchen Cupboards
Step1: Clear the Area
First, empty the cabinets, clear off all counters, and remove all freestanding appliances. You should also relocate other furniture such as a kitchen table and chairs to another room. Then remove all hinges, hardware, doors and drawers from the cabinets and label each door with a numbered piece of masking tape, so you can remember which one goes where. Finally, cover the floors with drop cloths, laying each cloth as close to the baseboard as possible.
Step 2: The Caution Tape
Next, apply 1-inch or 2-inch FrogTape along the edges of the cabinets as well as any window frames that you will not be painting.
Step 3: Lather, Rinse, Repeat
Start prepping the cabinet boxes and doors by washing down the surfaces with warm water and a good household detergent. This will remove soot, grease, smoke and airborne dirt. Next, use 100-grit sandpaper to make all of the surfaces smooth.
To achieve the most professional-style results, prime the cabinet boxes and doors using a baseline primer and an angled 1-inch or 2-inch brush. Starting at the top of the cabinet, brush on primer across the grain by holding the brush near the base of the handle. This offers good control, so it is well suited for detail work such as getting close to edges or molding.
Step 4: Good Practices
Once the primer has dried, pour a fair amount of latex paint into the roller pan and use an angled brush and a mini foam roller to apply the paint. Similar to the primer, start at the top of the cabinet and brush across the grain. Apply two coats to each cabinet, lightly sanding with 100-grit sandpaper in between coats. When all cabinet boxes and doors have been painted, let dry for 48 hours.
Step 5: Reassemble and Redecorate
When the final coat has dried remove the tape from each door and reinstall the doors based on their original number. You can then redecorate your new kitchen by installing new cabinet hardware and reassembling the kitchen.
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