You will want to paint your unfinished cabinets to withstand the wear and tear for everyday life. Especially in your kitchen where life can get messy.
No matter your budget, you can have stunning cabinets that look like a million dollars when you are finished. Make sure you finish them properly. This is the most important part of your painting process. If you follow the proper protocol, your project can last for years to come and still look amazing.
Ordering new cabinets or having them done professionally can be upwards in thousands of dollars. DIY is the best way to have amazing looking cabinets for a fraction of the price.
There are so many deciding factors to consider when doing a DIY project like this.
Do you want to paint the entire cabinets from inside out, just the frame and doors or just the doors. What look are you wanting to accomplish. Looking at different options and making the best decision for your lifestyle and taste.
Let’s assume you are going to paint the entire cabinet from the boxes, frame and doors.
One way to paint your cabinets is a sprayer. This is the most efficient and fastest way to paint them. Just you have to choose the right model of sprayer for your cabinet. However, if you don’t have the set up, or know how to use a sprayer, a good ole fashion roller and paint brush can work wonders. If you choose the brush on method you must select a good paint brush. Select a great quality brush. And for your roller, choose one that is for cabinets. They are a smooth foam or low pile roller. Specifically made for cabinets. They work wonders.
This is a list of the things you will need:
- Good quality paint brush
- Roller and refills
- Paint tray
- Paint tray liners
- Stir stick for your paint
- Opener for your paint can
- Tack cloths (there are usually multiples in a package)
- Paint (depending on the cabinets, you may need more than one gallon)
- Primer (keep in mind, if you’re using water based paint, you need water based sealer)
- Protective finish
- Drop cloths
- Painters tape (if needed)
Sandpaper (80 to 220) The sanding blocks work best for small projects, for larger projects, a rotary sander is faster. Especially with velcro sanding pads.
First things first, make sure your cabinets are clean and clear of any glue or residue.
Lightly sand your cabinets with a medium grit sandpaper (80-100 grit) and work your way down to a 220 grit sandpaper. Anything too coarse and your going to see the sand marks and imperfections.
Once that is complete, you must get all the dust off. Sweep off the surface and go back over them with a vacuum and finish off with tack cloths. They work perfectly for removing fine dust off of surfaces. These tack cloths will be your best friend during this and future projects. They are very inexpensive.
Next you will want to use a thin coat of a primer to make sure your paint adheres to the cabinets so you get an even and consistent coat. The primer doesn’t have to be expensive or the best they have. It is just your base.
You will want to choose a good paint. Just to name one of the paints that are great for this kind of project would be Behr Marquee paint in the color of your choice. (The finish doesn’t matter, you will apply a protective sealer after paint)
Take your time during the painting process. If you rush it, it will look rushed.
You will need to apply two coats. Make sure the first coat is completely dry before adding the second coat. Also, before the second coat is applied, go over your entire cabinets and inspect them for any imperfections. If you have runs in your paint, wait for it to completely dry, then with your 220 sandpaper sand it until it is gone. Make sure you clean that dust off with your tack cloth.
After both coats are completely dry (usually about two days) you will want to apply your protective finish. You will need two coats of your protective finish also. Make sure both layers a just thin layers. After the first layer is completely dry, buff with your 220 grit sandpaper, use your tack cloth to remove dust and add your second layer of sealer.
Even though the paint itself is durable, you want to protect it as much as possible. It will give it a glass-like finish for years to come.
Now you have beautiful painted kitchen cabinets that didn’t cost an absolute fortune, they just look like they did!
Related articles:
