Easy House Painting Tips - Newsletter July, 2009

Table of Contents
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Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Other Tips



Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great alternative to purchasing new cabinets. Not only can you save a lot of money but if done correctly the results are fantastic.

The most simple way to complete this project is to leave the inside of the cabinets unpainted. The inside is only seen when the cabinet is open so I would recommend that you leave them unpainted which also saves you the time and effort of removing the items from the cabinets (mostly).

Step 1. First you can begin by take off the doors removing any screws and all the hardware from the cabinets. Make sure to clean the cabinets thoroughly before starting to paint with a product like TSP. If there is any grease, oils or even a little dirt the paint may not adhere to the wood surface correctly. Make sure the surface is totally dry before applying the primer.

Now check for any rough areas on the doors and the cabinet base, sand them down, and wipe away any dust or sawdust from the surface.

Step 2. Apply an even coat of primer-sealer to the cabinet doors, starting in the center and following the grain of the wood. Zinsser makes a shellac-based primer called B-I-N. By using primer-sealer you will not have to sand down and degloss the wood before painting it.

Step 3. When it comes to the choice of the type of paint either a high-gloss or a semigloss paint are recommended for cabinets. Some people feel that semigloss can provide a richer finish however. You can paint your cabinets much faster and with a smoother finish if you use a 3 or 6-inch wide mini foam roller, available at home improvement or paint stores. These mini rollers can get into surprisingly confined spaces and eliminate a lot of tedious brush work. They also allow you to lay on a much smoother coat than is possible with a brush, and with practice, you’ll be able to paint large flat areas like the cabinet doors so smoothly that the finish will look sprayed on. Of course, you will still have to cut in the interior corners and edges of the outside where the cabinets meet walls and countertops with a brush, but this will be greatly reduced by using the foam rollers. The brushwork should be done with a good quality natural-bristle 2-inch angle brush.

Step 4. Once the cabinets are completely dry, lightly sand with #000 wool and apply the final coat of paint using the same technique as before. Allow the cabinets to dry at least 24 hours before reattaching the knobs and pulls, etc.

Step 5. If you used an oil paint, clean using paint thinner. If you used latex paint you can use regular tap water and mild soap. If you used an inexpensive brush and roller sleeve you may want to discard them instead of trying to clean them.



Other Tips

  • You can remove solvent based paint from your skin by using vegetable oil.

  • If you use solvents of any kind, store the used solvents in an old paint container with a seal and take them to the toxic waste centre in your community. Do not pour solvents down the drain.

  • Lighting is key - The best way to get a true view of a paint color is to look at it in the room where you are going to paint. Look at in the daytime and at night. Lighting is key. One color may look different from house to house or even room to room.


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