Prepping Your Kitchen Cabinets for Painting

Whether you own a house or renting an apartment, the idea of painting or repainting your kitchen cabinets can be quite interesting, and the whole process can be wonderfully engaging for some. 

It is an open secret among professional painting contractors that a successful paint job relies on diligent prep work. Unlike your drywall at home, kitchen cabinets come in a variety of materials. Some of the commonly used kitchen cabinet materials are wood and metal. And each of them requires a specific type of paint, primer, coating, and even finishing. 

Needless to say, that painted kitchen cabinets or the repainted ones are the cheapest way for an upgrade. Since cabinets in the kitchen account for nearly 40 per cent of the whole kitchen's cost, painting or repainting your kitchen cabinet will surely make a huge difference in terms of kitchen remodelling or renovation. There is no need for you to buy a new one if you still can salvage your current kitchen cabinet through the DIY process. 

To somehow help you with your plan of having painted kitchen cabinets at home, here are some of the helpful tips you should take into account. 

 

What To Do Before You Start

Set up Temporary Kitchen

In order to have a seamless kitchen cabinet painting project, you should plan ahead. Since painting a kitchen cabinet will most likely mean that the majority of the kitchen area will be completely inaccessible, it would be best to set up a temporary kitchen before proceeding with the whole painting process. Essentials such as hot plates, toasters, condiments, paper plates, and other kitchen tools should be placed in an area that is easily accessible. 

 

Cleaning

After you have prepared your alternative kitchen, you should then secure cleaning materials. These cleaning materials will be used for your kitchen cabinet components. You will need to spray a degreaser to any clothing or abrasive scrub sponge in order to wipe the oil from the surfaces of your kitchen cabinets. This is very crucial for your primer to stick. 

 

Sanding

After you have removed oil and let it dry for a while, you should then prepare for the sanding process. With the use of a sander, 100-grit sandpaper, remove current finishing from your cabinet components, including its drawers, doors, and boxes. When sanding, you should also include the moulding contours and other areas where details are found. To identify whether finishing has been removed, you will notice that the glossy effect on your cabinet will disappear. After sanding, use a dry paintbrush to remove the dust. 

 

Primer

After you have cleaned the recently sanded cabinet kitchen components and panels, you may now begin applying primer on it. It would be best if you start with one area where panels meet the mouldings, then proceed with the other parts of the panel. 

 

Painting

After the primer has dried up, you may now proceed with the actual paint job. The technique is the same as how you dealt with the primer---use even strokes. And after the surfaces of the kitchen cabinet have been painted, remember to set it aside, then lay it off. 

 

Mistakes to Avoid When Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Unrealistic Expectations

When it comes to such a project, you should understand that things will not be perfect. You should avoid unrealistic expectations, especially if it would be your first time to paint your kitchen cabinets. That is why if you are quite meticulous on how things should be, it would be best to hire professional contractors when looking to paint or repaint kitchen cabinets in Australia.

 

Being Too Anxious

One of the most common mistakes when it comes to any paint job is the lack of patience. From prep time to the post-paint job session, you should allow things to settle. If you want to achieve great results for your kitchen cabinet painting project, you should give it some time, especially for the paint to dry before moving or touching it. 

 

Neglecting To Remove

Another problem that may surface during or even after the kitchen cabinet paint job is the non-removal of its components. Doors, drawers, and other stuff that can be removed should be removed properly. If you neglect to remove these components, you will notice several imperfections afterwards. 

When it comes to any project, including painted kitchen cabinets, a DIY method is practical. However, if you lack the time, knowledge, materials, and the will to do such a task, it would be best to let professionals handle it for you. By allowing professional painting contractors to get the job done, you will have better use of your time and you will be assured of the best results. If you encounter issues along the way, you can always call on them to deal with specific areas and make things better for your kitchen cabinet painting project.