You do not have to lose thousands of Euro, Junior’s college tuition, an arm and a leg in order to give your kitchen a new look. Grandma’s cabinets are looking a little draftee but that is no reason to toss them to the dump. A fresh coat of paint can lift your kitchen into the 21st century while still holding on to college dreams and keeping your arms and legs.
A new look is always a great idea in order to keep a house fresh and new. Spray painting your cabinets is both easy and inexpensive. Although it does require a little more work, it is worth saving money in the wallet and seeing the results of hard work. During the mid 1920s, Irish travellers coming into the United States began leaving behind the livestock business to work towards spray painting and laying down linoleum in houses. These Irish workers were well known for their hard work and commitment to getting the job done and thus started the phrase “Strong Irish Hands.” As these workers could gaze upon their work and be proud so should we.
Professional painters choose the spray painting method over brushes in order to give a smooth flawless finish. For you bargain hunters, just using regular spray paint cans may sound like a good idea, but once your arm and finger are screaming for mercy you will be regretting it. Invest in a paint sprayer in order to obtain a smoother finish and avoid permanently traumatising your arm muscles.
1. The first step to spray painting your cabinets is to make sure everything is covered and safe. Remove all objects from the cabinets, cover any tables or counter tops with tapped down paper and, unless you are in the mood for paint splattered floors, lay down a tarp. Also, make sure to tape all walls around the cabinets to avoid any loose drips becoming permanent residents.
2. Before removing your cabinet doors, label each door where the hinge attaches as this will be the only place that does not get paint. This will insure that each door goes back to the correct place and you avoid any jumbo jigsaw puzzles. Take the removed doors into your work area, whether that is outside, in a garage, or on your covered kitchen floor, and tape over the hinges. The next step is to thoroughly clean every inch of every cabinet. Years of dirt, oil and fingerprints are covering every surface and need to be removed otherwise the paint will not stick.
After all of the doors are squeaky clean it is time to start sanding. In order to get a smooth surface this is extremely important. Use 320-grit sandpaper and sand until the shine is gone from the cabinets. Sand over any holes, nicks, or scratches and then fill them with polyfilla. Make sure to smooth down the polyfilla with a putty knife to obtain that smooth surface. Any past knife tosses into the cabinets will be gone as if they never existed.
3. Once the sanding is finished you can start priming. Use a cheap brush rather than a roller. The brush strokes will not matter so do not worry if it looks like Junior’s kindergarten finger painting. Nothing has to look pretty at this stage as sandpaper will be going over everything. Once primer is applied to all the cabinets, let it dry for about two hours and then lightly sand until you can no longer see any brush strokes.
4. When mixing the paint, add a half a cup of water to thin it out and half a quart of Floetrol paint additive. This will provide a more even coat of paint and also slow down the drying process which will help eliminate and brush or lap marks.
5. Remember to repeat all the cleaning, sanding and priming steps with the frames as well as the cabinet doors. Paint the frames with a brush instead of the paint sprayer as it will be difficult to manoeuvre over that small of an area. The Floetrol inside the paint will help in removing any brush stroke marks so do not worry about losing the smooth texture on the cabinet frames.
6. Before you begin spray painting the doors, remember to give yourself some breathing room and create ventilation in your work area. Open a window and use a fan to create air flow and avoid breathing in any paint fumes. New cabinets are not worth your life so it is also important that you wear a mask respirator and goggles during the entire process. In order to keep the spray paint contained, not flying all over the neighbourhood, construct a makeshift booth and hang plastic sheeting around your work area.
Once you have filled your paint sprayer with the paint mixture do not go buck wild on the doors. Practice with plain cardboard and get the feel for the process before beginning on the doors. To properly apply the paint, sweep your entire arm back and forth across the door. Do not just use the wrist as this will not give a full, smooth motion. One you get the hang of it, you can start on your doors. Elevate the doors on a work bench or a turntable for easy access.
7. Spray the back of your doors first and start with the edges. Start your spray before your hit the door, move your arm down the entire edge and continue spraying after you have reached the end. This will reduce any paint build ups. Once the edges are done, start moving back and forth along the back until completely coated. Always keep the nozzle 10 to 12 inches away from whatever you are painting.
You will not get this project done in one evening so make sure to take your foot off the gas before beginning. Each coat of paint will need to dry overnight. Once the back of the doors are dry you can apply a second coat and add a second coat to the frames as well. After one more night of drying you may then start the front of the doors. Cabinet frames and doors with two coats of paint on each side will take about four to five days.
8. Once the doors are dry, remove any tape, install the hardware, hang the doors and enjoy.
The feeling of a job well done and a beautiful new kitchen cannot be beat. So take pride in Grandma’s cabinets and make them feel beautiful instead of replaced.
