Kitchen Cabinet Facelift

Whether you've just moved into an older home and have kitchen cabinets that need help, or you are tired of the look you've been living with forever, paint can be the fastest, easiest, and most economical way to change the look of your kitchen. Going from dated to dazzling can be done in a weekend.

Paint-The Perfect Medium For Change

Paint has the advantage of being inexpensive and easy to change. So, if your creative endeavor leaves something to be desired, you can change the look and feel of your kitchen with a different color and a few more hours of work. Painted kitchens evoke nostalgia but they can also be updated with paint to be trendy and cutting edge. Hand painted cabinet doors have real country charm and if you are planning to sell you home, painting the cabinets is a great way to add value without spending thousands of dollars.

Choose Your Colors And Get Started

Today there are no rules in terms of what color to paint the kitchen. Yellow and white were the all-time favorites for ages. However, today the color choices are vast and varied. If you live in a heritage home and want to replicate the color scheme of the original design, there are paint companies that offer color matching so you just have to supply a color sample and they can usually match it exactly.

Once you've decided upon a color scheme for your kitchen, be sure to choose the right paint for the job ahead of you. You have to determine if your cabinets are actually “paintable”, since there are some finishes that are not good candidates for paint. However, with the right tools and the proper paint, there aren't many finishes that must remain the same. Choose a paint that is durable and will produce the kind of finish you want for your kitchen. After properly prepping the surface, apply primer to the doors and framework. Primer helps the paint stick and makes it less likely to chip or wear off.

Preparing The Surfaces

Before painting, remove all of the cupboard doors and then take off all of the hardware, including handles, brackets, hinges, latches, and knobs. If the cupboards are wooden, strip the varnish or stain in a well ventilated area and then clean the doors with TSP or a cleaner that is appropriate for the material used for the doors. Use a primer that is designed specifically for the finish you are working with-a multi-surface primer is a good choice. After the primer is dry, sand it and dust it off well before beginning to paint.

More Is Not Always Better

Several thin coats are preferable to one thick coat. As with the primer, choose your paint based on the surface you are working with in order for the paint to stick and look good. Paint several coats, allowing each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next. A brush creates more of a handcrafted quality. If a smooth finish is what you are after, then spray painting is the best way to arrive at that finish.

Safety First!

Always remember to provide plenty of ventilation and avoid open flames such as pilot lights. No smoking please, and protect your skin and eyes from spills and splatters. A light application of hand cream to your exposed skin areas makes for easy cleanup and good protection.