What You Should Know About Painting Kitchen Cabinets?
Do you want to update your kitchen without emptying your wallet and buying and installing brand-new appliances? Many people have a positive answer to this question. Especially if they spend long hours in their kitchen, they want it to look contemporary and trendy. This can be achieved by painting the cabinets. When properly applied, a fresh coat of paint on your kitchen cabinets may drastically alter the appearance of your kitchen without burdening your budget.
However, there are some things you should be aware of so that you know how to do it properly. For one, not all styles of cabinets will suit your home the most.
So, if you’re eager to discover more details about this, you’ve come to the right place as we’ll uncover it all. Read on and enjoy!
Put a label on every panel of the cabinets
When you’re painting, you are bound to dislocate drawers and parts of the kitchen cabinets. So, you'll need to come up with a method to remember where everything goes when you take drawers out of their slots and cabinet doors off of their hinges. To make it simple to reposition each piece after they are dry, create a little schematic and mark each piece appropriately.
Additionally, you'll need tape to properly cover hinges, fasteners, and edges. You'll also need rosin paper or brown builder's paper to cover counters. Like with any paintwork, the better the preparation, the better the outcome.
Yes, you can paint over black
Of course, it's simple to paint your white or light cabinets to a deeper, more fashionable hue. But if you've gotten bored of dark gray or the deep blue that was popular a few years ago, have no fear. With a little work, you can get your cabinets back to a brighter color. It’s all about the primer. In this regard, one of the world-class painters Albert Ridge advises tinting the primer to match the color you want to have in the end.
You can consider adding a layer of the underbody, like Fresh Start, which is a denser, less translucent primer that conceals more and can also be tinted if your color change is drastic.
You can try going to the paint store to do the tinting.
A good rule of thumb is to ask for 75% of the final hue, making it lighter but near.
Use a brush of 2 to 2.5 inches
When it’s painting time, an important aspect to think about is the size of the brush. Use a 2 to 2.5-inch fine bristle brush, which can reach the minor details and corners. This will help you get the best finish on painted cabinets.
Alternatively, you can use a roller. If you must use it, look for a small one that will fit easily on smaller surfaces. After that, use a brush to run over the surface to remove any roller marks and to get into any small places.
Don’t forget to paint the interior of the cabinets
The benefit of open shelves and glass-fronted cabinets is that you can show off what's within. But keep in mind that this also makes the interiors of your cabinet boxes visible. This is sometimes overlooked by kitchen owners and the result is pretty horrific and unprofessional to look at.
The insides of the cabinets typically require a delicate layer of paint, or you could choose a different color for the inside to add mystery.
Spray paint is a nice idea if you’re running out of patience
One of the top questions many interior designers get is if spray painting is okay. Spray painting your cabinets is an option if hand painting seems tiring.
Carefully do all of the same preparation processes, then before spraying, take your cabinet fronts and drawers outside or thoroughly cover anything else in the room. Choose a sprayer of top quality and keep in mind to apply several thin coats rather than one heavy one.
Wood is the go-to material
Any type of wood will work for cabinets when it comes to painting. According to painter Albert Ridge, all types of wood like unfinished, painted, and stained woodwork nicely. The same goes for compressed or faux wood and MDF.
Painting, however, is fairly easy on materials found in the kitchen. You can work with anything that can be scuffed up with sandpaper to allow for the paint to stick. This is one of the reasons why laminates aren’t a good option for kitchens. Yes, you can paint them, but the paint won’t stay long on the surface.
Keep in mind that shiny surfaces such as stained wood must first be de-glossed. People tend to apply Wil-Bond or other liquid sanders using a cloth.
Make sure you clean the cabinets
You cannot store food in your cabinets while you paint the external elements of the cabinets. But don’t worry as now is also the ideal time to arrange what you already have.Take everything out, arrange everything and take out the stuff you don’t want and/or need. Additionally, you should spend some time using a grease-cutting cleaner to scrub your cabinets completely from the inside out to get rid of any residue or spills that may have accumulated over time. If at all possible, keep food items in a different room while your cabinets are being painted. Once the painting is completed and the cabinets are dry, bring them back.
Hard finishes are simpler to clean
For cabinets, avoid matte and eggshell finishes in favor of semi-gloss, gloss, or satin. They are more durable, easy-to-clean finishes. Furthermore, they not only look nice but they tend to be easier to maintain.
To make sure you won’t need to paint again soon, it’s recommended to go for a wipeable and durable surface.
Use white to brighten your kitchen
A renowned interior designer Gustave Carlson advises the color of the cabinets to match the one that is dominating the kitchen space.
White is very calming and brings additional light, too. It represents a relaxing backdrop for all the activities in the kitchen without assaulting the senses and attracting unwanted
attention. Also, white is easier to combine with other colors and color palettes. Yet, the bottom line is that it’s all a matter of personal preference.
Experiment with colors – exchange blue for yellow
Blue cabinets and green cabinets have each had their time. They used to be those colors you utilized if you were feeling experimental. But now they are more widely accepted. So, interior designers have moved on to another color. What is predicted to become the next big thing in the kitchen? Yellow.
People are experimenting now more than ever and yellow seems to be the new go-to color for this new wave of interior designers. Yellow cabinets will bring brightness and attraction to your kitchen. Also, you can combine it with other colors like black, white, gray, blue, green, orange, and similar.
If you're feeling brave, try it. After all, you can still go back if it no longer seems like the right color for this part of your home.
Final Remarks
All things considered, painted cabinets are nice additions to your kitchen that will slightly alter its appearance for the better. It can be a challenge to get everything right but luckily there are many things to try until you settle for what works for you. Whether it’s white cabinets, black ones, or another color entirely, what matters is that the kitchen satisfies your taste and expectations.
We hope through all of the information we shared, you got the idea of what you want and how to do it. So, good luck and share your experience with this in the comments. We would love to hear what you think about painting your kitchen cabinets.