Tips for Painting your Kitchen Cabinets

Doing a kitchen remodel can be a lengthy process and some people are just not ready to make that commitment. One easy way to give your kitchen a new look is to paint the kitchen cabinets. This process is simpler and less costly than installing new cabinets, plus it’s within the abilities of most homeowners which makes is a great D.I.Y. project! We hope these tips will help you when repainting your cabinets and have your kitchen feeling like new.

Consider your cabinets

This is the first step, consider the material your cabinets are made from will help you prep the surface correctly. Is it wood? wood veneer? or laminate? These are the things you should consider so you can figure the best way to paint and prep the cabinets.

Wood Cabinets: It’s known that paint adheres better over a sanded surface and true wood cabinets make a great candidate for painting. Just make sure if there is a glossy finish on your cabinets to sand it down properly. Using a primer is also helpful so your cabinets get an even coat of paint.

Wood Veneer: If your cabinets have a wood veneer you will also need to sand down the surface. But before you do that make sure you fix any loose edges, chips, or cracks beforehand. Another thing to note is not to sand too hard as the veneer is just a thin layer, so sand just enough for the paint to have something to adhere too.

Laminate: Painting laminate cabinets is possible but is a little bit more tricky than painting wood. It has a base layer that covered with plastic so putting in the prep work to paint these types of cabinets is key to making sure the paint will be able to stick to the surface. Sand as best as you can and be sure to wipe away any dust that may occur.

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Oil Paint vs. Latex Paint

There is a simple answer for what type of paint you should use, and it is latex. Although oil paint is easy to apply and has a long lasting finish, latex is more readily available and dries quicker. Oil paint can take up to 16 hours to dry between layers and this can cause your project to become a week long process. Latex paint dries in 2 hours, and you can get back your kitchen in a little less than a day. Another thing to consider is oil paint has a higher toxin rate then latex paint, and be more harmful to you and your family. It also can also yellow over time leaving your cabinets looking discolored. The only con with latex paint is some formulas aren’t durable enough for scrubbing. If your kitchen cabinets are already painted then it's just another reason to use latex paint as it can bind to a surface painted with either type of paint.

Finishes

Lastly, once your paint has dried it’s important to complete it with a semi-gloss or gloss finish. The formulas of both finishes are described as ‘washable’ and has increased resiliency when being scrubbed or cleaned. It’s also beneficial when painting in a room with high humidity and moisture such as the kitchen. The extra sheen will help to ward off water spots and stains. We hope you found these tips useful , and let us know if you have any other tips to add in the comments below!