Cabinet Refinishing - Do It Yourself

With the rise of the internet and cable networks like HGTV and DIY, more homeowners are choosing to take on tasks that they would normally only trust to a professional. One of the most popular projects taken on by the modern homeowner is refinishing their cabinets. In one weekend, you can completely transform your cabinets, your kitchen and your home simply by refinishing your cabinets. In this article you will learn how easy it is to refinish your cabinets.

The first thing you want to do when refinishing cabinets is to create a plan of action. You want to choose what color you’re going to paint your cabinets based on the rest of your kitchen and the décor of your home. Watch TV, read design books and magazines and search the internet for design ideas. If you’re planning on moving out of your home within the next few years, pick something that will make a dramatic difference, but will be neutral enough to please a majority of people. If you’re choosing to paint your cabinets, pick a high gloss paint in the color of your choice. High gloss is better for kitchen surfaces because its sheen makes it easier to clean.

The first thing you want to do is to remove all the cabinet doors and hardware from the cabinets. If you have doors that are the same size, make sure to mark them so they go back where they came from. Clean the doors and faces of the cabinet with a household cleaner to remove any built up dirt, grease or grime. If the cabinets were previously stained or painted, you must use a paint stripper to remove the old color. Go to your local paint store and ask for a wood stripper recommended for kitchen cabinets and follow the directions on the package.

Now its time to sand the cabinet surfaces. Sand all the areas to be painted with a coarse sandpaper to start (around 80-100 grit paper). Continue sanding for 2 more complete passes with higher grit paper each time. First using a 150 grit, then moving on to a 200-220 grit paper. A good sand job will leave the cabinets smooth when your hand is rubbed against them. Make sure to get all areas that will be painted.

The most important part of any paint job is the primer. When painting cabinets, a quality primer is even more important because they are getting opened, closed and slammed several times a day. The primer makes the color stick and look better. So by using a good primer you give your paint a better surface to stick to, which insures a longer lasting coat of paint. When priming and painting, remember to be conscious of dripping paint that will create ugly paint drops in corners and one the sides of cabinets. Also remember to make long strokes lengthwise along the cabinet and doors. Once primed once or twice (depending on if you can see grains in the wood or not) continue on with the paint.

Make sure the primer is completely dry before painting and continue on with a layer of paint. Again make sure not to have drip marks, and go along the cabinet lengthwise with the brush for the most professional look. Make sure the paint is completely dry before you add a second coat and add a 3rd if needed.

With a weekend, a little help and some hard work, you can transform your kitchen to something you can be proud of. Best of all, when you sell the house, more money will go into your pocket because you saved money by doing it yourself!