The kitchen is one of the most important and frequently used areas of a home. It is a reflection of the overall ambiance of the home. A well-maintained kitchen does not necessarily have to be decorated with expensive accessories. You can add zest to your kitchen with just one ingredient: good, old-fashioned paint.
It is amazing how much difference a splash and dash of paint can make. The kitchen cabinets are one of the most prominent features of the kitchen. You can paint them in splendid colors, create contrasts or paint them in dull hues for an elegant look.
Painting kitchen cabinets can be a lot of fun but only if you do it right. Listed below are the 3 common mistakes a lot of people make when painting kitchen cabinets. Read and imbibe and make it a point to steer clear of them.
Painting with the Drawers and Hardware Intact
- Cabinet hardware such as doors and drawers should be removed before painting the cabinet. If the hardware is still intact, it would make the painting job more difficult and time-consuming. You will have to maneuver your way around the door hinges with the paintbrush. The presence of the door or other hardware will be a hurdle and you will not be able to freely paint the insides of the cabinets.
If you will use spray paint, the door hinges will have to be covered with tape to avoid getting paint over them. In order to avoid the hassle and have a smooth paint experience, unscrew the cabinet door hinges with a drill and remove the drawers from the slider track as well. A good practice is to label all the screws and other pieces. This will help you in easier reassembling of the items.
Not Prepping the Cabinets First
- Before taking on the painting job, it is crucial to thoroughly clean the cabinet surfaces. The reason for this prepping and priming is to remove all impurities which can be a hurdle in the smooth application of paint on the cabinet’s surface. Many times cabinet doors and insides become greasy and oily due to constant exposure of fumes from cooking and boiling.
Other pollutants such as the exhaust of a coffee machine and food and oil splatters can make the surfaces greasy. Water-based paints and primers don’t stick on greasy surfaces.
In order to avoid the mess and waste of time, clean the cabinet doors, insides, and surfaces with any of the following cleaners:
- Simple green
- Murphy Oil Soap
- TSP cleaner
Scrub the surfaces to remove all impurities and then rinse the cabinet thoroughly to remove all traces of the cleaner.
Forgetting to Sand the Surfaces
- Another important step most people forget before painting cabinets is to sand them. Sand provides the essential adhesion for the paint to stick to. In order to sand the cabinets, choose sandpaper with a grit range of 150 to 200. Buff all surfaces, crevices, and corners with the sandpaper. This will remove the shiny topcoat which can make your paint appear sloppy and glossy.
Apply the first coat of paint after sanding the surface. Let it dry. After that, repeat the sanding process again and apply another layer of primer and paint. This will ensure a smooth finished look of the cabinet surfaces.
- Avoid the above-mentioned mistakes to get a smooth finish of the kitchen cabinets. Any paint company worth its salt will know which mistakes to avoid when painting your kitchen cabinets and how to get the job done.
If you are residing in Mckinney, Texas look up Encore Painting. They provide cabinet refinishing and painting services at affordable rates.