As much as Pinterest wants to make it sound easy, kitchen cabinet painting is a really tricky paint job that requires knowledge and skill. Encore Painting in Mckinney has been providing cabinet painting and staining services for many years and we want to share some tips with people who like DIY-ing home improvement projects.
If you have decided to give a new paint job to your kitchen cabinets, we congratulate you! Painting the cabinets will immediately spruce up your kitchen in no time. However, there are some blunders that you need to be aware of.
To set you on the path of success, we have listed down 5 Massive Mistakes You Should Avoid When Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Limit Your Expectations
- The results can significantly please you if your expectations are limited. Newly painted cabinets look beautiful but they are never going to give you the ‘brand’ new look. For example, if any of your cabinets have a visible grain, the groves are going to show the paint through.
Even if you stain the wood before painting, things will show up once the paint dries up. You can also try to full the grain with putty, but this is a challenging task that must be allowed for professionals to handle.
Clean The Woodwork Before Painting
- No matter how smooth and clean your kitchen is, you will still need to wipe down every single thing on the cabinets with a grease remover. If you don’t do that, the paint will not stick properly.
We recommend using a paint-prep degreaser that can easily be found in most home-improvement stores. Use a non-scratch causing sponge and go for every spot.
Never Skip Sanding
- Regardless of the condition of your cabinets, you will have to sand them if you want the paint to stick properly. We recommend using 150 or 200 grit sandpaper. Give the surface of the cabinets a quick buff before moving on to the next steps.
Just make sure to sand properly and not excessively. Excessive sanding can wear down the wood and that may not look good even if painted perfectly. You should aim for a perfect matte or glossy look.
Use a Paint Primer
- Never skip this step. If you don’t use a paint primer, the new paint will start to bleed within the three to four months period. We recommend using a stain-blocking primer because it is the best when it comes to preventing blotches from appearing.
Pick The Proper Color and Paint for Your Cabinets
- There’s really no right or wrong color when it comes to your kitchen. But when we’re talking about cabinets, it is very important to pick the right color. The best way to pick the right color is to test one.
We recommend getting a tester can and paint a poster board first to see if the color looks good with your kitchen tones. Once you have the right color, you need to pick the right paint.
- For the smoothest finish, we recommend using tried and tested paints that are safe for kitchen cabinet use. Talk to a home-improvement store to learn which ones are the best for your cabinets.
Worried About Messing Up?
- From the steps above, you may have already figured out that painting your kitchen cabinets is a tough job. If you’re worried about messing it up, get professional help instead. Talk to Encore Painting today and let us give you a free quote.
We provide the best kitchen cabinet painting and staining services in Texas. You will not regret working with us.