If your kitchen cabinets could use an upgrade, you don’t have to nix them for a newer model. Painting your currents cabinets, rather than getting new ones, can be just as effective in improving the look of your kitchen. Plus, with so many paint colors available, you can use your cabinet painting project as an opportunity to reflect your personality in the kitchen.
Here, we’ll give you a breakdown of how to complete a Denver painting project for your kitchen cabinets. You may be surprised at how much a fresh coat of paint can enhance the appearance of your entire kitchen.
Selecting The Right Type of Paint
When it comes to painting your kitchen cabinets, you may find yourself debating the benefits of oil versus latex paint. The main benefit of latex paint is that it dries rapidly, which can simplify your Denver painting endeavors. Additionally, latex paint can be cleaned up easily using water, it’s generally the more convenient option for DIY-ers.
That said, oil paint provides multiple benefits for your kitchen cabinets, too. Many painting professionals prefer oil to latex because it provides a stronger paint film. Especially in the kitchen, where surfaces can be exposed to significant wear-and-tear, the durability of an oil paint finish is undoubtedly attractive. Plus, oil paints fully cure faster than latex paints, which reduces the risk of damage during the curing phase.
Ultimately, both latex and oil paint will give your kitchen cabinets a solid finish. Your decision should come down to your preferences.
Paint Finish
For kitchen cabinets, you’ll want as hard a finish as possible. This is because you want to make it easy to wipe down the cabinets whenever they get splattered with food. So, steer clear of the matte and eggshell finish paints, instead opting for satin, gloss, or semigloss.
Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets
Prepping The Room
One of the downsides of painting your kitchen cabinets is that the project will temporarily take apart your kitchen. This can be an inconvenience, but it will be well worth it when you see the revamped look of your kitchen.
To get your kitchen ready for the project, empty out all of the cabinets and clear the counters. Protect the flooring and countertops with rosin paper, and open the windows for ventilation. The fixed appliances, windows, and backsplash should also be covered with plastic sheeting.
Stripping The Cabinets
One of the first questions that you’ll need to ask yourself before painting the kitchen cabinets is whether or not they’ll need to be stripped. Usually, if the cabinets are already painted and the paint isn’t damaged, you won’t need to strip them. Otherwise, stripping will be necessary to achieve a smooth, high-quality finish.
Thankfully, there are stripping products available today to facilitate the process. Once applied to the surface, the stripper will make it easy to remove the paint with a scraper. After doing this, wait for the surface to dry. Then, use sandpaper to get rid of any lingering paint.
Priming The Cabinets
With your cabinets stripped, you can move on to the priming phase. Priming is an essential step in the process of painting your cabinets because it helps the paint adhere to the surface. Plus, primer can conceal any abnormalities in the surface, allowing for a more attractive final result.
Apply the primer with a mini roller, starting with the inside of the cabinets and working outward. For the intricate parts of the cabinets, as well as the corners, use a small brush instead of the roller. The primer doesn’t need to look impeccable, as it will be covered up by the paint, but it should fully cover the surface of the cabinets.
Painting The Cabinets
Finally, we’ve arrived at the main phase of this Denver painting project: painting the cabinets. For this stage in the process, you can use a foam paint roller for the large areas of the cabinets and a brush for the smaller or detailed parts. Once you’ve applied a coat of paint with even strokes to the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, leave them to fully cure. Then, you can apply another coat for a sleek, uniform appearance.
For help with your next Denver painting project, contact Brush Strokes Painting today.
