Newly painted cabinets can totally transform a kitchen and worth the effort. I researched YouTube and Pinterest and found what worked for me within my skillset! Below is what I found to be the key success factors in getting the job done.
Paint & Primer
Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane works so well on cabinets, doors and trim. It is SW’s top of the line paint, so a bit pricey. Purchase this paint during their paint sales (30% or 40%). I just love it!
I apply the paint and primer with a paint sprayer, so I add about 20% water to the paint, mix well and strain the paint before applying. I use these paint strainers.
Sherwin Williams Wall & Wood Primer works well in the paint sprayer and on wood. ( I did not have good luck using the Extreme Bond product in the sprayer.)
Paint & Primer Application
I have used the HomeRight Super Finish Max Extra paint sprayer for so many projects. Once you use a spray finish, you will have a hard time using a roller or brush again. It is not only a lovely finish, it is such a time saver. I always thin, mix and strain the paint/primer before applying with the sprayer. I used the green tip for the primer and paint. And, the blue tip for the poly.
Painting Station
Through my research, I found this “apparatus” for hanging cabinet doors. It was easy to make from 2 x 4s and saw horse brackets. I have a small workplace and being able to paint both sides of the doors and hang to dry was super efficient. I had one area where I would apply the paint and then, hang the doors to dry.
Prepping the Cabinets Doors
It’s true. Prepping the wood cabinets is the most time consuming step and the most necessary. After removing the hardware, clean the cabinets with Krud Kutter. Sand cabinets at least until there is no longer any shine using a sander for flat surfaces and a sanding block for smaller edges. In some instances, I have sanded down to bare wood. Clean wood with TSP. Continue to use fresh paper towel for wiping down to avoid spreading sawdust residue from one cabinet door to another. After dry, wipe down with a tack cloth to remove fine particles.
At the bottom of the lower cabinet doors, drill two small holes large enough to fit the screw for hook screws. These are the type of small hooks used to hang the cabinet doors on the wooden hangers as shown in the picture above. The hooks have to be big enough to go around the straight part of the hanger, so be sure to check for that. These small holes can be filled with wood filler after painted if they bother you. The holes are on the bottom of the lower doors and are not visible. For the upper cabinet doors, I placed the screw holes at the top of the doors.
Prepping Cabinet Drawers & Bases
Prepping the cabinet drawers and bases is the same cleaning process (Krud Kutter, sanding, TSP, tack cloth) as the cabinet doors. I taped off the edges of the drawer front and covered the drawer itself in plastic. For the cabinet bases, I taped each of the interior edges for a crisp line, the added a piece of tape around the interior perimeter and pushed plastic or paper (whatever you want to use against the tape. It is a very tedious process. I did get faster at this part as I went along. (My son helping!)
Priming and Painting
I set an area to apply the paint, then hung the doors on the rack I built. I applied one coat primer, 3 coats paint and 3 coats poly. The application with the sprayer is quick with the sprayer. Lots of coats, but each coat is quick to apply. Apply thin coats. I also lightly sanded using 220 grit in between the coats for a smooth finish.
I’m really happy with how these turned out. Refer to this kitchen cabinet update blogpost for another great “befores” and “afters”. And, this post for a laundry room refresh.
