Painting Kitchen Cabinets to Save Money

By James Mahoney

If replacing your cabinetry is too expensive for your budget, after cabinet refacing, painting kitchen cabinets is the least expensive option and can really transform your kitchen. Plus this kitchen remodeling job can be accomplished over a long weekend or about 3 days with the right kind of preparation and planning. Depending on the area of the country you live in it is probably not a good idea to do this type of job in the winter months because you will need to have windows and doors open because of fumes from the paint and primer.

Kitchen cabinets take up most of the wall space in most kitchens and because of this by making a change in the look of your kitchen cabinets as in painting, you can greatly improve the look of the entire kitchen.

Whether you want to lighten up dark cabinets or brighten them up with bold colors, paint can provide an instant makeover for almost all types of cabinets. Because of problems of paint adhering well to laminate and melamine cabinets, it isn't recommended to paint these types.
Painting your kitchen cabinets can be the fastest and easiest method to update a tired worn-out looking kitchen and increase the value of your home. Painting the cabinets is a simple and low-cost alternative to an expensive kitchen-remodeling job. Painting the kitchen cabinets can give them a fresh new look. Painting kitchen cabinets will save you money while making it look like you spent a lot on remodeling your kitchen.

You can easily change the kitchen cabinet accessories such as the cabinet knobs and handles. You can leave the insides of the kitchen cabinets alone except the insides of the doors to save even more money on the job and the hassle of having to take out everything that is inside the cabinets.

Preparing the Kitchen Cabinetry for Painting

First you can begin by take off the doors removing any screws and all the hardware from the cabinets. Make sure to clean the cabinets thoroughly before starting to paint with a wood cleaner containing orange oil. This type of cleaner is good for removing grease. If there is any grease, oils or even a little dirt the paint may not adhere to the wood surface correctly. Make sure the surface is totally dry before applying the primer.

Now check for any rough areas on the doors and the cabinet base, sand them down, and wipe away any dust or sawdust from the surface.

Apply an even coat of primer-sealer to the cabinet doors, starting in the center and following the grain of the wood. By using primer-sealer you will not have to sand down and degloss the wood before painting it.

Painting the Cabinetry

When it comes to the choice of the type of paint either a high-gloss or a semigloss paint are recommended for cabinets. Some people feel that semigloss can provide a richer finish however. Use a good quality brush for applying the paint. This will insure a more superior finish. As with the application of the primer-sealer you should start in the center and follow the grain. Two or three coats are required to achieve a good quality finish. The paint should be allowed to dry about four hours per coat. Using thin coats make for fewer brushstrokes and less time for drying.
Once you have all the doors painted, start on the bases. Follow the same steps you did for the doors: sand, clean, seal, then paint. You will not have to worry about doing the inside of the cabinets. It will only be necessary to tape off the edges for a clean finish and just leave them as they are. However you might want to start thinking about replacing the hardware for the drawers and doors to totally complete your new kitchen look.

If you proceed carefully and follow all the necessary steps, you should have a like new kitchen with a fresh look to be proud of.

James Mahoney is the author of many kitchen design articles, visit at Kitchen Designers Ideas.com. If you want to find out more about kitchen design software go to Kitchen Design Software. He also publishes a newsletter on kitchen design. For more about kitchen remodeling advice go to kitchen remodeling advice
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