10 Things Nobody Tells You About Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Posted on July 27, 2021
After all the time we have spent in our homes and cooking in our kitchens, your cabinets might be crying out for a makeover. Rather than the costly endeavor of replacement, consider cabinets for a refreshed look. But before you get started, here are 10 things you should know.
1. Wood is best.
To paint cabinets, natural wood is the best option and will yield the best results. Paint can be very forgiving but the lasting effects of paint could be compromised. If you have concerns about your cabinet make up, it’s best to consult a professional for viability.
2. You’ll need to label each cabinet panel.
To complete this project, every cabinet panel will need to be removed and painted either in another part of the house or offsite. It seems simple enough to put them all back where they belong, but once they are off, it could be a difficult challenge. Labeling the cabinet pieces is the best bet to rematch every piece. If you hire in a crew, they will be able to expertly do this, hiding the markings.
3. You must deep-clean.
In addition to emptying your cabinets completely, you’ll need a deep cleaning. Cabinets face a lot of messes, leaving behind sticky, greasy messes. Professional crews may want to do this for you, since they have products they know will work. You may be able to reduce costs by cleaning yourself before the crew arrives. Be sure to use a degreasing cleanser and move all food and kitchen wares into another room prior to work starting.
4. You can come back from black.
It makes sense that you can easily take a light colored or natural cabinet color and make it darker. If your cabinets are vivid or dark, you can go lighter. This project will be more difficult and require some professional knowledge so it’s best to work with the pros in this case.
5. Use the hard stuff.
Cabinets are high touch, high impact, high mess surfaces. When choosing colors, you will have to forget matte ad eggshell finishes. Rather, pick a semi-gloss, gloss or satin finish. These are tougher and can stand up to the constant slamming while being easily cleaned.
6. The magic number? 2 to 2.5.
Many companies will not share that this is a tedious task. You cannot roll a cabinet. It must be painted with a fairly small brush, by hand. That means this project will be tiresome and time consuming. Instead, opt for a professional crew that will bring in a spray booth and make quick order of painting your cabinets.
7. Don’t overlook white.
While cabinets have come in all colors and hues the last few years, don’t feel like you have to go crazy with color. Consider a clean, crisp white for your cabinets, particularly if you have many other colors in your appliances, counters and counter top items.
8. Have glass-fronted or open cabinets? Be sure to paint the interiors, too.
Do not forget the interiors of your cabinets, most importantly if you have glass front or open areas. There’s nothing worse than looking at your newly painted kitchen and realizing the corner cabinet still remains the old color.
9. Tired of blue? Try yellow.
If you’re looking for a big change from natural or neutral cabinets? Blue has been successfully done for the last few years, making it a bit passe. Opt for a bright yellow or green to invoke the nostalgia of avocado refrigerators.
10. Feeling impatient?
Painting by hand, by yourself is a long term task. If you’re really impatient, hire a crew to come in and help you out. With several crew members, and professional tools and know-how, you’re kitchen will be brand new in a fraction of the time.
Get started
CertaPro Painters of Castle Rock is happy to assist you in cabinet painting for an update to your kitchen. Learn more about our kitchen cabinet painting services and then schedule a free, no obligation estimate appointment to discuss your project.
