Kitchen cabinets are not just functional pieces. When designed and painted properly, they are also decorative fixtures which can enhance the look of a kitchen. They can even help you attract more buyers if you are selling your house. According to real estate agents, a kitchen cabinetry that’s in tip-top condition makes a property more appealing.
So, do not take your kitchen cabinets for granted, especially if you are putting your property in the market. After all, you do not have to do much to keep these pieces in tiptop condition and make them look new. Applying a fresh coat of paint on your cabinetry can improve its appearance and spruce up your entire kitchen.
Furthermore, with the proliferation of photos and videos of kitchen cabinet painting, it won’t be difficult to accomplish this task as well as find inspiration in terms of colour schemes. It is important to note that this task is not without challenges. If you are planning to paint your kitchen cabinets, make sure you avoid the mistakes listed below so you’d come up with an output that you can proudly show your loved ones and guests.
Not Having the Knowledge and Time
This undertaking may seem straightforward, but it requires painting knowledge and skills. If you haven’t done a similar project before, it is best that you watch some tutorials first. Furthermore, painting your kitchen cabinet requires time. It is not a project that can be finished in a day. Realistically speaking, it may take at least four days to accomplish this task. You can opt to spray paint them to finish quicker but achieving professional-style results with this method requires a lot of practice.
So, even before you start purchasing your painting materials, make sure you know how to do this project and have the time to see it through. Otherwise, hire professionals to work on your cabinetry. With expert painters working your kitchen cabinets, you can be confident about the quality of the paint job. Moreover, they can accomplish the task faster than you would. So, you do not have to worry about prolonged kitchen downtime.
Painting the Hardware
Prior to painting cabinets, doors, drawers and hardware like hinges and knobs are removed. However, many DIYers and those who want to save time skip this process. Furthermore, instead of avoiding the hardware, they end up painting them, too.
While it may seem okay aesthetically, painting knobs, hinges and other cabinet hardware can be problematic later on. Paint on the surfaces of these materials are surely going to flake or chip off in just a few weeks. Peeling paint is unsightly; hence, you need to remove it. This means sanding the surface and soaking the hardware to rid it of the paint.
Skipping Sanding and Cleaning the Cabinet Surface
Just like painting walls, kitchen cabinet painting requires proper prep work. This means sanding the surface and thoroughly cleaning it before applying paint. Skipping these steps will result in a sloppy and less durable paint job. The paint won’t properly adhere to the surface, eventually resulting in flaking.
So, using a medium grit sandpaper, sand your cabinet until it has a matte appearance. Then, wipe it with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth to remove dirt and dust and avoid a gritty finish.
Forgetting the Primer
Applying primer is a step you cannot skip, especially when painting wooden surfaces. Aside from ensuring that your topcoat sticks to the surface for a long time, your primer helps prevent knots from bleeding through the paint.
Unless you are perfectly fine with knots becoming visible on your cabinets months after repainting, do not forget to apply primer. Look for a stain-blocking primer as this is what’s recommended for wooden surfaces.
Putting Back Your Cabinets Immediately
As mentioned earlier, this project takes days to finish. You cannot put the doors, drawers and hardware until the paint is completely dry. When you assemble your cabinet without waiting for paint to cure, you can destroy the paint job. It can cause smudges and chip off some paint.
Suffice to say, if you rush this part, you may end up redoing the work you’ve done earlier. This is going to be a waste of time and resources. So, be patient and wait for the paint to cure before putting things back.
Need help with kitchen cabinet painting? Let our professional painters do the job! Call us at 086 608 1817 / 085 139 0233.
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Photo by larkandlarks 
