| Author | Content |
britbrighton
Ancram, NY
October 09, 2008
08:37 PM Post #5653002
| I posted a thread similar as this on the kitchen forum but it is not a very busy site-people seem to only check in once a month. The problem I have is that my kitchen cabinets are smooth, honey colored veneer (seventies era). Very plain, very dated but I can't afford to change the cabs just yet. I have seen people on the diy shows paint kitchen cabinets to refresh them. Has anyone tried this? If so, does it look good or cheap looking? I don't want it to look cheap. |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 09, 2008
09:09 PM Post #5653148
| I've painted solid wood cabinets and it looks fine. Whether it looks good or cheap is going to depend on your painting skills, cabinets are trickier than walls but if you've done a number of painting projects around the house you should be fine, it's not like you need to be a professional painter or anything. The keys to success is make sure your surface is super clean before you start, use a primer underneath, and on both the primer and top coat make sure you even out your brush marks and watch for drips, etc. The one thing I'm not sure of are if there are any specific tricks to painting over veneer as opposed to a solid wood cabinet. |
JasperDale
Long Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)
October 10, 2008
12:23 AM Post #5653814
| One key thing you'll have to do is sand the cabinets before you prime and paint them. They more than likely have a coat of some sort of varnish on them which is impervious to paint (and primer for that matter). If you don't sand them, the primer and paint won't adhere well at all and will peel off eventually.
You don't need to make yourself crazy with the sanding...just sand them enough to take the sheen off the veneer. It's easiest to do this by using a small electric sander which fits in the palm of you hand and uses 1/4 of a sheet of sandpaper. You should be able to buy one for under $35.00 .
Use a GOOD primer. If you're going to paint the cabinets white, or any light color, a good primer will prevent "yellowing" of the new top coat you put on. The yellowing is a result of the old varnish (or old coating) "bleeding through" the primer and paint.
Do a sample of one cupboard front or a drawer, and see how it works before you proceed with the whole project. If, after one coat of primer, you see yellowing, you'll need to do another coat of primer.
If you have the room (and the patience) take the cupboard fronts OFF and prime and paint them on a flat horizontal surface. You won't get drips and runs in the paint that way...(and try not to paint the hinges ! ) |
britbrighton
Ancram, NY
October 10, 2008
07:47 PM Post #5656683
| Thanks to both of you. I have MUCH experience painting interiors, as I am refinishing my vintage (ha ha) house. Primer and I have a love/hate relationship and I know it well. Do you think I need an oil based (errr!) or a water based primer? The oil based primer I have been using for the last two years never comes off my skin and out of my hair for weeks! I know what you are going to say; a bandanna, gloves and a nice pair of coveralls! |
JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)
October 10, 2008
08:58 PM Post #5656950
| You would probably want to talk to the expert at the paint store... I would go with the water based myself.
|
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 10, 2008
09:07 PM Post #5656989
| It depends on what type of paint you're planning to use--if you're going to use water based paint then get water based primer or if you're going with oil paint then get oil based primer. Oil paint is supposed to hold up better if your cabinets get a lot of wear and tear, but I've used water based paint on cabinets at my old house and my current house and it was fine, no problems at all (but my cabinets don't get a lot of wear and tear). |
JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)
October 10, 2008
09:11 PM Post #5657000
| Yeah, and when I painted inside the garage cupboards with oil based, it took FOREVER for the paint to "cure" and harden. I waited 2 weeks - the paint guy said 1 week. The stuff I put in there ended up sinking into the paint anyway and I had to break things loose to remove them. |
luannewolf
Fayetteville, AR
February 07, 2009
10:16 PM Post #6108125
| Before we sand and prime, any ideas of how to get the cabinets "squeaky clean?" My cabinets are of the same era and have decades of grime on them - not just dirt but a mix of dust and grease. I've been told ammonia and water, but haven't tried it yet. Thanks for any ideas. |
JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)
February 07, 2009
10:46 PM Post #6108254
| Trisodium phosphate - TSP is what you need to use. It is usually sold in paint stores too. You have to have lots of ventilation. But then again, you are going to remove the surface by sanding, so you don't need the surface cleaned- you can skip this and just start sanding and priming. |
JasperDale
Long Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)
February 07, 2009
11:46 PM Post #6108478
| I agree with the TSP thing, but make sure you wear gloves when you do it. |
luannewolf
Fayetteville, AR
February 10, 2009
05:07 PM Post #6120923
| The grime won't gum up the sandpaper? That was why I was thinking I needed to clean it first. |
JasperDale
Long Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)
February 10, 2009
09:13 PM Post #6121900
| Yes, the grime will more than likely gum up the sand paper, so you should probably wash them with the tsp first. |
Bubba_MoCity
Missouri City, TX
February 11, 2009
10:28 AM Post #6123600
| If they have much oil or smoke residue, try Greased Lightning. The dollar stores, Lowe's and Home Depot have it.
Spray it on, wait 5-10 minutes and rinse. Removed 20+ years of cigarette smoke and kitchen grease from aluminum window frames - about $3 for a quart sprayer - $7 for a gallon.
TSP is the ingredient in most pownered cleansers (Comet, etc.), but in very small percentages. Pure TSP is powerful, but is a powder. You may spend some time rinsing it all off. (I use it for driveways, etc.). |
JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)
February 11, 2009
10:50 AM Post #6123680
| I bought it as a 2 part bottle the last time I used it.
I needed to clean the kitchen in our new house(it had been lived in by a bachelor that thought "clean" was judged by the sink and appliances only. He was real proud of how clean the kitchen was. ;-0 !!!) |
Sarahskeeper
Brockton, MA
(Zone 6a)
February 21, 2009
10:51 PM Post #6171841
| I refinishing kitchen cabinets as part of my painting work.
Forget the caustic TSP, Fantastic or Formula 409 works fine with a good scrubber, often called Stripping pads.
Take the doors and drawers off, get rid of the old hardware (handles and hinges) they are yucky and worn.
Clean everything well, sand with 120 grit paper, prime with Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 acrylic primer. Check for bleed through stains, cover them with B.I.N an alcohol based shellac primer (you won't need much). Paint 2 coats of a premium semi-gloss finish paint with a premium brush. Cheap brushes will leave hard brush marks. Wooster or Purdy are good brushes. Do long brush strokes and don't keep working it, put it down, smooth it out and move on. Wait one day between coats. Re-assemble with new hardware.
I do an average 20 piece kitchen in 5 days.
Go easy on them for a month or two to let them harden. You'll get another 10+ years service.
Andy P
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
missy99912
Mission Viejo, CA
(Zone 10a)
March 04, 2009
12:37 PM Post #6220564
| You've gotten lots of good advice, especially from Andy P. My husband is a painter, and he redid our cabinets when we first moved in and couldn't afford new ones. I added some molding to them before we painted so that they would have some depth and the doors would look like panels. Also, he sprayed them. I think that makes a huge difference. If you can borrow or rent a cup gun, and if you are reasonably handy, that's definitely the way to go. They will be completely smooth and look factory finished.
Whatever you end up doing, please post some photos! |
DesertPirate
Vista, CA
(Zone 10b)
March 15, 2009
05:51 PM Post #6271976
| britbrighton;
I spent a number of years in the painting trade. Learned it from my dad, a contractor. Most of the advise you got was right on target. You definitely need to clean before sanding and as much a pain as it is to remove the doors, that is the easiest way to go in the long run. It also makes it easy to keep the paint off the hinges. Be sure to mark the hinges with some white masking tape and identify which door they go to. You can give a corresponding mark to the door in the place where you remove the hinge. Hopefully you have a couple of saw horses. (five gallon buckets will work in a pinch) Lay two 2x4s across them parallel to each other and lay your doors on the 2x4s. This gives you an easy access way to paint them. The stiles (cabinet face frame) are then the only thing you have to do that requires reaching and potentially a ladder. The use of a good primer is essential. I highly recommend KILZ or Zinsser. Both are readily available at most any hardware, paint or home store. The use of a sprayer is preferable ONLY if you're experienced with one. It will make an incredible mess if not. On the doors and drawer faces you can achieve a smooth finish by using a foam roller, believe it or not. The way you do this is by applying the paint to a couple of doors, then as it starts to 'tack up' go back and give it one more going over with a "dry roller". Not literally dry, but one that doesn't have a fresh load of paint on it. This will pull the surface tight and create a smooth finish. I also recommend using a drying inhibitor like "FloTrol" so that the paint can flow out to a smoother finish. This is only a good idea if you're doing it on saw horses. I do not recommend it for use on doors that are painted in place. Good luck!! |
MelissahL
Hempstead, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 26, 2009
12:14 PM Post #6322584
| Hi - My name is Melissa, and this my first time in the Home Repair area. I have cabinets that are about 14 years old and have some very deep scratches, the cabinets are also dirty. So, what would you experts above recommend to deal with the scratches and the dirt. I really really do not want to paint if I can avoid it.
Thanks in advance for the help. |
Bubba_MoCity
Missouri City, TX
March 26, 2009
12:25 PM Post #6322632
| First thing is to clean them - this may require some industriel strength materials and effort.
Then you can determine if the damage can be repaired or filled. Painting or refinishing probably will be required. |
Sarahskeeper
Brockton, MA
(Zone 6a)
March 26, 2009
03:41 PM Post #6323351
| Melissa, are the cabinets stained a dark color or light?
If they are natural or very light a thorough cleaning and a coat of poly may do the trick. An easy test is to wet a scratch, does the scratch fade? Poly keeps wood looking wet so you will know if touch up staining is needed.
Don't bother trying to fill the scratches unless you plan to paint, you'll never get the color and grain to match. Sand deep gouges, stain and poly.
Andy P |
MelissahL
Hempstead, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 27, 2009
08:35 AM Post #6326270
| Hi Andy - The cabinets are knotted pine I think and are stained a somewhat light color. I will send an image next time. What sort of cleaner would you recommend? |
Sarahskeeper
Brockton, MA
(Zone 6a)
March 27, 2009
11:30 AM Post #6327125
| Knotty Pine has a wide color variation, they should clean up fine.
I spend an average of 4 hours just on the cleaning, longer if they have grooves. This is after removing the doors and all the hardware.
I use either Fantastic or Formula 409 with a mildly abrasive stripping pad (found in the refinishing isle of the big box stores). Scrub, wipe down with a clean sponge, wash again, wipe down again. Keep your rinse water fresh. Work in the best light possible, I try to do the doors on a portable bench outdoors. Better light and minimum clean up after.
They look awful after cleaning, the color and finish will be dull.
Let them dry for a day before lightly sanding with 150 or 200 grit sand paper. Always sand with the grain, never across the grain. Dust them off and wipe down with a Tack Cloth to make sure they are dust free.
I like the latex Minwax Polycrylic polyurethane. It dries fast and doesn't smell but it can be tricky on large areas because it dries so fast. Two thin coats, a day apart should do the job.
I suggest you try the process on one small door first, it's a big job and you can't give up half way through, lol.
Andy P |
kanneii
Norfolk
United Kingdom
April 14, 2009
11:56 AM Post #6408722
| well yes, it perfectly looks fine, and also you can do it anytime you want, like the moment you think it needs a makeover again than DIY again.
__________
Buy Door Handles
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