You just finished painting the kitchen walls in a dazzling yellow only to notice that the old kitchen cabinets are taking away from the beauty. What do you do now? Spend the extra money for cabinet replacement? Take the time to repaint them to look like new.
Advantages of Repainting Cabinets
So you are asking yourself, why paint cabinets?
The number one reason for repainting kitchen cabinets is saving money and use that money to use for other home remodeling projects. You can use that extra cash to purchase new appliances for the kitchen. The secret is learning how to restore them to a like-new condition. Most original cabinets in Philadelphia homes which were installed in the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s were made of real wood. Today, most of the cabinets are made of engineered or pressed wood. Your old cabinets in the kitchens are a beautiful masterpiece lacking a little bit of paint makeover.
Another advantage is the satisfaction you will enjoy doing the work yourself without calling a professional if you are up for the task. The only other thing you will have besides the costs of paint and supplies is your time spent doing the work or hiring others to do it for you. If you would rather have a painter resurface and paint your cabinets, Painters In Philly are up for the job
How To Prep Cabinets For Painting and how to paint cabinets
Painting kitchen cabinets will take a considerable amount of time. Your kitchen will probably be off-limits during the procedure. You must consider another room as a temporary space to use as a makeshift kitchen during the painting process.
The first step to do with cabinets and drawers is to clean them of the excess buildup of greasy residue from cooking. An abrasive scrub pad with a spray bottle degreaser should remove all surface grease. Philadelphia cabinet painters recommend cleaning grease from any area of the kitchen that needs a new coat of paint.
You can remove cabinets from their hinges to lay aside. Consider replacing all handles, locks, and hinges from the cabinets with new hardware. Be sure to mark each drawer to place it back in the same spot it was removed from. Drawers tend to not fit correctly when placed back in other areas, so mark as necessary.
The second step is to sand the cabinets with heavy grit sandpaper to remove old paint from the exterior surfaces. An electric hand sander can speed up the process. Make sure to sand the cabinets and drawers outside to eliminate dust inside the kitchen. Be careful when using an electric sander, sand the material consistently across the surface if not you will have few imperfections where the sander has been placed for an excessive amount of time.
Be careful when sanding around edges to avoid removing the straight edges. It might be a better idea to hand-sand edges and fine detail work on cabinet doors to reduce the chance of errors. Blow off the dust before bringing the drawers and cabinet doors inside.
The third step is applying a good primer to the drawers and cabinet doors. Use an angled sash brush about three inches wide to apply a good coat of primer. Start in the seam area where the molding meets the inner panel. Prime the entire area on the inside of all four corners of the molding. Prime the rails and edges next. Don’t forget to prime the backside after the front side dries.
Painters in Philly use a fantastic way to speed up the drying process by making a hanging jig to attach the doors to for faster results. Screw two eye-hooks into the bottom or top edge of cabinet doors. Take a 2x6 long enough to sit on the steps between two ladders or something similar that is high enough for the panels to hang from. Screw eye-hooks into the bottom of the board to hang the doors on.
Make sure to purchase a good bonding primer for use on kitchen doors and drawers. It has better adhesive qualities to make the paint stay on forever without flaking or chipping away. Enamel and oil-based paints are durable protection for kitchen cabinets. These types of paints produce a hard-shell finish. High-gloss and satin oil-based paints are top choices used by professionals.
The fourth step is painting the cabinet doors and drawers. Many painters in Philadelphia prefer to use a sprayer to produce a finish that makes the cabinets look like new ones. You must know how to use a sprayer for professional results. The brush and roller method might be a better option for those who have never used a sprayer before. If you don't feel confident in taking on projects as such, our professional painters in Philadelphia are up for the job.
A four or six-inch wide foam roller works best on kitchen cabinets. You can use a three-inch wide straight end brush for painting corners where molding makes it difficult to cover with a roller.
The final step after drying is inspecting your work for any touch-up that might be required to make the cabinets perfect. Install new hardware for the drawers and cabinet doors to make them look brand new. Reinstall each piece back in the original position. Now your kitchen should look like Philadelphia painters professionally painted it.
Questions About Painting Cabinets
Many homeowners ask questions about painting cabinets in their homes. They ask these questions because they have limited knowledge of what works best to get the top results. Here are some of the most often asked questions and answers to help solve any issues with painting cabinets and drawers in the kitchen.
§ How long do painted cabinets last?
The process you used to prep them and the materials used to repaint the cabinets will determine how many years they will remain in like-new condition. Cabinets and drawers need to be cleaned often to retain their beauty. They should last for decades before having to be reworked again or replaced. If your home is filled with little bundles of joy and energy the time will be drastically reduced.
§ How many coats of primer and paint are needed for excellent coverage?
This depends on what kind of products you purchase. Doing the job correctly requires high-quality paints and primers. You need good painting tools to get single coat coverage. You will spend more time by purchasing cheap or wrong products when it comes to having to apply more than one coat of primer and paint to cover kitchen doors. So Painters In Philly recommends always hiring a professional to get the job done.
§ Can you paint kitchen cabinets without sanding?
Yes, but there is no guarantee to when the paint will start coming off of them. Always sand anything you plan to paint to reduce the chances of it flaking or peeling away. Sanding the cabinets will create a rough surface area for the paint to hold on to.
§ Is it a good idea to paint the kitchen cabinets?
Wood cabinets can be repainted with a little work and effort. It can save you money from not having to replace them with brand new cabinets.
§ How much does it cost to paint cabinets and how much do painters charge to paint cabinets?
The national average cost of repainting cabinets ranges anywhere from $3 to $18 per square foot for only labor depending on the material, or $25 to $65 per linear foot for all supplies, materials, and labor. The cost may also fluctuate depending on the time of the year and seasonality.
Inspirational Ideas For Your Nest Kitchen Cabinet Painting Project
You can redesign your entire kitchen just by repainting. Dark color walls with a beautiful border design look great with snow-white kitchen cabinets. Gold hardware can accent kitchen cabinets painted in white. Kitchens with light-colored walls benefit with darker colored kitchen cabinets that stand out more. Philadelphia cabinet painters know what color patterns work best to brighten a kitchen.
Open shelves for placement of dishes and other kitchen items can help bring out remarkable effects. Install glass fronts on some sections of the kitchen shelves to add an open look while those sections are still closed. Cover the interior back sections with wallpaper or fabric to add a beautiful see-through glass pattern to kitchen cabinets.
Another thing that can make your kitchen unique is to install a beverage cabinet with a built-in wine rack. You can add a mini-fridge to keep your favorite beverages cold that can be locked to keep visitors out of your stash. One creative thing to do is install a mini pullout pantry to store all kinds of spices and herbs for cooking purposes.
You can probably come up with many more ideas on your own on how you want your kitchen to look when thinking about remodeling and painting. There is never a limit on how much you can spend on remodeling ideas for your kitchen design plans.