Remove cabinet doors. Remove drawers and empty contents.
Move cabinet contents back away from edge to allow for cleaning, sanding and painting . I suggest emptying the cabinets before starting the refinishing process.
Remove the hardware, knobs, pulls and hinges. If you are going to reposition the hardware or install a different style, drill the new mounting holes and fill the old holes with heavy spackling paste by Zinsser or a wood filler.
Inspect cabinet surfaces for any signs of mold or mildew. All mold or mildew must be removed with three parts water and one part bleach prior to surface cleaning. Rinse thoroughly.
Mount new hinges and align doors for proper fit to the frame. This will eliminate the need for drilling and will help prevent any accidental scratches or other marring after painting. Once doors are fitted properly, remove the hinges and set aside. SURFACE PREPARATION
All surfaces must be clean, dry and sound, free of wax, dirt and grease. Paint preparation is hard work. You’ll be tempted to take short cuts. Remember that the final results will depend on your preparation efforts. Pace yourself and do it right.
Step 1: Degreasing
Tools/Materials
Odorless Mineral Spirits
Cotton cloths
Wipe the surface with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits . This removes grease and grime. Turn the cloth often to avoid reapplying the grime back to the surface. Let the mineral spirits evaporate 5 minutes. Examine the surface with your hand. If it feels sticky, wipe again with the mineral spirits. Let dry 5 minutes. Note: If your cabinets are not greasy or hairspray has not been used, (i.e. bathroom) you may skip this step and move to Step 2.
Step 2: Cleaning
Tools/Materials
Jasco TSP No Rinse Substitute (available at Home Depot) 1 st Choice
Dirtex by Savogran (available at True Value Hardware) 2 nd Choice
2 Buckets
Scrubbing sponge
Terry towels
Mix the cleaning solution. Follow label directions. Both of the cleaning products will dull most glossy surfaces. Do not use TSP as a cleaner. Mix the cleaning solution in one bucket and a gallon of clean warm water in the second bucket. Use a scrubbing sponge like SOS or equivalent. Apply the cleaning solution with the scrubber side of the sponge. Wash vigorously, especially in corners and on edges and around knob and pull areas. Rinse sponge in clean water before applying cleaning solution to adjacent area. Important step: Towel dry thesurfacebefore solution dries. Repeat until all surfaces are clean. Allow all surfaces to dry a minimum of one hour before proceeding.
Step 3: Sanding
Tools/Materials
Aluminum Oxide Sandpaper – 120 grit open coat – 180 grit open coat
Tack cloth
Vacuum brush
Odorless Mineral Spirits
Sanding is a must! Next to cleaning, sanding will prepare the surface for a long-lasting durable finish. Sand with the grain. Begin with #120 grit open coat, and finish sanding with #180 grit open coat sandpaper. Sand lightly, but thoroughly. Pay particular attention to edges and corners. Make sure these surfaces are smooth and clean. Examine all surfaces before moving on to next step. Make sure that all surfaces to be painted are smooth. When sanding is complete, vacuum all dust from the surfaces, crevices, corners etc. Wipe the surfaces with a tack cloth followed by a cloth dampened with mineral spirits. Let dry.Vacuum the work area to pick up residual sanding dust from floors and appliances, etc.
Step 4: Primer
Tools/Materials
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1 2 3 Water Base Primer Sealer
Zinsser BIN spray can (optional)
1 ½" Nylon/Polyester paint brush (see list of brushes)
2" Nylon/Polyester paint brush
400 grit wet or dry sandpaper
1" Painter’s Tape
I personally use and recommend Zinsser Bulls Eye 1 2 3 Water Base Primer Sealer. If there are knots or tannin bleeds, use Zinsser BIN spray primer to spot prime those areas. Zinsser primers seal stains, knots, and porous surfaces. It also levels nicely and has great enamelholdout.
LET'S BRUSH IT ON!
Doors. Use a block of wood or empty boxes (shirt boxes work great) to elevate the doors off the worktable so you can paint the edges easily. Using the 2" brush apply primer to back sides of doors and edges. After 2 hours of drying time, turn door over and prime the front of the doors. Be sure all edges, lips, etc. are primed.
Drawers . You may want to mask along the drawer box to maintain a clean, straight edge between the drawer box and drawer fronts. (You can leave this tape on until you’re finished with the final painting) Apply primer to drawer fronts, edges and inside lip of drawer front. If you’re good with a brush, go for it without masking it!
Cabinet frame. Mask along bottom rail and cabinet box, top rail and headboard and other areas as required to maintain a clean straight edge. With the 1 ½" brush apply the primer to the inside edges of vertical stiles then to the face of vertical stiles. Prime horizontal rails starting with the inside edge then the face of the horizontal rails. Remove the masking tape before proceeding to the next step.
End panels (returns). Use masking tape if needed. Prime end panels (returns) with 2" brush or small roller. Note: If youuse a roller, a slight stipple pattern may appear on the surface when dry. If youwant it smooth, usethe brush only. Allow primer to dry for at least one hour. Remove the masking tape.
For a super smooth surface, apply a second coat of primer and let dry overnight or 8 hours. (If you are using this step, you can remove masking tape after second coatofprimer is brushed on.) After primer has dried for 8 hours, lightly sand the primed surfaces with #400 sandpaper. Sand as if you’re buffing the surface, gently.
Step 5: Painting
Tools/Materials
Acrylic Enamel Paint (see list at end)
1 ½" nylon/polyester paint brush (see list at end)
2" nylon/polyester paint brush
Handy Paint Pail with liner (available at paint stores everywhere) OR empty gallon paint can
7" ¼" nap woven roller cover and frame (optional)
Painting: This is what you’ve been preparing for. A luxurious, bright clean finish on your cabinets. Find a place to layout the doors and drawer fronts. A clean dust free environment is preferred. Use a block of wood or empty boxes (shirt boxes work great) to elevate the doors off the table so you can paint the edges with the fronts. Stir the paint slowly and thoroughly. Pour one quart of the paint into the Handy Paint Pail or an empty gallon paint can.
Doors & Drawers: Using the 2" brush OR a 7" ¼" nap woven roller cover apply the first coat of your chosen acrylic enamel paint on the backside of door. Note: If youuse a roller, a slight stipple pattern may appear on the surface when dry. If youwant it smooth, usethe brush only. Using a roller on the backside of the door is fine since it’shidden.
LET'S BRUSH IT ON!:
Dip 1/3 of the brush into the paint. Lightly tap the sides of the brush against the can or paint pail. Don’t scrape off the paint! Begin brushing out the paint in 8" to 12" sections. Brush out to a uniform film maintaining a wet edge (paint from an unpainted area into the wet paint film). Finish with brush strokes in one direction from end to end of door and move to next section. Do not “over brush" the paint; it will level to a smooth finish as it dries . . Note: If you feel more comfortable with a 1 ½" brush on thedrawer fronts, use it. After the required drying time (4 hours minimum) you can turn the door over and paint the front and any edges, lips, etc.
DO NOT APPLY A HEAVY COAT. Two thin coats are much better than a heavy coat. Heavy coats will run or sag . Practice your brushing skills on a scrap piece to get the hang of it. Remember to paint doors with vertical brush strokes and drawers with horizontal brush strokes.
Cabinet frame:Apply painter’s masking tape as you did in " Step 4: Primer". Using the 1 ½" brush apply a thin coat of paint to the inside edge of each vertical stile and then the face of the vertical stile. Brush it out 4 to 6 inches. Finish with brush stroke in one direction. Paint inside edges of horizontal rails and then the face of horizontal rails. Brush it out 4 to 6 inches. Finish with brush stroke in one direction. Painting it this way will help avoid runs and drips at edges and corners. Remove the masking tape beforeproceeding to next step.Note: When painting near an inside corner, paint out of thecorner, not into it. This will help prevent paint build-up in corners. If you see paint build-up in a corner, scrape the brush several times and use the tip to lightly dab (tip-off) excess paint build-up out of corner.
End panels (returns):Use masking tape if needed. Paint end panels (returns) with 2" brush or roller.Note: If youuse a roller, a slight stipple pattern may appear on the surface when dry. If you want it smooth, use the brush. When using brush, finish each section (brush width) with an upward brush stroke to prevent runs and sags. Remove the masking tape. Allow paint to dry according to label instructions. Apply second coat of paint in the same manner as the first coat.
Note: Removing the masking tape after each process will help prevent accidentally lifting the drying film of the primer or paint. Leave it on at your own risk.
The next step is optional, but highly recommended.
Sanding Between Coats:
To achieve an ultra smooth finish on doors and drawers, you may want to sand between coats of the acrylic enamel. A #220 to #240 grit sandpaper is used for this purpose. Allow the first coat to dry for at least 8 hours. Keeping the paper flat against the surface, very lightly “buff" the paint. Do not apply pressure! After sanding, vacuum with a brush attachment and wipe clean with a tack cloth. Apply second coat of paint in the same manner as the first coat.
Sealer Coat:
This step is not required when using a high quality acrylic enamel. If you wish to seal your newly finished cabinets and make the finish more durable, you can apply a Polycrylic ä sealer by Minwax. It can be sprayed or brushed. Follow manufacturers directions carefully. A minimum of 2 coats should be applied if you choose this option.
Returning to Service
Allow 72 hours before returning the cabinets to full service. Install new pulls, hinges and handles at this time. Step back and enjoy the great job you did!
I have used these paints and achieved successful results:
Cabinet Coat by Insl-x
Satin Impervo Waterborne by Benjamin Moore
Pro Classic Satin Waterborne by Sherwin Williams
You can also use Semi-gloss enamel if you like it.
I am going to test the performance of Muralo Ultra Waterborne Satin Flow Finish on the next project.
Professional Brushes for Professional Results:
Purchase and use the style of brush you are most comfortable with. There is no advantage to either a sash brush or a flat brush. Both work well when used properly. You should have at least 2 of each, a 1 ½" and a 2" Nylon/Polyester brush. If you can afford it, buy a brush set for primer and a brush set for the acrylic enamel. Be prepared to spend $15 - $20 for a quality brush.
» left by Lynn (2 years 40 days ago.)
Which of Cabinet Coat by Insl-x
Satin Impervo Waterborne by Benjamin Moore
Pro Classic Satin Waterborne by Sherwin Williams
do you like best? and where to buy Cabinet Coat? Thanks Respond to this comment
» left by mary schneider (2 years 40 days ago.)
This fellow really knows his stuff. If you follow these directions you will have a professional looking paint job. But don't take short cuts with his directions. He knows what works best for the proper finish. Respond to this comment
» left by mary schneider (2 years 40 days ago.)
You can buy Cabinet Coat on line and many Ace Hardware stores carry it or can order for you. Respond to this comment
» left by Lori Sawaya (2 years 39 days ago.)
If you can find Cabinet Coat, it's a great choice. I am partial to the Benjamin Moore product. The performance is there, it is DIY friendly and the Benjamin Moore palette is truly the best of all the major paint brands. Respond to this comment
» left by Bethany from Westerville, Ohio (1 year 72 days ago.)
Hi, Lori. I noticed that the author of this article is near Columbus, Ohio, and that some of your gallery images are from around the Columbus area. I live in Westerville and was wondering how to get in touch with Michael Hudak. I would like to have my cabinets (unfinished mdf) professionally painted. Or if there is anyone else you can recommemend around here I would appreciate it (do you do this type of work yourself?) Thank you!!
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