The Easiest Way to Paint Cabinets

The Easiest Way to Paint Cabinets

Cabinets are a key focal point of any kitchen or bathroom. They can make or break the overall look and feel of the room. If your cabinets are outdated, chipped, or just plain ugly, it's time for a makeover! In this blog post, we will teach you how to paint cabinets like a pro. We'll go over everything from preparation to finish work, so you can achieve a perfectly painted cabinet that will last for years. For this article we are making a few assumptions, the first is that your cabinets are already finished with a lacquer, a stain with a clear top coat, or some painted finish. The second assumption in this article is that your cabinets are in good shape and you are just looking for an update. If your cabinets are in need of repair or are unfinished there are additional steps that you will want to take.

 

Remove the hardware

The first step is to remove all hardware from the cabinets. This includes knobs, pulls, and hinges.

Clean the Cabinets

Next, you will need to clean the cabinets. This step is important because it will remove any dirt, grease, or grime that has built up on the surface. Use a mild soap and water solution to wipe down the cabinets. Some cabinets have a waxy film, to remove this you will need to use denatured alcohol. Wipe off with a microfiber cloth. Once they are clean, you can move on to priming.

Prime with STIX

STIX is a premium quality primer that prevents you from having to sand your cabinets to get the proper adhesion needed for the paint to stick. We recommend using a 3/8" Micro Fiber roller cover to get the best finish, or you can spray it. WARNING: this product is like what its name implies, it will stick to anything you put it on so don't get it where you don't want it.

Paint with Advance

Now it's time for the fun part - painting! Benjamin Moore Advance is designed for cabinets and has been the go-to paint for many cabinet refinishers for over a decade. Advance is so popular for several reasons, for one you can brush and roll your cabinets and the paint will lay down beautifully as if it was sprayed, it also give that oil paint look without the VOC's. Advance is an extremely durable paint that will hold up to what life throws at it.

Lay the doors flat.

Laying the doors flat will let gravity work in your favor and will allow Advance to level out for the best finish.

If needed- lightly sand the cabinets

OK - I know we said no sanding but if you lightly sand with 320 between coats you'll have an extra smooth finish for the paint to lie on. STIX does lay down well so you may decide it isn't necessary. Wipe everything down with a microfiber cloth to clean off any dust.

Put that paint on!

So you've prepped your cabinets to be painted and now you can finally put paint on the cabinets. We recommend using a quality 3/8" micro fiber roller and a quality Nylon/Polyester blended brush. Don't put the paint on too thick - the recommended wet thickness is 3.6mil, or .8mm. You will use the roller to paint all the flat surfaces and the brush for any detailed parts. Once you have the paint on you will want to with a wet tip brush lightly brush in one direction to level it out.

Wait.

If there is one disadvantage to Advance it's this - the 16 hour recoat time. But you want that perfect finish right? Trust the process, grab a drink and relax, because tomorrow you're putting on the second coat.

Second coat it.

We know there's paint companies that market one coat coverage, and in many cases you could get away with doing that with our paint. However, we don't ever recommend one coat on any of our products because you want to build up the paint film so that it will give the protection that you want - that second coat gives the durability the paint was designed to give. *stepping off soapbox*

Once the paint is dry, you can reattach the hardware. Be sure to use new screws or hinges if necessary. And that's it! You've now successfully painted your cabinets and given them a fresh, new look. With these tips, you can achieve professional-looking results that will transform your kitchen or bathroom. Thanks for reading! We hope you found this blog post helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy painting!

That's it! You've now successfully painted your cabinets and given them a fresh, new look. With these tips, you can achieve professional-looking results that will transform your kitchen or bathroom. 

If you have any question give us a call 480-757-2000

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