Kits To Redo Kitchen Cabinets – Do you want to renovate your ugly kitchen, but renovation is not in the budget? I will show you how to successfully paint laminate cabinets!
This type of laminate cabinetry with oak veneer was a popular trend when I was a kid. Used to be cheap but durable, now only for eyes!
Kits To Redo Kitchen Cabinets
For a long time I thought you couldn’t paint that smooth laminate surface because it wouldn’t stick like real wood. Luckily, I was wrong!
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With a little prep work and the right tools, you can paint laminate cabinets so they wear less. Check out the before and after pictures of my kitchen!
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We’ve made some changes to our kitchen to improve flow and storage. The refrigerator has moved to where the outer door used to be, and I’ve installed kitchen cabinets made for trash cans in its place. Even the 80s lights have been replaced with new bright lights in the kitchen.
However, all these new things make the kitchen more boring than before. Almond laminate cabinets with orange oak trim look very sad next to the bright stainless steel.
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To add insult to injury, the blue laminate counter tops are covered in touch paper covering the new cabinets. I tried it as a test and it works great!
Something had to be done. I want to paint the cabinets white, but I’m worried about how regular paint will stick to the melamine. Rustoleum Cabinet Changer is the perfect paint for melamine and laminate cabinets, and the kit comes with everything you need except the brush. Perfect!
Although these details are more specific to painting laminate cabinets in oak, the steps are the same as for any laminate surface.
While you can get away with not sanding the laminate, it actually helps the paint stick if you sand it first. Just sand everything lightly with 120-grit sandpaper, paying special attention to the grain of the wood. Wipe the surface with a tack cloth or damp cloth to remove any dust.
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If you really want to go beyond the sanding process, try using a vacuum cleaner to clean the cabinets. It will act like water sandpaper and will also remove grease.
Kitchen cabinets from the 80s get paint instead of two materials. Laminate is very smooth, but oak has large pores and an open grain. This difference can also be seen in many paints.
If you plan to keep this cabinet for a long time, using wood grain to fill the structure will provide a smooth finish. We plan to remodel the kitchen in a few years, so I skipped this step. Here you can see a clear difference in structure.
I cannot stress this enough! If you don’t prime the laminate cabinet before painting, it can peel and peel off the smooth surface. I’ve had this happen in the past when painting over polyurethane and it was hard to fix!
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Also, if you don’t prioritize the oak part of the cabinet, the orange will show through. A good adhesive will prevent oak tannins from leaching to the surface.
Zinsser B-I-N primer is an oil-based or water-based shellac. It’s a great primer for painting laminate cabinets, and prevents tannins from leaching from the oak. I used one coat on the laminate roof and two coats on the oak sheets.
Of course, you should use a high-quality brush for the flat surface of the cabinet. If the cabinet doors are flat laminate, you may be able to get away with a paint roller or sprayer. But what about the parts attached to the grab bars and thin frames of the cabinet?
Regular brushes deposit too much paint in these areas and leave large spots that require sanding. I used a ¾” wide paint brush to get into the hinges and door edges and cabinet edges.
How To: Painting Kitchen Cabinets |
Use several thin slices instead of one thick layer. I found that I dripped less with the smaller brush, although it meant going back to the paint more often. I don’t need to glue the inside of the cabinet! You can use a damp cloth to wipe the excess from the edges.
The trademark of these 80s kitchen cabinets is the oak bar. But when you paint a grab bar on a flat surface, most of the paint will drip off before it has a chance to settle. Stupid gravity!
Instead, paint the hinges first, then continue to the rest of the door. Then return to the hook position and apply the artist’s brush to the collected paint. Use the paint to go over the fork again.
This does two things. First, it removes the paint build-up that hardens and creates a large stain on the inside of the handle bars. Second, it’s stickier than new paint, which makes it easier to stick to the top of the fork.
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You should also consider painting the front and sides of the cabinet doors first, then flipping them over and painting the back after the front has dried. This will allow any excess paint to drip onto the back of the door where it can be removed. Any mistakes in the background will not be very noticeable!
You may want to glue between the wood and laminate panels for a smooth finish. You can also see the gap between the frame and the center panel of the Shaker-style cabinet door. I recommend gluing after priming but before painting so you can see exactly where the gaps are.
One of our handles came off the door a bit, leaving a gap in the paint that couldn’t be filled. Luckily, it’s a low cabinet and you have to lie down to see it. Adding a line to this gap will help in making this door look like one solid piece.
Want to know my secret to a smooth paint job? I brushed on the paint first, then immediately went over the area lightly with a dry foam roller to remove any brush strokes.
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Works well with high quality paint. My favorites are Cabinet Coat and Benjamin Moore Advance, which are durable and easy to use. It is a water-based enamel coating instead of latex, which is a better replacement for old painted kitchen cabinets.
If your first coat feels rough to the touch, you’ll need to sand it with 220-grit sandpaper to break up the texture before applying the second coat. It only takes a minute or two per door and it really makes a difference in the taste of the final product! Be sure to remove any dust with a tweezer before applying the next layer.
Depending on the type of paint you use, you may need to apply a top coat to seal it and protect it from moisture. This is especially important if you are using chalk paint or decorative glazes to mimic real wood.
When applying a protective top coat, be sure not to go back over the area that has been applied. This will create bubbles and brush strokes that will appear on your laminate cabinets.
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I know it can be tempting to put the cabinet doors back on their hinges as soon as possible, but patience pays off! Check the paint container for cure time and leave it until that time has passed.
Trust me, there’s nothing worse than painting for days and then leaving dents or scratches on the finished surface because you didn’t wait for the paint to cure. For some types of paint it can take a week!
Adding new doors and drawers to these laminated cabinets enhances them and protects your new paint job. These handy cabinet and drawer templates make it easy to mark holes in the right locations.
Laminate tends to crack when you drill or cut, so it’s best to use a safety board under the door for drilling. Align the door and board on the work surface so there is no shifting and the board is firmly attached to the back of the door, then drill your holes. The board will hold the laminate around the hole so you get fewer marks.
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If your door already has boots but you want to replace them and the screw holes won’t budge, don’t worry! Fill holes in cabinet doors and drill new ones before painting!
I hope these tips help ease the process of painting laminate kitchen cabinets. The results are well worth it! do not forget
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