A DIY Guide For Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinets are probably among the most precious items in your entire kitchen. For that reason alone, careful thought must go to their selection and purchase. If you wish to update your tired looking kitchen without having to rob the bank, consider painting the kitchen cabinets. This is an inexpensive and simple Do-It-Yourself home project that has the potential of leaving the space sparkling and looking like new.

The Australian Households Survey carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1999 indicated that close to 7 million renovations were performed in Australia over the past decade (from a total of 2.9 million households). That is a huge number and you will not be alone if you want to freshen up your kitchen with a new and quick coat of paint on your cabinets.

Check out the following tricks and useful tips that could help your DIY painting project become stress free:

1. Carefully Select Your Paint

Although you might prefer a particular finish, experts recommend that you always consider using paint that has a semi-gloss kind of finish. This makes wiping down the cabinets easy. Conversely, in your DIY project, steer clear of using high-gloss paint.

Even though there is no set rule on the type of color to use, white is still the hottest choice when it comes to trends in the kitchen. White gives the notion of cleanliness. In addition, when you paint your cabinets in white, it gives you room to add other accent colours elsewhere in the kitchen.

2. Clean Out The Cabinets

Preparing the cabinets is one of the biggest parts of your project. First of all, clean out your cabinets and use suitable tape plastic sheeting for covering the other kitchen areas such as floors or counter tops. This is meant to protect delicate finishes and also avoid any unsightly paint stains.

Once your cabinets are empty, clean them using a degreasing product. This gets rid of grease. Take the time in cleaning because it's crucial towards the final outcome. Most often, grease will be concealed in sites you wouldn't even consider, like underneath the cabinets and around the cabinet handles.

3. Sand And Prime The Surface

When the cupboards are completely clean, use sandpaper to give them gentle sanding. Then begin to brush on the primer, one side after the other. With the primer dry, give them light sanding to smooth out any brush strokes. After the final sanding, vacuum and wipe the cupboards using a suitable cloth.

4. The Painting

Professionals recommend using a roller or a high quality brush to apply your paint. Initially, apply a thin coat and let it dry so as to avoid any possible drip marks. Before you apply a second paint coat, give it several hours first.

The Royal Australian Institute of Architects, in their 2001-02 'Australian Renovation Trends' observes that arborite and melamine cabinets can be particularly challenging to refinish on your own. This is because it is difficult to get the new paint to stick well on the cabinets. It is in such situations that you may want to think of calling in the professionals.


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Jeremy Foxe is a skilled renovation expert with many years of remodeling under his belt. His vast knowledge will prove useful when you come to Apollo Kitchens. You're sure to get the best kitchen renovation and installation at Apollo Kitchens. Visit us at http://www.apollokitchens.com.au/kitchen-cabinets-nsw.html site to get ideas about kitchens cabinets.