The first stage of any decorating project is understanding the surface that needs painting. 

Kitchen units such as cupboards and cabinets are made of a range of materials, from solid wood to MDF.

While these surfaces are widely known as materials that can be painted, kitchen cabinets are rarely painted by homeowners – either because they do not know it is possible or because they think it may be more difficult than it actually is. 

The reality is, for a small amount of money, households can completely transform their kitchen by following steps suggested by Michael Rolland of The Paint Shed.

Step one: Choose the paint

For ease of wiping the cupboards down with a cloth, paint with a semi-gloss is recommended – any flatter then it will have a chalky feel when you wipe it down. 

READ MORE: Log burner expert shares 4 things to ‘never’ burn – leads to ‘dangerous’ results

Using high-gloss paint will highlight every single brush stroke or roll mark. Michael urged: “Unless you’re an exceptional painter then semi-gloss is preferable.”

In terms of colour, white appears to be a hot choice in kitchen trends at the moment. Painting cabinets white or a very pale colour also gives households lots of room to add accent colours elsewhere.

Step two: Clean and cover 

This step is the “biggest part” of the task. Clean out the kitchen cabinets and tape plastic sheeting to worktops and floors to help protect finishes and avoid paint spills. 

Clean kitchen cabinets using a degreasing agent like TSP to get any grease off of cabinet surfaces. 

Don’t miss…
Silicone sealant mould gets eradicated completely and quickly with natural tip[EXPERT]
37p item is the ‘only thing’ that lifts toilet limescale with ‘no scrubbing’[COMMENT]
Ditch heated airers for game-changing tip that dries clothes in half the time[ADVICE]

• Advert-free experience without interruptions.
• Rocket-fast speedy loading pages.
• Exclusive & Unlimited access to all our content.

The painter instructed: “Pay particular attention to areas around the handles, underneath the cabinets, and under the bottom of the edges of cupboard doors. This will ensure that the paint adheres properly.”

Step three: Sand and prime

Give the cabinets a light sand with 220 or 400-grit sandpaper, depending on the finish of the cabinets. For cabinets with an open-grained finish like oak for example, “you should use a heavier grit sandpaper”.

After sanding, remove the cupboards, lay them flat and brush on a primer coat. When they are dry, flip the cupboards over to prime the other side. 

Once the primer is completely dry, give the cupboards a light sanding to smooth out brush strokes. Michael said: “For a really smooth finish repeat the process and use a finer sandpaper the second time.” Then vacuum and wipe the cabinets with a tack cloth to clean away any debris.

Step four: Paint the cabinets 

Use a good-quality brush or smooth roller to apply paint to the cupboards. Apply a thin coat and let the kitchen cabinets dry flat to “avoid drip marks”. 

When dry to the touch, turn them over and paint the other side. Wait a few hours before applying a second coat. 

The expert pointed out: “You should note several thin coats are better than two thick ones. It not only gives a better finish but also makes it more hard-wearing.” 

Source: Read Full Article