Replacing Cabinets: Should You Do It?
If you're lucky enough to have a spacious kitchen, it often becomes the hub of the home. It's the gathering place for family dinners,
parties, game nights,
TV watching, late-night chats and the first cup of coffee in the morning.
So the kitchen is an important part of the home. But when it's time to upgrade and fix it, it can easily feel overwhelming and add a good deal of anxiety
to your life. It is not only a time consuming proposition, but can be the most costly upgrade in the entire home. If the budget is tight, don't replace those
cabinets unless they are worn or not working properly. Instead - paint them. Here's what you need on hand:
- Spackling compound
- Sandpaper
- Screwdriver
- Palm Sander
- Cordless Drill
- Mild Soap/Degreaser
- Drop Cloth
- Blue Painter's Tape
- Boding Primer
- Semi-Gloss Latex Paint
- Paint Brushes
- Rollers/Paint Tray
- Water-based, Non-yellowing Semi gloss Polyurethane
- Paper Towels or Rags
Here's how you proceed:
- Remove the doors and all hardware
- Mark the doors so you know where to put them back
- Place hardware, handles, hinges, screws in a sealed plastic sandwich bag and mark location where they came from
- Fill all holes with sandable spackling compound and allow to dry - that is, if you are replacing all the hardware
- Wash all surfaces with mild soap and water
- Built up grease and oils from cooking will prevent paint from adhering properly, so be sure to wash everything down
- Sand the doors with 220-grit sandpaper
- Sand the cabinets with 220-grit sandpaper
- When gloss is removed, wipe dust away and prime each door and cabinet
- Primer should dry for at least 4 hours before 2nd coat is applied
- Apply 2nd coat of primer; allow to dry 4 hours
- Apply 2-3 coast of latex semi-gloss paint over primer
- For easy application, set up several tables on plastic drop cloth. Lay doors on tables to paint.
- Use a roller to paint the doors, then lay off the paint with a nylon bristle brush, working from bottom up.
- Paint cabinet casing with a brush. Allow to dry thoroughly before applying 2nd coat.
- Apply coat of semi-gloss water-based polyurethane to protect the finish.
- Reinstall old hardware where it came from.
- If installing new hardware, make sure the holes are drilled in the same locations for every door or drawer.
- Use a cabinet directory2@barbarajennings.comob "template" from your local home center. It has pre-drilled locations for everything and takes all the guesswork away.
- Place template at right location and mark the spots with an awl. Then drill holes where you have marked the spots.
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