There are a lot of people who experience trial and error situations when painting their kitchen cabinets. That is not something you want to have to deal with since it can cost a lot of money, take a lot of time and also ruin your kitchen cabinets. You basically need to be a pro before you’ve ever done it – not an easy task. But with the help from professional painters, you can know how to prep kitchen cabinets for painting.

Prep the Area

Since so many people are eager to get the painting, they forget that there is a lot of prep work that has to be done. Everything should be removed from the kitchen such as appliances, dishes, etc. Cover your counters and flooring with rosin paper and your backsplash, fixed appliances, windows and interior doorways with plastic sheeting. Covering everything will save you a lot of clean-up later.

Label Everything

It may seem like a waste of time to put labels on every drawer, door, shelve and hinge, but it will save you a lot of hassle. The hinges move differently with each cabinet so they need to be put back together the same way they were taken apart. You can use small pieces of masking tape and a pen to do the trick. Do it as you remove everything so it makes it go faster.

Remove Hardware, Drawers, Doors and Shelves

A lot of people think they can get away with painting around the hinges – you can’t. It may work for a little while but it won’t take long the hinges to start rubbing the paint off on your freshly painted cabinets. By removing the doors, drawers, and shelves you will be able to lay them flat and get an even coat on them.

Clean Everything

Now comes the most important part of painting your kitchen cabinets – cleaning. Cabinets are covered in dirt, grime, and grease so if they are not properly cleaned, the paint won’t stick to them. Use a cleaner that has tsp so it can get everything off. If your cabinets are glossed, you’ll have to use a de-glossing cleaner. Wipe them down with the de-glosser and then wipe it down with a water damp cloth. If you don’t wipe off the de-glosser the paint won’t stick.

Fill the Holes

Fill in any holes in your cabinets that need filling with a two-part polyester wood or auto body filler. Since the filler shrinks, overfill them slightly and then sand off the excess.

Sand All Surfaces

Sanding is essential to get a smooth finish on your cabinets. Once you have sanded down every surface, vacuum up the dust and then wipe clean with a tack cloth. Hand sanding works the best for oak cabinets because you can push the paper into the grain where a power sander can’t do that.

Clean Off All Dust

Sanding creates a lot of dust. Allow the dust to settle, then use a vacuum to clean up the larger and more noticeable pieces. Then wipe down the cabinets with a damp cloth to ensure everything is clean.

Sound Finish Professional Cabinet Painting and Refinishing Services

Sound Finish Provides the highest quality cabinet coatings in the industry because cabinet coatings are our primary focus and our specialty. With 20+ years of experience, our unique system paints your kitchen cabinets in 2-3 days!
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