The kitchen is the heart of your home. Family gathers there on holidays, to celebrate and to simply spend quality time together. But if the color of your cabinets makes you cringe it may be time to update. At Potomac Paint & Design Centers, we have all the top brands, including Benjamin Moore Advance®, and we would love to help you repaint your cabinets.
What Paint Should I Use?
There’s so many options on the market today. Where do you start? Oil-based paint is rather difficult to work with, and clean if you spill or make a mistake. It’s also toxic, which is why you can’t even buy it in some states.
Then there’s latex paint. It’s less toxic but also lacks the adhesion and durability of an oil-based paint. The solution? Hybrid paint. Benjamin Moore ADVANCE® is an alkyd that uses water as the carrier, instead of solvents. It has gotten rave reviews from professional painters and homeowners, alike.
What Will it Cost?
Painting cabinets in a 10x12’ kitchen will run you a few hundred dollars. To put that into perspective, replacing the cabinets can easily cost $5,000 or more.
Get Your Materials
The most expensive part of painting your kitchen cabinets is the labor. The actual materials you need are few. A sprayer will give you the smoothest results but there is a definite learning curve. If you’re unsure, stick with brushes.
Paint- Opt for a higher sheen. High-gloss stands up to time and is far better than a satin finish.
High-Quality Brushes- A 3-4” square brush and a 2-3” angled brush will make fast work of trim, corners, and interior.
Roller- A 4” foam roller will quickly cover cabinet sides and face frames.
Set Up Your Temporary Kitchen
Since painting in the kitchen renders an essential room unusable, set up a temporary space. Use a hot plate, toaster, and cooler. Also, use disposable cutlery and plates.
Prep the Room
Empty cabinets
Relocate furniture and free-standing appliances
Tape down paper on countertops, flooring. Place plastic sheeting over fixed appliances, backsplash, and windows
Set up a work area for painting doors, drawers and shelves
Remove doors, drawers, and shelves
Clean Surfaces
Ordinary household cleaners should do the trick. Be sure to thoroughly wash doors, face frames, shelves, and drawer fronts. Once everything is clean, rinse well and let dry.
Prep the Boxes
Make sure you have properly ventilated the room before beginning, and always use proper gear. Use an abrasive pad dipped in liquid deglosser and scrub all surfaces. Follow this up by sanding with 100-grit paper and vacuuming all areas to remove any remaining dust so it doesn’t mar the final product. Prime the boxes and sand, caulk and fill any areas that are in need. Then, you’re ready for the big show: paint!
Painting
If the new color is close to the current color, you may be able to use only a single coat. If you are repainting with a lighter color, you may need to use up to three coats to evenly cover. Sand all surfaces lightly between coats.
Prep, prime and paint door, drawers, and shelves using the same steps for the boxes but do the work on a table to prevent drips.
Replace all hardware and you’re all set! Wasn’t that easy?
Conclusion
We hope we are able to make repainting your kitchen cabinets an easy experience. Stop by one of our convenient locations in Alexandria, Arlington, or Falls Church, VA or send us a message online. Visit us on Facebook for the latest business updates and ideas for your home. We are here to help you every step of the way from kitchen cabinets to window treatments. We are happy to serve the areas of Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax, VA.
