(This is the process I used when painting my kitchen cabinets a few weeks ago and they turned out amazing.) How To Get A Smooth Finish When Painting Kitchen Cabinets. Now on to the painting and finishing! But the bottom line is, you’re not going to have a smooth finish if your foundation isn’t smooth. Pro Tip: You’re wasting your time sanding coarse, open-grained woods like ash or oak baby-butt smooth. Tips on sanding grooves in cabinet and selecting a paint color. The Best Kind of Paint Roller for Cabinets. There are lots of things you can do to update and upgrade your kitchen. It's tempting to leave the doors in place for painting as you begin your how to paint kitchen cabinets project, but you'll get a much neater and more professional-looking job by removing them, as well as all the hardware. When the putty is completely dry, sand the cabinet face to perfection. If you’re new to painting or staining, don’t worry. There are three options for painting: 1) If you want to paint with a brush you can pick up a cabinet painting kit at a hardware store for a reasonable price. Matte and eggshell paint won’t work well on kitchen cabinets. Tips and tricks to paint your kitchen cabinets to get a perfectly smooth painted finish. Special cabinet paints are available that provide a smooth finish, but any high-quality paint should work. This helps to reduce any potential for brush strokes. Use an ultra-fine sand paper (I love these sanding sponges (Amazon link) ) and give the entire surface a light sanding. I use the Behr Interior Paint & Primer in One most often and am very happy with the results. You want a surface that’s durable and wipeable, so you won’t be painting again for at least a few years. Once the cabinets are prepared you’re ready to prime and paint. And that all starts with primer! Even when you paint oak cabinets or furniture, the wood grain still shows. If you’re painting wood cabinets, our ADVANCE Primer (790) has great adhesion that provides the proper foundation for any ADVANCE finish. Start by emptying the cabinets, clearing off the counters, and removing any freestanding appliances. Painting a kitchen cabinet is an easy procedure if you know how to get a smooth finish when painting kitchen cabinets; however, it requires early preparation for better results. It has saved my kitchen cabinet renovation! When applying primer, just as you did with the sandpaper, move in the same direction as the wood grain for best results. Sanding through all the grits to 220 grit won’t improve the finish one bit. Just sand enough to reduce the deep wood grain, but you don’t want a totally smooth finish. I have brushed and used a roller on cabinets over the years and trust me, you don’t want to tackle a whole kitchen full of cabinets without a sprayer! After staring at this wall of honey oak cabinets for years, they were due for an update. I love the Finish Max Super. A successful paint job lies in diligent prep work, and the first few steps are focused on prepping the room and cabinets for painting. This week, I am breaking down how I painted some oak kitchen cabinets for my craft room. A light sanding is all that was needed, if you sand too much you’ll remove the veneer. PAINTING CABINETS – when painting kitchen or bathroom cabinets, we suggest that you use a lint free roller to paint the flat surface areas on the cabinets. A kitchen is the soul of a home, so updating cabinets to reflect your style is a high impact and budget friendly project with the help of Wagner tools. There are so MANY great tutorials for Painting and Waxing Kitchen Cabinets and I’ve benefited greatly from them myself. When painting kitchen cabinets you should always use a primer first. We'll give you a basic overview of refinishing kitchen cabinets, and clues on where to start. Many people won’t use a paint primer which is okay and the cabinets will still look good in the end. I use the green spray tip for a super smooth finish. While you can glaze over this, it isn’t a chalky finish. And there you have it! Use a paint sprayer. Primer will help protect your cabinets, and it will also create a smooth base to help you get better adhesion and truer color from your paint. This way you’ll have a smooth canvas, free of grease and grime. How to paint your kitchen cabinets white, how to select a paint color, and how to paint your kitchen cabinets easily and quickly. If you are going to paint your kitchen cabinets yourself, there are several techniques that will help you get the job done faster, more easily, and at a higher quality. The laminate must be in good condition for best results. Whether using a brush or a roller, when I want an extremely smooth finish, I like to lightly sand the surface with 320 grit sandpaper and then very lightly paint one last coat with a brush. I generally start at 80 grit and end with 100 or 120 grit. If you have decided that you want to make a change in your kitchen you don’t have to go with a full remodel. Finally, your kitchen cupboards are sanded, cleaned, and primed. Plus, it can be sanded and levels well, ensuring a smooth finish and helping to mask minor imperfections. Once you try it, I don’t think you’ll ever look back. Steps for Painting Cabinets 1. Step 1 We've all seen painting projects where the hinges and hardware are covered with paint and paint is slopped over drawer interiors. The first step in getting a factory smooth finish is to prep your cabinets by filling any imperfections with wood putty. You’ve seen her paint the Qualls family’s kitchen island and the Harkins family’s bathroom cabinets with it, among many others. Following these 8 simple painting steps will result in nice, smooth-looking kitchen cabinets! I’ve done it twice now, although I’ve found some paints work better than others. Really, this is the most important part of the entire project. Learn how to paint oak cabinets with this detailed tutorial that includes tips and tricks for filling in the oak grain for a super smooth finish!. Tips for Painting Kitchen Cabinets. Do Your Prep Work. But the primer helps the paint adhere to the cabinet surface better and the paint will look smoother. When painting kitchen cabinets never skip the primer. Painting your oak cabinets is the best, budget-friendly way to update your kitchen! For first time DIY enthusiasts, the process will likely take a long time, and the result may be less than perfect—especially if the painter has not read any guide or article on the best techniques and tools to use. Refinishing your kitchen cabinets is a good way to liven up your living space and increase the value of your home. Most homeowners prefer a perfectly smooth finish on their cabinets, but it's not easy to achieve a high-gloss sheen with an ordinary paint roller. It is vital to have all the materials ready and consult with your hardware or paint stores. I was able to give this kitchen a completely new look and achieve an amazingly smooth finish with my HomeRight Finish Max Pro. One of the distinguishing features of oak is the highly visible wood grain. Matte paint on kitchen cabinets is impractical; I wouldn’t even use eggshell finish. It is faster, and you get a much smoother finish. While the steps to finishing the best kitchen cabinets are quite simple, there are other things that influence the smoothness of the project. 1. How to use the HomeRight FinishMax Paint Sprayer. Painting kitchen cabinets on your own can cost anywhere from $200 to $600 on average and can save you $400 to $800 versus professional painting. How to Get a Smooth Paint Finish on Wood. To get a super smooth and professional paint finish on your unfinished cabinets, you will want to sand the surface between coats. The … How to Get a Smooth Finish when Painting Kitchen Cabinets in Montauk, NY; Prep, Sanding, Best Paint & More Read More » Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer. Planning and updating kitchen cabinets can produce a remarkable kitchen makeover in a few days over a long weekend. But the result is a durable, glass-smooth finish that's the equal of anything from a spray gun. CAUTION: This may be the most boring post I’ve ever written! Be sure to check out our How To Paint Furniture page for more great painting ideas, tips and techniques.. Are you tired of your dated orange oak cabinets? This seems a bit silly, but it is so important! Don’t forget to remove any soap residue with a damp cloth and wait for them to dry before the next step. Start with a medium grit sand paper and finish with a fine grit paper. Choose a high-quality paint. Whether you bought expensive cabinets or cheap cabinets, there is a consistent way to get a flawless finish. 2. I am starting off by showing to fill wood grain and pits in these oak cabinets and get a nice smooth finish. It is hard to do any creative writing when giving a long, drawn out tutorial so let’s just get to it! 13 common mistakes people make when painting kitchen cabinets, including rushing, not sanding, and more. Paint Kitchen Cabinets – How To. Use what you love. A coat of paint will only be as good as the prep work. Read on for our tips for painting kitchen cabinets. How to avoid brush strokes when painting furniture or cabinets. My cabinets were also covered with a polyurethane. 1. But Chelsea knows not everyone has access to a paint sprayer, which is why she’s happy to guide DIYers on how to get a sprayer-smooth finish with a paint roller. Above: The power of paint: Remodelista reader Danielle Arceneaux’s DIY Kitchen Remodel for Under $500 (go to the post to see the Before). Supplies: Sandpaper, multiple grits from medium to ultra fine; Paint I don’t believe there is one paint that is the end-all-be-all for the best results. Otherwise, you may well find yourself repainting the cabinets again very soon. When you are painting kitchen cabinets, it’s vital that you think about the finish of the paint. Wood cabinets are ideal for painting, but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted. "You just need to use the best materials and take the time to sand and do the brushwork right," Dee says. Learn about our proven process for how to paint oak cabinets and hide the grain to achieve a completely smooth and professional finish. When it’s time to prime cabinets before painting, knowing your surface can go a long way. Relocate tables and other furniture to another room. Yes, it’s possible to get a silky, smooth finish on all of your cabinets without spraying them. Prep the room. Many homeowners are choosing to keep some of the elements that they already have in … Brushing is time-consuming, he warns, and could take up to a couple of weeks to complete. Your finishing steps have made all the difference in helping me finish my project and get gleaming white glossy reflective cabinets, what I was after in the first place! Lacquer provides a smooth finish when used alone, but if you sand everything with high-grit abrasives, you get a smoother finish. They … And there are many parts of the kitchen that you can make some changes to that can impact the overlook of the space. You are now ready to start painting. 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