How to Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets

This article will teach you how to refinish your kitchen cabinets. Refinishing is more affordable than buying all new cabinets and with some time and patience can give your kitchen just the facelift that it needs.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Oil-based primer
• Latex paint
• Polyurethane
• Paint tray
• Drill
• Screw Driver
• Drop cloth
• New hardware
• Level
• Pencil
• Contact paper
• Scissors
• Wash cloth

1. 
   The "Before"

   Take down your cabinet doors. Use a drill to save time. Put the doors on a drop cloth.

2. Remove harware from doors and cabinets.

3. Wipe down doors and cabinets with a wet cloth. Remove all dirt and grime.

4. Remove shelves from cabinets.

5. If you are going to use different hardware putty the holes in the cabinets with wood putty. If using the same holes make sure to not fill in the holes with paint.

6. Sand cabinets and doors with fine grit sand paper. Wipe with a cloth to remove the grit.

7. With a high quality paint brush, apply oil-based primer to the cabinets and doors. You do not need to apply to the inside of your cabinets but you may if you like. Make sure that all surfaces are well covered with the primer. Allow primer to dry for 24 hours.

8. Sand primed area with a fine grit sander.

9. Apply first coat of latex paint color of your choice. You can roll large surfaces and use a brush for smaller surfaces. Let paint dry 12-24 hours. Sand and repeat.

10. When you are satisfied with the look of your cabinets (generally after 2 coats) use a high quality paint brush to apply water-based polyurethane to your cabinets and doors. This will create a non-porous surface and make for easy wipeable and durable cabinets.

11. Take cabinet shelves and cut contact paper to size. Apply contact paper to shelves. (note: Using contact paper on shelves creates durability and adds a splash of color to your kitchen. There are many types of modern contact paper available that match a variety of decors).

12. Re-install shelves into cabinets.

13. If you are using the same hardware, simply re-install your doors using the existing holes. If you are using new hardware I suggest attaching the hinges to the doors before hanging them. Measure the distance between hinges to ensure that the hinge height is equal on each door.

14. Next use a level to insure that doors are even and at the appropriate height. Mark the placement of the doors with a pencil. Line the doors up one at a time and hang them. It is beneficial to have two people to do this step.

15. If you are not using self-closing hinges you may want to purchase magnets to insure that your doors close properly.

16. Step back and admire your handywork.

Tips & Warnings

• Sanding will go much faster with an electric sander(but a regular one works just fine).
• Sanding between each coat of paint does make a big difference in your final product.
• Though using polyurethane is optional it will keep your cabinets nick free for quite some time.
• Make sure that you are in a well ventilated area when sanding and using oil-based primer.

[evgnspaces]

on 8/30/2009 Good points. It is a lot easier and cheaper to redo the doors that to replace all the cabinets in a kitchen.

[ducksrusmrducks]

on 7/8/2009 Wow, magnets, what a great idea!!!!

[EarthMother]

on 6/18/2009 How to Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets is my end of summer project so this article has been quite helpful. Smile!

[MariM]

on 3/20/2009 Great instructions. They look beautiful. 5*

[SchoolOfLife]

on 3/14/2009 This was an enjoyable article. Look forward to reading more from you. :)