How to Paint Varnished Kitchen Cupboards
Painting kitchen cupboards changes the look of and updates your kitchen. Using paint on your cabinets is much less expensive than refacing or replacing your cabinets entirely. Painting varnished cabinets requires priming and sanding. The little bit of extra work it takes to paint already varnished kitchen cabinets is well worth the effort when you see the end result. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Plastic zipper bags
- Cleaner
- Rags
- Sandpaper
- Electric sander
- Natural bristle paintbrushes
- Primer
- Paint
Instructions
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1
Remove all the hardware from your kitchen cabinets using the screwdriver. Put the screws in a plastic zipper bag to keep them from getting lost or toss them in the trash if you are adding new hardware after painting.
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2
Give the doors and the cabinets a good cleaning. Use ammonia or some other powerful cleaner that removes grease.
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3
Load the electric sander with 80 grit sandpaper. Sand the doors and cabinets lightly. Do not remove all of the previous varnish because it is not necessary. You want to rough up the varnish to help the primer and paint adhere.
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4
Use a damp rag to wipe all the sawdust off the doors and the cabinets. Make sure to remove every bit of debris, which could cause imperfections in your paint.
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5
Brush the primer onto the cabinets and the doors, using a natural bristle paintbrush. Allow the primer at least several hours to overnight to dry, depending on the weather. Make sure you use an oil-based primer.
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6
Apply a second coat of primer and let it dry.
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7
Paint your cabinets, using a natural bristle paintbrush and oil-based paint. Let the paint dry for at least 24 hours.
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8
Put a second coat of paint on your cabinets. Give the paint plenty of time to cure, approximately 24 to 48 hours, before rehanging the doors and adding the hardware.
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Tips & Warnings
You can work on your kitchen cabinet doors outside. Place them on a flat surface and paint one side at a time. Paint the inside of the door first and the outside last.
To protect your kitchen floor from being painted, make sure to cover the floor with drop cloths. You can also use drop cloths or sheets of newspaper to protect the counters.
Do not use water-based paint on your kitchen cabinets. Oil-based paints and primers work much better in the kitchen. Once cured, the paint is washable and will not peel off the cabinets and doors.
