How to Repaint Melamine Cabinets
Melamine cabinets are durable, which is both a blessing and a curse. It's wonderful to have cabinets which never need replacing...unless you like changing things up on a pretty regular basis. Not to worry. It takes a bit of work to paint over laminate, but with careful preparation you can repaint melamine cabinets to go with whatever decor you can dream up. The oil-based paints you need to paint melamine are fairly toxic, so if you are pregnant, make somebody else do it for you.
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Bowl
- Large dropcloth
- Painter's tape
- Sandpaper, 100-grit and 240-grit
- Rubber gloves
- Trisodium phosphate
- Bucket
- Water
- Sponge
- Clean, white towels or shop cloths
- Dust mask
- Laminate primer (like Glidden gripper)
- Melamine paint
- Paint brush or small roller
Instructions
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1
Take everything out of your cabinets and cupboards. Remove all of the drawers and doors and place them on a large drop cloth. Remove all hinges and knobs and put them in a bowl where they won't get lost.
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2
Tape off anything near built-in cabinets that you do not want painted. If painting a free-standing cabinet, you can tape over any drawer slides.
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3
Put on your rubber gloves and mix the trisodium phosphate with water according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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4
Use the sponge to thoroughly wash the cabinets and drawers. Wipe them down with a lint-free towel or shop cloth and let them dry completely.
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5
Put on your dust mask and lightly sand every surface that is going to be painted, using the 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe all surfaces down with the towels or shop cloth when you are done.
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6
Apply the laminate primer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Allow it to dry completely.
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7
Sand the primer coat using the 240-grit sandpaper. Wipe away all dust with the towels or shop cloths.
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8
Apply the melamine paint according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Some prefer that you use a brush, while other paints do better when applied with a roller.
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9
Let the paint dry completely. Do not rush the recommended drying times; melamine paint requires several days to cure, but the results are worth the wait.
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10
Replace all drawers and cabinet doors, either using the hardware in the small bowl or with new hardware.
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Tips & Warnings
Apply three to four very thin coats instead of two thick ones, and let the paint dry thoroughly between coats.
Always work in a well-ventilated area.
