How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets in Antique White

Brighten your kitchen with antique white.

Flipping through the glossy pages of home and garden magazines will show you picture after picture of bright and light kitchens with creamy antique white cabinets. You can achieve a similar look with minimal cost in your own kitchen. Using faux painting techniques can make your kitchen paint job resemble a designer showpiece.

Things You'll Need

• De-greasing cleaner
• Sandpaper
• Palm sander
• Primer
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Foam roller
• Stain
• Rags

Instructions

1. Clean the cabinets thoroughly with de-greasing cleaner. Oils from your hands and cooking will react with the paint and cause it to peel and bubble from the surface of the cabinets.

2. Sand the cabinets using a palm sander. A palm sander will make the sanding process go a lot faster and will also do a better job sanding the surface. You can buy a palm sander at your local home improvement center. Rough up the surface of the cabinets to create texture. The texture will allow the primer to sink in and bond with the wood. Wipe away sanding dust with a damp rag.

3. Prime the cabinets using a good quality primer. Apply the primer in the corners and difficult-to-reach areas with a trim brush. Roll over paint seams with a paint roller. Use a smooth foam roller for best results. A smooth foam roller applies paint in a thin, even coat with the least amount of texture. Allow the primer to dry completely. Add another coat of primer if you can still see the original cabinet color through the first coat.

4. Paint the cabinets using latex paint. Apply the paint using the same techniques used to apply the primer. Multiple thin coats of paint will be more durable than one thick coat. Allow the paint to dry between coats.

5. Distress portions of the cabinets. Use a loose piece of sandpaper to create "worn" areas at corners, raised areas and anywhere else you want to create the appearance of a weathered look. You can do add as much or as little distressing as you like. Wipe away sanding dust with a damp rag.

6. Stain the cabinets with a brown stain. Dip a clean rag into the stain and wipe onto the cabinets. Apply the stain primarily to the creases, indentations and the parts that you distressed. Wipe away excess stain with a clean rag. Allow the stain to dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• Changing the cabinet hardware will enhance the antique effect of the paint. You can visit your local antique stores for actual antiques or find retailers online that give you tons of choices in different types of pulls and knobs.

References

• Hometips: Cabinets Painting
• HGTV: Faux Finish