How to Faux Kitchen Cabinets

Faux cabinet finishes complement a range of kitchen decorating styles.

If you have ever priced new kitchen cabinets, you know how expensive they can be. A more economical option is to glaze your cabinets with a faux wood finish. A tan base paint finished with a brown glaze will give you a natural look. For a funky style, you can experiment to achieve unexpected effects by using teal or silver glaze over a yellow or lavender base coat.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Rags
• Low-tack painter's tape
• 220-grit sandpaper, optional
• Tack cloth, optional
• Latex primer
• Foam roller
• Roller pan
• 2-inch synthetic bristle brush
• Latex paint in satin finish
• Water-based glazing liquid
• Mixing bucket
• Tints
• 2-inch soft flat brush
• 2-inch flat natural-bristle brush
• Steel wool, optional

Instructions

1. Remove the knobs and drawer pulls from your kitchen cabinets. Tape the walls around the cabinets. Wipe the cabinets off with a damp rag.

2. Lightly sand the cabinets if the surface is glossy. Remove any dust with a tack cloth or damp rag.

3. Select a primer for your cabinets. Choose a latex primer for most painted or sealed surfaces. Use a primer specially formulated for metal, if necessary. Prime the cabinets with a foam roller and a 2-inch synthetic bristle brush. Wash the brush with soap and water after using.

4. Apply two coats of latex paint with a foam roller and brush for your base color. Allow the paint to dry completely between coats.

5. Mix a glaze color with glazing medium and tints in a mixing bucket. Test the glaze color directly on the base-painted cabinets. Wipe the glaze off with a damp rag.

6. Apply the glaze to the cabinets with a soft 2-inch brush, following a logical pattern of horizontal pieces---rails--and vertical pieces---stiles---for wooden cabinets. Glaze one strip at a time. Drag through the glaze immediately with a stiff brush or pad of steel wool to produce a subtle look of wood grain. Go back and make a second pass if necessary to correct any mistakes or soften the lines. Glaze and drag through each section of the cabinets.

7. Allow the glaze to cure for at least two days. Replace the hardware and knobs.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply a coat of varnish to seal and protect your cabinets.

References

• "Recipes for Surfaces: Decorative Paint Finishes Made Simple"; Mindy Drucker and Pierre Finklestein; 1993
• Golden Glow Paints: Surface Preparation Guide
• Faux Painting Techniques: Faux Painting Furniture