How to Paint Oak Cabinets With a Distressed Look
Oak cabinets have a light-colored finish that provides a warm feel to your kitchen. Distressing the cabinets will give your kitchen an entirely new look. The process involves using different tools and equipment to rub away the layers of paint and give the cabinets an old or antique look. Focus on areas of the cabinets that typically receive a lot of wear, including the edges and around the hardware. Painting oak cabinets with a distressed look will fit a wide range of different kitchen styles. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Dish soap
- Warm water
- Plastic bucket
- Kitchen sponge
- Soft towel
- Screwdriver
- Primer
- Roller
- 2 colors latex paint
- Steel wool
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Hammer
- Bicycle chain
- Spray sealant
Instructions
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Squeeze a few drops of dish soap into a plastic bucket and add warm water, making a sudsy mixture. Dip your sponge in the solution and wipe down the cabinets, removing any oils or dirt from the oak. Dry everything with a soft towel, and then use a screwdriver to take off the cabinet hardware.
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Apply a coat of primer to the oak cabinets, using a paint roller for a smooth and even coat. Wait for the primer to dry, and then paint over it with a layer of latex paint. Use two shades that contrast with each other, such as cream and dark green. After the first coat dries, lightly rub the surface with steel wool, taking off a small amount of paint.
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Apply a second layer of latex paint over the first, using the same color. Once the paint dries, rub the oak cabinets with fine-grit sandpaper. Vary the speed and the strength of your sanding to give the paint a more distressed look. Rub the sandpaper around the handles of the cabinets as well.
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Distress the cabinets further by rubbing steel wool along the edges of the cabinets. Hit the cabinets with a hammer, or place a bicycle chain against the wood and strike that with the hammer. Each time you hit the cabinets, you will chip off a small amount of paint.
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Use a second layer of latex paint and apply an even coating to the oak cabinets. Once the paint dries, rub fine-grit sandpaper over the cabinets again, removing enough paint that the different layers of colors show through. Treat the cabinets with a spray sealant and let them dry.
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Tips & Warnings
Another method of distressing involves rubbing beeswax over different areas of the cabinets before painting. Once the paint dries, rub the beeswax areas with steel wool, and the paint will peel right off.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
