How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets With Special Finishes
Adding a faux finish to your kitchen cabinets is a great way to add life to old, worn-out, dated and utilitarian cabinets that you would otherwise discard in lieu of replacing. There are countless techniques you can use to add that special touch. For example, you can give your cabinets a metal appearance of the 1950s with a faux baked-on enamel finish or you can give your cabinets a faux marble finish to complement your countertops. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Drop cloth
- Sanding block
- Wood filler
- Enamel primer
- Enamel paint
- Latex paint, three kinds
- Paint roller
- Two containers
- Water
- Sea sponge
- Softening brush
- Detail brush
- Polyurethane
Instructions
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Faux Baked-on Enamel
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1
Remove all the hardware, such as knobs, hinges and magnetic locks, with a screwdriver. Place a drop cloth on the countertop and set the doors from the cabinets on the counters.
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2
Sand the doors and the cabinets with a 600-grit sanding block to scuff up the surfaces.
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3
Fill any imperfections, such as wood grain, cracking or chipped paint, with wood filler, and allow adequate drying time before sanding the wood filler flat with the surface of the cabinets. This is the most important step in the process. You must have a flat surface with as few imperfections as possible to achieve a flat metal surface.
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4
Wipe the surface down with mineral spirits and a cloth. Allow adequate drying time.
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5
Spray the cabinets with an enamel primer. Do not brush or roll the paint on. Take time to achieve a uniform and flat base coat of primer.
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6
Lightly sand the primer with 600-grit sand blocks. Touch up any imperfections with wood filler and a sanding block.
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7
Apply one coat of enamel paint and allow at least 24 hours drying time before adding a second coat. After an additional 24 hours drying time, reattach all hardware.
Faux Marble Finish
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8
Remove all the hardware such as knobs, hinges and magnetic locks with a screwdriver. Place a drop cloth on the countertop and set the doors from the cabinets onto the counters.
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9
Sand the doors and the cabinets with a 600-grit sanding block to scuff up the surfaces.
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10
Select three different colors of paint that you would commonly see in marble. For example, a white, dark gray and black latex paint would create a striking marble pattern.
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11
Apply two base coats of paint with a paint roller or paintbrush. The color you choose will be the dominant color in the pattern. For our example, white would be the most logical base coat. Allow 24 hours drying time after the second base coat.
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12
Mix the second two colors in separate containers with equal amounts of water and untinted glaze. The quantities are not critical for this application.
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13
Create random coloring on the cabinets with a sea sponge and one of the colors. The amount you add to the cabinet is up to you. However, adding one color in a larger amount will result in a consistent marble look. Use a blotting motion and lightly twist your wrist when applying the sponge to the cabinets.
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14
Smooth over the glazed paint with a softening brush, duplicate the process with the third color, and then smooth over that glazed paint with the softening brush. Allow 24 hours drying time between each color.
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15
Add veins with the two paints you chose and a detail paintbrush. Veins are the dark lines that you see in real marble. To achieve this look, place the tip of the detail brush into the paint and then draw long, jagged lines across the surface of the paint. Allow 24 hours drying time after painting veins.
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16
Apply a polyurethane coat over the cabinets with a paint roller. This gives the finish a shiny look that resembles stone.
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Tips & Warnings
Although you will get a high-gloss, almost porcelainlike finish on your cabinets, keep in mind that the baking process is what makes enamel paint extremely hard. Your cabinets are protected, but no more so than if you painted them with an enamel paint.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
