How to Revamp Old Kitchen Steel Cabinets
Old steel kitchen cabinets might immediately look like an outdated eyesore you need to rip out from the walls and repurpose in your garage. But steel cabinets are sturdy, can carry enormous weights and look completely different with a fresh coat of paint. Painting such cabinets truly is the best way to update them. Paint gives them a crucial splash of color and masks their age, instantly transforming them into sleek, modern cabinets. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- 2 tbsp. rust remover/metal cleaner
- 1 gallon water
- Rubber gloves
- Drop cloth
- Sponge or scrub brush
- Latex gloves
- Goggles
- 60-grit sandpaper
- 150-grit sandpaper
- Vacuum cleaner
- Spray paint primer
- Rust-resistant spray paint
Instructions
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1
Unscrew all cabinet hardware, such as drawer pulls and knobs, and set them aside. Unscrew all cabinet doors and set them aside as well.
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2
Lay a drop cloth under your work space, under the cabinet and place cabinet doors on a clear area of the drop cloth. Add 2 tbsp. of rust remover/metal cleanser to 1 gallon of warm water, or add an alternate amount, as per the manufacturer's instructions.
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3
Put on a pair of rubber gloves and dip a sponge or scrub brush in the mixture and wring or shake it out.
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4
Wipe down the steel cabinets and doors thoroughly, removing dust, grease and rust. Rinse it off and allow it to air dry overnight.
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5
Put on goggles and a dust mask. Using 60-grit sandpaper for metal, such as aluminum oxide, sand the old coat of paint off the cabinet, if there is an old coat of paint. Follow with 150-grit sandpaper. Run a vacuum cleaner with attachment across the surface area of the cabinet, to remove all the dust from sanding.
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6
Put on latex gloves and goggles and hold a can of spray paint primer for metal 12 inches away from the cabinet. Move the can of primer back and forth, covering the cabinet with a nice, even coat of primer. Allow it to dry overnight.
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7
Hold a can of rust-resistant spray paint 12 inches away from the cabinet. Move the can back and forth and over the cabinet and cabinet doors in an even coat of spray paint, until you cover it completely. Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
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8
Spray the cabinet hardware, such as door pulls and knobs, if desired. Alternatively, you can replace them with new ones to fully update the cabinet. However, don't screw them back on the cabinet doors until all pieces are fully dried.
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Tips & Warnings
When sanding the paint off the cabinet bear in mind that the paint currently on the surface might contain lead, which will enter into your direct environment via sanding. You may need to test the paint first.
