Prep & Paint Cabinets

Tools:

medium-grit sandpaper
grease-cutting cleanser
5-in-painters tool
screwdriver
duct tape
paint tray along with roller and brushes
hand sander
orbital sander (available for rent at many home improvement stores)
mask and safety glasses
scraper
primer and paint
towel

1. Remove all drawers, cabinet doors and hinges. Look for grease and dirt buildup around areas where hardware was mounted (figure A). Remove all grease with cleanser, otherwise grease will gum up your sandpaper.

2. Sand frame with hand sander and medium-grit sandpaper. Wear mask and safety glasses while working.

3. Prepare a workbench area and start stripping the doors. Use the scraper to remove the heavier built-up finish (figure B), then go to work with the orbital sander. Sand a small area at a time until the finish is nice and smooth (figure C).

4. Follow same procedure with the fronts of the drawers. If you're changing drawer pull hardware and need to fill in some holes from previous pulls, place a piece of duct tape over the hole(s) and pack them with putty before sanding.

5. Apply a coat of primer on cabinet frames, doors and drawer fronts. After coat dries, which should take about 24 hours, come back and apply topcoat of paint.