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Spray Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Brian Patrick Flynn
If your kitchen cabinets need a major facelift, but you're unable to replace them, don't fret. Spray painting your kitchen cabinets will help you freshen them up with a new color.
How to Update Your Kitchen Without Breaking the Bank
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For an extra smooth and professional-looking finish, many paint experts recommend spray painting kitchen cabinets. This method can be easier than working with a paintbrush and roller, but it takes some time and practice to really get the hang of it. Spray painting kitchen cabinets is also a good way to go if your cabinets have raised panels and lots of areas that might be hard to paint with a paintbrush or roller.
If you've decided to spray paint your kitchen cabinets, you'll want to buy a special sprayer to make it easier. If you try to do this job with basic cans of spray paint, your pointer finger will be sore in no time. Talk to the paint experts at your local hardware store about HVLP (high volume, low pressure) sprayers, which will give you much more control over the spray. This type of sprayer has a dial that allows you to use a targeted spray for nooks and crannies or a broader spray when you're covering the cabinets. HVLP sprayers are on the expensive side, so look for one that can hook up to an air compressor.
When you're ready to get started, remove all of your cabinet doors and drawers, making sure to label the inside of each one so you know exactly where they go when it's time to reinstall them. Remove the hinges and hardware, then put them in plastic baggies, hanging each one in the appropriate cabinet so you can easily reinstall them as well.
Before starting to spray paint, clear off your counters, empty your cabinets and tape off everything, including the floor and some of the ceiling. It's also important to seal off any open areas in your kitchen to prevent the spray paint from floating to other parts of your house.
To spray paint your cabinet doors and drawers, you'll want to set up a work area, preferably outside or in a basement or garage. Whichever work area you choose, make sure it's well ventilated. Set up a worktable in your space that you can put each cabinet door on so you can work around it easily. It's also important to give your cabinets and drawers a light sanding and a good scrub to remove any grease or residue.
When you're ready to start spray painting, it's important to familiarize yourself with the spray paint gun and understand all of its settings. You'll also want to prime everything to ensure your paint will stick.
Once the primer has dried, you can spray on two coats of paint, but make sure to wait for the paint to dry in between each coat.
While the doors and drawers are drying, you can spray paint the frames. Make sure to sand and clean the frames before you begin spray painting them as well, and be patient in between each coat. Once your cabinets, drawers and frames are completely dry, you can reassemble everything.
