When you are spray painting kitchen cabinets, there are several mistakes you are likely to make and these mistakes may ruin the quality of the work. What may seem like action of little or no consequence may eventually lead to a poor finish that may ruin your cabinets altogether.
In this article, we want to review some of the mistakes homeowners make when they are doing their kitchen cabinet repaint. Mistakes are numerous but we try to cover as many of them as possible. So read the article until the end so you know the mistakes to avoid.
Failure to draw up a budget
One of the first mistakes amateurs make is the failure to draw up a budget. Kitchen cabinet painting requires work materials and tools that cost money. If you don’t know how much you need to get all the materials at the start you may end up settling for cheaper, substandard materials in the end. The key to a quality job is quality materials and quality materials cost money.
So to be on the safe side, draw up a budget and list all the items you need to buy and how much they will cost. Once you have the cash, you can buy them all and fix a date to repaint your kitchen cabinet
Failure to remove the cabinet doors, shelves and other hardware
Some people assume that a proper painting job can be done with the kitchen cabinet doors and shelves still in place but this is far from the truth. Leaving them in place will make it hard for you to reach certain areas with your brush. It is wise to remove the drawers and doors so you can paint all the parts. Dismantling and labeling the parts for easy identification is a smart move so when it is time to install them you will have no problem doing so.
Failure to wash/clean the cabinet before painting
If you fail to clean dirt and grime from the cabinet surface it will impact the quality of the finish. Stains have a way of ruining your paint and making the cabinet look worse than before it was painted.
We recommend that you use a mix of dish soap and a liquid degreaser to clean your cabinets before painting them. You can use a small brush to reach areas that your sponge cannot reach.
Failure to remove old paint
One very bad move you could make when spray painting kitchen cabinets is to cover old paint with a new one. This is especially true if the old paint is peeling off. If it is still intact you can cover it with new paint but if not, endeavor to scrape it off before you repaint.
Leaving holes uncovered
If there are exposed holes all over the cabinet boxes and shelves, you should not leave them that way. Painting a hole-ridden cabinet will make the holes even more glaring. This is why experts fill holes up with filler and smoothen the surfaces with sanding grits before they paint.
Failure to sand surfaces
Another kitchen cabinet painting mistake people make is failing to sand surfaces. Sanding is an important part of the job that should not be skipped. Failure to sand will lead to rough and uneven surfaces, and in due course, these excess parts will begin to chip and wear. After applying a primer or filler make sure you sand the area after the material dries up.
Failure to prep the work area
While it is true that the kitchen cabinet is your main focus, you will not be able to do a perfect job if you do not prepare the work area for the task at hand.
Painting even the smallest kitchen cabinets is time-consuming and the last thing you want is anything that will reduce your work speed. This is why it is important that you remove any obstruction that will disrupt your workflow. Cover countertops and kitchen appliances with protectors so they don’t get stained. Failure to do so will lead to stains that will take hours to clean.
Failure to prime
If you want the paint to stick to the surface, you need to prime the cabinet first. Priming makes your job easier that is why it is recommended. Many homeowners who do their kitchen cabinet repaint complain that the paint drops off in some parts and that is because they didn’t prime first. The general rule is to apply a primer before you paint.
Painting only once
Kitchen cabinets should be painted twice not once. The first painting serves as a foundation while the second one gives a balanced look. If you paint your cabinet and its parts only once, don’t be surprised if it develops an uneven finish when it is dried with some parts having little paint and others having more paint.
Improper use of materials
Paints, primers and fillers have a direction of use. If they are used improperly, the outcome will be unfavorable. Improper use leads to wastage and unpleasant finishes so don’t be in a hurry to use work materials. Take your time to read the user instructions first so you get the best outcome.
Using the wrong paint
Paints are of different types and not all paints are good for kitchen cabinets. The best paints for cabinets are those with a much higher sheen or gloss. These types hardly get stained and when they do, you can wipe off the stains easily. On the other hand, paints with less sheen are hard to maintain.
You also want to consider the color too. Avoid colors that don’t blend well with the wall paint.
Failure to label the parts
During the process, the doors, drawers and other parts need to be removed in order to gain unrestricted access to the box but you may find it challenging to fix them back. If you fail to label the box, you may become confused when it is time to fix them back. Installing the right doors in the wrong frames will create a different problem altogether.
Using thick paint
Spray painting kitchen cabinets involves using paints that will last for a long time, not the type that will peel off after some time. Using thick paint may seem like a good idea at first but after some time, it will begin to chip off. Rather than use thick paint it is best to use a light one and coat it twice. Lighter paints last longer than thick ones.
Not allowing the paint to dry
Some homeowners are often in a hurry to get the job done so they can move on to other things but this can be counterproductive. What is worth doing is worth doing well. For best results, you should let the cabinet dry well enough before you install the parts. Depending on the weather, this may take hours or days but you need to be patient. If the surface is not dry the paint will begin to chip within a short time.
Hire a professional kitchen cabinet repaint expert
If you don’t have the time to repaint your kitchen cabinet, you can hire an expert to do it for you. Luckily for you, Toronto Custom Painting is an expert service company active in Toronto and we can be of service to you. We handle general home painting projects and kitchen cabinet repainting is one of the numerous services we render. Our kitchen cabinet repaint service is indeed a first-class service that will extend the shelf life of your cabinet.
For years now, we have offered this service to our clients and they can testify about just how well we handle the job. Contact us for a free quote today by calling us or sending us a mail.
