Any experience painting laminate cabinets?
Question:Hi,our new kitchen is outdated. Painting the brown cabinets would really brighten the place up, but I just was told they're laminate (?) and hard to hold paint. Has anyone done this successfully, or do you have any tips?
Thanks!
Answers:
Yes. Remove doors and Shelves. Sand everything to be painted with 100 grit paper on a palm sander. Dust off. Apply Water Based BIN Primer. Allow to dry fully. Apply one more coat of this primer. Finish paint with an Eggshell Latex. Allow to dry fully. Apply another coat of Eggshell Latex. Allow to fully dry before replacing shelves and doors.
I was taught to sand, prime and lightly sand before you paint. I believe there are new paints available that will adhere better, your best bet see a reputable paint dealer for up to date advice before you do anything it may save you a lot of work.
Painting laminate cabinets is definitely going to be a chore and it may not be worth all of the work. If your kitchen isn't very large, it may be more sensible for you to purchase stock cabinetry.
Stock cabinetry isn't expensive and you could have a brand new kitchen for less than $3000 . Lowe's has stock cabinets that are already assembled, you just buy them and then take them home and install them. They come in maple and oak, and they are unfinished. You could either paint them, or you could stain them. I just threw out a number because I don't know how big your kitchen is, but I think it would be a good idea for you to look into it. The most expensive cabinet would run you around $230.00. Honestly, that's not bad. Plus, unlike what you have, you'd be getting real wood.
Another option would be to go to Home Depot. Their stock cabinetry is different from that of Lowe's. I think they are transitioning to something different, but the line they have used to be called Mills Pride. Their cabinetry is pre-stained and I think there are about 10 different choices. For a 10 ft x 10 ft kitchen, it would run you between $800 and 3500.00.
However, painting over the laminate is going to be a multistep, multiday process. The first thing you are going to have to do is remove all of the doors and hardware. Using 60 grit sandpaper, sand all of the surfaces that paint will be on. Wash everything very well to get rid of any dust particles. Using a good primer, such as Kilz, prime all of the surfaces. After the primer has dried, sand everything a second time. Also, wash everything a second time. Apply your first coat of paint and let it dry. After it has dried, apply a second coat. There may or may not be a need to sand after the first coat of paint. Because these are kitchen cabinets, I suggest you use an extremely good quality paint in a semigloss finish.
You might think this is a wacky idea, but give it some thought because it is fast and cheap.
Instead of the hassle of sanding, why not apply panels to the door fronts? Make them with 1/4" thick luan, and cut them into a shape you like -maybe inset notched corners. Paint or stain to your preference. Secure with contact cement (Formica glue). A border of the old cabinet face will be revealed around the edge, and be part of the design; likewise the woodwork between the cabs. The only tool you'll need is a sabre-saw with a thin blade to cut out your design. Sand the edges, of course. Your painting and staining will be done in the garage, basement, or whatever and not interfer with kitchen activity.
Think about it.
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