Getting a contemporary coat of paint in your kitchen cupboards is like getting your hair carried out. It’s smooth shiny, and you’ll’t wait to point out it off. Nevertheless, for those who don’t get it proper the primary time, you’ll have to reside with the disgrace for weeks!
Okay, possibly that’s a bit dramatic.
However the actuality is DIY portray your kitchen cupboards might be disastrous for those who haven’t carried out it earlier than. So, to get it proper the primary time (and earn bragging rights for all times), listed below are ten of the commonest errors to keep away from.
- Not having a sensible price range
When most individuals suppose DIY, they suppose low cost. Sadly, the venture will solely be nearly as good as your price range.
In case you are portray your cupboards so as to add worth to your house, you would possibly want to spend so much extra. Then again, if this can be a pet venture, you must keep away from the temptation of being too low cost.
Get a very good vary for the paint, primer, polyurethane, and instruments, then set a sensible price range.
- Portray with the doorways on
You possibly can all the time inform when somebody painted cupboards with out taking them off the hinges. You possibly can see naked wooden or previous paints between the joints, and admittedly, the end isn’t nice!
Portray kitchen cupboards isn’t a venture to be rushed. Sure, it takes a little bit of time, but it surely makes it simpler to color with out flaws, and your cupboards will dry faster and with out blemishes.
- Not labeling the doorways and drawers
We get it, you understand your cupboards just like the again of your hand, however nonetheless, it might get difficult for those who don’t label them. The identical goes for the {hardware}.
Label every door and drawer earlier than you take away them. Place their respective {hardware} in a bag with the identical quantity or letter. Organize the doorways so as and use one other label to mark their spot.
- Forgetting to arrange the floor
There are three principal components of portray kitchen cupboards: making ready, priming, and portray. Should you don’t nail the primary half, the remainder of it received’t matter since you’ll be again in a number of months with knowledgeable.
The very first thing that you must do is clear the cupboards with TSP. Subsequent, that you must sand the floor. That is significantly vital in case you are engaged on previous cupboards or for those who’re going to color over polyurethane or another topcoat.
Sanding will guarantee correct adhesion and a clean floor. You additionally have to seal any holes with wooden putty, then sand once more.
- Not utilizing primer
As beautiful because it appears, paint wasn’t really made for wooden. Consequently, it doesn’t adhere or keep on with the wooden correctly, which is why that you must apply one of the best primer for cupboards earlier than you paint.
The one time you shouldn’t use primer is in case you are utilizing all-in-one paint or a paint + primer. In any other case, your paint might yellow from the wooden tannin, peel, or chip.
- Utilizing the fallacious instruments
One of many secrets and techniques to knowledgeable end is discovering the fitting instruments. For instance, to a novice, all paintbrushes are the identical. Nevertheless, that you must select a paintbrush primarily based on the kind of paint you’re making use of.
Oil-based finishes are finest utilized with pure brushes, whereas artificial brushes are finest for water-based paints.
Nevertheless, one of the best applicator for cupboards is an airless paint sprayer. It’d take some getting used to and prices a bit extra (you may rent one from a ironmongery store), but it surely offers a smoother, extra even end.
- Ignoring security precautions
Paints, particularly oil-based choices, comprise a whole lot of chemical compounds, a few of that are dangerous, particularly to youngsters and small animals. Two issues that you must be conscious of are Unstable Natural Compounds (VOCs) and phthalates, as they’ve been related to an extended record of well being issues.
Portray could cause complications, dizziness, pores and skin irritation, and respiratory difficulties. The nice factor is the unwanted side effects cease as quickly because the paint absolutely cures.
It is very important use protecting gear and preserve youngsters and pets away out of your workspace throughout and after software.
- Utilizing the fallacious paint
There are such a lot of other ways to get this fallacious. First is the colour. In case you are portray your kitchen cupboards since you need to promote your house, now isn’t the time to experiment or categorical your inventive aspect.
White kitchen cupboards or a tuxedo look are most well-liked when itemizing a property. Nevertheless, if the transform is to your pleasure, then you may go along with daring, fashionable colours.
Subsequent, that you must select the fitting base paint. Oil-based paints are simpler to use and last more, however they’ve excessive VOCs and take ages to dry. Latex paint is really useful for kitchen cupboards as a result of it should dry sooner, and a few haven’t any VOCs.
You additionally want to consider the gloss you need. Once more, this may rely upon who the redecorating is for.
- Not giving the paint time to remedy
Nothing will derail your onerous work faster than being in a rush. Water-based paints want about three weeks to remedy, though you may start light-use after three days. Oil-based paints want a month to remedy or a minimum of seven days earlier than mild use.
Do not forget that earlier than the paint cures, it may be dangerous to your well being. From an aesthetic viewpoint, the paint will smear or rub off if it hasn’t cured.
- Forgetting the topcoat
Final however undoubtedly not least, that you must plan forward. I’m positive you’re going to like the portray course of, however not sufficient that you simply’d need to do it each six months.
A high coat will defend your new paint for a very long time. Some, like polyurethane, can preserve your kitchen cupboards trying new for over a decade. Sure, you learn that proper.
For finest outcomes, use a transparent coat that’s water, scratch, and scuff-resistant. That method, your superbly painted kitchen cupboards will all the time look that method… properly, a minimum of till the following time you need to transform.
Conclusion
You possibly can keep away from a whole lot of these frequent errors if you understand how to color kitchen cupboards like a professional. It takes a little bit of effort and time to color kitchen cupboards, however the outcomes are price it.
