Kitchen remodelling from scratch is not duck soup. From illuminating tiles to dazzling flooring, everything will be replaced for its complete, exquisite overhaul. However, it will eat up a lot of your time, energy and, above all, money. Not to mention, there are specific changes you will not be able to do on your own. Seeking professional help means paying a lot more money.
You can search for funding options if you know you can afford payments. Home improvement loans will be the best bet. To find the best deal from a direct lender, type home improvement loans near me in the search bar and then compare interest rates charged by different lenders. But what if you find that your budget does not have room to meet all these expenses?
Here comes DIY techniques, but at the same time, you will have to put professional-level remodelling on the back burner. Things that will remain intact are flooring, cabinet installation and the like. Sometimes, you actually do not need to take up such significant projects. Your kitchen seems to have seen better days because your cabinets are old and dull. A fresh lick of paint can perhaps spruce up your kitchen.
DIY tips to paint kitchen cabinets without sanding and a sprayer
The good thing is that you do not need loads of prep work like sanding and priming. If painting your cabinets sounds like you are losing your mind, the following tips will make your job way more manageable.
Before you get started, you should test paint colours and choose your favourites. Here are the essential tips on painting your kitchen cabinets to jazz up your kitchen without shelling out money.
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Remove your hardware, doors and drawers
Though you can do it on your own without requiring the assistance of any professional, it does not mean that you do not need to put in effort. It is not as easy as choosing a colour for your paint and applying a coat or two. You will have to take it down.
Before you start painting your cabinets, you should remove handles and similar hardware. If your doors give off a squeaky sound when moving back and forth on hinges, you will have to change them as well, which you cannot do without removing doors and drawers. Let everything be in the cabinet, as you do not need to paint the inside. Now you have drawers, frames of cabinets and doors to paint.
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Clean your cabinets
Before starting to paint your cabinets, you should clean them. Though you do not have to prime, it does not mean that you do not need to invest time in prep work. Make sure you use a good cleaner that fights off ingrained stains, marks of grease and a thick layer of grime. The surface should be completely smooth, so your paint adheres to it correctly.
When there are no stains and marks, the paint texture will be smooth and even across the cabinet. Cabinet boxes are usually flat with no embellishments, so they are easy to paint. However, you will have to paint the cabinet door, even if it has some sort of design or carvings.
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Use wood filler and fill holes
Imperfections have to be dealt with first. Nicks, holes, scratches and even shallow scuffs will lead to rugged paint if not treated properly. Patch holes, openings and crevices. Take wood filler and squeeze it into holes and openings. Spread it evenly using a putty knife.
Do not touch it unless it is completely dry. Once you paint your cabinet, you will find that it looks amazing. You will feel like your cabinet is whole new. Sometimes, such small damages make your cabinets very dull and old. There is no need to replace them. Just fix them with putty and paint your cabinets to give them new looks.
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Degloss cabinet surfaces
Buy a liquid deglosser because you will need to degloss old paint before applying new paint. You can get deglossers online, too. They are available in different brands, but they are all more or less the same. Sanding and priming will take a lot of time, and that is also tiring. In fact, sometimes sanding is done before and after priming.
Instead, deglossing is the best technique to make your cabinets ready for paint work. Bear in mind that it should be a quick wipe-down. Deglssing is not aimed at stripping off old paint completely to get down to bare wood. It is likely that your cabinet does not look any different after wiping it down.
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Paint your cabinets
Now your cabinets are ready for paint. Since you are not sanding and priming your cabinets, you will have to choose the paint that can adhere to the surface without needing them. If you have a large space in your house, you can lay all cabinet doors and paint them. Otherwise, you will have to work in batches. Two coats will be more than enough. However, using a paintbrush is recommended when details are part of the surface. For a flat surface, the roller will be the best choice.
The top coat will give your finish a glossy look if your finish is smooth. However, if you feel that it is not as perfect as it should be, you can sand between the coats. Do not forget to wipe it down before applying another coat.
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Apply a protective top coat
Once your paint becomes dry, you should use a protective top coat. This will not take as much time as your previous coats took. It will give you a perfect finish. Choosing flat finish paint is recommended because it does not reflect much light, and therefore, wood grins will be lightly visible. New paint can spruce up the looks of your cabinet, but do not live under the impression that this will eliminate wood grain.
Use a brush over the roller if you apply it thin. You will have to be meticulous while applying this final coat because it will likely pool in areas. After it dries, it will become like a bulge or spot. While applying a protective coat, your ultimate focus should be on even application.
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Paint your hinges
It is absolutely optional. Painting your hinges is recommended only when you want to change their colour. Of course, it is more affordable than buying new hinges. Bear in mind that this option is feasible only when your hinges are in good condition.
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Fix drawers, hang doors back and attach hardware
Once your top coat is dry, the final task you need to do is to hang doors back and fix drawers in cabinets. Attach old handles, knobs etc. You should replace them with new paint if they are old, or do not go with new paint. Buying new handles and pulls will not cost you a lot of money.
The bottom line
If you are looking to paint your kitchen cabinets to spruce up their appearance, it is not necessary to sand and prime them. You can enhance their looks without wasting your time on prep work. The aforementioned tips will help you get better looks at your kitchen cabinets without costing you an arm and a leg, and you do not need even a professional to get this job done.