- Drop Cloth
- Mild Soap
- Clean Sponge
- Clean Cloth or Paper Towels
- Bucket
- Screwdriver
- Paint Can Opener or Flathead Screwdriver
- Liquid Deglosser
- Lint Free Rag
- Clean, High Quality Paintbrushes
- Oil Based Primer
- Oil Based Paint
- Urethane
- Resealable Plastic Bags
- Permanent Marker
Steps for Preparing to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
- Estimate how long it will take you to remove everything from your kitchen cabinets.
- Clearing Out Kitchen Cabinet Time: ________________________
- Estimate how long it will take you to clean your kitchen cabinets.
- Cleaning Kitchen Cabinet Time: __________________________
- Estimate how long it will take you to prime your kitchen cabinets.
- Priming Kitchen Cabinets: ___________________________
- Read the primer label and find how long it suggests waiting before you start painting your kitchen cabinets.
- Primer Dry Time: ___________________________________
- Estimate how long it will take you to paint your kitchen cabinets.
- Painting Kitchen Cabinets:____________________________
- Read the paint label and find how long it suggests waiting before putting on a second coat of paint.
- Paint Dry Time before Second Coat of Paint: ______________________
- Estimate how long it will take you to apply a second coat of paint to your kitchen cabinets.
- Applying a Second Coat of Paint: ______________________
- Read the urethane label and find how long a fresh coat of paint should dry before applying urethane.
- Paint Dry Time Before Applying Urethane: ________________________
- Estimate how long it will take for you to apply the urethane.
- Applying the Urethane Time: _________________________________
- Read the urethane label and find how long it takes for the urethane to completely cure.
- Urethane Cure Time: ______________________________
- Estimate how long it will take you to put the cabinet doors back on and put your kitchen supplies and materials back in the cabinets.
- Putting it All Back Together Time: ___________________________
- Look back over the list. Starting from the top of the list going down, mark how much you can get done in one day. Try to only allow 8 hours of work for each day because often times we underestimate how long a task will take.
- Add up how many days you have estimated the work and drying time will take. That is how long you will be without a kitchen if you work straight through. If you are a weekend warrior, you may be without a kitchen for a couple weeks. Be prepared for the process to take an extra day or two. Things don't always go as planned.
Steps for Painting Kitchen Cabinets
- Remove cabinet doors and drawers.
- Remove all cabinet hardware.
- Put the cabinet hardware and screws in resealable plastic bags to keep it from getting lost.
- Label each bag full of cabinet hardware with a permanent marker.
- Clean the kitchen cabinets with a mild soap and water.
- Dry the cabinets with a clean cloth.
- Rub liquid deglosser on the cabinets.
- Let the liquid deglosser dry for the time listed on the label.
- Prime the back of the cabinet doors and the cabinet drawers.
- Prime the top cabinets.
- Prime the bottom cabinets.
- Allow the primer to dry for the amount of time suggested on the primer label.
- Prime the front of the cabinet doors.
- Allow the primer to dry for the amount of time suggested on the primer label.
- Paint the back of the cabinet doors and the cabinet drawers.
- Paint the top cabinets.
- Paint the bottom cabinets.
- Allow the paint to dry for the amount of time suggested on the paint label.
- Paint the front of the cabinet doors.
- Allow the paint to dry for the amount of time suggested on the paint label.
- Apply a second coat of paint to the back of the cabinet doors and drawers.
- Apply a second coat of paint to the top cabinets.
- Apply a second coat of paint to the bottom cabinets.
- Allow the paint to dry for the amount of time suggested on the paint label.
- Apply a second coat of paint to the front of the cabinet doors.
- Allow the paint to dry for the amount of time suggested on the urethane label.
- Apply the urethane to the back of the cabinet doors and drawers.
- Apply the urethane to the top cabinets.
- Apply the urethane to the bottom cabinets.
- Allow the urethane to dry for the amount of time suggested on the urethane label.
- Apply the urethane to the front of the cabinet doors.
- Allow the urethane to completely cure for the amount of time suggested on the urethane label.
- Put the cabinet hardware back on the kitchen cabinets.
- Rehang the cabinet doors.
- Insert the cabinet drawers in the cabinet bases.
- Put your kitchen items back in the cabinets.
- Enjoy having a kitchen again.