Painting Cabinets?

Question

I would like to paint the cabinets and vanity in my bath,but when I look they have some kind of sleek paper on them can this be painted over.It looks as these was cheap mobilehome cabinets put in here.Whats your advice.

Answer 1

Yes you can. If you can't remove the sleek paper on them just be sure to wash them well with TSP (found in Wal-Mart paint dept). Next paint with a good primer, Kilz, and let this dry really good. Then paint away. I have painted my cabinets and they still look great after 2 years and I have the cheap mobile home cabinets.
Hope this helps..

Answer 2

Sure you can paint them! You will have to do some preparation work though, if you want the paint to last.

The first step is to wash with TSP. This will eliminate any dirt, grease and grime so the paint will stick properly. I suggest you use the liquid TSP as opposed to the powder, which is toxic and much harder to mix. Also, you won't have to rinse the liquid. You can find TSP at any hardware or paint store.

Once you've done that, you do need to prime the cabinets. The best way to do this is to use an oil-based primer. The reason is simple: oil-based primer will stick to anything and cover any kind of paint, etc., and to boot, any kind of paint can be applied on top. If you use a latex primer, sooner or later your paint will peel or chip off. The primer of choice in my work is Bullseye 1-2-3 (which even covers grafitti!). If you can't find it, you can use Kilz or any other oil-based primer. And don't be wary of oil-based primer... Nowadays, you can get it in quick drying (2 hours) and low odor format.

Once the primer is dry, you can apply any kind of paint, including easy wash-up latex! How great is that? However, since it is a bathroom, I highly suggest you use Kitchen & Bathroom paint, which is moisture, mold and bacteria resistant. It's also highly washable. And you can get it in latex and basically in any color of the rainbow.

If your cabinets are cheap looking, you might want to think about changing and upgrading the hardware (pull knobs) on the cabients. You'll be amazed at what a difference new hardware makes!

So... get to it.... and you'll soon be enjoying a really nice, new bathrooom!

Have fun painting!

Answer 3

I don't like TSP; it's too toxic for my taste. Just wash with dish soap; it works just fine. If you have any mildew, use bleach to remove it before washing.

Once they are dry, they will need to be sanded. About 150 grit should take the sleekness away without leaving grooves. A foam block works well, but if it is a larger cabinet, buy one pad and just tape a sheet of sandpaper to the pad once it is worn.

Oil based kilz is a great primer for adherence. Make certain that the primer is perfectly dry before recoating. Be certain that you don't get over exposed to the fumes!

Latex can be used over kilz. If you don't want to paint the hinges, take the doors off and paint only the edges that are affected by the hinges. Then, put the doors back up. Put the drawers hanging off the edge of the countertop.

I recommend a semigloss sheen. It's high enough to wash easily, but low enough to not show fingerprints.

Primers can be tinted to make coverage easier, but one definate note: Reds require twice the work of any other color. Get enough flat for two coats and enough of your final sheen for two coats. That's five coats instead of the usual three.

I almost forgot; mildew resistance can be significantly enhanced with addatives such as M-1. Also, products like Porter-sept already contain mildew resistance. Exterior paints have some resistance, and can be used indoors.

Answer 4

Use a mixture of fabric softner an water,score over the paper,spray, and i should come off with little trouble