Painting kitchen cabinets?

Question

How should we paint our wooden kitchen cabinets. They are dark wood varnished. Do we strip them first and then prime and paint them. The worktops are a blue/grey colour and the walls are white, what colour should we paint the cupboards?

Answer 1

I happen to be painting my own cabinets now, and after applying thousands of gallons of paint otherwise, I agree with one answer who states sand the finish. It has less to do with SHINY than it has to do with the possibility that you want to use latex, over what's likely an oil base finish, and the fact that cabinets have residue on them simply by virtue of the fact that they are in a kitchen.

Without at all knowing the cabinet door construction, IE: Routed edges, rounded, scored lines, framing, etc. I suggest you use a quailty semi gloss, brushed on to make your cuts, with a decent brush, then use a small roller ( I call them Weenie Rollers) and use foam covers. The foam will afford you the smoothest flow out finish when dry.
Color choice truly is a personal preference, much like religion and politics, but I suggest having it look clean, simple, even high tech might be to find a medium range color from the counter top and paint the cabinets in that shade. Likely the gray. You can also RE paint the walls in a light shade of gray to blend.

Other colors to add some interest to the kitchen can be in the form of accessories used, or prints you hang on walls, etc.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Regardless of which way you go, identifying the style you're looking for will help narrow your focus on the available choices and also provide some guidance to kitchen designers or cabinets makers you might work with. Paint is an easy, and inexpensive way to give simple cabinets a modern look. The first step is choosing a color, draw inspiration from something in the room, a rug, fabric or an accessory you love. Cabinets are chosen first during these meetings, because they are the biggest investment in the kitchen. And the kitchen is one of the biggest investments in the house.

Answer 3

what about a dark country red? You can try to take the varnish off but it's hard because it may be old. If you can strip it I recommend stripping it first. Then prime the cabinets with white primer. After that apply your paint color.

Answer 4

I removed mine from walls, took out to garage and then cleaned and deglossed them. Then i rented a sprayer and put on base coat and a clear coat of automotive paint. These are like jewels so smooth and so tough a finish. Like the ones in the displays at Home Depot or Lowes.

Years ago, I tried regular brush enamel and even regular spray enamel, that stuff is too soft and isnt any good at all. After a couple years that enamel yellows and chips and even shows bruises It is not a good finish for kitchen cabinets.

You will be very happy with this automotive base coat and clear seal and it is so easy to put on in only 2 steps and dries in minutes.

Answer 5

Wipe your cabinets with a liquid deglosser and then scuff with 100 grit paper. I like a product called "Cover Stain" which is an oil based primer/sealer/bond coat and will stick. They make an odorless so use that and get it tinted to your finish color. Primer your cabinets using a quality black china bristle brush and wait 24 hrs even though the product says you can recoat in 1 hr. Next lightly sand with 220 grit paper to knock any boogers off and wipe them down to remove dust, I recommend using "Tack Cloth". Next is your finish coat which you'll need 2 to 3 light even coats. I like using a quality oil based satin or semi-gloss paint but you might prefer the water based which ever you choose make sure it's an enamel. I'd get rid of the white walls and make the cabinets white and check out a color from Sherwin Williams called rhinestone, think you'd like it. good luck and take your time to let things dry.

Answer 6

Too many infinate possibilities to answer.
As far as color scheme. It is what YOU feel would be appeasing not anyone else.
As for the process of painting varnished cabinets. There is good news and bad news.
The Bad= There is only 2 ways to do this. The right way or the wrong.
The Good= There is an infinate amount of ways to do it the wrong.
As I said earlier it is what you feel would be acceptable to you because you are the one who will live with it.
*Some oil-based paints are able to paint right over varnish.*
But I am not advocating the wrong way in any way whatsoever

Answer 7

I work at Lowes and the best way to paint over old stained and varnished cabinets is to first lightly sand them, second clean that sandpaper dust with a tack cloth, thirdly prime cabinets with an oil based primer that is made to go over glossy surfaces. Then paint with a latex paint-yes you can use latex paint over oil-based primer. As for the color--its your house, go with what you like.

Answer 8

First off, sand the old finish. Paint does not bond well to a shiney surface. Then apply a coat of primer, and light sand again to remove brush strokes, heavy areas of primer, ect. Then apply your finish. From the sounds of your color scheme, I think a charcol grey would look nice. If you are tired of dark, then a very light grey to accent your counter?

Answer 9

Before you sand, degrease the cabinets as best you can. Sears makes a product for cleaning walls prior to painting that should suffice. (If you sand first, you could drive the grease into the exisiting finish or wood.)

Answer 10

My two cents:
The foundation for a perfect, glossy finish is proper prep work before you paint the kitchen cabinets - See more at: http://www.miconstruguia.com/en/paint-kitchen-cabinets/