Refinishing, repainting, or restaining your cabinets is one of the most common home improvement projects that DIYers can tackle. If you feel that your wood cabinets are dull and losing their beauty, you can give them a new face. So today, we’ll teach you how to refinish cabinets with these eight easy steps.
Make sure to have the following materials and tools before starting this DIY project:
- Screwdriver
- Drop cloth
- Painter’s tape
- 100-150 and 180-220 grit sandpaper
- Wood filler
- High-quality primer
- Paint tray
- Bristle brush
- Based paint or polyurethane varnish
We created the following outline to help you have a clear notion of the scope of the project ahead:
How to Refinish Cabinets?
- Empty the cabinets
- Remove the cabinet doors and shelves
- Clean the surfaces
- Clean the cabinet hardware (hinges, slides)
- Sand the wood cabinets with grit sandpaper
- Prime the surfaces and lightly sand later
- Apply the two coats of paint
- Assemble all pieces back
How to Refinish Cabinets? 8 Steps to Make Your Cabinet Look New!
Empty the cabinets
The first thing you need to do is empty the cabinets. Also, make sure to protect all the surfaces in the kitchen with
Cover the areas that will get traffic like floors and countertops with plastic sheeting and drop cloths. Move as many appliances and kitchenware as you see fit.
Remove the cabinet doors and shelves
Use a screwdriver to remove the cabinet doors, drawers, and shelves from the cabinet frame.
Also, make sure to disassemble the door handles, hinges, and other cabinet hardware. It’s a good idea to put every screw back exactly where it came from. In this way, you’ll put the least amount of stress on the wood.
A good tip to put everything back to where it was is to label or number the cabinet doors and save the respective screws in a sandwich bag.
Clean the surfaces
It’s time to clean thoroughly your kitchen cabinetry. Wipe all surfaces with your favorite wood cleaner. This will make sure that you start sanding over a clean surface.
Clean the cabinet hardware (hinges, slides)
Since the hinges and other cabinet hardware have been getting dust, dirt, and grease for a long time, you need to clean them. By cleaning them, you’ll guarantee that your cabinets look awesome.
We recommend putting all the cabinet hardware in a basin with soapy water for 30 minutes, and then scuff it with some steel wool to remove grease and dirt.
Sand the wood cabinets with grit sandpaper
Now, it’s time to sand the wood surfaces to create a smooth surface for priming.
If the paint or the finishing looks dull, you can sand it to remove old painted finish or wood imperfections.
For instance, door and drawer fronts are the surfaces that make the biggest impact on the appearance of your cabinets. Don’t forget to sand the cabinet frame since you will prime it and stain it to prolong the wood’s lifespan.
You’ll sand the surfaces twice. The first time, you’ll use 100-150 grit sandpaper. But here is the thing, you should never sand against the natural direction of the wood grain. Sanding against the wood grain will leave nasty scratches that will show through your topcoat of paint.
After sanding all the surfaces, you will do a second pass with the 180-220 grit sandpaper.
Keep in mind that the higher the “grit” number, the smoother the finish.
After sanding, you’ll have to wipe down the surface with a lint-free cloth to remove the dust. We recommend damping the wiping cloth with denatured alcohol. This substance helps to clean the wood and prepare it for priming, staining, painting, or installing the untreated wood.
Typically, the denatured alcohol will dry quickly. And once the wood is dry, you can proceed with the next step that is priming the surfaces.
Prime the surfaces and lightly sand later
Priming is one of the most crucial stages when refinishing your cabinets. Many people mistakenly skip this step, but sadly, they soon realize that they couldn’t get the desired finish.
The primer coat is important because it will protect your cabinets and make wood last longer. Also, a good primer coat will create a smooth base that will help the topcoat adhere better and the painted finish look nicer.
Just as you sanded, you must apply the primer in the same direction as the wood grain. As a result, you’ll get the desired finish.
After applying the first coat of primer with a bristle brush, you need to let it dry for two hours.
Now, it’s time to lightly scuff-sand the primer coat to promote paint adhesion.
Apply the two coats of paint
Apply the paint the same exact way that you applied the primer. Always go with the flow of the wood. So, paint with the bristle brush doing smooth strokes in the same direction as the wood grain.
Let the first coat dry for 2 hours
What happens is that if you don’t let the paint dry completely between coats, you’ll end up with streaks.
You can leave your surface smooth, use the best primer, and paint in one direction, but you need to let each coat dry properly.
Make sure that each coat is completely dried before you apply the next one. Some paints may take longer than others.
For instance, water-based latex paints tend to dry quicker than oil-based paints. Latex paint is dry to the touch in one hour.
But that doesn’t mean it’s ready for applying a second coat.
In one of our recent posts, how to paint without streaks, we gave one of the most crucial painting tips: to give each coat enough drying time.
It’s super important you follow this rule because you need to avoid paint blocking and streaks.
If the moisture in the air is low and the temperature ranges between 50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, you can apply a second coat in four hours.
Now if you choose oil-based paints for your cabinets, you’ll have to wait 24 hours to apply a second oil paint coat.
One important thing is that you should avoid applying more than two coats.
Applying too much paint on your surface can make your final product look thick, chunky, and unappealing.
If you don’t give each coat enough drying time, then paint blocking occurs.
After waiting the right amount of time, you’ll be ready to carefully apply the second coat of paint.
Not to make you nervious, but you need to apply the last coat gently since this will define the final look of your cabinets. Let it dry for the right amount of time and make sure the room is ventilated and low in moisture.
Assemble All Pieces Back
Now, it’s time to assemble all the pieces back.
Once your paint is dry, reattach hardware to doors, and then reattach the doors to cabinets. After that, you can sit back and enjoy your new kitchen look.
Enjoy the Fresh Look of Your Kitchen Cabinets
We want to congratulate you since you took the challenge to complete this home improvement project.
By following our step-by-step guide, you can now say that you know how to refinish cabinets. So, what’s left to do is to sit back and enjoy the new look of your kitchen.In case you don’t have time to complete this project, you can always count on our support. Here at Erikma Construction Corp., we deliver outstanding home improvement services. Give us a call, and we’ll gladly help you!