Refinishing Cabinet
Refinishing a cabinet is an easy and economical way for remodeling a kitchen or bathroom. It involves applying a fresh coat of paint to cabinets to freshen their looks, especially when they become old, chipped or faded. The new burst of color can enhance the look of the furniture as well as the mood of the room the cabinet is placed in.
Equipment needed for a refinishing cabinet job:
The necessary tools for refinishing a cabinet are an assortment of paint brushes, painting tape, several rags or paper towels for clean-up, floor protection, a can of bonding primer and a can or two of glossy paint. If a few tables are handy, they can be set up with newspaper or plastic sheets to protect them and the cabinet doors can be painted while resting on these.
The process of refinishing cabinet
Repainting a cabinet is a simple, though lengthy process that is done in stages, so it may take a few days, at best. After arranging the tools and painting stand/table, the cabinets need to be taken apart in a systematic manner. All doors and hinges and their corresponding screws can be stored into small zippered sandwich bags and then into a bigger pack for organized access when re-attachment is required.
The first step is ‘prepping’ or preparing the cabinet for painting. In case the old paint or wood finish is unusually smooth and glossy, only mild sanding may be required to roughen the surface and allow the new paint to adhere more easily. After the doors and surface of the cabinet have been sanded, they have to be cleaned with soap and water and any debris, cobwebs, dust or build-up will need to be removed. When these are dry, the painting tape has to be applied next to the edges of the cabinets on the walls, counter tops, floor or other surfaces to prevent paint going where you don’t want it. The doors of the cabinet need to be laid flat on the protective covering of the table where the priming can be done. The bonding primer can be brushed on like paint, taking care to use different brushes for primer and paint. Usually two coats of bonding primer and a 4-5-hour interval are recommended between coats.
Final steps for refinishing cabinet
After the primer has dried, the cabinet can be painted with steady, easy strokes, keeping in mind the time interval needed between paintings, then re-apply two to three coats. It is suggested that a one day interval be reserved before putting the doors back on the cabinet. While doing this reattachment, ensure the hinges are tight so the doors will hang correctly.