Prep, prime, paint the three steps every painter whether professional or DIY has heard. It sounds simple but don’t be fooled, there are many things to know before starting your home project!
Reading this guide will help prevent costly mistakes saving time, money and resources. We will outline different techniques, price points and common mistakes to give you a more complete understanding before you tackle your project! And if you are not a DIYer give us a call and we can get it done. Either way we hope we can help you get the kitchen you’ve always wanted!
The most common technique for the at home DIY painter is brush and roll. Overall it is the most cost effective process if done right, but mistakes can be expensive and time consuming. At Florida’s Finest Cabinets we use professional sprayers and products for every job, taking extra care to make sure your kitchen doesn’t look painted but like it came right out of factory.
The brush and roll technique can give beautiful results with patience and a willingness to put in the required work. With basic equipment and a few days(maybe more depending on your experience level) to dedicate to the project you can have a space you never imaged you could do yourself. You will need a dedicated space to work on your cabinet door and drawer faces, this will save time and mistakes. Consider things like where the doors will dry after they have been painted, how humidity will affect paint and overall dry and cure times. If you’re attempting a DIY project you should have a basic understanding of whatever base you will be working with whether it’s water, lacquer, oil based. Each has it’s benefits. Things can get confusing if you let them, you can keep it keep it less complicated by sticking to one base for your primer and paint. If you do decide to mix up bases keep in mind that you generally cannot use water based paint or primer on top of oil based paint.
Dry and cure times vary, oil, water and lacquer based primers and paints do not apply in the same way or react to different environments entirely the same. Humidity can cause leaching(white or brown spots), dust can cause a rough surface, applying the paint to thin or thick will either give you bleed through spots or runs. These things are not unknown to us and helps prevent these frustrating and costly issues. If you don’t understand the potential causes of these issues, humidity, chemical reactions between non compatible products, even something as simple as a dirty surface before priming you will not get the results you desire.
We recommend sanding every area to be painted, this will give you the best finish possible. To get the most durable, long lasting product the prep work is the most vital, take the time to sand and wash everything you’re painting before you start. We recommend sanding between each coat of primer and each coat of paint, that is one of the extra steps we take at Florida’s Finest Cabinets that many others do not. If you want the best product you can get take the extra time to make sure the surface is smooth and dust free before painting. The finer the sanding pad used the better your final product.
It’s a lot but don’t get discouraged, the first ones always the hardest! Once you have gotten familiar with the products and processes you will start to see better, faster results! We recommend you take one door through the entire process, this will 1.) leave your kitchen intact while you nail down the process, 2.) allow you to see what works for you in each step so you don’t become overwhelmed by mistakes that happened on 20 doors rather than 1, and 3.) save time and product therefore money.
We’ve had clients call us overwhelmed by their failed painting projects. We don’t want that to be you, take the extra time before you start the project to learn about the materials you’re working with and proper application.
Whether you decide to paint your cabinets yourself or have it done professionally it’s a big decision. If you’re ready to tackle your DIY kitchen or bathroom painting job that’s great! Take your time and understand the materials you are working with and you will be proud to show your beautiful new space to friends and family.
If you are not a DIYer or are looking to add upgrades to a kitchen you’ve already painted call us – Florida’s Finest Cabinets. We can discuss options that are tailored to you. Our goal is to give our clients the best space possible, a beautiful home where memories are made and smiles are shared.
Contact Information:
Call or text: (941) 957-8055
E-mail: floridasfinestcabinets@gmail.com