Clean kitchen cabinets before painting them?
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Do I need to strip kitchen cabinets before painting them?
they were previously painted with a very thin layer of paint and when I try to clean them, I remove some of the paint. they look terrible and no funds to replace the... See more
By all means clean them firs.
you need to clean them. Grease, other grime can prevent the paint from adhering properly.
OH Yes!! You have to clean them!! KrudCutter degreaser/deglosser to start with, remove hardware ( handles -hinges ) and select a paint that is scrubbable - and that has a primer in it -- but -- good paint jobs start with the right preparation!
Can't paint over dirt, grime, and grease.
Make sure they are clean and dry. Remove the doors and hardware. Mark the doors and cabinets with tape where they go. Lightly sand the doors and cabinets to remove any gloss and roughen the surface for paint with 120- to 220-grit sandpaper. Use a tack cloth or damp rag to remove dust after sanding. Prime with a stain blocking primer like Zinsser 123, KILZ,or BIN and have it tinted to the color of the top coat. This will prevent dark or stained surfaces from showing through the top coat. Acrylic, or water-base, paints are low-fume and clean up easily with water. Alkyd, or oil-base, paints require good ventilation because the paint contains solvents that can irritate your lungs and make you feel sick. Alkyd options require mineral spirits for cleanup, but they provide a hard, durable paint finish. Whichever you use, buy the best-quality paint you can afford for a lasting kitchen cabinet finish. Seal with at least three coats with a water based polyurethane. Use a small foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.
Hi Sandra,
Yes, it is important to clean them as others have said. Below is an article about painting cupboards that will help get the best results if you follow all of the steps. Wishing you the best.
http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/kitchens/best-way-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets
If you want all your hard work to last and not need doing again in a couple of years... you WILL need to wash down the cabinets with a good degreaser such as Simple Green or TSP... OR you need to strip all the old paint off completely. Then you need to sand, prime, paint or stain and seal... use several coats of sealer to keep fingerprints and grease away from the paint and make them easy to clean.