To paint or not to paint?
Hi,
I'm thinking of painting my kitchen cupboards instead of replacing them. They're melamine cupboards so I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I don't know if it's better just to replace the doors and paint the bases. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
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Hello. I follow a blogger that recently did their cabinets and it was a lovely finished project. They did have problems with the filled knobs holes and covering up the previous patched spot completely. It must need special attention.
Have a look at her blog and see the fabulous improvement. I hope this helps.
https://www.stonegableblog.com/a-white-transitional-kitchen-tour/
Hello Sheila,
You could use Contact!
While some folks have had success with painting their kitchen cupboards, it is a great deal of work involving space and downtime in your home.
Preparation, and using high quality supplies are some keys to achieving best results. In the end however, what you will have is an outdated style of cabinet doors that have been painted, which may not meet with your expectations.
Total replacement of complete cabinets is expensive. If the interiors and structure of the cabinets are still in good shape, it will be more cost effective to purchase only new cabinet doors.
This is called re-facing.
I went this route when remodelling, and have not regretted my decision.
Here's a How To on painting melamine, it is a different process than just regular wood cabinets, and requires a special paint:
https://www.hunker.com/13411337/how-to-paint-over-melamine
Replacing the doors is also another route you could take, it would probably be more expensive. The doors you have now fit your cupboards, which is a benefit to you rather than ordering new doors to be hung.
They can be painted and you have a link telling you how in a previous answer. I would try painting them before going to the expense of replacing them.
Painting them is a great option! The key is prep. Do those sanding and priming steps perfectly. It will make all the difference. Next time I paint my kitchen I’m going to use Fusion Mineral paint - it’s so durable.
Hi Sheila, I recently painted my bathroom cabinets (and counter) and while I can be a bit laborious it is so so much cheaper. I used milk paint on both of mine (cabinets and counter) but there are lots of great paints you can use now for cupboards (Fusion, Annie Sloan etc...) Here are mine and the process (week 3) I used. https://www.recreateddesigns.com/2021/01/100-room-challenge-makeover-bathroom-budget-reveal/
Paint first and if it doesn’t look good then replace. Painting is a lot cheaper that new doors
I used a kit by Rust-Oleum called Cabinet Transformations to paint my cabinets. You can see how I did it here: https://www.flippingtheflip.com/2015/09/kitchen-cabinets-black.html
1-Clean cupboards with liquid sandpaper (generic is fine) and steel wool (not S.O.S pads...check the hardware section at Dollarama). A small bottle is fine because a little goes a long way. It removes grease, dirt, wax and dulls the finish WITHOUT sanding. I like it better than TSP.
2-Wipe residue off with a damp cloth.
3-Prime with a good high-adhesion primer (important since you probably won't find any oil paint).
4- Cover with a good eggshell or semi-gloss acrylic or latex paint. If you can still find oil-based melamine paint, buy it.
Hi Shiela, I love chalk paint!! Hope this helps you out, ps I have painted mine and it was not hard at all, that was years ago, I plan on painting them with chalk paint in the near future!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBzbzMIAlQQ
I use a hybrid contact/wall paper to cover mine - https://chascrazycreations.com/inexpensive-laundry-room-makeover/
Do not use chalk paint it will not last in the kitchen. I would get a good acrylic paint from Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore. Remember painting cabinets is a tedious job. AND it is all in the preparation. It takes a lot of time, and a sprayer would be best for not having brush marks. That being said I would paint a few doors first and if you do not like the results you can order new cabinets.
I did not have a great experience with this, but paint has changed over the years and you might find something better. If you really hate them, try removing the doors on the uppers. You can always put them back.
Thanks to you all for the advice. I think I will paint them first and if not happy, look at replacing them.