Asked on Feb 20, 2014

How do you paint slick pressed board kitchen cabinets?

Wailee
by Wailee
The cabinets are in a 2004 double wide trailer. They have been abused and need upgraded. They are cherry-colored and I would like to make them white. I know they're not "real wood", more of a compress board with a shiny, slick finish. I tried on one side first by washing it down with TSP, rinsed, then painted with glossy white paint made for cabinets. I didn't prime first. It's going to take at least 10 coats to cover the cherry!! Can anyone make my life easier with this!!! Thanks
  6 answers
  • Terri Simandl Terri Simandl on Feb 20, 2014
    Hello Wailee, You can use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, I have had ladies paint the cabinets with that plastic stuff over compressed plywood and they came out great. Look at my facebook page and you will see what I mean. TerrisTreasuresSC. There are shops in Virginia that you can purchase this product. Look at anniesloanunfolded for the nearest one to you. No sanding, stripping, base coat, etc. They will be beautiful, you can DIY and very reasonably and its pretty easy. Good Luck!!!
  • Those cabinets with the plastic coating over the particle board are called Thermo-foil. Its a process where they adhere the plastic on the surfaces with heat and pressure. These became very popular in the 90's Refinishing them requires you to properly prep them as with any painting project, clean well, lightly sand to create a rough surface in which the primers can adhere to and using any quality paint, and there are several just made for painting this type of surface. Follow directions and you will be good to go. If you want to paint them with white, you need a good quality primer to seal in the dark color.
  • Deb Deb on Feb 20, 2014
    There is a paint called "Gripper" that can be painted onto anything...glass, metal...you name it. Choose white, paint with Gripper, then paint with your regular white paint.
  • Roni Gilpin Roni Gilpin on Feb 20, 2014
    I painted some in a little house I turned into my studio. Washed with TSP, sanded the shine down and primed with kilz. Then I used a small roller to paint with oil base paint, mainly because I had used oil base on some other wooden cabinets in the same room. I used 2 coats and a primer, but they look great. Of course, I took the hardware off and took them off the cabinets and the job went pretty quickly.
  • Brenda Brenda on Feb 22, 2014
    I painted mine with kilz, and then with a oil based enamel. Came out good have lasted for years and washable.
  • Katie Katie on Feb 22, 2014
    I agree with everything above. The trick is a light sand. Would real love to see before and after photos!