When you are remodeling your home, one commonplace people seek to go is the kitchen to work their way up from smaller projects to bigger projects.
Often, kitchen cabinets get an old and dated look to them, and homeowners instinctively think of replacing the cabinets entirely so they can update the look of their kitchen.
This is not always necessary and when working with a limited budget, it is often considered a better idea to just repaint or resurface the kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them, as resurfacing and repainting is considerably more kind to the budget than replacing.
On the other hand, there are quite a few errors that home re-modelers make during the resurfacing process that can end up being costly in the long run.
Here to help you out with your next project are six common mistakes when resurfacing kitchen cabinets in Clarksville, TX.
1. Forgetting To Properly Clean The Kitchen Cabinets Prior To Resurfacing
One most likely doesn’t have to tell you you have to take everything out of the cabinets prior to the resurfacing process — it’s obvious.
What isn’t always entirely obvious, however, is that it is important to fully clean the cabinets and that sometimes means using special cleaners that remove the grease that can build up on cabinets.
When one uses a kitchen regularly, grease accumulates and in the absence of a weekly or a monthly de-greasing (which is not on the agenda of the average homeowner) it behooves one to do so prior to resurfacing.
Once the cabinets have been fully cleaned and wiped clean with a wet cloth, they have to dry before resurfacing.
2. Not Sanding – Sanding Is Key Before Resurfacing
Now that the cabinets are clean and free of grease, a person might want to dive right into resurfacing, but this can be a bit of a mistake.
Sanding cabinets with the right grit sandpaper can make all the difference between a resurfacing project going well and needing to redo it even a year or two down the line.
The well-sanded cabinet is the cabinet that can best take a good resurfacing, one might say.
3. Not Using Primer Before Paint
It is one fundamental of home painting that one must use a primer before painting just about anything that requires painting, and that includes your kitchen cabinets.
Primer does several things including hiding surface stains that might be there and also provide a good surface for the subsequent layers of paint that will go on.
4. Not Removing The Cabinet Doors And Hardware Prior To Resurfacing
Cabinet doors should not be on the kitchen cabinets when you go to resurface them for several reasons.
Firstly, the best way to resurface kitchen cabinet doors is when they are laying flat, not when they are hung vertically.
Secondly, when your kitchen cabinet doors are removed you will have a much easier time painting the cabinets themselves.
5. Not Labeling Cabinet Doors And Hardware After Removal
It might seem silly, but it is actually really a good idea to label the cabinet doors after you have removed them.
Labeling the doors in a meaningful manner will allow you to best put them back exactly where you got them.
Maybe it does not seem significant but the doors should be put back in the same places — and when you have all of your hinges and screws and small bits, put them in plastic containers or sealable plastic bags so they don’t end up falling on the floor and getting lost.
6. Bringing Only One Color Paint Home And Presuming It Will Work
When you’re at the paint store looking at different paints, you might think you know what’s best colorwise based on what looks good in the store.
What works in the store won’t necessarily look good in your home.
The lighting in the store isn’t the lighting in your kitchen, and the way things look there isn’t the same as where you actually will have your cabinets.
Do yourself a favor and bring a few color samples home to figure out what looks best in your home space
If you need professional help to update your kitchen cabinet, our team at Brush & Color Painting can help.
We offer interior and cabinet eco-friendly painting services in Austin, TX, Tarrytown TX, Clarksville TX, and Westlake, TX.
To use our services, book a FREE estimate or call us at (512) 947-0594 if you have any questions.
Related: 8 Color Ideas for Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Westlake, TX
Tips for Prepping Kitchen Cabinets for Painting In Westlake TX
Health and Safety Tips for Home Interior Painting