10 Mistakes to Avoid When Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Painting kitchen cabinets or painting anything for that matter is ruling social media sites these days. Aspiring DIYers are updating kitchens and interiors with fresh coats of paint and posting the pictures of their endeavors on sites such as Pinterest. While painting kitchen cabinets may look like a fun thing to do but there are some blunders that you should avoid: 

1. Not labeling doors, drawers or hardware: The absence of labels is another blunder that people commit. It can be quite the task to remember what goes where. So it’s worth the effort to use numbered labels and these will tell you where everything goes. You can also stick a piece of masking tape with a number at the back of each piece. 
2. Insufficient budgeting of time: Painting kitchen cabinets is not a weekend project that you can finish over a period of one or two days. It can often take four days to a week to do a thorough job. In addition, you also need to factor in breaks and prep time. If all this is overwhelming, hire a painting contractor to do this.
3. Not sanding: Even if your cabinets are in a spotless condition, you still need to sand them so that the paint sticks. Use sandpaper, that is somewhat in the middle (150-200 grit) and use it on all surfaces that deserve a good, quick rub. The surface needs to go from glossy to matte. 
4. A dusty surface: Cleaning up and vacuuming is more important than you think. Before you begin the paint job, vacuum any debris from the surfaces you plan to paint. Even a few specks of dust or foreign matter can ruin the look. If you don’t, you will get a gritty finish and the effect will be like you painted on sand. In order to address this, you will have to sand and repaint all over again. 
5. Having unrealistic expectations: Painted cabinets do look lovely but expecting a hundred percent smooth and flawless finish is unrealistic. Grooves may show through the paint, warn painting experts. Once the paint dries, what wasn’t apparent earlier will show up now. The grain can be covered with putty but it can be a challenging and time consuming affair. 
6. Picking the wrong color: While there is no right or wrong colour, it is important that you select an appropriate colour for the kitchen. The cabinet painting task is not difficult but it is not one that you will be redoing over and over again. So it is important that you get it right the first time. You can always paint a big poster board with colour samples that you’re considering. Hang the board on kitchen walls, appliances or even cabinets and make sure that you have picked the colour you really want to see there.
7. Not cleaning the wood: Irrespective of how clean you think your kitchen is, you do need to wipe everything with a cleaner meant for removing grease. Because, when you paint a water-based paint on an oily door, the paint is not going to stick if it hasn’t been de-greased. This is a very important step and must not be skipped. To begin, remove all the doors, take out the drawers and unhinge any knobs or hinges. There are some people who attempt to paint it all – including the hinges when they’re still in place. However, this is not the right solution. The cabinets and hardware will start to show signs of wear and tear very soon. The paint on hinges will begin to crack and all you can do is to soak the hardware for getting rid of the paint. So, save yourself the trouble and follow the instructions above. 
8. You skip priming: Some painters like to skip priming but think about this. The finished kitchen may look amazing now but few weeks or months down the line, the knots in wood can bleed through the paint. Try using a stain-blocking primer and you can avoid the blotches as the paint settles in.  
9. Selecting sub-standard paint: After trying all sorts of paint, as a painting contractor, we had the most success with Benjamin Moore Advance. At times, it may be more expensive than a generic store bought paint but it is definitely worth it since you’ll get a smoother finish. Kitchen spaces have limited area to cover anyway so you won’t be breaking the bank if you opt for a good paint. 
10. Rushing to re-install cabinets: It can be tiring to wait for paint to cure. However, if you happen to smudge the paint by mistake, you will have to sand the areas and repaint. So, don’t rush to install the cabinets the moment they’re painted. Give them time and the end result will be a spectacular kitchen. 

Have you tried painting your kitchen cabinets or hired a painting company to do it? What was your experience like?