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Overview:
This project will show you how to do a kitchen cabinet facelift. Give your kitchen a whole new feel without going through the time, expense, and hassle of a complete remodeling by changing the look of your cabinets.
Materials:
heavy-duty cleanser (such as TSP), cloths, rubber gloves, goggles, 2" paintbrush, new cabinet hardware. If refinishing cabinets you'll also need wood filler, sandpaper and paint or other finish.
Tools You'll Need:
6-in-1 interchangeable screwdriver
Before You Begin:
A facelift can consist simply of a good cleaning to bring out faded colors, or involve replacement of cabinet hardware and painting/refinishing work as well. Consider the time and effort you want to expend on this project, how long you want your kitchen out of commission, and design concerns prior to starting.
Barbara's Tips:
Always use a clean part of the washcloth as you clean your cabinet surface, to prevent smearing.
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Step 1: Prep Work
Remove cabinet doors: label them to make sure they go back in the right place. If desired, remove hinges and cabinet hardware for later cleaning/replacement. Lay cloths as needed (don't skimp) to protect counters, appliances and floors.
Step 2: Scrub-a-Dub-Dub
Don rubber gloves and eyewear: prepare cleaner following manufacturer's instructions. Scrub first cabinet door, then rinse. Repeat until rinse water is clean. Repeat process for all doors, then fixed cabinet surfaces. If you're going to repaint or refinish, move on to step three. Otherwise, allow wood to dry, and reattach cabinets. If you've removed hardware, clean by soaking in warm soapy water for thirty minutes, and scrubbing lightly with a soft brush. Let dry, polish as needed, and reattach. If you want to replace hardware, be sure to bring samples of the old hinges/pulls when you go shopping, so you can make sure your new hardware will fit.
Step 3: Surface Work
If you really want to change the look of your cabinets, repainting or refinishing is in order. The former is a relatively simply process. Start by patching any conspicuous dings (holes, scratches, nicks, etc.) in the wood surface with wood filler. Then sand the entire cabinet surface (to smooth out the patches and scuff up the paint) before applying primer (two coats may be necessary if you're going over a dark color) and then paint of your choice.
Step 4: Surface Work Continued
Refinishing is a more involved procedure. To start, you'll need to strip away your existing finish/paint with a chemical agent. Determine which particular stripper to use by finding out what's currently on your cabinets. If your cabinets are painted, you have either oil or water-based paint. Rub a cotton ball moistened with alcohol on an inconspicuous surface area - if it smears or softens, you've got latex. Use the appropriate paint remover.
Step 5: Start to Finish
Finishes are more difficult to tell apart. Your best bet is to try a few different stripping agents (again, on an inconspicuous area) and see how the finish reacts. Turpentine will dissolve wax-based finishes. Xylene will liquefy water-based finishes. Denatured alcohol will dissolve shellac, as will lacquer thinner - which also (obviously) will work on lacquer. To strip polyurethane or varnish finishes, you'll need paint or varnish remover (though afterwards, you may still need to sand off some of the old finish). No matter what kind of finish you have, apply the stripping agent, and then stand back - let it do the work (don't try and scrub off your existing finish).
Step 6: Patch Work
Next, you'll patch the surface as above and sand to smooth. Now you're ready to refinish. Apply your new cabinet coating as per manufacturers instructions, and let dry. Reattach cabinets, and voila! You're ready to show off your brand-new kitchen.
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