Before you start repainting your kitchen cabinets, you need to make some preparations. The first and the most important step is connected with your old finish. You need to remove the old color and finish from your panels. Therefore you need to know whether your cabinet is finished with a lacquer or a stain. Depending on your design ideas, you need to decide which finish exactly you want to use. The second important decision you need to make is to choose the new color of your kitchen. You should choose a color that fits your personal style. If you want, you can exchange the handles in the kitchen as well. In this case, you should try to find new handles that require no new holes and modifications or only a few. Kitchen cabinet refacing is less time consuming than the replacement of the entire kitchen furniture but it still needs a lot of time. You have to make a complete list of things you need for the refacing. Especially for the painting you need to consider buying brushes in different sizes. Besides, for a successful cabinet refacing, you will need also primer and finish.

One day before you start working, you can start with the preparation. You should check whether you have all the tools and equipment you need. You can start emptying the cabinets and put paper on the flooring. If you want to paint them outside, you should listen carefully to the weather forecast. Everything should be prepared including some sandwiches and enough water for drinking during the repair. The work might go easier if some friends or family members help you. If you run out of time, try to be patient and continue on another day instead of making more and more mistakes. Always remember your goal – a new and good looking kitchen for you and your family.

Since the shopping list is going to be quiet long, it should be divided into several parts. Of course, you need to choose and buy a new color, a primer and a finish. You should take into consideration that the primer depends on the cabinet material and the previous color. For a lacquer color you might need a different primer than for an oil-based color. Your local do-it-yourself shop will help you to make the right choice. The second important part of your checklist should be used for the required tools. Do you have all tools for the removal and re-installation of your kitchen furniture? This includes different screw drivers, hammer, pliers and a drilling machine. Since you are going to paint, you need brushes in different sizes and solvent for cleaning them. Different grades of sand paper probably also will be needed. During the process of painting you should wear a mouthpiece for your own safety.

The last big part of your shopping lists should include the general needed items for the repair. You might need screws in different sizes, nails or glue. If you want to change your cabinet handles, you need to calculate how many of them you need, what size and style. For protecting your floors you might need extra paper or special covering sheets as well. You should also consider buying sandwiches and some drinks, especially if you invited some of your friends and neighbors to help you. Usually, a complete kitchen refacing requires at least two days. On the first day, you need to remove all residues from the doors and apply the primer, while the second day is for painting and finishing the cabinet doors. You should consider that each of these steps requires a certain drying time for the chemicals. Therefore it is better to plan a longer time for your repair.