The first step for the cabinet refacing is the cleaning of the cabinet. This step determines the whole result, so you should perform it very carefully. First, you need to remove all doors from the cabinets and mark them according to their position. If they have glass inside, you should cover it in order to prevent some damages. The cleaning must be done in several steps. First, you need to remove all residues like fingerprints, grime or grease. You can remove the finish and the old color from the dry and clean door by using special chemicals together with some fine sand paper.
The sanding of the cabinets is a time-consuming and important job. You need to make sure that all remains from the old colors are removed completely. This is easier for big flat surfaces but harder to achieve for all kinds of ornaments. If you fail in this step, the result of the re-painting will not be satisfying because the color will not stick perfectly on the wooden surface.
Before you start coloring your cabinets, you need to apply the primer. The primer saves the underlying wood and is responsible for a better sticking of the color. Especially for kitchen furniture, a primer is absolutely necessary. According to the instructions of the primer, you may need to apply it several times. There are different types of primers depending on the underlying material and the color that you want to use. In general, for an oil based color, an oil based primer is recommended. If you are not sure, you should contact your local do-it-yourself store. The primer should be applied only in rooms with good ventilation or in the open garage. Before you apply the color, the primer needs to dry.
After the primer, you should paint your cabinet with the new colors. Depending on the color and the type of wood, you may need to paint your cabinets several times. It is important not to apply too much color at once. Although the results when using a brush are very nice, you can obtain better results using a pneumatic sprayer.
For the best result you can remove some surface irregularities with a very fine sand paper before you apply the next coat. It is better to paint several times thin films and use the sand paper than making a big film at once. After the last coat you need to apply a finish. The finish has several functions. It protects the surface, the color, and the wood from environmental issues and makes your cabinets shinier. Afterwards, you can enjoy the result of your cabinet refacing – your new good-looking, shiny kitchen.