We’re doing a kitchen makeover. We started about two months ago. I recommend doing this project in the summer if you live in the north where it gets cold and snows. But I just couldn’t stand the orangy-oak cabinets, blue laminate countertops and linoleum floor any more. My step dad’s jaw would be dropping about painting the oak but I really want to brighten up the kitchen. Lighter cabinets in our old farmhouse just feels more “us” and our floors will be dark. Every dream kitchen we look at has light cabinets and dark floors. So sometimes, you just do what you love. And when it comes to the cabinets, we want to do them right.
It’s taking FOREVER. A kitchen is by far the most time consuming room to transform. But thanks to True Value, we’re up to the challenge. We’re especially excited to use Benjamin Moore’s Impervo paint (available at True Value) on our cabinets. Mr. DIY does the cooking which means I’m doing a lot of scrubbing. Paint needs to be durable.
We chose the color Moonshine. To most people it will look white but it’s actually a shade of light grey.
Here is our process:
1. Remove doors and hardware. We used painter’s tape to mark each door and keep the label with each door throughout the process. It sounds crazy. You’d think we’d know which door belongs where but with it taking so long, I want to make sure we get it right. Sometimes with DIY, we have the best intentions but trust me. We’d put 20 out of 21 doors back on and find out we did it wrong! lol. We also put each door’s hardware in a Ziplock baggy and put inside the matching cabinet. Painting inside the cabinets is not necessary unless your cabinets are in poor conditioning and need cleaned up. Ours are in excellent condition, so we’re skipping that step.
2. Sand cabinet doors and cabinet bases. This takes forever. Sanding was November parts 1 – 20. But if there is a clear coat on each door, like we have, you’ll want to make sure the paint sticks.
3. Clean doors and cabinets. I wiped them all down with a wet rag and let them air dry.
4. Set up work area for cabinet doors and tape around cabinet bases to protect wall and floors. Doing this inside over the holiday months means doors will sit for days or a week before you get back to doing these steps (hence the summer recommendation above).
We had to rotate doors during the process too because of limited indoor space.
5. Apply two coats of primer. We used Zinsser. Allow ample dry time in between coats.
6. Paint the doors and cabinet bases. Dry. I used a brush in the recessed areas and a foam roller on the flat areas. Benjamin Moore’s Impervo paint is self leveling…
Paint tip: Using a screwdriver or something similar, hammer small holes in the recessed lip of the paint can. This will allow paint that collects there to drip back into the can instead of building up/over-flowing or “gluing” the paint can lid to the container.
7. Flip doors and paint other side. Dry.
Please excuse my look without makeup and inside out doxie lounge pants…projects like this leave a lot of time for memories and I was thinking of this little girl:
and the picture above was in the same folder as these painting pictures. She’s paralyzed there. It was taken in her last 24 hours. Fresh tears. I miss her! There was even a little rainbow prism on one of the doors from the light coming in the window (the 2nd in
two days after a reader shared the rainbow bridge poem).
8. Repeat for a second coat and allow to dry.
We’re working on steps 7 and 8 now.
9. Re-attach doors.
10. Re-attach hardware.
We’re also considering distressing our cabinets or applying a glaze technique. I’ll keep you posted. Reveal coming just as soon as we put humpty dumpty back together again. I’ll do a full tutorial with pictures when we have the entire process complete! Stay tuned!
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I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
I know from experience what a BIG job this is!
Can't wait to see it!
niski–so sorry
gail
I enjoyed this…BIL and I are thinking of painting MIL's cabinets and I have been reading about it online. Sounds doable! Her cabinets are AWFUL….:)
Definitely a BIG job, but it's going to be worth it! Benjamin Moore's Satin Impervo is the best paint!!!
Been there…done this…and it is SO worth it!!! I promise! I did it in stages…all across the kitchen and it helped keep me sane! lol Mine were oak and I painted them sail cloth which is more of a creamy white…spray painted the hardware rubbed oil bronze…LOVE IT!
Can't wait to see your reveal! It is going to look AWESOME!!!
Lou Cinda 🙂
We just started our kitchen remodel today. I so hope it doesn't take two monthes. Sorry to hear about your sweet dog.
Thank you for sharing your experience. This is one of my top to-do projects in the new house.
Have been 'stewing' over doing this same thing, but have SO many cabinets, just didn't think I could manage it alone (not to mention 20 years older than you!)and wasn't too sure just "how". Thank you SO much for the step-by-steps…..just the push I needed to get started! Love your site btw – am seriously hooked!
Thank you SO much!
Barbara in TN
P.S.
With no Tru Value store here, any clue as to what paint I might use???
Roeshel—oh..baby…been there..done that. You begin to think you will never be done. We do the same thing with your doors (numbering) and with our hardware. Too many "mismatches" over the years. They are going to look great when you are all done. A few years ago my girlfriend and I were sitting in her kitchen (all oak) and I said…remember when ALL we wanted was oak and would have killed to have it? We looked at each other and started laughing because by then we were OVER "orange builder stock cabinets". I can't wait to see how it looks when you are done! Hugs- Diana
I have been wanting to do this, thanks for the paint tip, Every Summer so much is going on, but thanks for the inspiration to get it going! I will check back, I am sure it will be great!
I’m going to be painting our kitchen cabinets in the next couple months. Why do projects like this always fall in the cold months!? Last time we used Rustoleum cabinet transformations but I’m looking for a thicker/glossier paint this time. Have you been happy with what you used?
Anna
http://askannamoseley.com
Hi Anna. I am very happy with Benjamin Moore Impervo. Good luck!
It looks beautiful! Did you use oil-based primer and paint, or water-based? How has it lasted?
I used primer and Benjamin Moore’s Impervo paint. Holding up well!
Oh – I can so-o-o-o relate to what you’re doing! I painted our oak 3 years ago, using BM Aura paint. I love, love, love it! I wish you well as you go through the finishing steps of your project. My one suggestion though, would be to rethink distressing your oak. I know someone who did it, and , while it looked great, she found it impossible to match a touch up if one of her kids happened to scratch some of the paint. She actually just finished repainting all of her cupboards without distressing. Just something to think about! Your kitchen is going to look fabulous!!!