Considering how easily the color shows dirt and grime, it’s amazing how white remains one of the most-popular colors used to paint cupboards and kitchen cabinets.
Veneers and natural colors are still favored by many remodeling experts. But the use of high-gloss, basic white is increasing as a way to balance out the use of bright greens and yellows on other surfaces, countertops, and floors.
If you plan on using white, you want to be meticulous in prepping your new or replacement cabinets before picking up your paint brush. It’s tough to find a more scrupulous, methodical audience than in the readers of Popular Mechanics, where an article reminds home improvement enthusiasts that, “The better you prepare the cabinets, the better the end result. “
Cleaning Kitchen Cabinet Surfaces
Trisodium phosphate (TSP) mixed in warm water from powdered form is among the favorite cleaners used by cabinet installers and contractors today. When you’ve cleaned all the surfaces and let the solution dry, be sure to wipe it clean with a soft cloth to remove any leftover powder. Now you’re ready to patch any existing cracks or dents with wood filler or cabinet patcher.
After that part of the procedure is done, sand the cabinets with medium sand paper to prep them to receive the first coat of white. Paper with a 120-grit can provide just the right abrasion to help the paint adhere to the clean, wood surface.
If your old cabinets need deeper cleaning to remove built-up grease and grime, consider buying orange oil or a dedicated furniture cleaner instead of TSP. Check your home improvement store for a liquid de-glosser if you need to cover the history of blemishes, uninvited artwork by your kids, or that hurried recipe you copied down with a marking pen.
How do you use a de-glosser?
Sanding is so important. If you don’t sand enough, the new paint won’t stick and with in a short amount of time, the white paint will chip off.