READY TO REFINISH YOUR CABINETS? YOU HAVE OPTIONS!
It has been a long year, and it is ok if you are tired of staring at those kitchen cabinets you’ve frankly hated for years. 2021 is a year about promise and change, and you can start the process in your very own home. There are lots of ways to give your cabinets a new look, whether you prefer something more classic or super contemporary. There is an option for every budget, and most of the time you will not even need to replace your cabinets or counters, unless you just really want to.
Remake Those Cabinets to Create Your Dream Kitchen
When it comes to giving your cabinets new life, you have options. Some are simple and do not require a lot of effort; some are quite challenging and may generate a great deal of mess and confusion. They are all valid options, though, depending on just how much time you are willing to put into the project.You will have the most flexibility if you are working with wooden cabinets, whether they have been painted previously. Laminated cabinets (also sometimes called MDF) are a bit of a different beast and are very difficult to change once they have been installed. Here are a few things you should consider, depending on your cabinets:
- Swapping Hardware. Sometimes, the thing making your cabinets feel old and dated is the hardware. It might sound like a small thing, but heavy cabinet hardware from the 1970s has a whole different feel than more streamlined contemporary hardware. If you are on a small budget, or you cannot have your kitchen torn apart for an extended period, investing in new hardware could give you a whole new look.
- Repainting. This is generally only a trick to try on cabinets that are made of wood, but if you use specially designed paints and primers, you can often make paint stick to laminated or metal cabinets. Choose a paint that is self-leveling and dries hard, like a latex-based enamel cabinet paint, along with a bonding primer, for the very best results.
- You will need to take the doors down, sand the existing finish just enough to rough it up, and allow for plenty of dry time, but because these paints are tintable, the sky is really the limit. It goes on just like other high-grade paint, so mix and match colors, paint two-tone designs on your existing cabinetry, or freehand it with fancy designs for a look you really love.
- Restaining. This will only work with wood cabinets, but you can really change the look of a room simply by restaining your existing cabinets. It is possible to strip old paint off painted cabinets but be warned: it will be a lot of work and mess, so do it outside as much as you can.
- Once you have all the old stain or paint sanded off, apply your new stain per package directions. Today’s stains come in a lot more than traditional “wood” colors; many can create simulated whitewash or aged wood or add a thin tint of color that will still allow the wood grain to show through.
(C. January 2021 - Homekeepr - originally published HERE)