Home Improvement Step 1: How to Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets
Article by Don Paquin (Poppss)
No fluff. No filler. Just instructions on how you can refinish your kitchen cabinets, as a DIY project. Please go through and read all the steps involved Before you begin, to determine if this is a project that you can handle. Don't start something you are unable to finish. Get a professional!
Lets begin.
Length of time needed should be 2-3, 8 hour days, one person.Material needed for prep: 200 grit wet/dry sandpaper, automotive Bondo, paper towels for drying cabs off, dust mask, so you don't breath in the dust, newspaper, you'll be told why later, 1" masking tape, also later, some fast drying acrylic primer, and a couple of 3"-4"rollers, NOT SPONGE Rollers.
Cordless drill will be helpful removing and reinstalling hardware.
Cabinet finish needed: Coranado Ceramaguard Plus semi-gloss acrylic w/ceramic microspheres. Have tinted to any color.This is your best finish to use. It wont peel, or crack and will last for years. Cleanup is easy with water. This finish can be found at most well known paint suppliers, like Sherwin Williams.
Note: Be sure to lay down drop cloths to cover counter tops, floors and appliances that you were unable to move. The best job will be accomplished with appliances removed to gain easy access to all parts of cabinets.
The very first job you have is to LOOK at your cabinets. Take a good look at the face of the cabinets and determine if they are laminated, or are they a finished wood. If they are laminated, you'll have to check to see if the laminate is loose in any places, or maybe missing in places.
If there are places that have laminate missing, those places will need to be filled with Bondo. Yes, Bondo. The same Bondo that is used to repair auto body damage. If any areas of the laminate are loose, these need to be glued back down, as best you can.
You might have to cut the laminate in the center of the loose area, so it can be pulled away some, so you can glue it back down, using a contact cement for that purpose. When the repair is done, then you'll complete the repair using Bondo. You want to have a facing that's solid and smooth.
You don't want to do any repairs until you see all the areas that need repair. You'll need to look at all the doors and lower drawer fronts, for any damage that need to be fixed also.
If the doors are in very bad condition, you may want to get new doors made. Check online or the yellow pages for custom made cabinet doors, in your area. The most cost effective method would be to reuse the old doors, just refinish them and use new hardware.
After you look at everything and find any areas that need repair, now you have to remove all the doors. Be sure to mark where the doors go. Mark them on the inside using whatever method you decide. You can also draw out a diagram according to size on paper. Nothing to elaborate,
If the doors or drawer fronts have damage, you'll need to decide if they can be repaired also. If the doors and drawer fronts are in good condition, then you'll also refinish them using the same finish as on the cabinet faces. Most damage can be repaired using Bondo.
At this time you want to inspect the inside of all the cabinets, for any damage that needs repair. The most common area that needs repair is under the sink. This area is prone to water damage. The damaged area should be removed, and can be replaced with plywood, then finished using the same finish as the rest of the cabinet.
Now you should begin and finish ALL repairs that need to be done. That's it for step #1.We'll continue with the next article step #2
About the Author
If you find this article interesting, visit my blog and find more home improvement tips, plus you'll find all the professional help you need.
http://homeimprovementkitandbath.blogspot.com
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