Refinishing kitchen cabinets professionally is a bit more complicated than painting or staining the cabinets in place over the course of a few hours. Done well, cabinet refinishing is a painstaking process that’s aided by the removal and deep cleaning of the cabinets. Use a foam sanding block to scuff the surfaces of the cabinet, drawers, and doors. This is a light sanding meant to give the primer something to adhere to, so don’t sand to the bare wood. Use a tack cloth to remove the sanding dust before moving on. If you’re open to spicing up your kitchen’s look, incorporating a faux finish can transform its style into shabby chic, rustic, provincial, or modern. Crackling glaze, which is available at paint stores, can, with very little effort, give your cabinets a weathered look.
Even if you take all these precautions, there’s still a chance of a less-than-perfect result, whether from an uneven coat of paint, a drip, or a splatter. You also have to invest a lot of time and energy into surface prep, from thoroughly sanding to filling in flaws and priming. This is especially true if you’re painting your kitchen cabinets white or a similar light color, as the results can easily be streaky or patchy without the proper surface prep. In any case, without the appropriate prep beforehand, the paint might look uneven or textured, plus there may be peeling or other issues with the paint job’s longevity.
The Dos and Don’ts of Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets
Between dirty dishes, bacteria from raw ingredients, and hand washing, the kitchen sink is the most germ-filled place in your house. Sinks need to be scrubbed, disinfected, and sanitized each week.
Most of us spend the majority of our kitchen cleaning time focusing on the big three—sink, counters, and floors. It’s easy to forget that the cabinets require regular attention too, especially the doors. That’s where tiny droplets of cooking grease, food splatters, and steam tend to settle. This mess then attracts and holds dust, leading to dingy, dull, or streaked surfaces. Drill cleats into studs beneath the layout line of the upper cabinets. Cleats are essentially small shelves that you can use to support your cabinets while you’re installing them. Add a cleat for every cabinet you plan to install so their weight is fully supported when you hang them.
If you don’t want to make the shelves adjustable, it’s fine to simply make a single line of holes for the shelf to sit on. Install the cabinets along this line, inserting shim under the cabinets in low spots. Add shims in low spots to avoid distorting the cabinet or causing it to hang out of level.
Attaching Drawer Fronts
Tall cabinets are sometimes called pantry cabinets because they hold small kitchen appliances and large food items like flour or rice. Update your countertops, cabinets, sink, and more through top-rated kitchen remodeling services from Angi. It’s unsightly, sticky, and it traps dust, making an even yuckier kitchen mess. Stay ahead of the grime by regularly degreasing after cooking. Pick your favorite degreasing product or natural cleaning solution, but just make sure to regularly take steps to get rid of the grime—and don’t forget to get under your removable stove burners. Cleaning the kitchen is just one of those things that must be done. Dirty dishes must be washed, crumbs have to be cleared from the counters, and floors need to be swept.
Clean Cabinets
