painting my cabinets dark... the process!

15 years ago

Hey kids. Long time, no type. :) I hope all's well with all my old pals here.

In the last few weeks, I've gotten at least 15 emails asking how I painted my cabinets. Such a nice surprise, considering how long it's been since I posted! I wish I could remember who I initially gleaned all this info from. You guys were an immense help, so now I'm just paying it forward.

Supplies:

Benjamin Moore Satin Impervo Alkyd in Bittersweet Chocolate

Purdy angled brushes

Thick plastic dropcloths

Sandpaper

Mineral spirits and rags for clean-up as you go

-Remove doors.

-Clean and lightly sand everything.

-Remove dust with a tack cloth.

-Rest each door on its bottom edge. Do not paint that edge -- youÃ¢ÂÂll do it once the doors are re-hung.

-Paint the backs first with a thin coat of Satin Impervo. Thin coats give more of a handrubbed look and also avoid drips. If you do see some drips, try to catch them early -- once the paint starts to dry, youÃ¢ÂÂll make a mess trying to smooth them out. Let dry at least overnight, preferably a few nights to avoid smudges when you flip the doors around.

-Paint the fronts in the same way.

-Let cure for as long as you can stand it. A week would be ideal.

-In the meantime, paint the cabinet boxes. I didnÃ¢ÂÂt paint the insides, and IÃ¢ÂÂve never regretted it.

-After a weekÃ¢ÂÂs gone by, re-hang the doors. Paint the bottom edge of each. Do any touch-up.

-Depending on your wood, the paint may keep absorbing in certain places. I kept the paint can in my kitchen for a month, doing quick touch-ups wherever necessary.

If you have oak, keep in mind, you will see grain through the paint. If you'd rather not, you'll have to use some kind of putty to fill the grain, then prime, then paint. I just didn't have the energy for it, and it turns out, I love the look -- people mistake it for a handrubbed stain all the time.

I'm so happy with how the cabinets have stood up over time. Not a single chip or scratch! To be honest, I cut so many corners in the prep (by choosing not to prime), I thought for sure I'd be dealing with the aftermath now. I credit the paint and patience for 100% of the success. Seriously, this paint is the real deal.

Here is a link that might be useful: girlwithaspirin kitchen... before & after

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Comments (19)

beachbum
15 years ago
No wonder people are stalking you! What a great transformation. :)
mitchdesj
15 years ago
It's nice to hear from you; your transformation really stuck with us, I actually remember your inspiration pic also. Hope all is well with you !
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abbycat9990
15 years ago
That paint layer is so thin--it looks great. Very mod. I'm very impressed. I've painted plywood cabs in two kitchens and, in both cases, I've been a tad overzealous in applying a thick coat of (white) paint!

Amazing what paint and new light fixtures will do to transform a room!
simoneb
15 years ago
Wow, now that's a good job. Looks awesome. Love it!
jessie21
15 years ago
always LOVE to see your kitchen. It's one of my faves.
ccoombs1
15 years ago
Its so nice to see cabinets painted some color other than white!! The transformation is simply stunning. GREAT job and thanks for sharing!
amysrq
15 years ago
Hey GWA...nice to see you after so long. Hope life is being good to you.

You and your kitchen are well remembered on the Home Dec board.

AmySRQ
skippy_2008
15 years ago
Hey GWA,
Just wanted to thank you and let you know we also had oak cabs and did alot of staining and cussing before we came upon your kitchen awhile back.We totaly give you credit for being our inspiration on how we redid our kitchen.We also love the woodgrain look and everyone thinks they are new.So thanks again for the perfect color and inspiration.
you can see a couple of our pics if you look for a topic called granite teaser pics!!!
Jodi_SoCal
15 years ago
Our kitchen is long done but your kitchen cabinets, which are amazing (I saw your original posting) has inspired me to try your color and method on our bathroom and hall cabs. Thanks!

Jodi-
rhome410
15 years ago
I saved a link to your before and after and have referred a lot of people to it. I consider it the 'gold standard' for repainting old cabs and making an AMAZING transformation. :-)

It's nice to hear from you again. I'm sure others have wondered how you've been doing, as I have.
moremoremore
15 years ago
Yup! That's just about how I do it...but I do the sides of the cabinets before the last coat of the front goes on in case I have any slight drippage onto the fronts (gasp) and I can correct it immediately....as you know, there are no touch ups with impervo once it begins to dry. I used black bean soup for my bathroom and they look great (except for the one that husband literally drove over in the garage...thank god it was nearly dry! Oh, and I always use a foam roller. Always!
kitchenkelly
15 years ago
I've always loved your kitchen!
leahcate
15 years ago
Nice to see you here again. Someone in 'Decor" mentioned your cabs and I came over to see if you'd posted recently. I had asked about you a few months back. I, too, hope all is well. Do you still have your darling little dog? We never "conversed", but I remembered your story and kept you in my thoughts for a long time:>)
pfmastin
15 years ago
girlwithaspirin,
Can I use this same method and the same alkyd paint over top of previously painted cabinets? The current paint is white latex and I'd go with white again or a cream color. I am so impressed the results of your efforts. Fantastic! I am redoing a kitchen on a budget and being able to repaint would be wonderful.

Pam
bdaykitchen
15 years ago
That's awesome! Have you ever tried the same w/laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
bbstx
15 years ago
bday, I've never done it, but there are several threads where people have peeled the thermofoil off and painted their cabinets. Below is a link to one thread about it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamaspice's kitchen
madeyna
15 years ago
That is a stunning makeover .My daughter has old oak cabnets and I cann,t wait for her to see this. Did you only put on one light coat?
redroze
15 years ago
Ohmigosh...beautiful!!!
clwguy
15 years ago
wow, amazing job. and that was only 1 thin coat with touchups as needed?