Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets in Jacksonville, FLIf you want to spruce up the look of your existing kitchen, you can either buy new cabinets from a Jacksonville cabinet store or refinish your kitchen cabinets on your own. Refinishing your cabinets yourself can be rewarding -- not only because it's cost-effective -- but because it will give you a sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, it can easily turn into a nightmare if the results aren’t what you’d hoped for. Although there are cabinet refinishing services in Jacksonville, FL that will refinish kitchen cabinets for you, you may find that you have the patience to tackle the project on your own. Here you'll find a few helpful steps to get your project started.
Labeling everything
It's important to make sure that you know where all the hardware and pieces go when you refinish kitchen cabinets. After all, the last thing you want to do is forget where a part goes, as it will already be challenging to put everything back together -- imagine how much harder it would be if you couldn’t find a piece! Labeling every drawer and door might be time-consuming, but it will help you remember where everything goes, and you'll be thankful that you did later. A helpful tip: You can take a picture of all the parts and pieces, so it will be a lot easier for you to find what you’re looking for when you need it.
Begin by removing the drawers and doors
The most important aspect here is preservation. Putting a lot of care and attention into the removal process is extremely important. You want to remove the drawers and doors carefully to avoid any sign of damage - the last thing you want is for all of your hard work to be for naught. Numbering them can help a lot. All the loose pieces - such as screws, bolts, nuts, and the like - should be in a separate and secure container, just to be safe.
Clean everything up
When you refinish kitchen cabinets, you will notice that there's a lot of dust, dirt, and grime on your cabinets from all the cooking you do in your kitchen over time. Taking a dry cloth and a sponge and wiping everything down is extremely important, and it will offer you some great results and tremendous value. It will take a little bit of patience to do this properly, but you'll be happy that you did not skip this step in the end.
Filling in the gaps
At this point, you want to make sure that any wood holes are filled in. Keep in mind that you are repairing the old cabinets to make them look like new again. Filling in the gaps and smoothing everything down is a significant part of the refinishing process, and it’s important to consider. After all, you want to make sure that the job is done right.
Sanding the cabinets
After using fillers, you will have to sand down everything. Sanding down the cabinets will help remove debris. But at the same time, sanding also gives the cabinets a more appealing and polished look. Remember that sanding is essential, especially if you want to get to the painting step without any headaches; otherwise, there will be challenges. You should also consider wiping everything down after you are done with the sanding. Usually, sanding will leave some dust layers, so you have to make sure that you clean the surface adequately. Proper cleaning is a must, especially if you want to get great results for the money.
Priming
Sanding is indeed a crucial step, as it helps you prepare for the painting process. After sanding, you need to apply some primer on the surface so you can paint adequately. Leaving blemishes on the cabinet will lead to problems - primer can help alleviate these blemishes.
Priming your cabinets is not as hard as it seems. The only challenge here is that it requires dedication, and you have to take your time and adapt to the process. Once you've got the hang of it, nothing will stand in your way. It's a matter of keeping everything ready for the painting process.
Painting the first coat
You need to make sure that you are painting more than one coat to get the professional look that you want. Ensure that the primer is dry and that the drawers are clean before you begin painting. In some (very rare) situations, you might be able to get away with one coat of paint - but don’t count on it. So you have to do this adequately, and if you tackle it right, the payoff alone can be impressive and rewarding at the same time. Typically, 2-3 coats will do the trick.
Sanding between every coat of paint will help achieve the perfect look. On this step, you'll need sand lightly. Cleaning the surfaces after each sand will be mandatory for quality. But once you do this, you will have a fantastic coat of paint that will start looking better and better. If you do this correctly, you'll be happy with the results of refinishing your cabinets yourself, saving you thousands of dollars.
Replacing the doors and adding hardware
In the final step, consider replacing the doors and installing new hardware. We recommend you to do that because it's convenient and straightforward, but also adds a fresh new look. Since you went through all the trouble to refinish most of the cabinets, you should install new hardware and doors. Everything will look great in the end, and you will have a fantastic value.
To wrap it up
If you want to refinish your kitchen cabinets in Jacksonville, FL, give these steps a try and follow every tip that we’ve outlined here. It's not the simplest thing that you will do, but it will lead to a satisfying experience. Plus, if you refinish kitchen cabinets, you get to save a lot of money. If you find this project to be overwhelming, hiring professionals to complete the process is your next option. Contact A New Leaf Painting in Jacksonville, FL, for your kitchen refinishing needs!
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