Honeybear Painting uses a strict step-by-step process to transform those old wood cabinets into beautiful factory-like finished cabinets. Attention to detail is something we all take pride in.
1. Preparation
Proper preparation is the key to any painting project. I'm very diligent in take the proper care in preparing the cabinets for painting. I remove all the doors and drawer facings first. I will take these to my shop for spraying.
If necessary, we wipe down all cabinets and doors prior to doing anything. I tape areas where the cabinets meet the wall or floor to ensure perfect lines. Next, we very lightly scuff/sand all wood to give the primer something to grab onto. I like to use 220 grit sandpaper. I follow this with wiping down the cabinets with a tack cloth to get any loose dust.
2. Priming/caulking
This is probably the most important step. Prior to painting, all the cabinets, doors, and drawer facings need to be primed. I spray prime the doors and drawers at the shop. However, I do the actually cabinets themselves by hand (brush/microfiber 4 inch rollers).
I don't like spraying in people's homes for obvious reasons. And the hand-finished cabinets will look great. The primer must be a high bonding primer to prevent chipping and scratching. I like to use a brand called Styx. In my opinion, its the best bonding primer on the market.
Once the prime coat is on, we can see what needs to be caulked.
We then lightly caulk any noticable seams and cracks. Filling the nail holes as well.
3. Finish Painting
Doors/drawer facings- At the shop, I will spray both sides with 2 coats of Sherwin Williams Proclassic Enamel. Proclassic is a self leveling latex enamel. Its very durable and gives a smooth finish.
Cabinets- Depending on the color, I will apply 2-3 coats of Proclassic by hand. Any imperfections are sanded in between coats to ensure a smooth finish.
4. Final Assembly
On the last day, I bring all the doors and drawer facings back to the kitchen. I will then reinstall them back into their original position with the same hardware. As I reinstall them, we do any touch-ups necessary. Once all installed, I will then go everything once last time to make sure everything is 100% perfect. Then pull the tape and the project is finished. I would recommend very light use for the next 30-45 days as enamel cures over time. It gets much harder and durable over time.
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