One way to get discount cabinets is to purchase them unfinished and do the rest yourself. There are three mistakes you can easily avoid when painting or staining unfinished cabinets. They may seem simple (and they are), but many people forsake these crucial steps and end up unhappy with their results. You don’t need to be a pro to get the best kitchen cabinets. Don’t do these things, and you’re already halfway there.
Not Sanding
A lot of people skip sanding because they don’t know what it actually does for their finishing project. Any unnecessary work is cast aside because, well, who wants to do more work than they have to? But sanding is one of the most important steps in prepping your wood.
Wood is a creation of nature; therefore, it is subject to all of nature’s imperfections. Wood is full of knots, grain, nicks, and all sorts of character. Sanding smoothes imperfections, but also opens up the pores of the wood so stains can absorb evenly. If you paint without sanding, your paint could be peeling off your cabinets within the first year. When you sand the wood, you are giving the paint a better surface to bond onto. White kitchen cabinets or black kitchen cabinets—it doesn’t matter. Always sand before you paint or stain.
Not Applying Primer
Most people know primer goes on before paint, but they’re not really sure why. Primer performs different functions, and they’re all to give you smooth, long-lasting results. Primer is like a glue that holds the paint onto the surface. It not only acts as a bonding agent to your unfinished cabinets, but it also protects the wood from the paint itself (and all other shenanigans that may be going on in your kitchen). While a finishing spray ensures the durability of your paint from on top, the primer also protects your paint from below. So, really, primer is doing double duty by protecting both the wood and the paint.
Painting Too Thick
Impatience is the running trend towards disaster, isn’t it? It’s understandable; you’re eager to see those new kitchen cabinets up and ready for use. Instead, apply about two to three thin coats of paint to your unfinished cabinets, allowing each layer to dry for four hours before applying the next. Some mistakenly believe that you completely cover the wood with one thick layer of paint. Thick paint produces bubbles and dries funny. You’ll get the best kitchen cabinets with that sleek, factory-finish look by using thin coats over thick ones.
RTA cabinets are easy to paint and stain. Visit our website to find out how.
