Here is a little Q & A for you all:
1- What did you have to do to prep the cabinets?
First I deep cleaned them, with it being a kitchen there are ALWAYS random grease spots and food you can't see.
Second, I taped off the edges and light sanded. If you are using chalk paint this step is optional. Our cabinets were very glossy, so I felt the outcome would be better if I sanded them first.
2-What paint did you use?
I used Rust-Oleum Chalked in Linen
3- Why did you go with Chalk Paint?
When I repainted the cabinets at our other house I used latex paint. This would have been ideal, IF the house was empty and I could have sprayed the cabinets. I did not feel like taping/masking off our house to spray the cabinets. I also had a bad reaction to latex paint last time I painted indoors with it. Yes, I know chalk paint is latex based, BUT it doesn't have the strong odor. I also knew that I could skip the step of primer if I used chalk paint. And if you have as many cabinets as I do, then you know that priming would have taken two days to do!
4- Did you take the doors off?
When I repainted our other cabinets I removed all hardware and took all the doors off. I learned a HUGE lesson that time....when you live in an older home sometimes it is best to not take apart something that isn't broken. After removing all of the doors and hardware last time I spent weeks trying to hang the doors all back right. If you have ever done cabinet work you know that hanging the doors is an art! So this time I felt like it was worth it to me to have a little paint on the hinges and have cabinet doors that stay shut and hang straight...then to fight with them. I have ZERO regrets about this. Leaving the doors on made it a thousand times easier to paint both sides of the doors and they could be drying at the same time. HUGE time saver!
5- Did you paint inside the cabinets?
No...I painted both sides of the doors, the fronts of the drawers, and the fronts of the bases. Our cabinets have liners in them (most of the liners are white)...so I just left the inside alone. If I ever get the urge this is something I can come back and do one cabinet at a time. I wasn't up for living weeks with my kitchen torn all apart.
6- How do you do this so fast?
This sort of brings me back to why I went with Chalk Paint vs Latex. So...when you use latex paint you have to give a 12-24 hour drying time between coats. Chalk paint dries within an hour (typically much faster)...so as I finished one coat on all cabinets, I was immediately able to do a second coat. I am also an extremely hyper focused person when I start on a project. I have a hard time walking away until it is complete.
7- What did you seal them with?
I haven't sealed them yet. I ordered Matte Clear and we will see if it will work. I will keep you all posted on this. I plan to try a few different types out on some scraps and see what will work best for us!
8- How many coats of paint did it take?
Our cabinets were oak (I think) with lots of grain in them. I wanted a smoother look. In most places I did three coats. Why did I do three coats? With chalk paint you can sand it down and make it smooth, almost flawless. I wanted to ensure I got the flawless look, and was able to hide the grain in the wood.
9- Will you help me paint my cabinets?
Ummm No...unless you are paying. Seriously, painting cabinets is not difficult...it is a lot of work, but if you take your time you can certainly do it on your own! Less is more with paint...you can always add more, but you can't take it away.
10- Did you replace the hardware?
No, the previous owners had newer hardware on them when we bought the house. I really liked the hardware and opted to keep it. Plus...replacing this much hardware can be so expensive!
Now for some before and afters, a couple of during photos, and my plans for the next projects!
This was the kitchen the week we moved in.
First task was the laundry area:
Paint under chair rail- Benjamin Moore's Wrought Iron
Frosted the mirrors on the laundry room door: Frosted Paint
Added wall paper
Changed the light fixture
Next up was the table, chairs, and shelf:
The table and chairs are painted with Chalked- Linen and Charcoal.
Sealed with Polycrylic
Chairs are covered with Premier Prints fabric (I swear by this brand)
The shelf is a super simple build. maybe one day I will DIY blog that for you :)
The island I found on Facebook market place.
The phone (which does work) was an ebay find.
The letters were in my other house and were bright colors, I painted them with the charcoal paint from the table.
My next project will be to add a new drop in stove and above range microwave. I will then turn the cabinets where the wall oven currently is into pretty display cabinets. I am picturing glass doors, with shelves and lights....like THIS (drooling). Once the new stove and all is fixed I want new counters/backsplash...white of course. Oh...and a new sink...
Then of course I have to figure out what color to paint the island. It is an off white, but I am unsure if I want to add another color or continue with a linen white?
If I missed any questions or you need more information please feel free to ask :)
I can't wait to see all of your updated cabinets!
