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preparing kitchen cabinets

2K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  sirwired 
#1 ·
I just bought a house and don't know how old the cabinets or the what type of paint they have. I believe it's oil based. The cabinets are not actual wood they are manufactured.

What should I do before I start painting? I guess I need to sand and prime it but do I need to strip the previous paint? If so which stripper?

One more question. Is it okay to use the same brush for both the paint and the primer?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
You do not need to strip the existing finish. Instead:

Clean: Since these are Kitchen cabinets, they almost surely have a grease film. TSP (Tri-Sodium-Phosphate), followed by a rinse will serve you well. Look for TSP at paint stores.
Scuff-sand: This means give the whole surface a once-over with sandpaper to dull the surface.
Tack: This means you use a tack-cloth and/or sponge to remove the sanding dust.
Prime: Use an oil-base primer recommended by your paint store.
Sand: Sand and tack again to smooth out the primer coat.
Topcoat: Use a quality waterbourne acrylic enamel from a paint store (not BigBoxCo)
Sand and tack again
2nd Topcoat

Use only the best materials, and practice on some scrap ahead of time if you can. You want to make sure your brush technique leads you to a nice finish using your coating of choice. Many cities have a Habitat for Humanity Building Supply Surplus Store that you could pick up a bunch of doors at to practice on.

If you clean it well, you can use the same brush for paint and primer. (Of course, if you use oil-base primer, and water-base finish, make sure the brush you buy can be used for both.)

SirWired
 
#3 ·
Thank sirwired. One more question. How long can I wait between primer and the first coat? And first coat to second coat. I would like to sand and prime it today but don't know if I have time to put the paint during the week. I would like to know if I can wait until next weekend.
 
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