Cabinet painting question

**daddys3chicks** · 01-19-2005, 09:55 AM

I am thinking about painting my kitchen cabinets to freshen up the room. They are wood laminate - do I have to sand before I paint? What if I pickle them or wash over them?

**paelthom** · 01-19-2005, 10:09 AM

I'll try and help you on this one. I painted my kitchen cabinets in my previous house. They were stained wood - the shiny kind of stain. First I cleaned them with this special cleaner that really cuts through the built up dirt and grease (seems like it was TSP - read and follow the directions carefully). I can't remember the name but I did buy it in the paint section at Lowes. Then I painted on Kilz Primer and then I used a good quality latex gloss paint. I put on 2 good coats of the paint and then I sponge painted over it lightly with a sage green to match the wall paint. Later on when I sold the house, the person who purchased it said the kitchen cabinets were one of her favorite things about the house. Hope that helps. Please feel free to ask me any questions and I'll try my best to help.

**DaisyLady** · 01-19-2005, 10:14 AM

There are paints that you can get especially for wood laminate. Regardless of what paint you use priming them is the most important step. If they are at all glossy or smooth you must rough up the surface first by sanding, then primer (the one Pat used is perfect) then you can paint and do whatever effects you like.

**seadream** · 01-19-2005, 10:14 AM

When I did mine, I lightly sanded them then put on a primer and then latex semi-gloss paint.

I did not sand all the way down to bare wood, just lightly sanded.

**PrairieRose** · 01-19-2005, 10:27 AM

I agree with what the ladies above have said. The most important thing is to rough them lightly and prime really well. Also buy good paint. You don't wanna have to be touching them up all of the time.

**daddys3chicks** · 01-19-2005, 03:52 PM

Cool! Thanks for the information!

**kimmee** · 01-19-2005, 04:10 PM

I did try pickling my cabinets in one house - I ended up stripping them and painting them and then pickling them - you can not pickle over laminate and you can not pickle with any sort of "look" over Kilz. I picked a desert sand color and then pickled that.