Make Your Old Kitchen New

Replacing your old kitchen cabinets

It can be very expensive. Why not do it yourself? If you can sand, paint, and use a screwdriver, then you can do this job. First, gather all your tools and materials, then remove all the doors and drawer fronts and the cabinet hardware. Next, using a sponge sander with very fine sandpaper, lightly sand all cabinet surfaces. Take your time, and be very careful.

Next, clean all cabinet surfaces with laquer thinner. Some cabinets, especially older ones, may take three or more times. When the cabinets are clean to your satisfaction, you are ready for the next step, priming the wood surface.

To prime the wood, use a primer that bonds with and fills the wood surface. With this step, make sure the room that you are working in is well ventilated, if possible, prime the doors and drawer fronts outside. Let the cabinets dry for 48 hours.

Now you are ready to paint your cabinets. Make sure to use satin paint (washable) and let the cabinets dry thoroughly between coats. If you prefer to stain your cabinets, make sure you use a sealer after the stain dries.

The last step is to reinstall the doors and the drawer fronts and put the hardware back on. You may want to buy new hardware after you see how good your "new" kitchen cabinets look!