I've taken on the task of repainting my old kitchen cabinets, which were these dark, cheap laminate types. I thought a fresh white coat would really spruce things up. I checked out a few YouTube videos that made it look super easy—just clean them and paint! So, I bought some white spray paint designed for furniture, did a little sanding on one door for good measure, and got started. Now, three days later, I'm facing a peeling disaster. The paint is sticky in some areas and flaking off in big chunks everywhere. I'm feeling pretty defeated. Can I salvage this situation, or have I ruined my cabinets for good?
7 Answers
Oh boy, you can't just spray paint over laminate like that! It needs serious prep work, including specific primers and proper cabinet paint to ensure it sticks. If you're really wanting a lasting upgrade, sometimes the best solution is replacing the cabinets altogether. If you need durable options, checking out Highland Cabinetry could be a good start for you.
Seems ruined at this point. Maybe consider hiring a pro next time, haha!
It's essential to remove all the bad paint. Sand it down to get a rough texture, wipe with a tack rag, and wash with TSP before rinsing well. Then use a high-quality bonding primer; I recommend STIX by Benjamin Moore. Finally, paint using a good acrylic paint. I personally love Benjamin Moore products.
Honestly, just read the instructions on the paint can next time. It's vital!
The key to painting cabinets is all in the prep. You need to thoroughly clean off any grease, which means using a degreaser. Just a bit of sanding isn't enough; the cabinets really should be sanded well, primed, and then painted with a product designed specifically for cabinets. Honestly, this isn't a quick weekend job!
Will definitely take more care next time. I'm feeling pretty bummed too, haha!
You'll need to strip off the bad paint and sand it down properly.
I've painted laminate a few times myself. Like others mentioned, a lot of prep is a must. Start by cleaning the surface with a good cleaner—TSP works wonders. Then, sand everything down to make it rough. After that, apply a high-bonding primer followed by a quality topcoat, ideally a 100% acrylic paint. Some folks have even used latex wall paint successfully, just make sure it's suitable for your project's exposure.
Guess I should've done more research, smh. I'll definitely check them out if I can't fix this... I really hope I don't have to replace them; that would suck! At least I learned a lesson, lol.