A few months ago I noticed my kitchen cabinets started to crack and peel away. Crack and peel away?! I had NEVER seen this happen before. These cabinets were covered in laminate. LAMINATE. I know that might not be shocking to some, but to me it was bizarre. After getting frustrated with how they were looking I tore off all the laminate and was left with these odd feeling, sawdust looking doors.
DIY Kitchen Cabinet Remodel
Technically they are MDF- medium density fiberboard doors. These cabinets are on the cheaper side of the kitchen world. Naturally, that is what the builders decided to use in this house. Thanks guys. There was no way I wanted more laminate and forking over the dough required to upgrade the cabinetry was out of the question. I asked my old pal Google if it was possible to paint MDF cabinets. Sure enough it is possible. As long as you are mindful of the fact they are very porous.
This DIY Kitchen Cabinet Remodel is an easy way to spruce up your kitchen. With a little elbow grease, a helpful friend, and husband to help clean, you can save yourself a lot of money. This whole project cost under $100!
Materials Needed:
- 120 Grit Sandpaper
- 2 Small Roller Handles (if you are doing this solo, just one)
- 4 inch Foam Rollers
- 2 Medium 2 inch Foam Brushes (available on Amazon but I don't think you need 48)
- Oil Based Primer
- 1 Gallon Satin Paint
- TSP Substitute Cleaner
- Paint Tray
- Painter's Tape
- Drop cloths or old sheets
- An awesome Husband*
- An equally awesome Friend*
*not available in stores. Sorry!
DIY Kitchen Cabinet Remodel: How to Reface Laminate Cabinets
Step 1: Peel off the laminate.
This wasn't that difficult since most had dry rotted and began to flake away. The others only required a little pressure on the seams with a flathead screwdriver.
Step 2: Empty out the Cabinets and clean inside them.
Also clean the outside. We used the TSP substitute cleaner to get the grime off.
Note: Do not use this on the pressed cardboard cabinet doors. They are porous.
Step 3: Remove Doors and Doorknobs
Step 4: Tape off the cabinets and sand the surfaces.
Step 5: Prime using an oil based primer.
This dries pretty quickly. We applied 2 coats total.
Step 6: Paint the cabinets with the white satin gloss.
We ended up doing 2 coats. Since paint takes longer to dry than primer, we painted one coat Tuesday and the second coat on Wednesday.
Note: The first coat of paint should be thinly applied. Do not cake it on.
Step 7: Rehang doors, add knobs, and enjoy your beautiful new cabinets!
Next up are those green laminate countertops. I've never been a fan of them. I have a feeling I will have to pay someone to do those!
What household project are you tackling this Summer?
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I love how it came out. You must be so excited.
They look fabulous and such a bright modern update! Great job!
Well look at that! You did great. That must feel so good to have such an awesome upgrade for cabinets.
Those turned out great! Thanks for the tips on how to paint them. I’d like to repaint mine soon.
I have a few big jobs to do this summer that’s going to cost us some money. Wish me luck! BTW your cabinets look amazing now!
I love the look of the light and bright cabinets! I painted ours a few years ago and it is so much work but so worth it. This summer I am busy working on my front yard.
Wow- you guys are doing a great job. We redid our cabinets years ago and it was a lot of work.
Love it! You must be happy to have such an awesome upgrade for cabinets. We have some cabinets in the bathroom we want to upgrade, maybe I will try a DIY!
Well, we were trying to get the toys into the basement and then we had a flood so now we are ankle deep in a renovation ourselves. The painter finished yesterday so now we are waiting for flooring and our baseboards to be re-installed. Then we paint the last 3 doors and a window well and we are DONE!! Then it’s on to changing out the flooring in the main floor. That is going to be the next big job.
Wow! They look gorgeous! I’ll have to keep this in mind when we move!
Wow, you did a great job!! We are in need of redoing our kitchens and cabinets! I’ve taken note! Thanks!
It turned out fabulous. I like a white kitchen. Makes it seem more open.
The cabinets look so fresh and updated! What a gorgeous revamp. Well done!
They look exactly like my cheapies! Now I know what to do to fix them up. It turned out fabulously well!
My current home remodeling is looking into building a porch with a ramp. Mom is having trouble getting up the stairs so we are trying to do this on our own.
Wow, you have no idea how timely this is for me! You may have inspired us to try redoing our cabinets ourselves. Yours came out beautiful!
What a great job. They look wonderful and for only $100. That is wonderful. It is amazing what you can do with a little elbow grease.
These look great! A job well done.
It looks nice after renovation. Good job