Good Morning Family, Friends and DIY'ers! The time has come for me to share my DIY Kitchen Cabinet Makeover in our Colorado home. It is a process that cannot be rushed and patience along with a sturdy back, hands and arms are required. I still have about eight more cabinets to do. I will be sharing before and after photos of our Kitchen cabinets along with a supply list and the real facts on how I successfully stripped, sanded, and painted our builder grade Oak cabinets. This type of project is perfect for those months that require an individual to be indoors more than outdoors. So without further delay let's proceed! ![]()
I have always loved a white Kitchen! Many of you will remember our white gourmet Kitchen in Rockwall, Texas. My Texas Kitchen was a dream Kitchen which my husband and I designed. So with that same design in mind, we are ever so slowly creating an abbreviated version of that dream white Kitchen right here in our Colorado Cottage Home. ( More details to come as we remove the old granite, tile, lighting and floors in our Colorado home.) ![]()
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here we go! ![]()
As you can see this Kitchen needs some real love and a gas line for a gas range...once you have cooked with gas figuring out the low, high and medium of an electric range is a tad bit daunting and then just imagine adding high altitude cooking...help! I need Julia Childs! ![]()
Supplies Needed For A DIY Kitchen Cabinet Makeover: ![]()
1. Rubber gloves 7. Sand Paper (100 grit) 2. Painter plastic drop cloths 8. Steel Wool 3. Paper Towels 9. Metal Bucket 4. Newspaper 10. Putty Knife 5. Paint Brushes 11. Screw Driver ( Or drill with attachment) 6. Wire Brush 12. Klean- Strip 1 gal. Sprayable Stripper 13. Kiltz 14. White Enamel or Semi-gloss Paint 15. 4 inch sponge rollers and roller (2 packages of rollers) ![]()
Directions For DIY Kitchen Cabinet Makeover When doing this project please make sure you are in a well ventilated space. I used our garage and an old work table. The fumes from the stripper are quite strong and truly this a messy project! Wear tattered clothing, worn out shoes and an old apron and please, please don't forget those safety goggles and rubber gloves. Once the stripper begins working it sort of bubbles as all of that old varnish and stain begin to loosen, sort of looks like an ooey gooey version of a praline. ![]()
Using a screwdriver or drill with the appropriate bit remove all of the drawers and doors and pulls from Kitchen cabinets. Spread a drop cloth on top of a work table then place the cabinet doors and drawers that you will be working on top of the drop cloth. ![]()
Put on rubber gloves then spray or paint a generous amount of stripper onto the face of the cabinet door or drawers. I worked on bundles of 3-4 at a time. Wait 15- 20 minutes and then scrape off the softened lacquer with a putty knife, starting at the top and scraping down. Let the gel finish fall onto the drop cloth. Repeat process until all the goo is removed. Wipe down the doors with paper towels. ![]()
Sand all surfaces with 100-grit sandpaper. If the cabinet has integrated profiled moldings, use a wire brush to get into the nooks and crannies. Re-sand the cabinets with 100-grit sandpaper. Sand parallel to the grain on all surfaces until the wood has a consistent look. I took my cabinet doors and drawers into our guest bathroom and gave them a good washing in the bathtub. I didn't soak them, just cleaned them up real good and then set them down to dry. ![]()
I let them dry about 3 hours and then applied my first coat of Kiltz. I always let my paint dry longer than recommended because I just don't want any chips or honestly ever have to repaint these cabinets again. Once was enough for me! ![]()
Once the Kiltz had dried I applied my first coat of Behr semi-gloss white paint. I let it dry overnight and then applied the second the coat in the morning. I waited 24 hours before installing the doors, drawers and pulls. ![]()
Would I do it all over again...the teetering on ladders, the smelling of toxic fumes, the contortions, the sore back and the exhaustion?? Well of course! I saved us $20,000 dollars in new cabinets and the project took about one month. Was it enjoyable-NO! But I sure do have a sense of satisfaction and maybe a little backache combined with a whole lot of joy. Up Next....gardening, raised flower beds and whole lot of sunflowers! ![]()
Thanks so much for stopping by! XOXO
