Painting Formica Cabinets

Formica is a plastic laminate that is used on kitchen cabinets and kitchen counters. The main reason why Formica cabinets are popular is because these cabinets are easy to clean and they are also very affordable. Painting Formica cabinets is one way of improving the appearance of your cabinets though before painting Formica cabinets it is important to understand more about how to do the job in a proper manner. Here are some of the steps that need to be performed in order to paint Formica cabinets.

What you need

Here is a list of the things that you will need to have on hand in order to complete the job satisfactorily:

Ammonia
Rags
Fine sandpaper
Electric sander
Primer
Paint
Painter’s tape
Brushes
Roller
Drop cloth
Box cutter
Spackle

1. Remove doors and hardware

Remove the cabinet doors and remove all items of hardware. Next, take some ammonia (one cupful) and mix it with a gallon of water. Use this to remove all traces of grease and dirt from the cabinet doors. Allow enough time for the cabinet doors to dry.

2. Do the sanding

Start by sanding the Formica cabinet with some eighty grit sandpaper. You can also use an electric sander or you can use elbow grease. This will create enough roughness in the surface to allow the paint to stick to it when applied at a later stage. It is also necessary to give the cabinet a good wash with a mixture of vinegar and water. This will help in removing all traces of dirt from the surface. After washing, use a cloth to wipe the cabinet down and to dry it up as well. Be sure to sand the edges as well as sides of your cabinet.

3. Apply primer

Next, apply between two and three coats of primer to each surface that is to be painted. In between each application of primer, be sure to allow sufficient time for the coat to dry up.

4. Apply Red Japan Paint

After completing this step, it is then time to apply two coats of red Japan paint. After painting the two coats, sand the paint (after it has dried up completely) with some 220 grit sandpaper. The next step involves wiping away all the paint dust. This can be done with the help of a dry cloth.

Now, take some dark brown glaze and mix it with four parts of oil-based glaze and one part of mineral spirits as well as sufficient amount of burnt umber and burnt sienna tint. This will help you obtain a desired color. To the glaze, add some drops of Japan dryer to ensure that the glaze when applied will dry up faster.

5. Apply the glaze

Now, take the glaze and apply it to the cabinet. Use a paint brush for this task and then take a chamois cloth and soak it with water and then wring the cloth out well. Take the dried chamois cloth and wring it into a loose ball and then use it against the wet glaze. This will help in creating a mottled look.

After that, you need to take some clear acrylic spray and apply one coat of it to the cabinet. Be sure to perform this step only after the glaze has dried up completely. This will help in protecting the faux effect.

Now, replace the hardware and reattach your cabinet doors. The job is done!