Has anyone successfully painted gloss finish kitchen cupboard doors?
The kitchen in our new house is a bit tired but we're not ready to replace it yet. It's gloss white and some of the trim and panels have yellowed. I'd like to make it look a bit better but probably only needs to last another 5 years max.
There seem to be two options, wrap it or paint it. Wrapping the doors would probably be straight forward but doing the end panels and side panels would be much more tricky. So I'm wondering if painting would be better/easier?
I've got a spare door I can test paints on.
Option 3, there's several companies who will replace just the doors.
Has anyone successfully painted gloss finish kitchen cupboard doors?
I did some for a customer many years ago. I used eggshell paint, brushed on, and the results were really good. No idea how they lasted, or reacted to knocks/scrapes.
The doors are generally ok with the worst of the yellowing on the edge of end/side panels. So just doing the doors isnt an option. There are companies who do the wraps too.
Unless you spray them, I think it'll look terrible. All brush marks etc.
There was a recent thread on this iirc.
It might be possible to t cut it. I did my very yellowed white fridge and it worked.
Painting would also work, I'd user zinser and a small roller. Just done a load of woodwork and it is a really good finish.
Our spare bedroom was completely fitted out with cupboards and drawers in beige wood effect plastic. The coloured plastic skins started to delaminate so we peeled them off and painted an off white colour. Looks good, well much better than wood effect plastic IMO.
They do look painted, so obviously brushed of rollered on rather than the perfect flat skim of usual kitchen cupboards.
We used Johnstone's cupboard paint which is relatively cheap. Sorry for the poor picture. Difficult to get a tall narrow cupboard in one picture.
Also reused the top cupboards that used to go over the bed in the utility room but painted green to nearly match the other cupboards in there. Not a 100% perfect job but loads more tool storage for minimal outlay.
PS cupboard style may not be first choice but we couldn't afford to replace 3 large corner cupboards and drawers between in the spare room. It's really useful storage.
Unless you spray them, I think it'll look terrible. All brush marks etc.
Interior doors on many houses are painted – I don't recall noticing one and thinking it looked terrible.
OP – speak to your local trade paint counter and see what they recommend.
Option 3, there's several companies who will replace just the doors.
That's what we did, can recommend a place in Stockport if you're interested
Unless you spray them, I think it'll look terrible. All brush marks etc.
Not true. Probably the most expensive kitchens are hand painted - it's not that simple to get right though.
We painted a cupboard door (not kitchen, but still a laminated MDF door) with I think Ronseal cupboard door paint. It went on well and looks good.
Option 4 - there’s a fair few companies that will come in to your house and spray paint your cabinets and doors. Obviously more expensive than doing it yourself, but far cheaper than a new kitchen. If the cabinets are structurally ok and you don’t mind the style of them, getting them professionally painted may well push back the replacement by a few years - at least it did for us, it was meant to be an interim measure c 5 years ago and still can’t see a reason to replace it
I've thought about doing this. When I eventually get around to it, it'll be Dulux Diamond Satinwood paint followed by Polyvine Decorators Varnish.
The Dulux stuff self levels really nicely so brush marks disappear and the Polyvine stuff seems to be indestructible. I used it on a media unit in the lounge and toy cars, trains, blocks and spoons in the hands of an enthusiastic 2yo haven't made a dent in it yet. And she really, really tries.
I wouldn’t.
I did ages ago on old pine kitchen due to lack of money. whilst the finish was fine as I spent time ribbing down between coats it took bloody forever. Don’t underestimate just how much there is to do. I think it was 13 or 15 doors front and back plus the frames. Massive undertaking.
go with a professional spray company.
Unless you spray them, I think it'll look terrible. All brush marks etc.
Not true. Probably the most expensive kitchens are hand painted - it's not that simple to get right though.
I know. I used to make them. We had professional painters come in and paint them by hand. It's a taste thing as I still think they looked crap brush painted.
Depends what look you're after I suppose and what suits the door.
Traditional style doors maybe brush painted but flat panel doors are much better and crisper sprayed imho.
I'm torn between painting and wrapping as the doors will be easier to wrap, but the fiddly bits like edge panels etc, will be easier to paint.
I could get some paint and wrap then see. I've been recommended Zinsser All Coat by my local paint supplier
Why not do the edges in a contrasting or near colour then wrap them maybe.(If that's possible to wrap to a sharp edge? Don't know nuffin about it)
I used V33 renovation paint from B & Q with fairly good results, 5 years on it's starting to look tired but it looked pretty good initially. If I did it again I'd more aggressively sand the existing finish and I'd use a better quality lacquer over the top, used a B & Q water based one on the bottom doors that didn't finish well but has lasted. Upper doors I didn't lacquer so they've started to mark / chip. I used a small foam roller and a brush for the more intricate bits.
My parents had their kitchen doors/end panels sprayed. I thought they were mental and that it'd look crap/chip off easy etc but 2 years down the line and they still look brand new (despite my mad hound planting his paws on the doors each time we go to have a look whats on the worktops etc). Pretty impressed TBF.
I got a quote for getting our kitchen sprayed, it was very expensive.
So we got our regular decorator to paint them. He did an excellent job and you can't tell they have been painted.
I think he put some oil or something in the paint.
No doubt if I tried DIY it would of looked shit.
We did it last year. Used B&Q to colour match and went for their most expensive option for the paint itself.
Egg shell finish, so matt not gloss. Applied with a 5" roller and a brushes. Brush marks aren't obvious.
Looks great, although is can chip if you knock it.
Don't underestimate the amount of prep!
Our doors were solid wood, so easy to paint. Does chip occasionally, but we've a tin and a 'bit' left to do top ups. Doing the floor shortly, so I'll smarten it up again.
