Avoid These Types Of Paint When Refinishing Laminate Cabinets

Making updates to the kitchen is one of the things that can have the most impact on your home, both when it comes to your family's level of comfort and your home's value. While major upgrades and renovations can be useful, even refinishing your cabinets can help improve your kitchen significantly and potentially boost the value of your home. Painting can be a great way to transform laminate countertops on a budget, but can also be a great solution for cabinets as well.

In addition to choosing stunning kitchen cabinet colors, you should also be sure you're using the right type of paint and avoiding others. If you're refinishing laminate cabinets, in particular, something that doesn't tend to work very well is using latex or chalk paint. Because the surface of laminate is so smooth, it can be difficult to paint properly. Despite being recommended by some, latex paint isn't ideal because it's prone to chipping and may not adhere as well. Similarly, chalk paint also isn't the best choice because it can be thick. It's difficult to make it look smooth. Chipping is also a possibility with this type of paint. While adding a sealer can help protect it, it's best to consider alternative paint types for your laminate cabinets instead.

Since latex and chalk paint aren't ideal for laminate cabinets, what should you use? When painting cabinets, it's always a good idea to look for a paint that is specifically labeled for use on cabinets. Cabinet and trim paint are great options and will be self-leveling and very durable. These paints also won't require a top coat. They'll resist scratching and staining and won't fade as easily as other paints will. For laminate cabinets, in particular, you may also want to consider looking for paint that is specifically made for use on plastic or laminate surfaces. 

Generally speaking, enamel and oil-based paints work well on laminate cabinets and are usually more durable than latex paints are. Oil-based paint won't fade as easily as latex or chalk paint. Either semi-gloss, gloss, or satin finishes tend to work best on laminate cabinets. In addition to the paint, make sure to use a good primer as well. For laminate cabinets, water-based acrylic urethane primer is the best choice.

In addition to carefully considering your paint choice, be aware of some best practices and follow these genius tips for painting laminate cabinets. Remember that it's easiest to remove the hardware and take the cabinet doors down before painting them. Be sure to label the parts when doing so. Alternatively, you can also tape over the hardware instead. Once the painting is complete, you can then add the hardware again and hang the doors back up.

Be sure to clean the surface of the cabinets before painting them and sand them lightly beforehand. This will help the paint stick more easily. Laminates are often difficult to paint because they're so smooth, so a small amount of sanding can be worthwhile and will help the paint adhere to the surface. If necessary, add more coats of paint to get your cabinets looking their very best. Finally, consider applying a clear top coat to provide extra protection from moisture. However, not all paint requires this, so always consider the type you're using first.