Cabinet Refinishing

Doors and Drawers 1. Preparation: •Take before photos •Remove all doors and drawers from the cabinets. •Label the hardware and store it in the respective cabinets or drawers. Tape the screws to the hinges and label. Also place the door handle screws back into the handles. •Top hinges go in the top shelf, bottom hinges in the bottom shelf. If no shelves place the top hinge at the back of the unit and the bottom hinge towards the front. •Transport the doors and drawers back to the workshop. 2. Cleaning: •Clean all doors and drawers with a degreaser and drill brush. •Rinse them using clean, damp microfiber cloths. 3. Sanding: •Sand the doors and drawers using 180 or 220 grit sandpaper. •Dust off and wipe down the surfaces after sanding. 4. Setting Up the Spray Area: •Set up the spray booth and spray racks. •Install dust collection fans and lights. 5. Priming: •Mix the primer with 5% hardener by volume and strain it while loading it into the sprayer. •Spray the primer on the back sides of the cabinets using a 308 or 310 spray tip. •Clean the sprayer immediately between all coats of paint or primer. •Allow the primer to dry. •Spray the primer on the front sides of the cabinets. •Allow to dry thoroughly. 6. Inspection and Preparation: •Check the cabinets with an inspection light. •Apply red glazing putty where needed. •Sand the entire surface, including the filled areas, with 320 grit sandpaper. 7. Applying the Top-Coat: •Mix the top-coat (typically dull rubbed sheen) with 5% hardener by volume and strain it while loading it into the sprayer. •Spray two coats of the top-coat on the back sides of the cabinets, lightly sanding with 600 grit sandpaper between coats if necessary. •Clean the sprayer immediately between all coats of paint or primer. •Repeat the top-coat process on the front sides of the cabinets after they have dried. •Allow the doors and drawers to dry thoroughly. 8. Wrapping: •Wrap the doors and drawers with packaging foam to protect all surfaces. •Bundle smaller parts together, if necessary. Cabinet Boxes on site 1. Preparation: •Doors and drawers will be removed •Mask all floors (Tape paper to paper – not to the floor. This can damage the floor) •Mask counters, backsplashes, light fixtures etc. •Determine if the walls and ceilings are being repainted. Mask if they are not. 2. Cleaning: •Clean all boxes with a degreaser. •Rinse them using damp microfiber cloths. 3. Sanding: •Sand the boxes using 180 or 220 grit sandpaper. •Dust off and wipe down the surfaces after sanding. 4. Setting Up the Spray Area: •Set up the spray booth. Lower or close the plastic walls to isolate the spray area. •Install dust collection fans and lights. 5. Priming: •Mix the primer with 5% hardener by volume and strain it while loading it into the sprayer. •Spray the primer on the cabinets using a 308 or 310 spray tip. •Clean the sprayer immediately between all coats of paint or primer. •Allow the primer to dry. 6. Inspection and Preparation: •Check the cabinets with an inspection light. •Apply red glazing putty where needed. •Sand the entire surface, including the filled areas, with 320 grit sandpaper. 7. Applying the Top-Coat: •Mix the top-coat (typically dull rubbed sheen) with 5% hardener by volume and strain it while loading it into the sprayer. •Spray two coats of the top-coat on the cabinets, lightly sanding with 600 grit sandpaper between coats if necessary. •Clean the sprayer immediately between all coats of paint or primer. •Allow the cabinets to dry thoroughly. Reinstalling the cabinet doors and drawers 1. Unmasking: •Remove all the masking from the cabinet openings •Remove the spray booth walls •Leave the masking on the floors and counter tops for now 2. Installation: •Unpackage the door and drawer fronts one at a time and install them one at a time. •The hardware should be easy to locate as noted in the disassembly section. •use a screw driver or drill set to a low setting. Do not over-drive the screws. •Perform adjustments to the doors and drawers to improve the gaps 3. Inspection: •Visually inspect the work. Are there any missed spots? Was there damage from installation? Are the door and drawer gaps even and straight? Do all the cabinets open and close properly? •Correct any deficiencies. Repaint as necessary. •Paint walls and ceilings now if part of the scope of work. •Remove the floor and counter protection. •Walkthrough the project with the clients. •Take after pictures and videos Safety 1. Personal protection: •Respiratory protection: make sure you have good charcoal filters and fresh pre-filters. •Wear gloves when handling any paint, primer, or cleaning chemicals. •Wash clothing regularly. •If you are spraying – wear the re-usable automotive grade spray suits. Paper suits can shed fibers into the work. •Don’t forget your spray shoes. This will ruin your steel toes.