Painting Ideas & Tips
  • June 4, 2018
  • Home Renovations

Painting Oak Cabinets

Painting an oak cabinet is not as simple as painting other types of wood. You can change the look of the oak cabinets, and a whole kitchen renovation may not be needed. A fresh coat of right paint at the right time would bring a new life to your kitchen once again. Oak is that type of wood whose grains are visible even after painting. You cannot hide all the grain of oak cabinet, but with some careful steps followed you could cover the visible grain.

Steps to be Followed for Oak Cabinet Painting

Preparation of the Oak Cabinets for Painting :
  • With the help of the screwdriver, carefully remove all the cabinet doors. Make markings to identify for which cabinet is fitted with which door.
  • To remove all the impurities and dirt, clean the cabinet doors with trisodium phosphate. This chemical is found in all the hardware stores.
  • Allow the wood to dry from the chemicals applied for cleaning.
Cleaning the Oak Cabinets :
  • Now it’s time to clean the Oak Cabinets.

Using a sandpaper clean the surfaces of the cabinets. After completing the sanding, clean off the dirt using a soft cloth.

  • The cabinet should be clean before primer is added to the surface.
Applying the Primer :
  • Prime the surface of the cabinet with the selected primer.
  • Apply one coat of Primer and allow it to dry.
  • Lightly apply the sandpaper to remove the grains and go for a second coating of Primer.

If a Professional painter advises you to apply thick primer for proper filling of the oak surface, then use a thick primer for the surface.

  • Do the same process for the doors of the cabinet.
Applying the Paint for the Doors and Cabinet :
  • Apply a coat of latex paint for the cabinet doors and drawers of the cabinet.
  • You can use roller or sprayer for applying the paint for the cabinets and doors.
  • After the first coating is completed, allow the paint to dry for at least one day.
  • You can apply further coats of paint if necessary, but a second coating is a must.
  • Let the coat to dry for at least one week before the doors are installed on to the cabinets.

How to Hide or Minimize the Visible Grain on Oak Cabinets

Spackling is the best process to eliminate or minimize the grain of the cabinets.

  • Using a knife apply a thin layer of sparkle to the surface of the cabinets.
  • After a few minutes of drying, using the sandpaper, sand the surface of the cabinet to leave a smooth finish to the cabinet surface.
  • After the sanding is completed, wipe away the dust using a smooth cloth.
  • After removing the dirt, only spackle will be left on the little crevices of the wood grain.
  • This process makes the surface smoother allowing the primer and paints application easier.

Conclusion

Painting oak cabinets seem simple at first, but to hide all the visible grains, your kitchen cabinets need professional hands. We at Executive Touch Painters in Toronto offer expert kitchen renovation services in which cabinet painting tops our list. Contact or Call us at (416)-410-0164 to get a Free Estimate to paint your oak cabinets today.