Formica Cabinets

Being the most exposed and the most visible part of the kitchen, kitchen cabinets naturally get maximum attention by the homeowners. There are different types of kitchen cabinets, and Formica cabinets are the most popular of them all. The main reason behind the popularity of this brand of kitchen cabinets is their prices and excellent designs that enhance the kitchen decor. They are low cost and hence, they may not be the best option for the classes, but if you are running with a tight budget and want the best looking cabinetry, then Formica can be the perfect solution for you. Similar to the advantages, there are a few disadvantages that need personal attention. This happens especially when Formica gets worn out. However, you can easily learn more about refacing kitchen cabinets on your own and save a lot on your home improvement budget. The next section of the article is about the same tips and tricks that will give an entire new look to your worn out Formica. So, keep reading!

Refacing Formica Cabinets

As I said earlier, with a little bit of know how, you can easily learn about refacing kitchen cabinets. In case of Formica, which is an easy-to-wear-out kind of material, first you need to check whether the cabinets are in the condition that you can try resurfacing kitchen cabinets. Refacing Formica, is a complex process and many people do not second that idea. Since Formica is a high pressured laminated material, refacing may not hold as strong as it was at the time of installation. Hence, you may need to increase its thickness as a preparatory stage of refacing. You can use non flammable contact adhesive for that as well as refacing. You may also need to learn how to cut Formica for that. Rather than refacing, you may also use some paints that are made for laminated kitchen cabinets. That way, you will save the trouble and efforts of refacing these cabinets.

Painting Formica Cabinets

If you are aware of the proper techniques of painting Formica countertops, then you can easily learn how to paint these cabinets. First of all, you may need to gather the essentials like fine sandpaper, ammonia rags, primer paint, brushes, painter's tape, rollers, spackles, box cutter and drop cloth. Once you gather all the materials, then follow the instructions that are given below for painting kitchen cabinets:

• At the start, remove all cabinet doors and the rest of the hardware so that you can easily paint the cabinets. In case you are replacing the existing hardware, then fill the older hole with the help of spackle.
• Then clean all the cabinet doors thoroughly. For that use 1 cup of ammonia and a gallon of warm water. Once cleaned, allow the doors to dry well.
• Now, use sandpaper and sand the doors. You can either use elbow grease or an electric sander. See to it that you are sanding all the cabinet surfaces, especially the edges.
• Then, wipe the cabinets thoroughly with a rag or you can also use a tack cloth for the same purpose. If you find some areas that are not covered by paint, then cover them with the painter's tape. You should also cover the rest of the parts of the cabinet that you don't want to paint.
• Then apply 2 to 3 coats of a good primer and cover all the surfaces of the cabinet. If you see a few areas where the primer is not setting well, then you may have to wipe the primer again and sand it down before reapplying the primer.
• While painting, make sure that you let the first coat of primer dry before applying another coat. The final coat will take at least 12 to 24 hours to dry off. Once the primer is dried off, you can apply the desired interior painting color shade. Apply two coats of the color and let it fully dry.

Once the painted Formica cabinets dry, just run a box cutter along the edges of the cabinets so that you can give a proper finish. As the last step, replace the hardware and reattach the cabinet doors! Well on this note, I conclude this article about cleaning, painting and kitchen cabinet refacing made of Formica. I hope you found the article informative!