How I Painted My IKEA Sektion Cupboards

I’ve painted cupboards so many occasions in my DIY life that I’ve misplaced depend, however after I determined to make use of IKEA Sektion cupboards in my studio, the considered portray them made me nervous. I had by no means used IKEA cupboards earlier than, so I had no concept what the manufacturing facility end was like, or if they may even be painted. However after studying on the product description for my Veddinge doorways and drawer fronts that they had been manufactured from fiberboard, polyurethane paint, and acrylic paint, I felt assured that they may very well be painted.

And I’m so glad I went for it! Whereas I don’t have any part of cupboards fully completed but (the one which’s closest to being completed nonetheless wants a toekick), these cupboards have far exceeded my expectations, not solely in how they operate (I’m a large IKEA Sektion fan now!!), but in addition in how they appear. I completely love my pink studio cupboards.

Why Paint IKEA Cupboards?

I do know these of you who’re acquainted with IKEA cupboards and the superb manufacturing facility end that comes on these cupboards are most likely questioning, “Why on this planet would you paint these within the first place?” I get it. It’s a sound query. And the easy purpose is as a result of I had my coronary heart set on pink cupboards for my studio. And naturally, nobody has ready-to-assemble pink cupboards. Pink cupboards are at all times going to be a customized end.

However let me let you know, I’ve by no means want a lot that I used to be a white cupboard sort of individual! After I began opening up the IKEA packing containers and seeing the superb, sturdy manufacturing facility end on these doorways and drawer fronts, the thought that I used to be going to spoil such an ideal end sort of made me unhappy.

However…pink. The considered pink saved me transferring ahead. 😀

And because it seems, portray IKEA Sektion cupboards isn’t any completely different from portray another cupboards. The method is all the identical, so as soon as I obtained previous my preliminary nervousness of ruining the manufacturing facility end, the remaining all felt very acquainted to me. So let me present you step-by-step how I did it.

How To Paint IKEA Kitchen Cupboards

The cupboard doorways and drawer fronts that I ordered are the Veddinge type, that are fully flat on the entrance and the again. If you happen to preserve these as is, they’re absolutely the best to color, and all you want is a six-inch paint curler for clean surfaces.

However after all, I can’t go away effectively sufficient alone, so I made a decision so as to add trim to the fronts of my doorways and drawer fronts. This made the method a bit tougher and required a sprayer. However I’ll get to all of that in a minute.

Right here is my fundamental course of for portray these IKEA Sektion Veddinge doorways and drawer fronts:

1. Sand the fronts and backs to scuff up the manufacturing facility end, and take away the mud,
2. Prime the back and front of every door and drawer entrance,
3. Sand the primer on the backs of every door and drawer entrance to take away any imperfections, and take away the mud,
4. Paint the backs of every door and drawer entrance with two coats of paint, sanding calmly between coats,
5. Clear coat the backs of every door and drawer entrance with two coats of clear coat, sanding very calmly between coats,
6. With the backs fully dry and completed, sand the primer on the fronts, and take away the mud,
7. Paint the fronts with two coats of paint, sanding calmly between coats,
8. Clear coat the fronts with two coats of clear coat, sanding very calmly between coats,
9. Let the fronts dry totally (ideally a full day, no less than) after which set up!

Whenever you see the steps listed like that, the method doesn’t appear very intimidating, proper? In reality, it appears fairly easy. However most individuals get slowed down within the particulars. Ought to I spray? What if I don’t have a spot to spray? Can I brush? And if I brush, how do I do away with brush stroke?

It may be so much to suppose by way of, so let me present you precisely how I did it, what merchandise I used, and offer you some ideas alongside the best way.

Step 1 – Sand the manufacturing facility end

Step one was to sand the manufacturing facility end to present the floor some “tooth” for the primer and paint to stay to. I did this utilizing my electrical sander and 100-grit sanding discs. This IKEA manufacturing facility end is hard, and whereas I might typically begin with 150-grit, I discovered that the powerful IKEA manufacturing facility end required one thing extra abrasive.

There’s no must sand the complete end off. In reality, what you see within the photograph above was my very first one to sand, and I sanded it far more than essential. The purpose is to take away the tremendous shiny manufacturing facility end, however there’s no must sand by way of the paint all the way down to the naked materials.

Step 3 – Drill holes for cupboard {hardware} (optionally available)

I at all times suggest that in the event you’re going so as to add drawer pulls or knobs to the cupboards, drill these holes earlier than portray the cupboards. That means, if any errors are made, they are often mounted with some wooden filler and sanding earlier than you begin priming and portray. There’s nothing extra disheartening than drilling holes for {hardware} on freshly painted cupboard doorways and making a mistake.

Step 4 – Prime the back and front of every door and drawer entrance

In any case of that, I used to be lastly prepared to start out on the priming. I used Zinsser BIN Shellac-Based mostly Primer. That is nice stuff, and I used it as a result of it’s costly and I occurred to have it readily available from different tasks I’ve achieved just lately.

If I didn’t have this readily available, I might have opted for my different favourite Zinsser Oil-Based mostly Cowl Stain primer.

Each are unbelievable merchandise, however the oil-based is about half the value.

I utilized the primer to the backs of the doorways and drawer fronts utilizing a 6-inch curler for clean surfaces. Make certain the label on the curler says “clean surfaces”! And my private desire is those that really appear like miniature variations of rollers that you just’d use for partitions. I can’t stand these small foam rollers!

This primer dries fairly rapidly to the contact, however I allowed it about two hours of dry time, after which I sanded it calmly with 220-grit sandpaper. This didn’t require a lot work in any respect. This was only a very fast sanding with a view to take away any bubbles or imperfections which will have escaped my discover.

As a result of I made issues tough for myself by including the trim to the fronts, I couldn’t use the curler to prime the fronts. As an alternative, I had to make use of my little paint sprayer, which signifies that the job needed to be achieved exterior. If I had left the fronts plain, I might have used a curler to prime the fronts as effectively. After spraying the fronts with primer, I allow them to dry, after which calmly sanded them identical to I did the backs.

However I like a transparent coat end for sturdiness, so I caught with Behr Premium Plus, and I added Floetrol within the quantity specified on the directions. Floetrol helps to eradicate brush strokes in the event you’re brushing a end, and helps to eradicate that orange peel impact in the event you’re spraying or rolling a end.

After the primary coat, I gave it a fast sanding with 220-grit sandpaper.

After which I sprayed a second coat of paint on the backs.

Step 6 – Clear coat the again of every door and drawer entrance

I adopted that with two coats of my absolute favourite clear coat — Basic Finishes Excessive Efficiency Topcoat in a flat end. I rolled on the primary coat with a six-inch curler for clean surfaces, and let it dry. Then I gave it a fast sanding with 400-grit sandpaper, and adopted up with the second and remaining coat.

I left these to take a seat in a single day to dry earlier than beginning on the fronts.

Step 7 – Sand the primed entrance of every door and drawer entrance

I did the fronts in the identical sequence, beginning with calmly sanding the primer with 220-grit sandpaper.

Subsequent, I used my sprayer stuffed with my paint blended with Floetrol, and sprayed the primary coat, let it dry, after which gave it a light-weight sanding with 150-grit sandpaper earlier than spraying a second coat.

When the paint was totally dry (which doesn’t take lengthy in our present 100+ diploma climate), I sprayed the primary coat of clear coat, let it dry, after which very calmly sanded with 400-grit sandpaper earlier than spraying the second and remaining coat of clear end.

When sanding the primary coat of clear end, it’s crucial that you just use a really gentle hand, and keep away from sanding on the corners/edges of the piece. The clear coat end is at all times the thinnest on the corners and edges, and in the event you do a lot sanding in any respect in these areas, it’s nearly assured that you just’ll sand by way of the paint end and must do loads of touchups. I simply keep away from these altogether, and solely sand the flat surfaces.

After sanding the primary coat of clear coat, and earlier than spraying the ultimate clear coat (the coat that actually issues), I exploit my air gun attachment on my air compressor to ensure the entire sanding particles has been eliminated totally.

There could also be occasions that sanding the primary coat of clear coat might reveal a spot of primer.

In that case, I simply dip my finger into the paint, and dab it onto the spot. You can even use a really small craft paint brush for this. Simply make certain the touchup paint may be very clean, and let it dry totally earlier than spraying the ultimate clear coat.

Right here’s what that spot seemed like when it was dry.

So after these tiny contact up areas are dry, you’re able to spray the second coat of clear coat, and that’s it!

It’s a protracted course of, however it s a course of I’ve used for years now, and I’ve had a lot success with lasting, sturdy finishes.

I do know that portray cupboards may be daunting in the event you’ve by no means achieved it earlier than. However the benefit of paint is that it may possibly at all times be sanded in the event you make a mistake. If you happen to by accident stick your fingers into moist paint, simply let it dry, sand it, and check out once more. In case your end doesn’t prove as clean as you need it, make certain it’s dry, sand it, and check out once more. It’s actually not something to be terrified of.

Listed below are a couple of remaining ideas and ideas:

First, it actually doesn’t matter in the event you paint with a brush, a curler, or a sprayer. You will get an exquisite end with any of these instruments. If all you’ve got is a brush, I simply extremely suggest that you just use Floetrol in a model new quart or gallon of paint to get one of the best end. Don’t pull out an previous gallon of paint that’s been sitting in your storage room for a 12 months and suppose that you just’re going to get a fantastic end in your cupboards. Model new paint + Floetrol has at all times been the successful combo for me, and it really works superbly even in the event you’re going to brush the paint on.

Additionally, the best way by which I apply paint depends upon a couple of issues. For instance, if I had been portray fully flat doorways, just like the Veddinge doorways that are flat on the back and front, I might select to make use of a curler on all the things and with every step — primer, paint and clear coat — and I’d use a curler on each the backs and the fronts.

If I’m portray doorways and drawer fronts with trim or element that makes a curler impractical, clearly my choices can be a brush or sprayer. Which one I select depends upon issues just like the climate, the time of day I need to paint, and so forth. I solely ever spray exterior since I don’t have any sort of spray sales space inside, and I hate draping and taping off issues inside. So if I’m going to spray, I must have good climate with no or very low wind. If the climate isn’t good, or the one time I’ve for portray is after darkish, I’ll decide to color issues with a brush so it may be achieved inside.

So there’s actually no right reply. It’s all about no matter is handy for the time and the climate and the type of cupboards. However all three strategies of portray cupboards work simply wonderful, with some being extra environment friendly than others, however all three will get you to the end line. And so long as you are taking time to do every step (DON’T SKIP SANDING!!!), you possibly can find yourself with an exquisite end result.

Now there may be one factor to remember, and this can be a large one. At all times keep in mind than all three strategies of utility will lead to barely completely different sheens on the completed product. I can’t clarify it, however I’ve skilled this sufficient to know that even in the event you’re getting your paint out of 1 can all through the complete mission, in the event you brush one door and spray the subsequent, there will likely be a distinction in sheens.

So I warn you about that simply to say that when you decide a way for the door fronts and drawer fronts, keep it up. Don’t spray half of your cupboard fronts on a day with good climate, after which brush or roll the remaining as a result of it’s raining the subsequent day however you need to get the cupboards achieved. If you happen to begin off spraying the fronts, spray all of them. If you happen to begin off rolling some, roll all of them. If you happen to begin off brushing a few of them, brush all of them.

That is particularly vital with the ultimate coat of clear coat. I’ll admit that I didn’t comply with my very own recommendation for the paint on my cupboards. On in the future, I went out to spray the paint, and I used to be having all sort of issues due to the climate. It was 109 levels exterior that day with slight wind, so actually by the point the paint got here out of the sprayer and hit the floor of the cupboard door, it was half dry and making a powdery, tough floor as an alternative of the graceful floor I’m used to getting with a sprayer. So I ended up taking all the things inside that day and brushing on the paint.

However as soon as I obtained to the clear coat on the fronts, I sprayed each single certainly one of them. I made positive that these remaining two coats of clear coat had been achieved the very same means on each single door entrance and drawer entrance in order that there can be no variations in sheen as soon as they had been all put in. And so they look unbelievable!

I feel I’ve lined the entire steps that I used on this IKEA cupboard portray mission. However when you have questions, please be happy to ask!

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You may study extra about me right here.