This post does is not about pretty pictures. I am tearing my home apart to paint my kitchen cabinets and family room walls and ceiling after all.
I bought some pears today for my next Cottages and Bungalows photo shoot, lined them up on the window sill and snapped some photos. I just couldn't help myself.
Now that I've gotten the pretty picture show-and-tell out of my system, here's the practical stuff. For those who don't know, I am in the process of painting just about every surface in my family room and kitchen. I'm in the thick of painting the cabinets, now, and there are lots of them. Fifty one doors to be exact.
Today one of the teenage girls in our youth group came to my house to help me out. She hadn't been able to find a summer job, so it worked out well for both of us...and she is such a trooper. She wiped down all of the cabinet doors with Gloss-Off. Someone asked what the purpose of using Gloss-Off was... First of all, it cleans the cabinets, which is really important. Cabinets get dusty and food splattered and coated in grease that will repel paint and it needs to be removed. Second, it knocks the shine off the surface a little and gives it more "tooth" for the primer to grab.
I used Gloss Off on the cabinet frames, sides and drawer fronts this morning and then started the priming. I'm using Zinsser primer and I've been really happy with it so far. It is a water based primer, but can be used with an oil or water based top coat.
I selected Benjamin Moore's Impervo in White in a satin finish. I've heard good things about this paint and it's what the experts at True Value suggested I use. It is oil based, but I am going to take the plunge and put it through my sprayer to use on the cabinet doors. It will save me hours, so it's worth the clean up.
For the cabinet faces, sides, trim and drawers, I am using this teeny-tiny trim roller and a Purdy brush.
Now I'm going to share one of my tricks with you. Do you want to know the greatest tool ever made to apply wood putty to fill cabinet knob holes? Hint: It's not a putty knife.
The human finger. I've applied wood putty to hardware holes with a putty knife for years until I finally figured out how much easier and neater it is to do with one finger. You do make a mess of your hands, but you have much more control over the application. Here's how I do it...
I scoop a pea-sized amount of wood putty onto my finger tip, then press it into the hole I want to fill.
I then swirl my finger around until the putty is smoothed out and flush with the cabinet or drawer front. I'll wait for the putty to dry and then apply one more thin coat, followed by sanding with a sanding sponge. Use your fingers again to make sure the surface is entirely smooth, so the holes will blend seamlessly when painted.
Oh dear...look at those finger nails. They've made it clear as day that I haven't had my spa day, yet. Okay, okay I'll do it when I'm done with all of my painting...
...promise.
