Nail the back piece to the edges of the cabinet to secure them. To stop the cabinet box from moving while you assemble it, clamp a block of wood to your work table. You can push the cabinet frame against it to prevent it from sliding while you work. In (1.9 cm) plywood and cut the piece to fit the back of your cabinet. It should be as wide as the cabinet and as high as the top of your side pieces. However, manufactured wood is inexpensive and easy to work with.
Instead, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe away dust and grime from the metal. If there’s a particularly greasy or grungy spot, spray just a drop or two of cleaning solution onto your cloth, scrub the dirty spot, and then wipe the metal dry. A DIY cabinet painting project is relatively approachable, but it can be a time-consuming and tedious process. For best results, you’ll need to dismount the cabinet doors and remove the hardware, tape off the surrounding walls, and place a tarp to protect floors and countertops.
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She has over 20 years of experience writing about the home. Attach cleats along the length of your upper cabinet layout line. You could also use a laser level for a simple way to create an accurate reference line. Then, do the main field of the panel, and finish with the stiles and rails around the edges. Wait an hour, then sand the primer lightly with 280-grit paper.
DO wipe away the cleaner with a final rinse and a quick dry.
But while stripping may be the ideal for purists, it’s not always practical or absolutely necessary. A thorough cleaning followed by light sanding should be enough to prepare the surface for new paint. You’ll need a place to store cutting boards, cookie sheets, muffin tins, and other items that stack neatly on their sides. Choose a cabinet near your prep zone and add dividers that allow these items to stand on end. Removing the cabinet door makes them even easier to access.
Toekick trim covers the small gap between the base of your cabinets and the floor. Fit the toekick into place and drive small brads, also known as brass fasteners, into it to secure it. Push your cabinet flush against the wall and place your level across the top of it. Add shims beneath the cabinet or in the space between the wall and the back of it as necessary until the top and face are even and stable. Mark any plumbing lines and drill holes to fit them in the back of the cabinet. If you have any plumbing lines that need to run through your cabinet, push your cabinet against the line and mark the location on the back. Then, use a drill to create holes large enough to fit the lines.
Using a brush attachment and vacuuming down the cabinets after sanding is a good way to begin the process of cleaning. But for perfectly clean surfaces, you need to go beyond this. Lightly rubbing down with beeswax-impregnated tack cloth is the preferred method of fine carpenters and cabinet makers. When the tack cloth comes up clean, the cabinets, too, are clean.
Framed cabinets have more of a classic look than frameless cabinets. You’re on a kitchen-cleaning roll, disinfecting, degreasing, loading everything in sight into the dishwasher—stop! You want to keep your kitchen knives sharp and the handles in good shape, so do not put them into the dishwasher. The same goes with cast-iron skillets, which can rust, and crystal, which can crack or grow cloudy. Check our list of things to never put in the dishwasher before loading up. We love a cleaning tip that actually encourages less cleaning. Despite what you may have learned as a child, don’t rinse every speck of food off of your plates before loading them in the dishwasher.
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Check the cabinets to make sure they’re even along your walls. If there are any uneven sections, add shims to the space between the wall and your cabinets until they’re flush and even. Use 2-inch screws and drive them through the upper holes you created in the back of the cabinet and into the wall stud behind them.
Group like ingredients and products on labeled shelves to make it easy for anyone in the family to find or replace items. For example, dedicate pantry zones for paper products, canned goods, cereals, and baking supplies.
