Comments on: Karmi tests a new way to strip and then paint metal kitchen cabinets, Palm Springs Stephan approves http://retrorenovation.com/2008/10/03/karmi-tests-a-new-way-to-strip-and-then-paint-metal-kitchen-cabinets-palm-springs-stephan-approves/ A place for your postwar 40s 50s and 60s style kitchens, bathrooms and mid century modern home aesthetic. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:33:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Fred http://retrorenovation.com/2008/10/03/karmi-tests-a-new-way-to-strip-and-then-paint-metal-kitchen-cabinets-palm-springs-stephan-approves/comment-page-1/#comment-28112 Fred Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:53:39 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=5259#comment-28112 For people looking to update or preserve metal cabinets but working on a budget, I can add another voice supporting the foam roller method. My kitchen has Capital brand metal cabinets installed in 1955. The original color was "Fern Green" and the interiors are still that color. Previous owners painted the doors, drawers and exterior frames almond. I'm not sure how that repaint was completed, but it was a nice job. A few doors had developed chips over time, and the previous owner did some serious damage to the lower doors with an electric scooter chair. While I like my retro kitchen, I expect someday I may eventually remodel and replace everything. For now, I just wanted to improve the look of the cabinets, without spending an arm and a leg. Fortunately the cabinet interiors are still in good shape, with few scrapes and no rust. So I decided to keep the fern green and just protect the insides with top quality shelf liner. I also decided to stick with the almond color on the outside, since it's neutral (even if it isn't a genuine retro color.) I bought Rustoleum Almond paint in quart cans (oil base), disposable paint tray liners and foam rollers. I removed the doors and the drawers in stages. I took off the pulls, and I laid them on 2 x 4's supported by saw horses in my garage. I then lightly sanded everywhere - with a little more sanding to smooth out the dings and chips. I then carefully cleaned off all of the dust from the sanding. I then started by using a brush to paint the edges of the doors and drawers, followed by rolling on the Rustoleum paint, without thinning it. I would do one side first, let dry for at least 12 hours, then flip it over and do the other side. I repeated this process until I had rolled on 2 coates. I painted the exposed parts of the frames and cabinets sides the same way, just taping off and protecting the floor and countertops with cloth or paper. Because the brush spread the paint thinner than the roller, I sometimes had to do three coats on the edges. I let them dry at least 24 hours (usually more) before reinstalling. The final result looks very good - no brush or roller marks. From a distance of 4-to-5 feet, I would say they look nearly perfect. If you get very close or run you hand across them, you can see and feel a little roughness that you would not find with a good automotive paint job. I think part of this may have come from my failure to sand between coats, and part of it may just be the nature of this method of painting. The Rustoleum paint drys to a very hard finish, and after a year of use, I have had no problems with chipping. I would definately advise anyone thinking of trying this to buy top quality foam rollers. I started with some cheaper rollers, and they had more of a tendency to leave air bubbles. When I switched to denser & slightly more expensive rollers, the air bubbles became less of a problem. The biggest challenge was getting the right amount of paint at the edges so that it would evenly cover, without creating runs down the edges or on to the flip side of the door. I had a professional company give me a quote for getting electrostatic painting done on-site, and it would have cost me more than $3000. In the end, I think I spent less than $150 on paint and materials. For people looking to update or preserve metal cabinets but working on a budget, I can add another voice supporting the foam roller method. My kitchen has Capital brand metal cabinets installed in 1955. The original color was “Fern Green” and the interiors are still that color. Previous owners painted the doors, drawers and exterior frames almond. I’m not sure how that repaint was completed, but it was a nice job. A few doors had developed chips over time, and the previous owner did some serious damage to the lower doors with an electric scooter chair. While I like my retro kitchen, I expect someday I may eventually remodel and replace everything. For now, I just wanted to improve the look of the cabinets, without spending an arm and a leg. Fortunately the cabinet interiors are still in good shape, with few scrapes and no rust. So I decided to keep the fern green and just protect the insides with top quality shelf liner. I also decided to stick with the almond color on the outside, since it’s neutral (even if it isn’t a genuine retro color.) I bought Rustoleum Almond paint in quart cans (oil base), disposable paint tray liners and foam rollers. I removed the doors and the drawers in stages. I took off the pulls, and I laid them on 2 x 4’s supported by saw horses in my garage. I then lightly sanded everywhere - with a little more sanding to smooth out the dings and chips. I then carefully cleaned off all of the dust from the sanding. I then started by using a brush to paint the edges of the doors and drawers, followed by rolling on the Rustoleum paint, without thinning it. I would do one side first, let dry for at least 12 hours, then flip it over and do the other side. I repeated this process until I had rolled on 2 coates. I painted the exposed parts of the frames and cabinets sides the same way, just taping off and protecting the floor and countertops with cloth or paper. Because the brush spread the paint thinner than the roller, I sometimes had to do three coats on the edges. I let them dry at least 24 hours (usually more) before reinstalling. The final result looks very good - no brush or roller marks. From a distance of 4-to-5 feet, I would say they look nearly perfect. If you get very close or run you hand across them, you can see and feel a little roughness that you would not find with a good automotive paint job. I think part of this may have come from my failure to sand between coats, and part of it may just be the nature of this method of painting. The Rustoleum paint drys to a very hard finish, and after a year of use, I have had no problems with chipping. I would definately advise anyone thinking of trying this to buy top quality foam rollers. I started with some cheaper rollers, and they had more of a tendency to leave air bubbles. When I switched to denser & slightly more expensive rollers, the air bubbles became less of a problem. The biggest challenge was getting the right amount of paint at the edges so that it would evenly cover, without creating runs down the edges or on to the flip side of the door. I had a professional company give me a quote for getting electrostatic painting done on-site, and it would have cost me more than $3000. In the end, I think I spent less than $150 on paint and materials.

]]> By: karmi_woolfe http://retrorenovation.com/2008/10/03/karmi-tests-a-new-way-to-strip-and-then-paint-metal-kitchen-cabinets-palm-springs-stephan-approves/comment-page-1/#comment-14844 karmi_woolfe Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:25:12 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=5259#comment-14844 Thanks Stephan! I hope the oven cleaner works wonders for you and wins your heart! And if you want to come use my backyard and tarps, feel free -- but get here before the snow flies! As for the Ospho -- I am going to pass all of this on to my friend Cory, who turned me on to Ospho in the first place. Foam rollers I used as a signpainter, Ospho I did not. :) Cory does high-end body work and knows a lot more than I do about repainting metals than I do. I'll see what he says. And I really really will have painted cabinets pictures someday ... if I can stop switching pinks! Thanks Stephan! I hope the oven cleaner works wonders for you and wins your heart! And if you want to come use my backyard and tarps, feel free — but get here before the snow flies! As for the Ospho — I am going to pass all of this on to my friend Cory, who turned me on to Ospho in the first place. Foam rollers I used as a signpainter, Ospho I did not. :) Cory does high-end body work and knows a lot more than I do about repainting metals than I do. I’ll see what he says. And I really really will have painted cabinets pictures someday … if I can stop switching pinks!

]]> By: Palm Springs Stephan http://retrorenovation.com/2008/10/03/karmi-tests-a-new-way-to-strip-and-then-paint-metal-kitchen-cabinets-palm-springs-stephan-approves/comment-page-1/#comment-14840 Palm Springs Stephan Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:05:24 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=5259#comment-14840 What I would give, Karmi, for a large yard or garage to do this kind of work in! An upstairs condo with only a small walkway balcony and cranky neighbors makes outdoor projects all but impossible ... as does heat that daily far exceeds 100 degrees from May 1 to mid October (it was 103 here yesterday). Nonetheless, I do plan to try your Easy-Off trick on my much-painted Holly in-the-wall heater cover. The Ospho still worries me. I realize that it is a rust treatment, but the active ingredients is phosphoric acid. Dangerous stuff, that. And if it is not neutralized and/or exceptionally well flushed off of the metal, I am concerned that it might have a residual corrosive effect on both the metal and any primer or paint applied over it. Inexperienced or impatient users might be tempted to shortcut the process of removing the Ospho, which is why I raised caution in the first place. If it were me, I'd use a wire brush, steel wool, and lots of elbow grease to remove rust, not chemicals. But an experienced sign painter like yourself knows how to use it properly, so no problems. What I would give, Karmi, for a large yard or garage to do this kind of work in! An upstairs condo with only a small walkway balcony and cranky neighbors makes outdoor projects all but impossible … as does heat that daily far exceeds 100 degrees from May 1 to mid October (it was 103 here yesterday). Nonetheless, I do plan to try your Easy-Off trick on my much-painted Holly in-the-wall heater cover.

The Ospho still worries me. I realize that it is a rust treatment, but the active ingredients is phosphoric acid. Dangerous stuff, that. And if it is not neutralized and/or exceptionally well flushed off of the metal, I am concerned that it might have a residual corrosive effect on both the metal and any primer or paint applied over it. Inexperienced or impatient users might be tempted to shortcut the process of removing the Ospho, which is why I raised caution in the first place. If it were me, I’d use a wire brush, steel wool, and lots of elbow grease to remove rust, not chemicals. But an experienced sign painter like yourself knows how to use it properly, so no problems.

]]> By: karmi_woolfe http://retrorenovation.com/2008/10/03/karmi-tests-a-new-way-to-strip-and-then-paint-metal-kitchen-cabinets-palm-springs-stephan-approves/comment-page-1/#comment-14838 karmi_woolfe Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:47:53 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=5259#comment-14838 Just a few things... First off, I was soo excited to see this post up! Yayyy! Did anyone notice the fashionable latex gloves?? Let me also add that all of this was sooo experimental, and -- as I say many times over and over on flick-r -- always try experiments on the BACKS of your cabinets! I don't think I will strip my base cabinets at all. It was unavoidable on the uppers. (I do happen to have a friend who could spray them in the booth, but I wanted to take on this challenge for myself). Let me just say that I was a signpainter for over a decade, so I am not a complete novice. This, coupled with the fact that I have an acre, a billion tarps, and regularly scheduled manic episodes makes all of this possible in the first place! I have been sanding with #320 grit sandpaper between coats of paint, and I think you will all be surprised with my results, but I have a ways to go before I have finished "after" pics to share. So, dear Readers, stay tuned for my painted cabinet results!!! And PSS, I agree on the chrome spray for the pulls -- I haven't found anything suitable so far. Keep in mind this was all experimental on an extra, un-usable cabinet! Also... Ospho is NOT primer, it is a treatment for the metal to treat and prevent rusting and is available at Sherwin Williams. If you can spot the before and after pics, you will be able to see the great effects of this magical (and, yes, very toxic, hence gloves) chemical. Finally, foam rollers are magical things. Trust me, you have to have a pretty smooth surface before you start lettering on something! I will let you all know when I have more to share! Kisses!!!! Just a few things… First off, I was soo excited to see this post up! Yayyy! Did anyone notice the fashionable latex gloves?? Let me also add that all of this was sooo experimental, and — as I say many times over and over on flick-r — always try experiments on the BACKS of your cabinets! I don’t think I will strip my base cabinets at all. It was unavoidable on the uppers. (I do happen to have a friend who could spray them in the booth, but I wanted to take on this challenge for myself). Let me just say that I was a signpainter for over a decade, so I am not a complete novice. This, coupled with the fact that I have an acre, a billion tarps, and regularly scheduled manic episodes makes all of this possible in the first place! I have been sanding with #320 grit sandpaper between coats of paint, and I think you will all be surprised with my results, but I have a ways to go before I have finished “after” pics to share. So, dear Readers, stay tuned for my painted cabinet results!!! And PSS, I agree on the chrome spray for the pulls — I haven’t found anything suitable so far. Keep in mind this was all experimental on an extra, un-usable cabinet! Also… Ospho is NOT primer, it is a treatment for the metal to treat and prevent rusting and is available at Sherwin Williams. If you can spot the before and after pics, you will be able to see the great effects of this magical (and, yes, very toxic, hence gloves) chemical. Finally, foam rollers are magical things. Trust me, you have to have a pretty smooth surface before you start lettering on something! I will let you all know when I have more to share! Kisses!!!!

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