Painting my kitchen units - a success story

Well! Several weeks ago I asked the lovely people on the forum for advice on several options 1) paint existing solid oak kitchen unit doors 2) replace doors with either wood doors or mdf to paint.

Lots of you gave me advice and I sifted through it and got estimates for replacing doors (15 in total).
In MDF £600 plus cost of paint and all bits.
In wood £800 plus paint and bits.
To replace all units and not just the doors - a minimum of £2700.

After much thought I invested in sandpaper, 2 large cans of primer, a mini roller and lots of replacement sponge rollers, lots of disposable gloves and a pack of brushes. I chose Farrow and Ball oil eggshell paint in Dimity, a lovely ivory shade of white and new pewter door handles and knobs.

Well, I am exhausted. It has, as I was warned, taken 3 weeks of solid work but the results are brilliant.

The total cost for all the materials and bits came to £245.00. Sooooo much cheaper than the other options and probably a better quality result as the basic oak units were good.

I am very proud of myself and as the total cost was so low, I went out on Saturday and treated myself to a new Le Crueset kettle and a few new bits for the kitchen.

Before it was dark and dingy but now it seems so light and bright and cheerful. I love being in it.

If anyone is considering doing the same, providing your doors and carcases are sound and you are fully prepared to do lots of preparation work and not underestimate the time taken to do all the caos and all the drying time, I would recommend doing it.

My husband thinks I am a genius:j
Thank you for this site :jNow OH and I are both retired, MSE is a Godsend
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Comments

  • rockie4
    rockie4 Posts: 1,264
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    Well done!!
    I did mine last year, I used Crown cupboard make over paint and it took 2 weeks but it was worth it!
    As you say, don't underestimate the preparation and time taken as it is hard work but there was no way I could afford a new kitchen and it still looks like new after nearly a year.
  • kev1ne
    kev1ne Posts: 9 Forumite
    Hi that sounds like the very treatment i could use on my kitchen.

    How did you prepare the cupboards before painting?
  • poppyolivia
    poppyolivia Posts: 2,976
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    Nice one!!!! Sounds really great, well done!!!
    You may walk and you may run
    You leave your footprints all around the sun
    And every time the storm and the soul wars come
    You just keep on walking
  • mary43
    mary43 Posts: 5,845 Forumite
    Sounds really good -makes me want to re-do mine..............lol
    I did them a few years back with a sort of colour wash paint so it looked a bit 'grainy'. The doors were pine anyway so it gave it a sort of 'distressed look'. We'd bought a second hand free standing cupboard and base as well and I did that the same. Getting a bit bored with it now though ..........it needs brightening up.
    Mary

    I'm creative -you can't expect me to be neat too !
    (Good Enough Member No.48)
  • Muppet81
    Muppet81 Posts: 951
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    By way of preparation ... I took all the doors and drawer fronts off and removed the hinges.
    I scrubbed then all over with sugar soap then rinsed them and let them dry.
    I rubbed down with a fairly course wire wool then washed them down again and let them dry.
    I gave each side 2 coats of primer, rubbing down lightly inbetween coats, then two coats of oil eggshell. All coats were applied with a mini roller which gives a much better result than a brush.
    The most difficult thing was finding space to lay them flat to work on them. As space was limited, I had to work on a maximum of three doors at a time which dragged it on a bit.

    The carcasses involved a lot of taping up with masking tape around the edges so I could also give them the same treatment as the doors but not get paint onto the carcass inners.
    Thank you for this site :jNow OH and I are both retired, MSE is a Godsend
  • adandem
    adandem Posts: 3,592
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    You don't have any pics do you?
  • I used this product "Owatrol ESP" with great results when I overpainted varnished woodwork in my hallway and kitchen. Shop around for best price though not necessarily this supplier.

    http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/ESP.asp
  • ormus
    ormus Posts: 42,714 Forumite
    well done.
    did mine 2 yrs ago. certainly never spent anything like 245 quid though!
    just some paint, sandpaper and mini rollers. approx 50 quid
    went from a dark wood finish to a cream/oatmeal color.
    paint from BQ own brand. cheap.
    3 undercoats and 2 topcoats. rubbing down between each coat.
    yes it does take time and space. think it took me nearly a week.
    well worth doing for the very small expense.
    Get some gorm.
  • lilac_lady
    lilac_lady Posts: 4,469 Forumite
    A lot of people are talked into getting rid of perfectly good kitchen units instead of changing the colour. Personally, the thought of getting a whole kitchen torn out and replaced when it's not necessary freaks me out. Apart from the price, it's too much upheaval.
    " The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

    Plato


  • ormus
    ormus Posts: 42,714 Forumite
    we have a lady friend who bought a house some 6 yrs ago and had a new kitchen fitted.
    last yr she had another new kitchen!
    she really is crazy. we live in a very decadent society now.

    ps. i also know a lady who has had 3 bathrooms in about 6 yrs!!!
    more money than sense springs to mind?
    Get some gorm.
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