Easily Paint and Refinish Cabinets and Furniture in Your House

You have decided to change the appearance of a room? Maybe the living room just looks too big and you want to bring it in a bit. Or, you just can not bear to look at those pine- stained kitchen cabinets. Possibly, there is a piece of furniture in your bedroom that just does not fit in with your new color scheme. No matter which of these you are facing, the answer is at your fingertips.

Many people believe that painting and refinishing is far too complicated, but, it is not. You simply need to learn the steps to take to do the job the right way. Once you decide what you want to paint or refinish take a trip to your local home improvement center. They have swatch slips that have 5 or 6 colors each. There are literally thousands of them on display for free. Grab handfuls and get back home.

Once you are home, compare the samples to the woodwork, furniture, or cabinets that you want to redo. Then match them up with the room the project will be in after it is complete. Now that you have made up your mind, measure your project piece(s), and head back to the hardware store.

When you arrive, you should go straight to the paint department. They all have computerized mixers that will give you exactly the shade of paint, or stain, that you want. These guys and gals can also give you an idea from your measurements how much material you will need.

NOTE: If you are going to paint - DO NOT FORGET THE PRIMER!

While they are mixing your paint/stain you have work to do. You will need some other materials as well. Here is a list of items you will want to consider for the job at hand.

1. paint brushes

2. roller frame and nap

3. work pot/bucket

4. roller pan

5. furniture or paint stripper

6. drop cloths and rags

7. putty

8. caulk

9. putty knife/scraper

10. sandpaper

11. steel wool

12. paint thinner

Now that you have your materials back at the house you are ready to begin. First, open a window and crank up a fan. Proper ventilation is absolutely necessary. Next, you need to lay out your drop cloths and get a few rags close by in case of drips or spills. And finally you can get down to work.

Whether you are doing cabinets, furniture, or woodwork, the procedure is going to follow this pattern. Using the tools at hand, and a screwdriver, you can get this done. You start by removing doors, knobs, handles, and accessories.

Then you remove the old paint or stain using stripper, steel wool, and sand paper. Get it all. The job you do here will determine the appearance of your finished project.

Next you move to caulk and putty. Every single hole gets putty, and, every place there is a seam gets caulk. This step will not only help the final product to look good, it will also help to protect the piece from humidity sneaking into the wood through those openings.

A quick rub down before you move on will help to get a smooth product too. After the wipe down, apply your primer if you are painting.

Now, at last, you are ready to apply your finish. Use rollers and brushes to get a thin, smooth, even coat. And let it dry completely.

Then a second coat goes on nice and smooth. Take your time and get it on there good.

Lastly you need to do touchups as needed. If you are going to add polyurethane to a finish, this is the time.

That's all there is to it. You have a new look to your home. Now, after the project is totally dry, and all of the fumes have been vented out, cut off the fan, close the window, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.