Hi friends! This is the third week of me teaming up with Builders Surplus to bring you another fun post about DIY projects. This week's blog is a project that can really change the look of your kitchen on a budget. I've painted the cabinets in my home, and quite honestly, every other piece of furniture we own. :) You can check out the chalkboard I made for my pantry here!
Are you aware that the cabinet doors in your kitchen can be used for more than just hiding stacks of dishes or food? Since the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, it’s an ideal place to leave messages and reminders. Instead of plastering the walls with sticky notes, paint your kitchen cabinets with chalkboard paint and make them a functional part of your kitchen by turning them into a reliable and reusable message center. Transforming an old cabinet door into a chalkboard offers a creative way for families to collaborate on grocery lists, dinner menus and other tasks that get lost in the weekly shuffle. I have seen some of the cutest kitchens utilize chalkboard paint, not only on cabinet doors but on refrigerator doors and walls in the kitchen as well.
To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets, You Will Need :
primer and/or trim paint
chalkboard paint (I used Rustoleum’s brand, found here)
small paint rollers and paintbrushes
sandpaper
painter’s tape
spray adhesive, found here (or foam double-sided sticky tape)
chalk and eraser
Wipe down the inside and outside of your cabinet doors with some soap and water and allow to dry. Make sure your cupboard door is clean and smooth. If your cabinet door has knobs, be sure to remove them. If you cannot remove the knobs, cover them completely with masking tape. Use some sandpaper to smooth it out if necessary. Lay down newspaper to protect the area around where you will be working and make sure you work in a well ventilated area.
Use thin layers of the primer to paint the front of the cupboard door. Wait until one layer is dry to the touch before adding another. When you are done with the primer, let it set to completely dry. Use as many layers of paint as you need to get the shade you want. Like with the primer, when you are done painting the border, let it set to completely dry.
Why stop at cabinets when you can explore resurfacing so many other elements in your home that otherwise might never receive a second chance? One popular DIY project is turning wooden doors into functional chalk boards. Since older kids and teens seem to spend more time in their room, transforming the back of their bedroom door is a great way to help them keep track of chores and prioritize homework and projects.
For more creative freedom, consider purchasing an unfinished wooden door allowing you to select the exact style for your room and budget. It never ceases to amaze me how many options exist when I walk through the door aisle in our store. In addition to what you will find on our website, we literally have hundreds of options in stock at both our Louisville and Newport locations.
Whether you end up painting your cabinets, doors or other elements in your home, chalk paint goes much further than painting with regular latex paint. Try to avoid making a lot of short back and forth strokes like you would normally would and you might be able to use the paint for another project. Apply a few coats of chalk paint, allowing each one to dry before you add the next. Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours before applying a second coat. Once the chalk paint is dry, condition it by rubbing it with the side of a piece of chalk and wiping it off to break it in. Now you can now enjoy using your new cabinet door as a chalk board!
Don’t forget to show us your finished chalkboard kitchen when you’re finished!
Origonal Blog post by LeighAnne Turner can be found here.
Builders Surplus is a full service remodeling company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, which comes as a free service to our clients. We sell building supplies ranging from unused surplus, to first quality in stock, to high end custom order and everything in between. We also provide measurement and full installation services. Our core products consist of kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities (single vanities and double vanities), interior doors, exterior doors, sinks, faucets, granite countertops, quartz countertops, laminate countertops, windows, and more! If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. Happy Remodeling!