subject: How To Guide To Antiquing Your Kitchen Cabinets [print this page] Antique White Kitchen Cabinets Antique White Kitchen Cabinets
Do you have a dull, white kitchen that needs to be spruced up? Yes, while the kitchen is all white, the counters are white, the seats are white, and Im sure the table is white, and while it all seems nice, the area probably seems cold. This is a common issue for people with all white rooms. Well, an easy way to add character to your white kitchen is to antique the kitchen cabinets.
The only materials you will need is sandpaper, I suggest 120 grit, clean clothes, one quart of clear paint glaze, some paint brushes (2"-2 1/2" is great), bucket of water and acrylic type craft paint. I suggest these colors - black, burnt sienna, raw umber and taupe. It's also wise to pick up some white latex satin paint. All of these supplies are available at your local home improvement retailer. Shop around, many stores offer different prices.
The very first step is to decide whether you want to remove the kitchen cabinet doors and hardware or if you want to leave them on. I think it is a lot easier just to take them off, because it makes cleaning them much easier. Some would rather leave them on, as it saves time, but damaging your hardware is just an increased cost, so best not to risk it.
Once you have decided what you want to do, you need to wash the cabinet doors off. This will ensure that you have all the dirt, grease, and grime off of them. Then you need to sand all the cabinet doors and then clean them off with a clean dry rag or cloth. This is to ensure no dust is on the doors that could stop the paint from going on smoothly.
Once you have prepared them, you can start to paint the kitchen cabinets white; this is because using the white paint will allow the antiquing paint to show through. Now, if your cabinets are already white, it is still advised to strip and repaint. The fresher the white paint, the better the antique look.
Once painted, sand them down once again. This will give them the worn appearance you are looking for. Now, it is time to add your chosen color of sienna, taupe, or black into the glaze. BE CAREFUL, as it gets darker the more color you add.
The final step is to apply the glaze on the cabinet. Using your 2-inch brush should work, but pay special attention in applying the glaze to the corners and tight spots of the kitchen cabinets.
You have about 10 to 15 minutes before the glaze dries to wipe off the extra glaze. How much you wash away is up to you; the more you do, the more the antique look. So keep that in mind!
Once done, presto, you can add your hardware, and re-mount your kitchen cabinet doors. Antiquing your white kitchen cabinets is a great technique to give your kitchen a beautiful, cozy, and inviting look.
