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Prep Is the Job

The spraying takes hours. The prep takes days. That is the point.

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Question 1 of 4

What do you need painted?

Cabinet painting prep, step by step

1. Remove and label. Every door and drawer comes off. Each gets labeled. Hinges bagged per door. Nothing gets mixed up.

2. Degrease. Kitchen grease gets cut with degreaser. Then a clean-water wipe. The surface should squeak.

3. Sand. Scuff-sand every surface. Not to bare wood — just enough to break the gloss. Dust vacuumed and tacked off.

4. Repair. Dents filled. Old holes filled. Cracks caulked. Deep damage assessed honestly.

5. Mask. Counters, floors, appliances, walls. Everything that is not getting paint gets covered.

6. Prime. Bonding primer everywhere. Stain-blocker where the wood demands it.

Then — and only then — the topcoats.

The 80% rule

Prep is most of the labor on a cabinet job. It is also invisible in the finished photo. That is why cheap bids cut it. Ask every bidder to list their prep steps. Compare lists, not prices.

Call (301) 679-9193. Our prep list is above.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do cabinets really need sanding before painting?

Yes. Scuff-sanding gives the primer something to grip. Paint over gloss without sanding peels. No exceptions.

How do you clean grease off cabinets?

Degreaser, scrubbed, then wiped. Kitchens coat cabinets in cooking oil. Paint will not bond to it.

Do you fill the old hardware holes?

Yes, when the hardware changes. Filled, sanded, primed, sprayed. The old holes vanish.

What primer do you use?

Bonding primer as standard. Stain-blocking primer on dark-to-light jobs and tannin-heavy woods.

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