Are you thinking of having a professional kitchen spray or are you tempted to do a DIY kitchen spray? Here’s our advice.

Research

If you lack experience of spray painting, kitchen restoration can seem like hard work and time consuming but if you’re committed, it is definitely doable. First of all, we recommend that you only consider spraying your kitchen cupboards if your kitchen is structurally sound. If it is, make sure to carry out some research before getting stuck in. There are plenty of videos and articles on the internet to provide guidance on spray painting techniques to get you started.

Equipment

Of course, it’s not going to be economical for you to purchase all of the top quality equipment used by the professional spray companies to complete one spray however it is important to buy decent equipment, so as not to sacrifice on quality. We highly recommend that you spray paint your kitchen units rather than painting them with a brush. Spraying, if done properly, achieves a smoother finish and will not leave drips or brush strokes. It may be better value to hire a good quality spray gun than to buy a lower quality spray gun. It’s best to practice spraying on a spare wooden item if you have one or if not, at least start off by practising on the back of one of the cupboard doors rather than the front. Try to spray the paint in thin, even coats and try to reduce overspray as much as possible. Whilst professional spray companies are able to guarantee seamless finishes following years of experience and perfection of their technique, it should be possible for you to achieve a satisfactory finish yourself.

Paint

In considering which paint to buy, make sure it is suitable for use in kitchens. You’re also likely to need primer. The paint that we use is the market leading paint, K2 Kolorbond. It uses polyurethane/acrylic technology, is highly resistant to abrasion and it is very durable. It does not require the use of a primer which saves time. Unfortunately, this paint can only be purchased by professionals however you’ll be able to find an alternative. You’ll need to leave the paint to dry overnight between coats and if you’ve decided to paint your cupboards and drawers internally too, you won’t be able to paint both sides within the same day.

Other Equipment

You’ll need to buy masking tape and dust sheets too. If you can afford to buy racks for drying the sprayed cupboards, they would be beneficial however you may be able to construct a makeshift drying rack if you decide it’s not worth buying racks for just one spray.

The Spray Process

Clear a work area then start by removing cupboards, drawers and hardware. We advise labelling the hardware to speed up the reattachment process. You’ll then need to clean the cupboards and drawers to remove dust, grease and grime (we recommend using mild, soapy water) and then scotch them as that allows the paint to bond. Mask off areas that are not going to be painted and lay down dust sheets to protect your floors. If your paint requires the use of a primer, apply it and ensure that you wait for the recommended amount of time before getting started with spraying your chosen paint. You’ll need to apply multiple coats of the paint, again ensuring that you leave the coating to thoroughly cure in between coats. Here we use hardeners to speed up the curing process so that is something for you to consider doing.

Make sure to buy and wear a respirator mask during the spray process so that you don’t breathe in any toxic fumes or at the very least, ventilate the room.

Research, Prepare and Be Patient

Although you may not achieve the outstanding finish that you would if you hired experts who can apply the latest coating techniques using first rate spray guns, paint, compressors and so forth, you can certainly give it your best shot. Remember that research, preparation and patience are the key.

If all doesn’t go to plan, you’ll always have the option available to you to hire a professional spray company to respray and rectify any issues that have arisen.