Changing the look of your kitchen cabinets is a simple, cost-effective way to give your home a new look.Black washing allows the natural grain of the wood of your cabinets to "peek" through the wash coat.If you have painted wood cabinets in a color other than black, that paint will show through the black wash coat and create a similar effect as the wood grain.
Step 1: The tools and materials need to be gathered.
You will need the following items to wash your kitchen cabinets.Black latex paint.The best rags for this project are old t-shirts and poly-foam paint brushes.
Step 2: The cost of the project should be considered.
The majority of your costs will be attributed to your paint and clear finish products.Since the paint is cut with water, it will yield two gallons of black-wash.The water-based urethane costs about $25 per quart.A kitchen can be black-washed for under $200 if you do it yourself.
Step 3: The cabinets should not be covered with a vinyl coating.
Some furniture and cabinets look like wood but are not.Take a door to your local home center and ask an expert if this is the case.The process will not work if your cabinets have a vinyl coating.This type of covering can be re-painted with paint that is specifically made for plastic.
Step 4: The surface of the cabinets needs to be cleaned.
Remove the cabinet doors with a screwdriver and set the drawers aside.You can clean the cabinet surfaces with household window cleaner.Remove the cabinet doors.Use a cleaner or steel wool to remove grease stains.To get the surface clean, just scrub.Use a damp rag to wipe down the surfaces to remove any leftover steel wool or sandpaper.
Step 5: The black wash should be mixed.
Take the empty mixing can and fill it with water.Slowly add an equal amount of paint.After you add the paint to the water, the can should be half full.Put a paint mixing stick in the mix.The thickness of the wash can be determined by sticks from the paint store or paint department.The unmixed paint should be more soupy than the mixed one.The paint mixed with water will run off the mixing stick in a steady flow.The paint should be thicker than water.Add a little more paint if you think it's too thin.Too thin is better than a little thicker.You want to protect the surfaces from paint.Stir the paint mixture again to make sure the mix is thorough.
Step 6: Start with the doors.
If you make a mistake, they are easier to clean.It's important to mix the paint mixture properly.There is a small section on the back of the cabinet door that needs to be washed.Some of the wood grain or previous paint color may show through when the mixture is applied.This is normal.If you are satisfied with the coverage in the test area, you can paint the entire door using the foam brush.There is no need for a brush stroke as you will be using a clean rag to blend the finish.
Step 7: To clean the painted surface, use a damp rag.
After about five minutes, use a clean rag and gently wipe or wash the surface you just painted.Go in the direction of the wood's grain with a smooth "wipe" from one edge to the other.Do not wipe off all the paint as you thin the coat.
Step 8: If the paint becomes sticky, you should know what to do.
If the paint is left for too long, it will become sticky and peel rather than being washed.Use the damp brush to lightly brush over the painted surface.Do not apply water all over the paint.Immediately wipe with a clean rag.The wet surface should allow for a smooth wiping.If it is still sticky, re-coat it with another coat of paint mixture and wipe it off.The result will be a streaked finish with more of the wood grain showing through.A streaked, opaque finish is what you want.
Step 9: Apply more coats if you want.
If you want to hide more grain, apply additional coats of the black wash.Allow each coat to dry before applying another.If the final coat makes the cabinets too dark for your liking, use a wet rag to wipe it off.The damp rag won't affect the coats if the previous coats were allowed to dry properly.The idea is to have some of the grain show through for the proper effect.On both sides of the doors, you have to repeat this process.Be patient!Let the previous coat dry first if you are adding more coats.
Step 10: After the paint has dried, apply a coat of clear urethane.
Before applying clear urethane, let your black wash dry.Your black wash will slowly disappear if you skip this step.Make sure to mix it with your water-based finish.Don't mix by shaking.The surface is not smooth because of the foamy bubbles that set into it.Apply over the black wash finish with a polyfoam brush.Adding two coats to a medium coat will give added protection to doors and drawer faces that are frequently opened and closed.
Step 11: Remove the cabinet doors and clean them up.
Attach the hinges to the doors and mount them on the cabinets.Stand back and look at your work.Use soap and water to clean your supplies.The cans of thinned and non-thinned paint should be sealed tightly.