Repainting formica & thermofoil kitchen cabinets

A. You might consider removable paint for a test run. If you don't like the change you'll have the choice of restoring the basic surface.

A. I am a professional Faux and Decorative Artist and I have painted MANY cabinets. This is what I would do... Make sure the cabinets are clean. Lightly sand them using a fine grit sandpaper (20 grit). You are LIGHTLY sanding because the you need to rough the surface up a little bit to give the primer something to stick to. Wipe the cabinets down with a damp cloth to remove dust from sanding. Apply a primer (best results use a sponge roller) Let Primer dry 24 hours. Apply the first coat of paint (I use Sherwin Williams) If needed, apply a second coat of paint. Apply a coat of urethane. (use a sponge roller) NOTE: If you remove the cabinet doors...number each door by writing the number on a piece of tape and sticking it to the back of the door, and doing the same on the inside of the cabinet so that you will know where each door goes back. If you have any questions I will be glad to help you.

A. I wouldn't even bother sanding - you need a primer product called XIM ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] it will adhere to anything (class, ceramic, wood) and will give you a flat primer finish to work with. I have used it over formica and ceramic tiles and it has worked wonderfully and has saved a lot of money not replacing the existing foundation. I've made the mauve tiles in my boys bathroom look like beige tumble marble.

X-I-M UMA Primer

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

Q. You have suggested using X-I-M primer ⇨
on formica cabinets. I am unable to access information on where this or similar products can be purchased.

MACALUSO [surname deleted due to age of posting]
- Weirton, West Virginia
2006

Ed. note: We've now hotlinked these mentions of it to on-line sources, Macaluso.

Q. Macaluso,

Did you try painting your Formica cabinets? How did it turn out? Curious because likely your cabinets are similar to mine. We just bought a house and I want to redo the Formica cabinets. Painting seems like the least expensive option but want it to look great and last. I would appreciate hearing your feedback.

Pam Thompson
- New Cumberland, West Virginia
October 21, 2011

Zinsser B-I-N Primer

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. Hi, I just painted my formica cabinets. Yes, I had to use a primer first. I actually used a few before finding one that would not peel, chip or scratch off. It's called Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer ⇨
It's wonderful and dries in 45 minutes. It does contain Shellac so I think that makes it really sticky. I went through many brushes, but did not want to rush the process. So you may want to prepare the area with lots and lots of drop cloth. It seems to go a long way. You can probably get it at other stores. Ok, the first thing I did was lightly sand the cabinets to take off the sheen, then wiped down with Clorox wipes, let dry, then applied primer. It was really easy. The hard part came when trying to choose a color. If anyone has a suggestion, I would greatly appreciate it. Good luck.

A. Don't paint the plastic finish, peel it off! Using your fingernail, or a small knife, pick the corner on the side of the cabinet until it pops away. The plastic should peel away in one clean sheet. Since Thermofoil is heat-sealed to the cabinet, there is no glue of any kind. Underneath is clean, smooth MDF that can be lightly sanded, primed and painted. Particle board is much better to paint than plastic. I did this with my kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and they are beautiful and durable.

A. Hi, Theresa. I understand your concerns--that's why I hesitated so long to do anything with my Thermofoil cabinets. After I learned that the laminate could literally be peeled off from someone online who had done it, I experimented on an inconspicuous door in the corner above my refrigerator. I was thrilled when the Thermofoil peeled off easily and cleanly in about 15 seconds. Just use a good quality oil-based primer and paint for durability. I did all the cabinets in my house a year ago, and they still look perfectly beautiful--no chips or cracks whatsoever. It's SO much better than the thermofoil, and I can repaint easily if I ever want to change my color scheme. I'll be anxious to hear your feedback if you decide to go for it.

Susan

A. Hi, Mindy. Susan F seems to have the right idea if you can get the formica laminate off like she suggests. If not, then you would need to try one of the good adhesion promoting paints as suggested by several readers nearer the top of the page. Good luck.

Regards,

A. I purchased this summer home with very ugly custom made formica cabinets. The base was orange and the doors and draws were a Dunkin Donuts raspberry color. I removed the drawers and doors and placed a hot iron across the formica. This melted the glue allowing me to slide a scraper starting at the corners edge under the formica. (The iron does not melt the formica) I also used a blow dryer in some areas. Once the formica was removed I sanded the pine. I kept the drawer base, however, removed the drawer front and replaced it with a piece of cut pine sanded and shaped into a simple drawer front. For the doors I purchased 3" wide pine bead board from Lowe's and made my own custom doors. The pine was ready to stain or prime and paint. Good luck and hope this helps!

Hi, DeAnna. I don't think anyone yet has claimed to be a professional. There may be few or no professionals anywhere who paint old formica cabinet doors; it's probably only practical as a do-it-yourself project.

That is, if you include the cost of labor, which professionals must of course do, then it probably costs more to repaint a formica cabinet door than to reface it. Who can make a profession out of offering a less satisfactory solution than their competition, but at a higher price? :-)

Regards,

Cabinet Rescue

on eBay

(affil links)

I have painted formica cabinets with great success, using Cabinet Rescue ⇦[this on eBay affil links] . This product DOES NOT require priming before painting, and although it does not require sanding, I did sand lightly first. I would recommend a sponge roller for application. The only drawback is that is is (or at least was at the time) only available in white, and tint-able to light colors only. However, I have seen another brand of "cabinet" paint for sale on line in a variety of colors. Good Luck.

I used Cabinet Rescue on my formica cabinets and they looked good for only about a year. They chipped very easy. Now I need to redo them.

A. Thermofoil cabinet doors and drawer fronts are made by using medium density fiberboard (MDF) which, if the foil (plastic) is removed, provides a smooth paintable surface. Laminate doors (formica) consist of laminate over particle board. While the laminate is removable with an iron, glue residue will remain, and will also have to be removed. Laminate doors are flat, no dimension to them. Thermofoil doors can be made to look like raised panel doors or many other door styles available to its wood counterparts.

I am a general contractor that specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling.

A. I have painted formica cabinets in the past, I used Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] ; two coats of kitchen and bath semi gloss paint (latex) and then two coats of latex poly. They looked beautiful.

A. I purchase distressed properties for resale or as rentals. I always refinish kitchen cabinets. Previous posts have correct answers, but remember, prep is the most important process.

Remove doors and drawers; remove hardware.
Clean all surfaces with mineral spirits ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .
Lightly sand (the product I recommend states it is not required, but do it).
Wipe down with strong ammonia/water solution.
Prime with Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] -- wait at least one hour
You can use any paint you want, but oil based will provide a harder surface.

Never had a problem with this method.

As a response to a prior post, no, professional painters would not do this as a normal process - not profitable enough, mainly DIYers.

A. I peeled off the Thermofoil coating on my white cabinets in my bathroom. After painting with a couple of coats, I covered with a glaze and then wiped it off, to give a distressed finish. After the cabinets dried, I sealed the cabinets with a water based (to prevent yellowing) sealer. They turned out beautifully and I am now moving on to tackle the kitchen cabinets. Good luck!

A. Check out the Country Living Artisans Collection by Caromal Colours; no sanding, stripping, or priming needed...Just clean it with Simple Green ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . We use this in our workshops in our studio, and several non do-it-yourselfers are going home and redoing kitchens and bathrooms. I have been a professional decorative painter for several years and I love this more than my professional products! Vicki -

A. I do a lot of painting and have found a great primer that sticks to EVERYTHING, even Tupperware. Gripper, by Glidden.

X-I-M UMA Primer

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. FYI, XIM Uma primer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] is a GREAT primer to use on formica cabinets .
A professional painter would never say they can stain your formica cabinets. They have a veneer and/or are prefabricated so the stain will not absorb and will just sit. If you want to a wood look you have 2 options:

Hire an artist to Faux your boxes and doors, and/or purchase new boxes and doors.

Painting over ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] is pretty easy. Suggest oil base semi gloss (talk to local paint store for thinner and proper brush to use for oil base).

A. Hi Susan,
ht Other readers have claimed that there is no glue. If there is glue, sanding it off is probably best.

As for whether a paint which includes primer is as good as the separate steps, is a dinner which includes the after dinner liqueur poured over the ice cream as good as separate courses? Sometimes it's good enough, sometimes it's terrible.

Luck & Regards,


Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. Gail from Michigan,

We had those beige laminate with oak trim cabinets too in our kitchen. While this is not the option we did, I have seen them painted in other homes. They painted the whole door, drawer the same color, it kind of makes the oak trim disappear.

What we actually did 4 years ago, was reface our kitchen. My husband used the doors as templates, kept the european hinges and made NEW doors out of 3/4" oak plywood. He framed out the doors to look like the mission style that is sold today in stores, we finished the raw edges with the oak veneer tape. They came out GORGEOUS! Everyone who has seen them has raved. We have 1" thick solid wood doors in a nice light oak stained finish, there is NO way we could have replaced all our cabinets with same quality for under $15,000. We spent about $700 on supplies incl. NEW handles and knobs, not including labor. : )
We also covered our old beige laminate counter with NEW granite tiles -- 1/4 the cost of a granite slab.

Now we are working on our master bath vanity. We are refacing the 72" vanity with white beadboard framed out doors and new hardware.

Hope this helps.

A. Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] is the answer to most questions. I have learned this from my mother, professional restorer. It's a pain but ... hell, my mom told me so.

Howard Restor-a-Finish

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. I'm painting and Refinishing Oak lacquered cabinets 20 years old. Used Howards's restore a finish for the bath and no need to strip; got back the oak look with a luster, great, but the heavy grain look is too much for the kitchen. I tried to prime the kitchen cabinets especially some flaking areas of lacquer. Zinsser 123 waterbase did not stick properly even though I had cleaned and scuff sanded. Then today I scuffed with 150 grit sandpaper for a couple minutes on another cabinet door. Then wiped with clean damp rag. Then I sprayed XIM UMA white primer on part of the door, thin in areas, a bit thick in others. I also brushed from a can of XIM UMA white primer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] a small area. Both the spray and the can area are great, the thinest areas hours later are quite thin but the best for adhesion, surely can paint on top now. Passes the fingernail scratch test that Zinser 123 couldn't pass. I use clark and kensington from ace with 1/16 floetrol for the top coat of paint and it looks great with 2 coats and passes scrub test better than another highly reputable paint.