# Painting multiple cabinet doors.



## <*(((>< (Mar 6, 2009)

mae-ling said:


> I am about to paint my kitchen cabinets. There are 27 doors.
> I am also changing the hardware.
> 
> for painting the doors usually I would set up sawhorses with 2x4's on them, paint one side of a door. Put finish nails in the 2X4's sticking up about an inch. Then paint the other side of the door and the edges while it rests on the nails.
> ...


Wires through the hinge holes and hang them from a rafter or something so you can spin them and paint both sides without handling them.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

I use to try all that stuff as well, no more. Paint one side at at time, by the time you get to the 27th door the first one should be dry enough (with latex) to handle enough to do the other side, and stand them up. Do the back side first so when you double back to do the other side, it will be the back side with the soft finish. Lay them on a clean drop cloth to finish.
That's only 1/3 of them.


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

I agree with Joe, just lay the doors out. Do one side first and then the other. I too have tried differant methods, but prefer to just do one side at a time. You could speed your production up by using a 4inch mohair low nap roller and it will leave a pretty smooth finish too.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Listen to the two experienced pros above^^^^^^^. Nice thing about doing one side at a time and laying them flat is that you basically eliminate any runs.


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

Gymschu said:


> Listen to the two experienced pros above^^^^^^^. Nice thing about doing one side at a time and laying them flat is that you basically eliminate any runs.


Thanks and good point about runs...


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

Thanks, makes sense. Paint all one side, let dry, flip paint other side of all.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

You did not mention what you were painting them with but the suggestion to use a roller is a good one to speed things up if you are currently brushing them. If you do not have panels in the doors, you can use one wider than 4". I tend to like heavier nap covers for doors I guess something like 1/2" would work. I don't like anything thinner. They just do not put on enough paint.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

sdsester said:


> You did not mention what you were painting them with but the suggestion to use a roller is a good one to speed things up if you are currently brushing them. If you do not have panels in the doors, you can use one wider than 4". I tend to like heavier nap covers for doors I guess something like 1/2" would work. I don't like anything thinner. They just do not put on enough paint.


I don't like to question one of your stature sdsester, but I have to here. When I roll cabinet doors, I use a mohair roller. We're talking about putting enamel on small square areas and seeking a furniture grade finish, so I can't see how a 1/2 inch cover would help any of that. It would be carrying *way too much* paint and would put a nasty nap texture on the doors. You say you like a heavier nap, but guess that a 1/2 inch would suffice, does that mean you'd use a heavier than 1/2 inch on cabinets, if had a choice? I just thanked a thoughtful post you did in another thread, and here I'm questioning you. I call it as I see it. 
Hugh!


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

Not to be argumentative, but I feel a 1/2 inch nap roller and larger is the wrong nap to use when painting cabinet doors. It will leave a thick texture and not a smooth finish. You would want to use a 3/8 sleeve or even smaller for a smooth finish. A mohair is your best bet.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

jsheridan said:


> I don't like to question one of your stature sdsester, but I have to here. When I roll cabinet doors, I use a mohair roller. We're talking about putting enamel on small square areas and seeking a furniture grade finish, so I can't see how a 1/2 inch cover would help any of that. It would be carrying *way too much* paint and would put a nasty nap texture on the doors. You say you like a heavier nap, but guess that a 1/2 inch would suffice, does that mean you'd use a heavier than 1/2 inch on cabinets, if had a choice? I just thanked a thoughtful post you did in another thread, and here I'm questioning you. I call it as I see it.
> Hugh!


 
He is gonna tell you 3/4 and try it , you will like it.

I have not , as yet.:no:


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Down boys! Here have a milk bone each! Jeeze you can be mean running in a pack!:whistling2: If you each buy a toy today and drop it off at a place that distributes them to kids that might not even get one, I will be over the fear. 

I would never suggest using a heavy nap roller cover with an oil solvent alkyd primer or any oil based finish coats. I would never use anything over 3/8 for the first coat of a latex vinyl or acrylic semi or final gloss product either. Mohair or sheep wool covers? Old joke comes to mind. What do sheep fear most in Scotland? Painters with lambs wool roller covers and other men in kilts. 

I think we all just assumed this guy is using latex? I just skimmed past the posts. 

But this old geezer (hard to admit I have replaced him in many ways)---and Chris you forgot to share the whole story----taught me to mix in acrylic poly and floetrol into semi for cabinets doors and even real doors, lay it down quickly and go over it once with a fat roller wider than 4". Chase the edges with a brush and let it be since you cannot work the poly. 

In my experience it dried to a really nice finish and once cured a kid could take edges of toys and things to it. Did it dry with a tiny bit of orange peel if you looked really closely? You could wash it, ding it and even kick doors shut. It worked for me for years if not for you. So be it. At least you guys are out there doing nice work. Of course my clients wanted even the crappiest of doors to look like fine furniture. Much as they loved me, they did not expect to have to repaint them because the paint film was too thin or prone to chipping and scratching. Trade offs gentlemen. 

If I could do cabinet doors anyway I wanted and furniture like surfaces? Body shop environment. Thorough prep. Prime. Two thin coats of color. 800 of clear coat. 

When a post starts like this one with no suggestion of what tools to use it scares me. Using a roller did not show up at all until way into it (although it is not totally relevant to the question but as applied to how to save time). And I fear most not ever in the busy see the suggestion to use low nap rollers as an excuse to buy those $3/100 bag of things at a box store. 

Oh well, save for bidding for others I am out of the game now. Up to you to counsel folks. 

Keep your eyes on melamines. They are getting cheaper, compounded with less VOCs and some companies now have color bases that take their complete collections nicely. I would trust the lay down of a thin nap roller cover (3/8) with them I guess. 

Merry Christmas guys!:thumbup:


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## dougp23 (Sep 20, 2011)

We spent weeks painting our cabinets, then when we got to the bathroom, something lit up in my head...here's all this mostly flat wood, why the heck am I using brushes?? The roller was just an amazing way to move things along. Glad someone mentioned it.


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

Yep they are flat doors, roller it is.


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Some like the orange peel, some don't. Let's not get mad over it.


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