Kitchen Remodeling Isn't Just For the Pros: You CAN Update Your Kitchen Yourself!


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Kitchen remodeling is 1 of those key projects that homeowners are afraid to tackle themselves, but with a little sweat equity and help from the nearby dwelling improvement shop, any one can renovate their own kitchen. Don't be intimidated: if I can do it, so can you!

When I bought my present residence, it hadn't been updated given that 1973. There was sculpted shag, white and gold linoleum... you get the picture. The flooring was an hassle-free change. I ripped out carpet and put in Pergo Choose, scraped up linoleum and laid heavy weight vinyl tiles that appear like slate, and hired someone to replace the carpet in the bedroom. But the kitchen also looked like a blast from the 70s. Just after some thought and major design planning, I decided to tackle the renovation myself. The method was straightforward and my new kitchen cabinets look fabulous!

Step 1 was to assess the existing state of my cabinets... I soon learned that the cabinets weren't solid wood, meaning I couldn't sand off the dark stain. That meant priming and painting! A light scuff roughed up the cabinets sufficient to take the primer, and then I painted the cabinets an antique white. To give them that professionally completed look, I took out the shelves and painted the interior, too. The shelves were completed off with a coat of paint on the bottom and get in touch with paper on top.

The old cabinet doors didn't have knockout center panels, so to get the glass-front appear I wanted, they had to be replaced. I chose unfinished oak frames, doors and drawer fronts from my neighborhood home improvement store. To location my order, I measured each and every existing door and drawer carefully--measure, measure, and measure once again to make certain your new cabinet doors will fit! I also made a diagram so I would know which doors went where.

As soon as delivery day arrived, there was nonetheless tons of function in front of me. I got out my trusty measuring tape and measured the cabinet door frames for the glass inserts. I gave the Delphi glass rep the measurements and the number of pieces, and she figured out how a large number of sheets of glass I needed. Then, whilst I waited for the glass to arrive, I sanded and completed with doors with a satin, water-based polyurethane for durability and a attractive finish.

Cutting the glass was quick, if a little stressful. Mark your glass with a grease pencil to make positive you get the layout ideal! This ensures you have minimum waste and you get all the pieces you will need. When your glass inserts are cut, run a bead of clear silicone caulk about the inside edge of the cabinet door frame. Lay in your glass and secure it with glazing points leave it flat until the caulk cures.

When the time came to install the new glass-front cabinet doors, I got lucky-my new doors lined up with the screw holes from the old doors. If yours do not, just measure the distinction and drill your new pilot holes prior to hanging. The drawer fronts are not troublesome to get rid of. and you can use the very same holes to install them. You will have to drill the holes for attaching your pulls, although, so measure, mark, and pre-drill them before attaching the drawer fronts.

That is all it takes: a few very simple actions, quite standard property improvement know-how, and the desire for inexpensive, stunning new kitchen cabinets! My new cabinets are glass on best, solid doors on the bottom and appear truly gorgeous. At a price of $800.00 plus labor (all mine!) they had been less high priced than all-new cabinets. I have a great-looking new kitchen and I'm proud that I did it myself.