In the last few years paint has really changed and things we could not paint before like kitchen appliances can now be refinished when you want to change the look of the kitchen but do not want to replace costly appliances.
To refinish your appliances, you have to use a specialty paint known as appliance paint. There are two types of paint for appliances, a spray and a brush on, the latter being more difficult to use but offering more choices of colors (essentially you buy a white paint then add red or blue color pigment, just as you do for your walls, any color is available.) If you opt for a brush on appliance paint you will also have a choice of matte or glossy. Both are heat resistant and therefore well adapted for appliances, brush on paint is a little better for water resistance, in particular if you use the glossy kind.
The quality of paint you choose is very important because a poor quality could actually harm your appliances. furthermore the better the paint quality, the better the final results. This is one case when buying the least expensive item on the shelf is not advised unless you are sure the quality meets the standards, this does not however, mean that price is the yard stick to judge the quality of paint. Read the manufacturers' recommendations and the documentation carefully.
Appliance painting techniques
Regardless of whether you use spray appliance paint or brush on the steps are the same. Painting an appliance requires two distinct steps, surface preparation and applying the paint. To do the job with the least amount of frustration, gather all the tools that you will need. You will use masking tape, steel wool, a brush, and a good primer depending on the paint used and the appliance itself.
- To prepare the surface to be painted you should first unplug the appliance and move is to a suitable area (this is even more important if you use spray paint as you want a well ventilated area.) Proceed to clean it thoroughly to remove any grease accumulation, you can use a solvent degreaser or even IPA (Isopropyl alcohol.)
- Mask all areas that should not be painted, not forgetting buttons if any are present.
- Use the steel wool to smooth the surface one last time before applying the primer.
- Prime Appliance Paint
(spray or brush on) should be applied after the primer has dried completely. Rub the primer lightly with a very fine steel wool before applying the last coat of paint. Do not remove the masking tape until the appliance is completely dried.
You will be amazed at the results new colors can make in the way you feel about your kitchen, below is a before and after kitchen and the make over is striking.
