Kitchen Cabinet Installation, Repairs & How To

Then for faster coverage of the end panels and fewer ridges to sand off, pick up a 3-1/2 in. Sand the spackling compound flush to the cabinet surface with 120-grit sandpaper after it dries. Depending on temperature and humidity, drying time will vary from a few hours to overnight. Look for areas needing additional filling and reapply spackling if necessary. Allow 90 minutes’ drying time before troweling a thin layer of spackling compound over the entire surface to fill holes, imperfections and wood grain pores. Deep holes will require a second coat after the first dries. Determining the spacing between doors is basically a design decision, but there are a few things to consider.

Don’t Use Harsh Cleansers On Stone Countertops

If this describes your cabinets, dip an old toothbrush into your cleaning solution and use it to gently scrub those hard-to-reach spots. Don’t forget the crevices around the cabinet handles or knobs, and the edges of the cabinet doors, which can be tricky to reach with a rag.

Follow This Old House online:

Draw lines on masking tape to indicate the edge of the doors and drawers (use low-adhesive tape made specially for sensitive surfaces). Align the edge of the door with the line and put one screw in each hinge. After all doors are hung, adjust them so they align at the top and are evenly spaced. Use a Pozi screwdriver to loosen and tighten the adjustment screw on the hinge. Add the second hinge screw when all doors are hung and properly aligned. Press the hinges into the 35mm holes in the back of the cabinet doors. Align the hinge with a combination square and attach it with the small Phillips head screws provided.

Because they dry quickly and clean up with water, latex paints are more user-friendly than oil-based paints. But many pros still favor oil-based topcoats, arguing that they form a harder, more durable paint film and level out to a smoother finished surface. Latex paints also take longer than oil-based paints to fully cure. Trying to figure out how to organize cabinets under the kitchen sink with intrusive plumbing pipes, the sink bottom, and pullout hoses can be particularly challenging. Choose stackable or sliding acrylic or wire shelving that fits beside and below the sink U pipe to maximize the available space. Add storage bins, shelves, and hooks inside doors for more space.

Read more about Maine Custom Cabinets here.

A rubber sanding block that holds a one-third sheet of sandpaper is perfect for getting the spackle sanded off smooth and level. Fine-grit sanding sponges are handy for sanding into corners. If you use oil paint and the paint seems thick or sluggish, thin it with up to 6 ozs.

How to Choose Kitchen Cabinets

We finished our doors with one coat of prestain conditioner, one coat of oil stain, and two coats of polyurethane varnish. The prestain conditioner helps prevent uneven stain penetration on blotchy woods like cherry, pine and birch. Lightly sand and vacuum between varnish coats for maximum smoothness.