By Jennifer Rouse
For the Democrat-Herald | Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2007 12:00 am
How not to tackle your kitchen in five easy steps
When my husband and I bought our first home this spring, a house dating from 1954, we knew the first of many home-improvement projects would be painting the kitchen. The dark blue walls with a marbled white faux-painting swirl over the top weren't our style.
Home decorating magazines assured me that painting was a simple, inexpensive way to transform a room. And a fun way to bond with your spouse, too! That was the plan, anyway.
Of course, things did not all go according to plan. It wasn't a horrible experience, but it could have been smoother. Here are a few of the mistakes we made. Learn from us, and I'm sure your painting project can be a snap.
1. Don't judge a color based only a tiny swatch.
I knew that I wanted red. But which red? Cherry Cobbler? American Rose? Crimson Sky?. Was this one too bright? That one too dark? I couldn't tell. I ended up picking a color mainly because it was from the manufacturer I'd heard was good. I think I'm going to like it. But we haven't finished the second coat yet, so the jury's still out.
2. Don't skimp on tools.
We got this one half-right. We got excellent brushes and heavy-duty roller frames. But we decided to buy cheap brushes to use just for the primer, wanting to save the nice ones for the real thing.
Bad idea. The bristles came out and glommed onto the wall, embedding into the paint. The brushes fanned out unevenly, making it impossible to paint edges without getting paint all over our white cabinets, white molding, white tile countertops and white floors.
3. Don't expect instant results.
We knew we were making a big color change - dark blue to dark red - and we didn't want the result to be purple. Someone suggested we have the store tint our primer with the shade we would be painting with.
One squirt of red in a can of white primer equals one gallon of very pink paint. The primer was the exact shade of Pepto-Bismol-anyone with a stomachache could have found relief just by walking into our kitchen. Later, people told us that dark grey primer is often used for dark paint colors. Maybe that would have been a good idea.
We couldn't wait for the primer to dry so we could cover it with the red.
It says right on the can: "Darker colors may require two coats." They weren't kidding. Coat one was a good start, but it didn't cover the pink completely. We haven't done the second coat yet, and the walls are still looking a little too much like a 13-year-old girl's favorite shade of lipstick for my taste. I think once we get the second coat on there it'll darken up. I hope.
4. Don't assume it will be easy.
My entire previous painting experience consisted of painting my daughter's bedroom in a previous home. Four blank white walls, one gallon of pale yellow paint, and within a couple hours we were done. Including travel time to the store to get the paint, the whole project was done by noon.
Naively, we expected similar things this time. When the alarm went off at 6 a.m., we decided to forgo getting up early to put a coat of primer on and let it dry. "It'll be fine. This really won't take very long," my husband said, and we rolled over and went back to sleep.
However, our kitchen has a lot more stuff to paint around than that bedroom did. We were not painting large swaths with the roller. We were painstakingly going around the edges of our cabinets and backsplash and molding. What with that second coat, plus all the touch-ups it needs-it's been two days and we still aren't done.
5. Don't forget to have fun.
Despite all that I've said, this was not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning. We drank lots of coffee and did our best to giggle at our mistakes. We took pictures of my manly husband in his pink kitchen. My friend came over to help and we chatted while we worked. Really, it wasn't that bad.
And if we decide we don't like it, we're only out $20 for a gallon of paint. We can just do it all over again next Saturday. Right, honey?
Tips from the pros
The right way to paint a kitchen
1. Get the tools you need.
Ask friends what brands of paint and tools they've had success with. The Albany library has access to back issues of Consumer Reports magazine, and the September 2006 issue had ratings of major paint brands. Determine what you can afford, then buy the best paint and tools your budget allows.
"The first time you paint will be the most expensive," said George Yeager, manager of Sherwin-Williams in Albany. However, if you take care of your tools they can last through years of painting.
He suggests getting drop cloths, good-quality brushes and rollers, a roller tray with inserts, a step ladder or an extension pole, and some old T-shirts to wipe up drips.
2. Pick the right paint.
For busy areas like kitchens and living rooms, a washable semi-gloss paint is best, Yeager said.
When it comes to choosing colors, think about how much natural light comes into the room. Colors look different in the sunshine.
Some stores sell sample-size containers of paint so you can take the color home and try it out. Try driving around new construction areas and getting permission to look inside-seeing a color on a whole room instead of a tiny square can make a big difference.
3. Do the prep.
Measure the height and width of your walls to figure out the total area you need to paint, subtracting for the space windows, doors and cupboards take up. Figure one gallon for every 250-300 square feet, Yeager said.
Repair any holes in the walls with spackle and a putty knife. Wash walls with tri-sodium phosphate (TSP), a cleanser found in paint and home improvement stores. Rinse well before putting on your primer.
Jennifer Rouse is a first-time homeowner who lives in Albany with her husband and two daughters. When she's not taking care of her kids or working on a freelance writing job, she likes to look at the pretty pictures in home magazines and get ideas for more fun projects. She can be reached at rousejen@gmail.com.