I'd love to report that my kitchen cabinets are finally finished and looking gorgeous... but I can't. Because they aren't. With this whole oil/water paint debacle, I feel like I've taken two steps forward and twenty steps back.I googled how to remove the latex paint from an oil painted surface and got the recommendation to give them a hard sanding down through the layers of paint.
Um, no. DON'T DO THAT. It is a waste of time, as you can't sand off the peeling paint. It just won't work.
So, I googled it again, and found the majority vote for removing the paint was washing it off with soapy water and a sponge. Seriously, I found that answer in so many forums I figured it had to be the best way.
After about 20 minutes of soapy scrubbing.... 
Same cabinet door. Time lapse: 45 minutes. (Not even making that up)
Soapy scrubbing with a sponge: DON'T DO THAT. You'll waste the rest of your life, getting that paint off.
In complete exasperation, I posted how much I was hating life on my Facebook page... and got a reply from my awesome pal Michele, who said: "Get yourself a paint stripper and then just scrape it all off."
Never in a million years would that have occurred to me. Hurray for social networking! I went out right then and there and bought myself a container of paint stripper, some protective eye-wear (so hot) and a scraper. Now, I'm in paint-scraping mode. I didn't want to use the chemical stripper in the house, because of the kids (okay, and also because I couldn't figure out how to remove the child-proof cap) so I'm going to leave the cabinets doors and drawers for later... but in the meantime, I'm just peeling the paint off strip by strip.
Yes, it absolutely sucks. But at least it is working! Hopefully soon, I'll have the whole finished kitchen to show off!
xoxo,
In complete exasperation, I posted how much I was hating life on my Facebook page... and got a reply from my awesome pal Michele, who said: "Get yourself a paint stripper and then just scrape it all off."
Never in a million years would that have occurred to me. Hurray for social networking! I went out right then and there and bought myself a container of paint stripper, some protective eye-wear (so hot) and a scraper. Now, I'm in paint-scraping mode. I didn't want to use the chemical stripper in the house, because of the kids (okay, and also because I couldn't figure out how to remove the child-proof cap) so I'm going to leave the cabinets doors and drawers for later... but in the meantime, I'm just peeling the paint off strip by strip.
Yes, it absolutely sucks. But at least it is working! Hopefully soon, I'll have the whole finished kitchen to show off!xoxo,
The things we do for the love of a home! I'm sure it will be perfect when you're all done!
ReplyDeleteMarisa- that sucks. A lot, haha. Someday it will all be worth it though.
ReplyDeleteYou have your own house!!
Still so exciting, I'm sure.
OH I hate this part of painting. Blergh.
ReplyDeleteyuck.
ReplyDeletewelcome to home ownership. We have been fighting the water in our basement...loving the person who lived here before and the things he did to it (being sarcastic)
that seriously blows.
ReplyDeleteBut one day soon you'll have an awesome kitchen that you'll love and appriciate that much more because of the whole fiasco.
You gotta find the positive!
I don't know where you find the patience! And goodness knows what your two little munchkins are getting up to whilst your preoccupied with the kitchen lol...or are they still behaving themselves?
ReplyDeleteOh Cathy, it is ROUGH. I don't have the patience or the time and it is driving me nuts... but at the same time, I REALLY need a place to put my kitchen stuff, which is currently piled all around my house!
ReplyDelete