How To: Make old cabinets look like new

Cabinets are usually the most prominent feature of a kitchen and greatly determine the room's overall décor. Peeling paint, nicks and scratches, or a dull, dirty finish can plague older cabinets and really sap the pizzazz out of the living space. On the other hand, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for cabinets and breathe new life into the kitchen. A repainting project can also save tons of money when compared to full cabinet replacement, which can easily total several thousands of dollars. Some repainting jobs are relatively simple. Your situation may only call for some light sanding, a thorough washing, and a new coat of paint to renew the color that already exists on the cabinets. This is a fairly straightforward procedure that requires you to remove the hardware and doors, and secure yourself a dust-free location for painting and drying the doors (the carcass can be painted in place). In this case, the actual paint application probably won't take longer than a weekend, although drying time may take longer. If the project only requires a fresh coat of paint, then consider yourself lucky; a complete refinishing job takes a lot more time and effort. For an in-depth look at making your old cabinets look like new again, watch this DIY video tutorial.