One of the best parts of painting cabinets is the ability to CUSTOMIZE! My recent client Robin took advantage of this opportunity when she decided to go from her traditional dark wood kitchen cabinets to white (actually a very light gray). Instead of a flat white finish, though, Robin wanted to change it up and create a more casual look with a lightly distressed finish. Which is all the more fun for me!
To create a distressed finish, I have a different process – using chalk paint instead of my usual cabinet paint. Chalk paint dries super-hard, so when it is distressed with sandpaper, it doesn’t create any weak spots in the paint finish. The only down-side to chalk paint is that it is porous, so it needs to be finished with wax or a clear polyurethane. Since poly is way more durable, so it is the far better option for cabinets! To go with the feel Robin was looking for, I used a matte-finish poly, which is great to the touch and is not too reflective.
Robin was thrilled with the results and is now relaxing in her distressed kitchen!
Enjoy,
Jason
Before
After!
Close-up of distressed finish
Detail of cabinet door