One of the cheapest and easiest ways to add some character to your kitchen is to paint your vinyl wrapped kitchen cupboards. Vinyl Wrapped kitchen cabinets can be a little complicated to paint compared to wooden ones.
However, it can be an excellent DIY project for you if you want to change the look of your kitchen cabinets.
Things Needed to Paint Your Vinyl Wrapped Cupboard
If you’re looking to paint over your vinyl kitchen wrapped cupboard for a change of look, color and aesthetic of your kitchen you’ll be needing a few things like –
- Sandpaper/Acetone
- 180/220-grit Sandpaper
- Primer
- Paint
- Brush
- Rag/Clean Piece of Clothing
- Screwdrivers
- Finisher
Type of Paint for Vinyl Wraps
You can paint over your Vinyl Wraps, but you’ll need to prepare the vinyl-wrapped surface of your cupboard beforehand. Furthermore, you’ll also need primer and certain kinds of paint.
Vinyl is synthetic plastic with low surface energy, so certain substances can’t stick to it. So, you must ensure that you get paint that can stick to your vinyl-wrapped cupboard.
You’ll need to use a Primer and Vinyl Paint for best results. For a primer, you’ll need a high-adhesion interior primer that is stain-blocking. The primer will be used as an undercoat for your Paint, so don’t compromise on the quality.
For the Paint, it would be best to get gloss or semi-gloss Paint since you can scrub them and easily clean your cabinets. Opting for the best option for Paint is crucial, too, since the kitchen’s heat will impact it.
Latex paints can be cleaned with water and are comparatively more resistant than oil-based paints, so you can choose this option.
How to Paint Vinyl Wrapped Kitchen Cupboards?
Preparing The Surface
You can use two methods to prepare your kitchen cupboard’s vinyl surface: using sandpaper or acetone.
With a screwdriver, please disassemble each component, like your cupboard door, drawers, and other compartments. If you want to paint inside your cabinet and drawers, you must also disassemble them.
To Prep With Sandpaper, you need to roughen the surface of your vinyl wrap by gently sanding using 180/220-grit Sandpaper, be careful not to over-sand. Sanding the surface increases the surface energy by removing the vinyl wrap’s waxes, making it harder for the paint to adhere to the vinyl surface.
Once you’re done sanding, remove all the sanding dust using a rag or a piece of cloth.
Acetone will work similarly by dispersing the wax and breaking down the vinyl surface. If you’re using Acetone, use a brush and apply a light coat of Acetone on the surface of the vinyl. Wipe down the surface with a clean piece of clothing once you’re done.
Painting Over Your Vinyl Cupboard
Priming
Before you paint over vinyl wrap for your kitchen cupboards, you need to use a primer as the undercoat for the paint.
Use a high-quality brush to apply the primer evenly across the surface of your cupboard and the components you plan to paint over. Ensure the primer reaches the hard-to-reach areas, and be careful not to apply the primer too thickly.
If you plan to paint the insides, apply primer on the vinyl wraps inside the cabinet – Prime the back of the cabinet, followed by priming the top-side, bottom, and shelves, if any.
Once you’re done applying primer, you should wait for it to dry out properly. Depending on the size of your cupboards and other components, it may take around 8 to 12 hours to dry.
If you’re priming both sides of the cabinet door, you must prime one side and wait for it to dry before priming the opposite side.
Painting
Once your primed vinyl surface is dried off properly, you can start painting over it.
Use 220-grit Sandpaper to sand off drips left by the primer before you start to paint. Then, before you begin to apply paint, make sure the surface is clean and dry.
Use a paintbrush to start applying paint over the surface, and use long-smooth brush strokes to apply a thin layer over the surfaces you’re painting. Once you’re done, please wait for it to dry out properly. Depending on their size, it may take 6 to 12 hours for the surfaces to dry out properly.
Apply at least 3 coats of paint to the surface for the best result. Make sure to wait for the surfaces to be dry and sand off drips before applying each coat.
Finally, use a thin coat of finisher over the surface and let it dry completely.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Painting Vinyl Cupboards
There are other ways to give your vinyl kitchen cupboards a new look, so let’s see when you should and shouldn’t go for painting over your vinyl cupboards.
Benefits
Cheaper – Painting over your vinyl cupboard is a relatively inexpensive option compared to other alternatives you have.
Aesthetic Value – You can paint your cupboards in a new color (or multiple colors) to your liking, improving the overall appearance of your kitchen.
Protection – A new layer of vinyl painting will give the surface material enhanced protection from the heat of the kitchen and sun rays, especially if your vinyl cupboard is a couple of years old by now.
Drawbacks
Lengthy – The process of priming and coating will take days before you are done painting over properly.
Compatibility – You can only paint over your vinyl-wrapped cabinet if the vinyl is smooth and undamaged. Furthermore, you’ll also have to get special paint for the job.
Not as Durable as new Vinyl Siding – Rather than painting over, you should choose to go with new vinyl siding if your vinyl cabinet wraps are over 20 years old.
Other Alternatives
If your Vinyl Wrap is damaged or uneven or too old it might not be a good idea to paint over them. Instead of painting over your vinyl wrap, you can use an entirely new layer of vinyl. It will be more costly than paint but offers you different customization options and more protection.
Can vinyl covered cabinets be painted?
Yes, vinyl covered cabinets can be painted over. You’ll need to use dedicated primer and vinyl painting.
Why should you paint over your vinyl cupboard?
It’s a cheaper alternative to other options of customizing your cupboard like changing the vinyl wrap or changing the entire cupboard.
