Painting Thermofoil Cabinets, the Reveal
UPDATE~Since painting this kitchen I have decided that removing the thermofoil from the doors is much easier than painting over it. While this kitchen is holding up well it’s just easier to remove it. You can read all about how to remove thermofoil in this post.
If you’ve been following along the last few posts you know I’ve been working on this kitchen.
Although the cabinets were in great shape my client just couldn’t live with these bright white cabinets so we decided they needed a facelift with some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite. Please check out my previous posts about this kitchen for more details on the painting process.
After getting all of the doors and skeletons painted it was time to do all the finish work and install everything back into its home. So first things first…I laid all the cabinet doors on the floor on my drop cloths (aka discounted table cloths from the Dollar General) and put them in order. One stack for top cabinet doors and one stack for bottom cabinet doors. I then made sure everything had a good coat of clear wax on it. This was because I knew I was going to add dark wax to everything. It is important to put a coat of clear wax on your surface before you add the dark. That way if you need to take some of the dark back off you can by using a little clear wax on a rag when you are buffing. After I had the doors clear waxed I distressed them slightly around the edges and corners. I then applied the dark wax. The dark wax really helped to tone down the white areas that were now peeking out where I had distressed which was exactly what I wanted.
Here’s a glamor shot for you…waxing is hard work and it’s important to me that I get it right. Even if it means climbing right up on the counter and feeling like I’m gonna slip off the edge.
ASCP in Graphite is more of a dark gray tone rather than black as you can see here on the right. But when adding the clear and then dark wax it becomes much darker as you can see on the left.
After literally hours of waxing and then buffing it was finally time to use my Ryobi cordless drill to reinstall all the doors and hardware……
and remove all the tape. I love removing the tape cause that means I’m done! As you can see this made a huge difference in this kitchen. With a little imagination and a lot of hard work you can make any room of your house reflect your style.
So thrilled to have this kitchen project under my belt. It was tons of work and took me a little over 25 hours but it was so fun and rewarding. I hope you enjoy the following after photos and please feel free to ask questions in the comment section below if you have them.
Do you have cabinets you’d like to have painted? If you are within 1 hour of Fairview TN, email me at farmfreshvintagefinds@gmail.com for pricing and details.
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Thanks for reading and commenting below.
Yay! I’ve been itching for the reveal! I love it! I’m a fan of white myself but this dark just adds so much dimension and mood to the room. A fabulous job!
Love it. Your whole look is almost identical to how we remodeled our kitchen two yrs ago. I wished we had seen your process on the cabinets beforehand bc we are dealing with chips on the edges where dishes and pains bang them.
Here is a really dumb question. What are thermofoil cabinets?
Here’s an answer via Wikipedia which is much better than I could come up with on my own. 🙂
Thermofoil is a surface finish applied to cabinets by multiple manufacturers. It is a plastic material which is thermoformed to the profile of an underlying engineered wood core such as medium-density fiberboard. Thermofoil typically has a high-quality sheen and may incorporate metallic elements in its finish (analogous to the metallic paint on an automobile).
Often used for making kitchen cabinet doors, this reasonably priced and commonly available synthetic material is a thin, tight, heat-sealed plastic wrap used to mold over an MDF substrate. Thermofoil cabinet doors can be a solid color or imitation wood grain. The cabinet boxes that accompany these doors can be finished in various materials such matching thermofoil, coordinating paint, and laminates. Thermofoil is available in a range of textures and sheen levels, the most popular choice being solid white with a matte sheen. For a budget kitchen remodel, a thermofoil cabinet door is an easy and economical alternative to white paint.
The downside of thermofoil is its greater susceptibility to heat and moisture compared to other materials. Heat-generating appliances such as coffeemakers and toasters should not be placed too close to the cabinets. Heat shields can be placed between cabinets and major appliances such as dishwashers and ranges. Many appliances come with built-in shields.[1]
They are just beautiful!! Great job, Beth!!!
Beautiful! I know your client is thrilled and I can imagine that your arm is aching after buffing that much space!
What a transformation! Going from white to black is such a huge change and it truly looks amazing. You did such a great job!
Blessings,
Cindy
Im currently working on my kitchen as well. Typically I put clear on in small sections and almost immediately put the dark wax on then wipe off. Am I doing this right or do I need to let clear dry then put on clear again?AHHH Or do it the way I am and then add another layer of clear afterwards. And when you say buff do you mean put on and wipe off or wipe in circles? Sorry to be a pain! I am never nervous I have done so many pieces but this is MY KITCHEN! lol
can you use any other brand of chalk paint to get a similar look?
I haven’t used any other brands very much so I would recommend painting a sample board first. The ones I have used are not as good as the Annie Sloan brand. I don’t sell her paint and I’m not paid to endorse it in any way. This is just my opinion and experience. Thanks for your question!
Blessings,
Beth
Thank you, I just wanted to avoid having to wait for it 🙂 but I ordered it today
Beth, I am finishing naked kitchen cabinets that have just been hung up. Can I just start with chalk paint or do I need to use a base of something first. Also, does milk paint hold up in a kitchen as well as waxed chalk paint? Thank you!!! Joan
I haven’t used milk paint on cabinets yet. If I did they would have to be raw wood for me to feel confident about using it. (Remember this is strictly my opinion.) I think milk painted cabinets would be beautiful. When I paint cabinets with chalk paint I clean them throughly and then use the chalk paint only. I then seal them with two thin coats of wax. Allowing it to dry for at least 30 minutes between coats. Good luck with yours!!! I’m sure they’re going to be beautiful.
Blessings,
Beth
Love the cabinets!! Great job! I’m not quite sure I understand the whole process, do you use any primer first before you use jump in with the Graphite chalk paint? Thanks ! Katherine
Hi Katherine,
Most times when using chalk paint you do not have to prime because chalk paint is self-priming.
Blessings,
Beth
I’ve just looked over your process for painting Thermofoil cabinets. Looks like a lot of work. I haven’t looked at the removing Thermofoil process yet – seems like that would be more work. We’re in a renovation process & trying to save some $$. I’ve found some used cabinets with Thermofoil finish that are in great shape – but they’re white. Not exactly what I had in mind. Is there a less intensive process to just “antique” these rather than a complete paint job?
I’m new at this – kind-of nervous…
Thanks! Treva
Hi Treva,
It is A LOT of work but in my opinion anything worth having is. The only thing I can recommend for getting the best finish is to remove the thermofoil first. There really is no other way to insure that the paint or finish will adhere if you don’t. Take the extra time and effort and do the extra work. In the end you’ll be glad you did. Good Luck!
Blessings,
Beth
Hey Beth… was wondering if removing the thermocouple leaves a glue residue that would have to be removed? And if yes, how would I do that?
Hi Sue,
It depends on the manufacturer, sometimes there’s a residue and sometimes not. I always lightly sand with a 220 grit paper to make sure the glue is removed.
Thanks,
Beth
Awww thank you!!! I just used the graphite on a bench and was disappointed with the dark grey color. But seeing your cabinets with the dark wax gives me hope. Looks great!!
What type of paint brush did you use on this? And how do you know if your cabinets have that stuff on them that will need to be taken off? I am ready to paint my stained wood cabinets and I want them to be black. So I guess it’s the wax that makes them look black right? Because I don’t want gray!
Faith-if you have wood cabinets then they don’t have thermofoil on them. I use an Annie Sloan brush for painting but any brush will work. And yes the dark wax will make them more black than gray.
Blessing,
Beth
I’m so so happy to find your blog. I’ve been thinking that chalk paint is the way to go for our kitchen cabinets, but I was worried it would look strange. All of yours look great! Thanks for the tips.
You did a great job on these cabinets!!! The thermofoil Had to of made this a lot harder! Im a Contractor and i do custom cabinets to match What cabinets the customer all ready has! So i know what you went threw!!! GREAT JOB
Thanks! It’s a lot of work but I love it!
Blessings,
Beth
Hi! I’ve found your project cause I’m trying to paint my thermofoil kitchen with ASCP at the moment. Your kitchen looks gorgeous!
I’ve painted 2 cabinet doors fronts to see if I’m happy with the colour (still attached, was planning to take them off later and paint the insides). I’ve mixed some French Linen with white and a bit of Coco. Very happy with the colour, applied 2 thin layers of wax.
But the next day I’ve been foolishly braising some lamb in my multicooker and oil splattered the newly painted cabinets! 😮
It left small grease stains. I’ve tried to wash them, but they’re still there. I can sand them off, repaint bits etc. But my worry is how to keep painted kitchen stain free!? There’s sides of cabinets that face the cooker and will be splashed for sure at some point.
a) Maybe paint and wax weren’t cured for long enough?
b) Maybe I should apply more wax?
c) Mabye I should get some laquer instead of wax?
And how does you kitchen stand the test of time in general? I guess dark colour must be more forgiving.
I would really apreciate if you can reply!
Yulia
HI Yulia,
The paint and wax needs to cure for at least a couple weeks. I love using wax and since you did it yourself I would try applying more wax first and see how that works. If that doesn’t work try sanding it lightly and then painting and sealing. I hope this helps.
Blessings,
Beth
What a beautiful job! I am going to tackle this project on my kitchen island. How many coats of wax did you apply? It looks like you applied the dark wax with a brush… Do you use a brush for the clear wax, as well?
Thanks!
Tammy
Hi Tammy,
Using a brush is really a matter of preference. I find it’s easier personally. I do tow coats of wax. 🙂
Blessings,
Beth
Nice job! I never knew these cabinets were called Thermofoil …..I always referred to them as plastic coated ….lol …..that would have been useful at the time I painted mine. I peeled my coating off before painting, and after reading your post, I’m glad I did. I posted pics on Hometalk
…..http://www.hometalk.com/716823/painted-kitchen-cabinets
Very Cool Maureen!!!! Your cabinets look fantastic. I love how you said you just winged it! That’s now we learn. Bravo! Bravo!
Blessings,
Beth
You do beautiful work and such willingness to please your client. Just one thing. I too stood on a counter nose to the wall. I could not reach area with a ladder because of the sink area in the way. I had to reach up, hands as high as they’d go and pull arm back for better leverage. Nose is to the wall. Sadly this caused me to lose footing and fall backwards and land nine feet onto a hard surface floor. My upper back of head hit first. The momentum caused me to roll backwards and frontwards and foll sitting up. I felt nothing. Then the most horrific pain came and my life is forever and ever changed. We chat but do not ever do it. Please. Rent scaffolding if you cannot reach. Climbing on a counter which has your cabinet in the way is an accident waiting to happen. I’ve suffered greatly over eight years. I can’t work. I will never be able to drive again. Nor ever watch my grandchild who was not even here at that time. I write this taking a rest but my head hurts.
Do your work. Yes!! Please just do not stand on a countertop for any reason. Get out the ladder. Ask for help. Thank you for taking me, 99% disabled now…seriously.
Gwen,
Thanks for your concern and I’m so sorry about your terrible accident. So awful. Prayers for you for healing to your body.
Blessings,
Beth
I am super excited about taking on this project and I hope my results are just as beautiful. My questions for you is how many coats did you do and how many quarts did you use. I have 20 cabinets, one being 15×84. I would also like to know what you used to distress the cabinets with. Thank you in advance for your help.
Kellie
Hi Kellie,
The amount of coats and quarts will depend on what color you use. Lighter colors will take more coats. I recommend a minimum of 3 coats for cabinets. As far as distressing I use a damp rag or sanding block.
Good luck with your project!
🙂 Beth
Looks great. I painted my cabinets black a few years ago and have the same countertops. I did not put a backsplash up at the time but after seeing this kitchen I’m in love with the tile. Can you please tell me where you got the tile for the backsplash?
Thanks!
Hey Tonya,
This was a client project. I’m not sure where the got it. Sorry I can’t help.
Thanks,
Beth
I am about to start this project in my home in the next few days. Other then cleaning the peices off is there something specific I should clean them with? Also wondering if I go right into painting with the chalk paint or should I prime? Once finished painting do I need a sealer to protect ?? Thanks so much this is just stunning!!!
Hi Bre,
Once I remove the thermofoil I lightly sand the surface with 220 grit paper to make sure there are no raised spots. I then use denatured alcohol to clean cabinet doors, drawers and skeletons. I think paint 3-4 coats depending on the color. Once that’s done I seal with a satin topcoat. I prefer General Finishes High Performance Top Coat. You can purchase it on my site here- http://farmfreshvintagefinds.myshopify.com/products/general-finishes-satin-topcoat
I hope this helps! Good luck with your project.
🙂 Beth
I am Wanting to paint my cabinets .They are thermafoil Covered I’m feeling .If yours were how did u remove? T hanks!
Hi…I have white textured plastic coated cabinets with raised panels like yours and would like to just glaze the detail part of raised panels with a grey color. can this be done without painting the whole cabinet first? should I sand that area first so glaze will adhere?