Installing Custom Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Cabinet handles are a nice decorative element.

To customize your DIY kitchen cabinets, you can easily add cabinet pulls or knobs. Cabinet hardware is relatively easy to install. After you have chosen your cabinet pulls or knobs, installing them is quite quick and easy and can be a fast do-it-yourself project.
First, be sure you have your cabinet knobs or pulls and the screws you need to attach them to the kitchen cabinet doors.
Next, find the correct size of drill bit for the holes in the cabinet hardware.
Third, measure the area vertically and horizontally to correctly place the cabinet pulls or knobs where you want them. This is a very important step to ensure your kitchen cabinet hardware is not lopsided or looks funny once installed.
Next, use tape to protect the cabinet doors where you are drilling. You can easily split the cabinet wood if you do not place tape where you are drilling holes.
Using a power drill, drill holes where marked to install the custom hardware.
Finally, screw on the cabinet handles with a screwdriver or power drill.
Now, your basic kitchen cabinetry has a custom design that you created yourself. Your kitchen's style can be greatly accentuated with custom kitchen cabinet hardware.

Painting Existing Kitchen Cabinets for a Custom Look

Cream painted kitchen cabinetry

Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great way to give an old looking kitchen a quick and inexpensive face lift. This do-it-yourself kitchen remodel does not take a long time, generally only a weekend and is quite easy to do. With paint, you can easily customize your kitchen to your specifications and make your kitchen your very own with its own style and personality. There are certain steps you need to take in order to paint your kitchen cabinets correctly so the paint color lasts and looks professional.

Black painted kitchen cabinets

1. Remove the cabinet doors. This is the first thing you want to do. Remove all the hardware and place it in a bag or bin so you can reassemble your cabinets after painting is done.
2. Clean the cabinets. Sand off any rough edges or areas and wipe away the dust. Use a sponge and denatured alcohol to clean the cabinets including the crannies, corners and nooks. Be sure the room is well ventilated as the alcohol has fumes. Let all cleaned surfaces air dry.
3. Apply sealer-primer to the cabinets. With a sponge brush, apply primer-sealer to your kitchen cabinet doors. Apply it going along with the grain of the wood. Using a primer-sealer eliminates the need for sanding and deglossing the cabinets. The sealer-primer takes approximately an hour to dry.
4. Apply the paint color of your choice. Use a good paint brush to apply the paint. The better the brush, the better your custom cabinets will look when complete. Start at the center and follow the wood grain. Don't go too fast or it can get sloppy. For a fine finish, apply three to four thin coats and allow four hours for drying between coats. Using a high-gloss paint is recommended but you can use a water-based paint because you used a primer-sealer already.
5. Paint the cabinet bases. Once you have completed painting the cabinet doors, you can move onto the bases of the cabinetry. Follow the same steps as you did with the kitchen cabinet doors: sanding, cleaning and applying sealer-primer. Be sure to tape off the edges so you do not paint your walls too.
6. Add a color glaze. If you want, apply a color glaze to allow the wood grain to show through the paint. Using a one-to-one mixture of paint and glaze makes this part easy. Apply the mixture with a bristle brush and follow the wood grain. Remove any loose bristles before applying the mixture.
7. Remove excess pigment from your cabinets. With a clean, unused paint brush, remove any excess pigment, or just as a much as want to remove. As you work, wipe off the brush with paper towels.

Re-install your cabinet doors to the bases after all the paint has dried. Remove any painting tape and enjoy your new custom kitchen cabinets.

Customizing Stock Cabinets with Paint and Hardware

White kitchen cabinets

For your do-it-yourself kitchen renovation, cabinets can be a large expense. To save money, many people purchase stock kitchen cabinets from a home improvement or big box store. While this is cost-effective, it can give your kitchen a generic look. To customize your DIY kitchen cabinets, you can use paint and custom hardware.
Paint can make or break kitchen cabinetry. There are so many colors from which to choose and paint helps set the mood for your kitchen. You may choose something classic like white, contemporary like black or bold like red to customize your kitchen. With paint, you can really make any statement you wish for your custom kitchen. For something more traditional, you may choose to stain your kitchen cabinets instead of paint them. For a more antique look, you can sand down the edges to expose the wood. There are many other things you can do with paint like adding stencil designs or appliques.

Cabinet pulls

Cabinet hardware can also freshen up and customize the look of your do-it-yourself kitchen. You can use cabinet pulls, glass knobs or more customized designs for your cabinet hardware. Cabinet hardware is also easy to change out. If you want to change the look or feel of your kitchen, you can easily do so by purchasing new hardware and switching it out. With so many different kitchen cabinet hardware styles from which to choose, you can create a custom look easily and inexpensively.
Making small and inexpensive changes like paint, stain or hardware can give your kitchen a top-of-the-line, high-end look. With a little creativity, the sky is the limit for your DIY kitchen remodel.