High Gloss in the Living Room Cabinets

December 20, 2021

Photos and video courtesy Basurto Painting.

We do kitchen cabinets often enough that living room cabinets are simple to work into our schedule and it is work we enjoy!

Sometimes our work at Basurto is not on the walls and doors that make up a house. Instead, our clients will contract us to paint on cabinets and fixtures within the home itself. We do kitchen cabinets often enough that this is simple to work into our schedule, and it is work we enjoy!

Our client had ordered the construction of a brand new custom-built cabinet with a specific idea in mind to fill in the space in between two walls in their living room. The cabinet was designed, built, delivered, and installed by a cabinet shop.

The customer wanted a color that would go well in its place at the edge of their wall, wanting it to blend aesthetically and stand apart. The wallpaper that you see on the wall to the right was hand-painted before installation, so they picked the cabinet color to compliment the wallpaper color. They chose Benjamin Moore Hemlock 719 with a High Gloss Advance sheen.

As per usual, we tested the color out on the cabinet before we began the whole painting. This kind of testing allows our clients to see the color in their space and lighting, as vivid as it will be when Basurto Painting is complete with their work. Only when the customer is delighted and confident does the work begin!

We next went to the cabinet itself. We had to remove doors, drawers, and hardware all over the cabinet. We then labeled the doors for easier installation when finished. Next, we began a long preparation process. We started by sanding the surface of the cabinet down to a smooth surface with 220 grit sandpaper. Once we accomplished that, we taped off the components and dropped floor cloths everywhere we would be painting to start on the primer.

Once the cabinet and components were dusted and vacuumed, we set up a spray booth in the garage. We masked cabinet frames to protect the surrounding areas. We gave all of the exterior surfaces an initial two coats of primer. Then we went about looking for minor repairs in the cabinet: nail holes got patched and sanded, and cracks got caulked in between primer coats. Once we finished the second coat, everything got sanded with 320 grit and dusted and vacuumed again.

At last, we applied the first coat of paint! We let it dry and lightly sanded it again with 320 grit sandpaper. Then it was time for the second coat of paint. We let the second coat dry and then wet sand it with 800 grit sandpaper. We applied the third coat, and then work was done– although some doors did get a fourth coat of paint on the front side for extra protection and durability. Once thoroughly dried, everything gets installed back into the cabinet and adjusted for the proper fit. We removed the masking, and everything got vacuumed and wiped with a dry microfiber cloth.

This process took six full days to complete. The video you see here shows off the final product: after 3-4 coats of Hemlock 719, the result was beautiful, well lit, and beloved by our clients.

If you’d like to liven up the cabinets in your living room with appealing new color, we can schedule an appointment to walk you through our various services. We offer thorough color testing before painting, ensuring that you are delighted and love the colors you choose. Our attention to detail and dedication to elevated standards will ensure that you and your family get the home you always dreamed of!