Helpful Tips for DIY Cabinet Painting

If you want to add an instant upgrade to a tired outdated kitchen, consider repainting the cabinets! A simple paint job can make a huge difference for any kitchen space, large or small. And a DIY paint project saves property owners’ time and money!

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612


Before committing to undertake a cabinet repainting project, is important to first take full consideration of all the necessary tools, supplies, time, and money the job requires. Knowledge is power, even when it comes to DIY home renovations! By preparing yourself for what to expect, you can be ready to take on any obstacles or challenges that might ensue during the process. For this reason and more, it will help to review a few tips for DIY cabinet painting, and who to have on deck in case things get too complicated. Continue reading for tips on painting cabinets for an instantaneous and affordable kitchen renovation.

🖌 Do Your Research and Plan Ahead

Once you have decided on a color, researched and purchased quality paint, primer, and sealcoat, and studied how to properly apply coats of paint to the material of cabinet in your kitchen, you are ready to begin! But the first tip for a DIY painting project is to be sure you have ample time. Not only do you need time to complete the painting process, you need additional time to allow the coats to dry. Paint needs to thoroughly dry before placing any furniture or décor back in its place. This could jeopardize the finish, potentially adding nicks, marks, scratches, smears, splotches, and more. It is recommended to set aside at least four to five days for a small to medium-sized kitchen, and at least one week for larger-sized kitchens or kitchens with many cabinets.

🖌 Stay Organized

One of the most helpful tips anyone could give in regards to repainting kitchen cabinets is to label and grid each and every one for accurate reassembly. So often, people forget which door goes where, and which handles go to what. It is very confusing to try and figure it out without labels or grids. By recording the placement and fixture for every piece, you can ensure your cabinets are put back exactly the way they were before your project began. You can use masking tape and label each part, and a piece of paper to record the placement of hardware and other fixtures.

🖌 Mind the Hardware

Also, avoid painting over hardware, screws, or nails. Paint affects the way your cabinets will open and close. Use a cordless drill to remove all of these components, grid where they belong, and replace once the paint is completely dry. And don’t forget to use putty knives and a spackling compound to fill in nicks, dents, and holes. Always paint over a smooth surface for the best possible outcome.

🖌 Perhaps Hire a Pro

Call a licensed Indianapolis painting contractor for fast, professional, and affordable kitchen cabinet renovations and upgrades. They retain the proper tools, training, and resources to provide professional finishes at a price anyone can afford, and in a time-frame that’s convenient for you.

Indianapolis Painting Contractors

Home Repair Service 317-454-3612

Building Repairs and Remodeling
317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 for affordable interior and exterior painting services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owner and general contractor, Lee Elliot, guarantees to beat any competitor’s price. Our experienced painting contractors are happy to answer your questions about painting and drywall work, anytime. We offer a wide range of remodeling and renovation services for all commercial and residential properties. Call 317-454-3612 to request a written estimate, today.

How to Get Paint Off Clothes

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Whether a night out cocktailing and canvasing with the girls, or changing the color of your bedroom walls, paint seems to always get on clothing no matter how hard you try to prevent it from happening. Fortunately, there are some handy tricks to removing paint from clothes; and the best part is, they won’t jeopardize the integrity of your fabrics. So before tossing that favorite blouse of yours in the trash because you accidentally brushed up against a freshly-painted wall, continue reading and learn how to get paint off clothes instead!

Paint Removal Supplies

🎨 Paint Thinner (or turpentine)
🎨 Nail Polish Remover
🎨 Rubbing Alcohol
🎨 Liquid Detergent
🎨 Liquid Dish Soap
🎨 Disposable Plastic Container
🎨 Toothbrush
🎨 Clean Sponge
🎨 Clean Rags
🎨 Spoon
🎨 Butter Knife
🎨 Cotton Balls
🎨 Paper Towels
🎨 Duct Tape

After reading the tools and supplies list, you might be wondering how these materials relate to one another and how they remove paint from clothes. But the supplies you use will depend on the type of paint you have on your article of clothing. You’ll require different materials for latex, oil, and acrylic paints. So that means that the first step to removing paint from your clothes is to find out which type of paint it is. Once you know that, you can move onto the next steps.

Latex Paint Removal:

Step ➀ Place paper towels and clean rags down to use as a foundation for your article of clothing, even if it’s completely dry. This prevents paint from transferring through the fibers and onto whatever is beneath it.

Step ➁ If there is still wet paint on your clothing, use your butter knife and spoon to scrap it off.

Step ➂ Run your article of clothing under warm water and then blot it dry using a paper towel or dry rag. If you are wearing your article of clothing and it is too saturated with paint, continue rinsing the best you can until you can take it off.

Step ➃ Turn the article of clothing inside out and rinse it thoroughly under warm water.

Step ➄ If your garment is color-safe, use liquid dish soap for this step. If it is not, use liquid laundry detergent instead. Apply the soap directly to the affected area, and use a clean sponge or white cloth to work up a generous lather. Be sure to continue rotating rag or sponge to avoid cleaning with a soiled section.

Step ➅ Repeat step 6 as often as you need until you feel like you’ve cleansed away most of the paint. Then launder as usual and allow to air dry.

Step ➆ Once the garment is entirely dry, check the level of paint residue. If there is still paint evident, use your butter knife to scrape off the remaining paint, or apply duct tape firmly over it and peel away. Repeat this a few times, and then repeat all steps all over again.

Note: At this point, you can also use an old toothbrush and a small amount of nail polish remover to get paint off your clothing, but be careful as it might discolor non-color safe fabrics.

Oil and Acrylic Paint Removal:

Step ➀ Place paper towel down to use as a foundation for your garment.

Step ➁ Whether the paint is wet or dry, scoop the excess off with a butter knife. Then turn your garment inside out and repeat.

Step ➂ Pour a cup or two of paint thinner into a disposable plastic container, like an empty ice cream tub. Then soak some cotton balls in it.

Step ➃ With the garment inside out, use the soaked cotton balls to gently dab the soiled area. As you pick up paint, continue to switch cotton balls. If the stain is proving to be difficult to remove, try pouring paint thinner directly over it and use a toothbrush to scrub. Just be sure you have a clean, dry foundation underneath.

Step ➄ Blot the freshly treated area dry with clean paper towels to remove excess paint thinner. Then blot the area with some liquid laundry detergent.

Step ➅ Wash the garment in the laundry as usual.

Indianapolis Painting Contractors

Indianapolis Remodeling and Painting

Indianapolis Remodeling Contractors 317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 for experienced interior and exterior painting services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owner, Lee Elliot, and his team of professional painters, use a concentrated, organized approach to residential and commercial painting projects to ensure paint only goes where it’s supposed to! You won’t have to worry about drips and brush-ups with them around! Call 317-454-3612 to request an estimate from our Indianapolis painting contractors, today.

How to Repair Nail Pops in Walls

Drywall Repair and Painting 317-454-3612

Drywall Repair and Painting 317-454-3612

Underneath all the walls in your home is a structural material called drywall. The drywall is installed using a variety of traditional construction tools, namely, screws and nails. Overtime, no matter how well your home’s drywall was constructed, it is normal for walls to experience a common problem known as nail pops. This occurs when the nails and screws in your drywall loosen, and subsequently push the heads of them toward the inside of the wall.

The result is a blister or bump-like protrusion on your flat, smooth wall. So of course, when homeowners see this kind of wall damage, they instantly look for fast and affordable solutions.

Nail Pop Repair

Fortunately, nail pops are not serious issues. They are relatively easy to repair, so long as you retain adequate knowledge surrounding drywall repair and finishing techniques. If you do not, it is recommended to hire a professional contractor or handyman that is experienced in drywall repair and painting service. They have the proper tools, training, and materials to provide professional results in a convenient time-frame. If you choose to do it yourself, here is what you’ll need to do:

Needed Supplies:

Drywall Knife
Drywall Screws
Hammer
Power Drill
Hand Trowel
Drywall Mud
Sandpaper
Primer
Paint
Paintbrush

Locate the Framing

Use your fingers to tap the drywall and find where the framing is located. Hollow sounds indicate no framing, while dense sounds indicate framing. Once you think you found the framing, double-check by tapping each side to make sure they are hollow. If you have a concentrated area of nail pops on one wall, there is most likely a frame right behind it.

Screw in the Drywall

On the framing, insert one drywall screw a few inches above and below the nail pop, and secure the drywall back into place.

Press the Nail Pop

Depress the nail pop back into the wall by gently using a hammer. Use a drywall knife to collect the associated broken material.

Apply Drywall Mud

Twice-coat the affected area and the head of the screws with quality drywall mud. Using two coats with provide more secure coverage and smoother results.

Sand the Wall

Once the drywall mud is dried, lightly sand the area down until it is a smooth and even surface. Be sure to use the proper-grade sandpaper for optimal results.

Prime and Paint

When the area is sanded to a smooth finish, it is ready for primer and paint. Use a high-quality primer, and allow it to dry completely before applying paint. Use the same paint color as the rest of the wall, unless you wish to change the color of the entire wall.

Restoration By L & B, LLC

General Contractors Indianapolis IN

Indianapolis General Contractors 317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 for professional drywall and painting services in Indianapolis, IN and its surrounding locations. Owner, Lee Elliot, is a licensed general contractor that provides quality and affordable handyman services for residential and commercial properties, including drywall repair and installation, interior and exterior painting, remodels, renovations, and much more. We guarantee to beat any competitor’s price! Call 317-454-3612 to schedule a detailed assessment, today.

Recommended Brands of Paint for Interior and Exterior Projects

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Interior and exterior painting projects require three components to render a fabulous result: Proper preparation, skilled workmanship, and quality paint. The first two components are a bit more complicated, and quite possibly require the services of a professional painting contractor, but the ladder component is something any homeowner can achieve on their own.

Finding the right paint color is not the most effective trick to a great paint job, but rather the quality of the paint. Higher quality paint provides longer luster, easy maintenance, streak-free finishes, and requires less coats. They also come in “all-in-one” options, including primers and seal coats, for faster and easier projects. Low quality paints will require many coats and may not look smooth or professional in the end. Continue reading to learn more about quality paint and which brands are most recommended in the industry.

Exterior Painting

Be sure to match the right sheen or gloss level for exterior paint jobs. It is suggested to use eggshell, flat, or satin finishes for things like siding, while trim and doors should be painted with a gloss or semi-gloss finish to add appropriate contrast. Here are a few of the most recommended exterior paint lines and brands on the market:

1. Sherwin-Williams Duration
$45 to $70 per Gallon
One Coat Coverage
Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)
Durable and Long-Lasting

2. Behr Premium Plus
$25 to $35 per Gallon
Quick Dry
Stain/Mold/Mildew Resistant
Low VOC

3. Benjamin Moore
$45 to $80 per Gallon
Low VOC
Self-Priming
Mold/Mildew Resistant

Interior Painting

When it comes to interior paint jobs, it is important to match the appropriate gloss level to achieve your desired finish. This is because the gloss level can alter the perception of color. Flat paint finishes absorb light, while glossier paints reflect it. This means flats will appear darker, and paints with higher gloss levels will appear brighter. Try using semi-gloss finishes for bathrooms and kitchens, flats for low-traffic areas like hallways, and eggshell or satin for bedrooms and living rooms. Getting this ratio right means all the difference in your end results, however the quality of interior paint matters as well. Here are some recommended interior paints to use:

1. Benjamin Moore Aura
$50 to $70 per Gallon
Low VOC
Self-Priming
Mold/Mildew Resistant

2. Sherwin-Williams Duration
$45 to $70 per Gallon
One Coat Coverage
Low VOC
Lifetime Warranty

3. Behr Premium Plus Ultra
$25 to $35 per Gallon
Stain/Mold/Mildew Resistant
Low VOC
Easy to Clean

Professional Painting Services in Indianapolis

Home Repair Service 317-454-3612

Home Repair Service
317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 for professional interior and exterior painting services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owner and professional general contractor, Lee Elliot, and his team of highly trained and qualified painters, are fully-equipped and experienced to render flawless and professional painting services for residential and commercial properties. Call 317-454-3612 for quality exterior and interior painting services in Indianapolis, IN and its surrounding counties.