Repaint A Smallbone Kitchen In Merseyside
Repainting Smallbone kitchen: Susanne contacted Myself to repaint a Smallbone kitchen in Merseyside. Her enquiry came via the internet, which seems to be standard practice nowadays.
The Smallbone kitchen that needed some attention was 25 years old and still looked solid, but it was ready for a facelift.
This is the end result. But where to begin!
Price please
Refurbishment of kitchens isn’t straightforward work, but with the experience we have gained over the years, we have established a pro rated figure to cover doors, drawers, plinths, cornices, end panels, everything that is part of a painted kitchen. As a result, whatever size your kitchen is, we know almost to the hour how much time and material is involved with preparing and painting it to our standards. No guess work from us or from any colleagues across the country, and no surprises for you!
Out with the old
With the price agreed I booked a start date & went round to confirm colours. The kitchen looked just like the photos I had been sent! The kitchen doors were dragged on the outer edges with a plain panel. Even though it looked a little dated, it did suit the style of door.
Going forward, Susanne decided to have the panels in a flat colour, just a shade or two lighter than before, and a slightly different colour around the edge.
On track for starting
When I confirmed that I was on schedule and would turn up for the agreed start date, we were informed that the kitchen window was to be replaced on our first day on site. Just this once, the disruption wasn’t a problem, as we were cleaning down all the units. As a rule of thumb though, we are the last ones in / the only workers in the kitchen.
Once cleaned down, we allowed all surfaces to dry, then sanded using the Mirka system to enable the perfect key for the primer. After wiping every inch of the kitchen clean with meths, we began applying the primer – Isofix was chosen, due to its quick drying qualities and excellent adhesion. We had it mixed into an equivalent F&B colour by Holmans.
Preparing for a topcoat
3 days in, the kitchen was all primed and looking lighter & brighter, and we were ready for the top coats.
Helmi Matt was the chosen finish. Having used it on numerous kitchens now, it really looks fabulous when dry. Thanks to Russ Pike who put me on to it.
It is important to apply the first of the top coats over a glass-smooth finish & to achieve this you need a good sandpaper, which for me, means Mirka Goldflex. It can be used wet or dry and produces a flawless finish, perfect for the Helmi Matt.
After vacuum cleaning and brushing and cleaning over with a tack cloth, the paintwork is as smooth as marble, and ready for paint.
Nuances of Helmi matt
For Helmi matt, it’s a case of the right amount of water in the paint plus the right brush. For me, a synthetic does the trick every time.
Once the paintwork has been evenly applied it needs the lightest touch to feather it out.
Spotlight on a sprayed cooker hood
The kitchen extractor was brown and looked awful, so I cleaned it using neat Krud Kutter, again from Mypaintbrush. This dissolved the grease, no problem, enabling me to apply a spray coat of Zinsser BIN. This dries rapidly, so we can handle items within the hour.
Holmans are a specialist paint company and can make up Helmi Matt spray cans in most colours. The hood was spray painted and blended in beautifully, compared to the former brown.
Finishing touches
With all the units first coated, it was already looking like a new kitchen. The flawless second coat of waterborne enamel dries pretty quick. Success.
Susanne had sourced some handles from Etsy, so with those fitted, the look was complete, and she had a very smart contemporary kitchen again.
I would like to thank Suzanne for allowing us to repaint her kitchen & I hope it serves another 25 years.
Footnote
As professional kitchen painters, we work to a standard, not a price, so at times, where the focal point is price, a) the amount of work we do may seem expensive compared to general decorating, and b) you will find local decorators who are willing to do a kitchen cheaper than us. We are comfortable with that just as long as they are delivering the goods, for less, and can offer you a reliable service with the backup and peace of mind you need, that is fair. Just make sure you know what you are getting, though. Not just any paint will do, and ask to see samples of super finishes, and examples of work.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment, or contact me Jason direct, if you are in the Merseyside / Cheshire / Lancashire area. We regularly repaint and refurbish many exclusive kitchens throughout the Northwest
Also you can read my hints and tips in the Lancashire Magazine every month.