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If you love your kitchen appliances or if you just don't want to, or can't afford to replace them, consider porcelain refinishing to give your kitchen a new look. Giving your major appliance a new finish can make it look new or almost new. Why replace a perfectly good Avocado refrigerator or Coppertone stove just because color trends have changed? Face is most appliances, particular the older models, were built to last for years. But they also have ceramic and enameled parts. These can easily chip, warp or rust. Even the best of models will fade over the years. Appliance refinishing consists of resurfacing the porcelain finish into a newer durable color. Consider refinishing your appliances to give an older, or even antique model a new stylish look. Replace a few fixtures or knobs, and along the way you can save some money. You can have your appliances professionally refinished. But you can also save money by doing it yourself. For the most part all it takes is a good cleaning and a paint sprayer. If you want to take on the project of refinishing your home appliances, here are a few simple steps to follow. The appliance should be moved to a good working area, such as a garage where you have good light and ventilation. Clean all the surfaces of the appliance you are wishing to refinish. Use dish soap, water and a good scrubber. This is important because the paint will not adhere to a surface that is dirty or greasy. Rinse well with a sponge and water, then towel dry. You'll want the appliance to be completely dry before you begin the paint process. Using plastic sheeting build a paint booth around your appliance. Carefully mask off all the sides and the floor. If you're refinishing more than one appliance, make sure the appliance is accessible from all sides. Wearing safety gloves and eye protection, use acetone to wipe down the appliance. This will remove any remaining residues on the appliances. Using medium grade the fine grade sandpaper completely sand the appliance. Give special attention to any areas covered with rust. Use a shop-vac to get rid of all the dust. Wipe the unit down with rags. You don't want any remaining dust to mar the surface. Where you can, remove handles, glass, knobs, logos, and any other area that should not be painted. Carefully mask off any areas that should not be painted. That includes any metal surfaces not intended for porcelain paint. Apply a rust inhibitor, or a rust converter for stoves and a primer recommended by the manufacturer of your appliance. Use a paint sprayer to paint the appliance. Be sure to follow the manufacturers' instructions on the paint sprayer to get the right mixture and pressure for painting. You can use spray cans for your appliances, but you run the risk of a less professional appearance on your appliance. Give the appliance at least three to four thin coats of paint. Make sure you are using the specialty paints designed fro appliances and designed for high temperatures. That's not the cans of paint you can pick up easily at the big box store. They may carry what you need, but do your homework and get the right pain. Don't spray heavy coats of paint on the appliance because the paint will have a tendency to run and mar the finish. If you are painting a stove, you'll want to add a coat of clear to achieve a glossy finish. Painting may take you several days. Each coat of paint should be allowed to dry thoroughly before applying the next coat. That could be 2-3 days for a refrigerator and up to 5-8 for a stove. Lawrence Reaves writes for Hamilton Beach, a kitchen appliance company that offers a selection of appliances ranging from slow cookers to toasters and coffee makers. For more information about any of these products click here.
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