How to Paint a Kitchen in Just a Few Hours
This post brought to you by FrogTape®. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Thrift Diving.
Isn’t it funny that you never truly realize how much of a hot mess your house is until the threat of visitors looms overhead?
Suddenly, the dirt that blended into your line of vision is as noticeable as a huge zit in the middle of your nose.
That’s how my kitchen has been.
After all–it’s bad enough it was an outdated “school bus” yellow. But to make matters worse, I had begun repainting about 8 months ago and just sort of…..well, ran out of paint and never finished. After a while, I never even noticed. LOL
But something big was happening last weekend: I was having friends over, something I hadn’t done in years.
Yeah, yeah–I know: friends don’t come to see your house; they come to see you.
But I’m sorry–that just doesn’t fly with me. 🙂
Plus, all that hard work on my recent patio makeover was for one reason: to create an inviting space for entertaining family and friends. And doggone it, I was going to invite friends over before it was time to pack away the mosquito repellant and sandals!
But the get-together was coming fast. I’ve been extremely busy over the last couple weeks since setting a date. And I only had a few hours on the morning of the party to get as much done as I could before friends came over that afternoon! There was no time to waste.
So I thought I would share with you how I was able to get the whole kitchen painted in a few hours–just in time for the summer hangout with my friends!
BEFORE
Let’s just overlook the fact that nothing matches, too. LOL
But that’s for another makeover on another day soon, which I’ll share with you!
Now do you see why I had some hesitation about having friends over??!
Of course, they’ll love me regardless, but you still always want to put your best foot forward. And this was not my best foot forward! LOL
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER!
Now, with at least matching walls, my kitchen badly in need of a makeover was less of a glaring eyesore!
If I had had enough time before the get-together, I would have loved to have gotten the whole kitchen makeover done, but oh well. The rest will be coming up!
For now, just getting a uniform coat was the goal!
Here’s now I painted the kitchen super quick in just a few hours!
How to Paint Your Kitchen in Just a Few Hours
Materials
- Semi-gloss latex paint
- FrogTape® brand painter’s tape
- FrogTape® Delicate Surface painter’s tape
- 1-2 rollers and paint tray
- Paint brush
- Flathead screwdriver or drill
- Rags for cleaning up
- Paint stirs
- Solution for cleaning the walls
- Plastic to cover the floor (optional for messy painters!)
- Paint can opener
- Step ladder
- Painting clothes so you don’t ruin your good clothes
- A camera. Take “before” and “after” photos!
STEP 1 – Move all the bulky appliances to the center of the kitchen.
That is–if you trust yourself not to flick paint everywhere! 😉
Otherwise, remove it from the room entirely. Or, just cover it in plastic, which you can buy at any home improvement store.
Just be sure that you’ve got enough room to paint on the backsplash area.
STEP 2: Remove all the switch and socket covers.
I used to be lazy and just left the switch and electrical socket covers in place. And then I’d spend even more time trying to wipe paint off of them. 🙂 May as well just go ahead and remove them. It’s really the quickest and most clean method.
Be sure to place them in a plastic baggie so you don’t lose any of the plates or tiny screws!
STEP 3: Clear cobwebs and wash the walls.
Don’t paint over dirty walls. Just. Don’t. LOL
I know you want to jump right in and make over your room, especially if you’re short on time, but you want the best results. You won’t get the best results painting dust, spiders, or pieces of dried food from your kids! Wash the walls with a mixture of 50% water and 50% vinegar, or use a store-bought cleaner made for prepping walls for paint.
You might also want to give all those switch covers and electrical socket covers a good wipe-down, too. They get grimy from hands!
I used a duster to clear away the cobwebs.
STEP 4: Tape off the trim and windows with FrogTape®.
When I was a newbie homeowner, I had used painting tapes that have torn, bled, and have ripped paint off of the walls. But then I stumbled upon FrogTape® and it has consistently out-performed the competition and it’s what I use every time I paint now.
Not just because it’s the only tape with patented PaintBlock® Technology, which reacts with the water in latex paint and instantly gels to form a barrier against paint bleed giving you the sharpest paint lines possible. But also because this tape never tears on me, particularly when I’m removing it after painting! It makes clean-up so easy! If you ask any DIYer, they’ll tell you that FrogTape® is their favorite tape to use, hands-down!
While prepping to paint my kitchen, look what I found stuck on one of the cabinets. HA!
Old tape! I don’t think this was even painter’s tape! I think it was masking tape I used years ago when I was clueless. And here it is 6 years later, haunting me. LOL
It was stuck so bad that I had to pull out a razor just to remove it.What a pain!
FrogTape® would never do this.
Once it was clean and free of old tape and paint, it was ready for FrogTape® so I could protect the cabinet and paint that little slither of yellow paint in the crack.
I placed the FrogTape® in all the places where I wanted nice, clean lines or protection:
- On baseboards
- On window trim
- Ceiling edges
- Around cabinet edges
- On top of countertop backsplash
- Over top electrical socket cover and switch covers
- Any surface you’re protecting from paint
Once everything was taped off, I was ready to test paint various shades.
I was searching for the perfect soft green. I still don’t know if I’m sold on this shade of green, but trust me–anything is better than that bright “school bus” yellow!
STEP 4: Do a color test, and pour your paint.
I recommend you do a test area to see what shade/color you like best. Paint looks much different in the can than when it’s on your wall!
I was mixing and matching this soft green color because I didn’t want anything too dark. My kitchen gets a lot of morning sunlight, but not much sun during the late afternoon and beyond. So I didn’t want anything too dark that would make the kitchen feel like a cave.
Once I mixed them and found some shades, I chose my favorite and mixed a larger batch in a clean container.
STEP 5: Add two coats.
Most paints will require two coats, even if you have primer in the paint, but once you get the first coat on, the second coat is a breeze and is just filling in for coverage.
Be sure to use a roller that’s meant for your wall texture (e.g. smooth, semi-smooth, or rough). Most regular walls will use a roller for smooth surfaces.
With the FrogTape® lining the backsplash, it was easy to add a couple coats without worrying about it making a mess on the countertop.
STEP 6: Remove the FrogTape®.
This is the part I love the most!
Once the paint is at least semi-dry, you can remove the tape.
Because of the PaintBlock® Technology, you should see clean lines as you pull back the tape!
No messy trim or baseboards!
What I like best, also, is that it’s a strong tape. So you can literally pull a huge piece off of your trim or door frames and it stays intact and it won’t rip your freshly painted edges. Love that!
STEP 7: Tape off with FrogTape® Delicate Surface
I usually save any trim and ceilings for last. But here’s where it used to get tricky!
Because once the walls are painted, in order to paint trim and ceilings, you now have to tape off over areas that you just painted. It used to be that doing this would rip off the new paint.
But with FrogTape® Delicate Surface tape, which is made especially to prevent peeling and damage, I placed it directly on the new paint after it was mostly dry so that I could touch up the ceiling edges.
And–OMG–it didn’t damage the new paint!
It didn’t peel off the paint!
This was the first time I had used the Delicate Surface tape so I was curious how it would perform. And it passed with flying colors! 🙂 I’ll definitely be adding this to my painting arsenal!
The good thing is that I didn’t have to wait hours for the wall paint to try before taping off over it. My friends were coming over soon and I needed this paint job done.
With the Delicate Surface tape, I could move quickly and not waste time fixing peeling paint or imperfections.
Loved that!
Cleaning Up
Wash out the paint brush in hot soapy water.
Toss rollers or wash out for future use, but first, wring out any leftover paint back into the container before washing.
Screw in your switch covers and electrical socket covers.
And you’re done in just a few hours!
BEFORE
AFTER!
The Best Time With Friends!
And it happened!
Yes, it was a rather small get-together, with just a few friends, but it happened!
We grilled outdoors…sipped wine…and had great conversation and debates!
And while I know that they didn’t care if my kitchen was a solid color or mismatched mayhem, it made me feel better and more relaxed to entertain. It helped ease my Homeowners Anxieties. LOL
This is what I have always wanted: a welcoming environment to spent time with people that make me smile.
Just wait until they come back next time.
Maybe the kitchen will be completely done by then! 😉
So What About You?
Have you ever used FrogTape® when painting your walls and trim to get the job done quickly without mess? Leave a comment below to tell me all about it! And if you’re looking for FrogTape® painting inspiration, follow them on Pinterest!
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This looks so easy when you are doing it…….When it’s me, not so much. LOL. I need to get busy and get mine done. I will sure stock up on Frog Tape.
Wow, I love the color you used in this room. It’s amazing and gives the kitchen a warm feel. Thank you so much for sharing at Dishing it and Digging it link party. Serena. We love having you.
Congratulations ! A national commercial couldn’t have happened to a nicer and more deserving person. And the kitchen looks fabulous. Thank you for continuing to inspire so many of us. Best of luck and I will be looking out for you soon. God bless.
Thank you, Barbara! 🙂 I’ve been working hard, for sure. It feels good that it’s bringing good things!
Love the green. Used a very similar shade in my husband’s office a few years ago and it was great. You can do the pops of color with accessories and change them out. There are a lot of accents that will go with it…do you like orange?
Hey there, Susan! I wasn’t sure about the color when I put in on the wall, but I’m getting used to it! I’m not a fan of orange, but I’m thinking some turquoise! That may look pretty! Are you using orange?
I like the light green too! I always liked greens. Amazing how you made all that paint happen so quickly! Well keep up the good work, whatever it will be today!
Wow! You are amazing to do this on the day company was coming. I am a slow painter. Beautiful color and I love your window.
You are a powerhouse, and slightly nuts too lol. Painting right before having company? Holy guacamole! The kitchen looks great, the color is so much better, and I will keep frog tape in mind for the next time we paint. We actually did our hallway the night before we had company many years ago (hmm, rather, hubby did it, I supervised), I get wanting things to look better, I just don’t have the energy lol. By the way, what a beautiful window in your kitchen!
Janice, LOL! That’s what my friend was like when we came over before the party to drop off her dish. She was on her way to another event but was going to be coming back for the get-together, and she was like, “Ummm…..do you think today is not a good day for us to come over…?” I was like, “No, no, it’s fine!! I can do this!!” HAHAHA. She probably thought I was crazy! LOL
Glad you liked the kitchen. I wasn’t sure if I should give it a POP of color, or keep it soft and natural looking. I may add an accent wall in. I’m not sure yet! But for now, I’m glad that school-bus yellow is GONE!!! 🙂 Thanks for commenting, Janice!
I love the green you chose. It is so fresh and airy feeling. Your kitchen looks great. Just have to change that 70’s ceiling light now.
I have bought Frog tape and tried to get my husband to use it but he is stubborn and insists of doing all the cutting in by brush. Thinks he does a better job. Right, I have ceiling paint on wall paint and vice versa at the top of a lot of my walls. I am going to try again on the next room we do and see what he says to that. I am always for the easiest way and tape is sure that.
How did you find the energy to paint a room and have company over in the same day?
Hey, Kathy!! OMG, I know, that ceiling light! I was thinking I could paint it and try some design, but I think it’s overstayed it’s welcome these past 6 years! LOL
I know how your husband feels. I do like to cut in with brushes, too, but you have to be soooo careful and it can take more time, I think! I just had to get the job DONE because they were coming over and I really was self-conscious about the kitchen. There are many rooms done in my house, but this kitchen has always just been left. So I at least wanted a uniform color. And the energy came from the threat of people coming over! LOL That was enough to spark me to get it done! I had wanted to get it done sooner, but I was too busy during the week!
You’re a woman possessed!! I can’t believe you did all of that in a few hours – would have been at least a day long ordeal for me, lol! It looks great. =D Yeah, I’d definitely say the soft green is much more “you” than the school bus yellow (are you sure the house isn’t haunted? because that bright yellow would be enough to drive anyone mad). You’re moving along at a brisk pace with your house, and it’s so inspiring to watch. ^^ Also, looks like you had a great time with your friends! 😀
Hi, Zovesta! LOL. It’s funny how after awhile, we didn’t even really notice the school-bus yellow because we saw it day in…and day out for nearly 6 years we’ve lived here (since I painted it). And then it was even worse when I left it half-painted for a year. We sort of ignored that, too. But knowing people were coming over, I had to move quickly to get it done! I know they didn’t care, but it was important to me. And we had such a great time!!! We grilled some vegetables, some veggie burgers, and just caught up! My best friend and I hadn’t seen the other two friends in at least a few years! We all used to work together, so it was great getting together!!!
You are non-stop! I have used frog tape and agree with your assessment. It leave a clean line. It’s also a handy tool for hanging pictures when you have that annoying double hook hang. I wish all prints, paintings, wall hangings, etc. had either a wire or one place for the nail not two. Okay, tangent over.
That’s a lovely shade of green. I have pale/sage green in my living room and home office. It’s a soothing color, isn’t it?
Oh, Alys, don’t you hate that!! Yes, having the place for two hooks always gets me, too! I have to do the same thing with tape to try to accurately hang those pictures! LOL. I’ve gotten better at it!
Yes, soft green is so pretty! My best friend who came to drop something off before the party and saw me in the throws of painting was like, “Yeah…it needs a POP of color.” She didn’t care for the soft green. I wasn’t too sure about it, either, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. I am looking forward to doing the rest of the kitchen, too! I’m thinking of painting the fridge a stainless steel color! 🙂