Yes, you can glaze like a pro!

So, I can do a lot of things. I mean - a LOT OF THINGS! But I wasn't quite sure if I could glaze kitchen cabinets to look like the old worn Tuscan cabinets you see in the designer magazines. Well, like Obama says - Yes, I can! I was amazed at how easy it actually is. And the result is fantastic. I've already had several comments from people asking me where I purchased them, or telling me that they're far better than the ones they purchased from the upscale store because they are unique and original. Yeah, they are.

Well, for those of you who want to create this same look in your kitchen. I'll let you in on my secret. It's actually pretty easy, just a bunch of steps. And you can most definitely transform your ugly cabinets into gorgeous showpieces in about a week. Here's how.

1. Take off all your cabinet doors, take off all hardware and tape up some plastic to contain the dust in your kitchen. That's right - you're gonna sand.


2. Take #60 or #100 grit sandpaper and a random orbital sander and lightly sand the surface of your cabinets. You don't want to get the current finish off, you're just trying to lightly rough up the top layer so that your primer will stick. Do this in your garage (or wherever else works) also for your doors.






3. Once everything is sanded, and you might need to do the grooves by hand with some sandpaper, then be sure to take a tack cloth and clean all the dust from the cabinets, and the kitchen as a whole.






4. Prime the cabinets with a water-based primer. Be sure you don't have any drips or heavy spots - it's key to get an even coat by starting with smooth primer. No need for oil-based, it stinks and is hard to clean up and most paints are now water-based and better for the environment anyway.
   
5. Next, pick a base coat in satin enamel. I used a cream color as my base. Paint one coat to all the cabinet boxes and doors (no need to do the inside of the cabinets unless you're crazy), then let the paint dry.
   
6. Do another coat of the base paint after at least 1 day of the previous paint curing (drying hard enough for the next coat). Trust me, this extra step now will make them more durable later.


7. After the paint has cured for 24-48 hours, you're now ready to glaze. Mix 1/2 part glaze and 1/2 part paint. Then take a dry brush and brush it on randomly. Let it set for about 30 seconds and then with a clean (and I used a slightly damp) cloth, rub off the excess glaze leaving excess in the cracks and crevices. This creates a worn look and the glaze you rub off leaves some in the base coat's brush stokes - brilliant!
   
8. Finally, after the glaze coat has had at least 24 hours to cure, paint a top coat (or two) of polyurethane - again, water based. This will help protect your beautiful new cabinets. Use a satin finish for that truly aged look - gloss it too much for this look.


9. Finally, put your doors back up and hell yeah - accent them with some cool new door and drawer pulls or handles.

Tip: If you're going through all the trouble of glazing your cabinets, why not also add some extra touches first like pressed molding trim or wood outlay accents for extra dimension. Trust me, it's worth it in the end. See the detail shot above.

I'm at the stage in my remodel where I just need to install the cooktop hood, paint the walls, and tile the backsplash once the new solid surface counters come in. I'm approaching the finish line and oh-so-happy!

More photos to come.