Now that we’ve got our island built, next up is painting our DIY kitchen island. We are going to be painting our island using the Graco Magnum X5 paint sprayer. We’ve never used this paint sprayer before, so this will definitely be a learn as we go process, but we’re really excited to use the product and get our island painted.
If you are interested, we have a YouTube video on the painting process of our DIY custom kitchen island, linked above!
Let’s first talk about the type of paints we are using to paint our kitchen island. Using the proper paint and primer is essential for a long-lasting durable paint finish. For primer, we are going to use one of our favorites, Zinsser BIN Shellac-based primer. This primer can be used in paint sprayers however it will require mineral spirits to clean the sprayer, so we are planning to roll-on the primer. In future paint sprayer projects we have chosen to use Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Arcylic-based primer so we only need water to clean the paint sprayer.
For paint, we are going to use Benjamin Moore Advance paint in satin, which is specifically made for cabinets. This is a waterborne alkyd paint that offers a high-end durable finish for cabinetry and only requires water to clean the paint sprayer.
We began by prepping the island for paint and prime:
- Filling all nail holes with wood filler
- Sand the entire island with 220 grit sand paper
- Caulking all of the seams
Then we’re ready to start priming:
- Wipe entire island with tack cloth
- Apply primer (we decided to brush and roll on the primer)
- Sand the entire island with 220 grit sand paper
Now we’re going to prep for the paint sprayer. If you haven’t used a paint sprayer before and you are spraying in a finished or interior space, a bulk of the time will be spent prepping to spray. We masked off the entire kitchen using large rolls of plastic sheets and tape. We also covered all the floor using ram board. I would estimate this took us a few hours and you do not want to rush through it because once you start spraying the paint will be in the air everywhere.
Paint spraying process:
- Prep the room you are spraying in (we used rolls of plastic sheets and tape)
- Dress in the appropriate PPE (we used a paint respirator, protective glasses, and a paint suit)
- Prep the sprayer (we followed the Graco instructions included)
- Set the spray speed (we typically kept it at the midpoint)
- Start spraying!
A quick tip after spraying, keep a roller or paint brush handy. A few minutes after we finished spraying, we went around the island and rolled any spots that had drips. This is an important step to ensure a professional smooth finish.
In between coats:
- Let paint dry based on paint dry time (BM Advance is 16 hours between coats)
- Sand with 220 grit sand paper
- Wipe again with tack cloth
We then sprayed a second and final coat. After a few hours we took up all of the masking and let fully dry for 16 hours before any usage.
If you have any questions about painting cabinets using a paint sprayer, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to us!
