THE KITCHEN REMODEL

So if you are anything like me a penny-pinching bargain hunter and a complete DIY addict and you are considering updating you kitchen on a tight budget I would absolutely recommend Rustoleum Cabinet Transformation Kits! For roughly $70.00 you can completely change the look of your entire kitchen!

I knew our cabinets needed some upgrading but it was NOT at all in the budget to purchase new cabinets so I began researching how to paint our existing cabinetry. What I found was that I would be putting in a lot of prep work. Most sites recommended cleaning, sanding, and then using a primer before painting which meant our kitchen would be pretty chaotic for several months seeing as how I would be limited to working during nap-time. Also I should mention I don't have the best time management skills. I always choose to cram these grand plans in at the worst times. For instance planning a kitchen remodel roughly a month before hosting our sons birthday party. But I came across this product and was sold after reading numerous reviews!

I used Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations Kit! The first thing that sold me on this product was that there is NO SANDING. Let me just say that again...NO SANDING!!! How awesome is that?! I love repainting furniture but I HATE sanding! Dust gets everywhere and if you are inside I can only imagine the cleanup. So here is a short line-up of some of the features I liked:

PROS

• NO SANDING
• NO PRIMING
• Everything you need is already included in the kit minus paint brushes
• Fairly inexpensive (Given that purchasing paint,primer,polyurethane etc, would easily cost more)
• Easy step-by-step video included for any perfectionist like myself 

TIP: When I purchased this product it was cheaper at Home-Depot however take advantage of Lowe's Price Match and they will beat their competitors pricing by 10% so you end up getting a drastic discount! Just be sure to bring in a print-off or your phone to share with the cashier. In my case I only used one kit but if you are working on a larger kitchen avoid purchasing the larger kit and opt to get two small kits to double your savings! Shop around for the best price! I think both Wal-mart and Amazon carry these products as well so save yourself some extra bucks! A few dollars goes a long way and could be used towards painting supplies.

But with any products there are still some downfalls. The first step of the process is to use the DEGLOSSER included in the kit. This was noted as the most important step. Even though you aren't sanding it is still a considerable amount of work. You really have to put some elbow grease into it depending on what condition your cabinets are in. And its kinda a slimy ordeal so you'll likely want some gloves or disposable towels(I used some of Hubby's old t-shirts).
Don't be alarmed if the base color looks drastically different from the color sample you selected. I was in complete panic mode thinking I had just opted to paint our cabinets a bright grape purple but in the end adding the glaze and sealer darkened them up so that they resemble a more brownish black.
Also this isn't your typical paint. Before purchasing the kit you have to select you cabinet color and its tinted by the paint department associate. However once that paint runs out it you cant simply run back to the store and have some more mixed up. Your left to purchase an entirely new kit! That being said I did have a Lowe's associate color match the paint so that I could paint an old TV armoire to match the cabinets. There is a slight difference in color but nothing that is extremely noticeable. In our case this was an added pantry piece to fill the space where our old fridge was so I wasn't too worried about whether or not it would match perfectly.

If you opt for dark cabinets the glazing step is practically useless. The results are so minimal its not worth the extra added time involved. Also you have to be generous with the amount of glaze you use. I'm helping my father remodel his kitchen as well and we ran into this problem. When I contacted Rust-Oleum they said an additional quart could be purchased. Glazing itself is a little difficult if it's something you have never done before. I highly recommend practicing on a scrap board so you can get down a technique and decide what look you are wanting to achieve.     
      
     CONS

• Don't be fooled - There is still a lot of sweat involved!
• Custom Paint cannot be re-duplicated
• Glaze is hardly noticeable on darker cabinets
• Glazing is difficult for beginners

In the end I would definitely buy this product again! I absolutely love the look of our new cabinets and we didn't spend a fortune. I'm hoping I can convince my husband that our next project should be transforming our bathroom cabinets!

We also spruced up our old vent-hood and all our handles and drawer pulls with some spray paint!