The Early Show

Shortcuts To A 'Brand New' Kitchen

By Polly Leider

March 8, 2006 / 12:15 PM EST / CBS

If you're tired of an avocado green kitchen or your chipped faux marble countertops, it could be time to give your kitchen a whole new look.

A full-blown remodeling, with new cabinets and appliances, can cost up to $50,000 — sometimes more. But home improvement expert Danny Lipford visited The Early Show on Wednesday with ideas on how to make a cosmetic upgrade without gutting the whole room.

Lipford is the host of the syndicated show, "Today's Homeowner," and has a Web site with lots of useful tips and information.

He says a couple of easy fixes are installing new flooring and repainting. But you'll get the most dramatic change by concentrating on cabinets and countertops, which have the most surface space and, therefore, draw the most attention.

Countertop Options

Plastic laminate: Inexpensive but durable, this material is available in a huge array of colors, patterns and textures.

Ceramic tile: More expensive than the plastic laminates, ceramic tiles also come in a large variety of colors and sizes, from tiny mosaics to one foot square. Lipford says tiles in the 4- to 6-inch range are best for countertops. Some are designed to imitate popular stone surfaces, like travertine, limestone, and even granite. Prices vary widely, with machine-made tile more economical than handmade

Solid surfacing: This stone imitator, often called Corian, is made from plastics with a mineral filler. Available in a wide variety of colors and patterns, it has the advantage of being repairable. An abrasive sponge or fine sandpaper will polish out scratches.

Stone: Softer stones, like limestone and travertine, are not ideal for kitchens because they absorb stains, as does marble. Lipford suggests limiting marble to a baking area, where it is useful for rolling dough. Granite is a harder, denser stone that doesn't stain as easily and resists wear and hot pots. Part of the charm of stone is that every piece is a little different, showing natural variations. When choosing stone, you can opt for slabs or tiles.

Engineered stone: This manufactured material is often referred to as "quartz" because it is more than 90 percent crushed quartz stone. Available in a number of colors and patterns, it is hard and durable and will take the heat of a pot.

Sinks And Faucets

In order to replace the countertops, the sink and faucet have to be removed as well, so it's a great opportunity to replace these for a new look. When choosing a sink, options include stainless steel, porcelain-over-cast iron, solid surfacing, and quartz. Sinks are configured in one-, two-, and three-bowl models in varying sizes and depths.

A new faucet will also add some gleam. New finishes have come on the market, as well as new configurations, including pull-out, wall-mounted, and high arching.

Making Cabinets Look New

The cheapest way to spruce up wood cabinets is with a fresh coat of paint. Use top-grade primer and paint and be careful about technique. Follow the suggestions below.

Painting Cabinets:

Scrub doors, drawers, and frames with detergent and a damp rag to remove years of grime

Wipe them with down with alcohol and a clean rag to remove any grease

Use a random orbit sander or a sanding block and 220-grit sandpaper to uniformly prepare the existing finish

Use a tack rag to remove all traces of dust

Apply a thin, uniform coat of primer compatible in color and formulation with your paint

Stir an additive into your paint to improve its flow. Ask your paint dealer which type is best with the paint you have chosen. It will help to prevent brush marks. Use an enamel paint that will dry hard and stand up to scrubbing

Apply the first top coat using a professional paint brush (nylon bristle for water-base paints and china bristle or natural bristle for solvent-based paints) and long, even strokes. Try for a thin, even coat

Sand lightly between coats for a smooth finish, using a tack rag before applying a second coat

Apply the final top coat for a smooth, even, durable finish

Wood Cabinets

If you prefer to replace your wood cabinets rather than paint them, expect to do a little more work. It will start with removing the doors and drawer fronts and replacing them with the style and finish of your choice. You can order these from local cabinet shops or national manufacturers, which can be found online.

Once your doors and drawer fronts arrive, you will need to stain the exteriors to match, following the instructions below.

Staining cabinets:

Use a random orbit sander or sanding block and 150–grit sandpaper to gently take off most of the existing finish. As you get below the lacquer coating, be careful not to take much wood

Now switch to 220-grit sandpaper and get the wood to look as uniform in color as possible. Don't be concerned if all the stain isn't completely removed

Next, mix an interior wood stain with a satin polyurethane varnish finish in a separate container. If the color isn't dark enough after the first coat, mix the stain in a bit more heavily for the second coat

For a smooth finish, sand lightly with 220-grit sandpaper in-between coats and use a tack rag to get every bit of dust from the surface

Final Touches

Replace all hardware, including door and drawer knobs or pulls, and even hinges. Lipford suggests trying something whimsical or distinctive, but make sure it is comfortable to use.