Protecting furniture, including cupboards, during painting is a fundamental step to avoid damage from paint splatters, drips, and dust. This process is part of the broader preparation needed when undertaking a painting project in a room. The goal is to shield items from any unintended contact with paint or debris generated during the work.
Why Cover Your Cupboard?
Painting can be messy. Even if you are careful, airborne paint particles, unexpected drips, or spills can easily land on nearby furniture. Covering your cupboard provides a physical barrier that ensures it remains clean and undamaged throughout the painting process. It saves significant time and effort in cleaning up later.
Just as you would protect other items in a room undergoing painting, like moving couches, tables, and smaller finishings to the center and piling them up to safeguard them, covering provides essential protection for the cupboard's surfaces.
The reference notes the process of preparing a space for painting involves moving furniture like couches and tables into the center of the room and piling smaller items on top to protect them from paint and dust. Covering your cupboard complements this preparation by adding a protective layer directly onto the furniture itself.
How to Cover a Cupboard
Effectively covering a cupboard requires selecting appropriate materials and applying them correctly to ensure complete protection.
Materials You'll Need
| Material | Description | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic Sheeting | Lightweight, rolls easily; available in various thicknesses. | Covering furniture, floors, walls. |
| Painter's Tape | Adhesive tape designed for painting; removes cleanly. | Securing plastic/drop cloths, masking. |
| Drop Cloths | Fabric or plastic sheets; absorb drips (fabric) or block spills (plastic). | Protecting floors and large furniture. |
| Old Sheets/Tarps | Reusable options, but may allow paint to seep through if thin. | General covering (less ideal than plastic). |
For covering a cupboard, painter's plastic or a plastic drop cloth is generally recommended for its ability to block paint completely.
Step-by-Step Guide to Covering
- Clear the Area: If possible and safe, move the cupboard away from walls or into the center of the room, similar to how you might consolidate other furniture like couches and tables. Remove any items from inside or on top of the cupboard.
- Choose Your Covering Material: Select a piece of plastic sheeting or a drop cloth large enough to fully drape over the entire cupboard. It's better to have too much material than too little.
- Drape the Cupboard: Carefully spread the plastic or drop cloth over the cupboard, ensuring it covers the top, sides, front, and back. Make sure the material goes all the way down to the floor around the base of the cupboard.
- Secure the Covering: Use painter's tape to secure the plastic to the cupboard. Tape the plastic snugly around the bottom edges, along any seams where pieces of plastic meet, and around features like legs if they are exposed. This prevents the cover from slipping and paint from getting underneath.
- Address Doors and Drawers (Optional): If you are painting the cupboard itself, you don't need to take extra steps for doors/drawers. If you are not painting the cupboard but painting around it, ensure the plastic is securely taped around the cupboard's frame and openings to protect the interior and edges of doors/drawers. If removing doors/drawers, cover the empty frame thoroughly.
- Protect the Floor: Always lay drop cloths or plastic sheeting on the floor around the cupboard and extending outwards to cover your walking path while painting. This catches any drips that might fall from the cupboard cover or your brush/roller.
By following these steps and using appropriate materials like painter's plastic and tape, you can effectively cover and protect your cupboard from paint and dust during your painting project. This, combined with other room preparation steps like moving and consolidating furniture, ensures a cleaner and more successful outcome.
