How to Get Rid of Crackle Paint on Cabinets

Crackle paint is a material used to give cabinets and furniture an aged, distressed look. The paint cracks as it dries, and also cracks any top coat paint applied to it. If you want to refinish cabinets covered in crackle paint, you need to remove it or it will show through the new paint layer. A semi-paste stripper will loosen the paint enough that you can scrape it off with a putty knife.

Screwdriver
Paint brush
Semi-paste paint stripper
Putty knife
120 grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the handles from the cabinets with a screwdriver. Remove the hinges and lay the cabinets on a flat surface.
- 2
  Brush a 1/8-inch thick coat of semi-paste stripper to the cabinets, working in 2 foot by 3 foot sections at a time. Apply all strokes in the same direction.
- 3
  Watch the cabinet to see when the stripper has loosened the crackle paint. The crackles will become less defined and the smooth portions will wrinkle.
- 4
  Place a putty knife onto the cabinet face and pull it toward you, maintaining contact between the knife and the cabinet. This will pull off the loosened crackle paint.
- 5
  Repeat with the next section of the cabinet, and each door. When you are done, sand down any rough spots with 120 grit sandpaper.

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