Ask the Remodeler: Can you paint this type of cabinet? Plus, why is this paint blistering?
Plus, why the paint is blistering on the siding of a 34-year-old Cape. Get more home improvement advice at RealEstate.Boston.com.
Q. In my kitchen I have white Thomasville Thermofoil cabinets. They are in pretty good shape after 17 years, but they are getting a little tired-looking. Is it possible to paint this material? I want to paint the island a glossy dark blue.
J.Q.
A. Thermofoil is basically a plastic shell over a composite product, so it is actually pretty stable. With the proper primer and a latex enamel that has some elasticity to it, Thermofoil can be painted. Ideally, you would use a paint sprayer, but you could apply it with a roller or a back-brushing technique.
Q. We have a 34-year-old Cape with a shed dormer on the south side. The front of the house faces north. On the east and west sides, we have large paint blisters filled with water. The roof is 4 years old. It is a GAF Lifetime Roofing System that was installed by a well-respected, GAF-approved contractor. That same contractor installed 6-inch gutters on the south and north sides of the house. The house was last painted in August 2015. The painting contractor uses a California Paints produce that he says leaves a thicker coating for better protection. Why are we getting blisters?
J.K.
A. In our experience, that type of blistering is from one of two things: large, unchecked ice dams or very poor insulation and heat loss. It doesn’t sound like ice dams because you appear to be talking about the two gable ends, where ice dams don’t form. More often the bubbles are caused by warm, moist inside air working its way to the outside, condensing on the siding, and working its way through. Over the summer it dries out, but the bubble remains. That type of water trapped behind the paint rarely comes from a roof leak in the shingles. If possible, I would have an energy assessment company or Mass Save look at your insulation.
Mark Philben is the project development manager at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to [email protected]. Questions are subject to editing. Subscribe to the Globe’s free real estate newsletter — our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design — at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Twitter @GlobeHomes and Boston.com on Facebook.
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