I hear you, schoolhouse, and I sympathize! In fact I can really sympathize because I spent a good chunk of the day painting too. In my case it was six panel doors and casings.

Are you brushing the beadboard or rolling it? I'm wondering if you could use one of those small diameter rollers to get behind the sink. They sell them for painting behind toilets and they are just the ticket. You can even get nice small foam rollers with short handles so you can use them inside cabinets. They are well worth the few bucks they cost.

Good luck, and keep up the good work.

ThinMan

I used a brush to put primer on the walls, ceiling and trim in the smaller pantry. Then I decided to try a roller on the larger kitchen walls, at first I didn't think the roller would paint into the grooves but it did if I used some pressure. Still had to go back over some areas with a brush though. On the walls the contractor and I decided to use the beadboard panels, rather than the individual boards, to help minimize cracks opening up later due to shrinkage,ect. However on the ceilings, we used the indiv.boards and here the roller isn't going to work as well. The grooves (or bead) is deeper, so I'll have to use a brush in the bead and then go over all with a roller.

Now, the only drawback to using the roller is that I ended up with a bit of texture, unlike the smooth surface in the pantry where I used brush only. So I'm trying to figure out how to get a nice smooth surface with a roller when I put on the finish coat. Perhaps I'll have to brush it all. Ugh. A friend suggested I roll the paint on then take a brush and smooth it out. Sounds like alot of work.

Good tip about using a small foam roller with short handle behind the sink! I'm going to go buy one. Another neat thing I found was a paint tray with disposable liners that peel right off and a clean one is ready for next time. Easy peasy clean up, specially for shellac primer like I'm using. There are 5 liners to one tray.

Did you have to scrape old paint of your doors first and sand? That's the part I hate the most. I usually skip the sanding,I'm in too much of a hurry. What color did you choose for your doors?

The roller and brush technique, called roll and tip, is pretty common with boat painters. It gets the paint on pretty fast, but leaves a smoother finish. Even though you have to keep going back and forth from roller to brush, it still should be faster than just brushing. You might try a section just to see how it goes.

I didn't have to scrape any paint, thank goodness - just a light sanding to scuff up the old paint. The color is just your basic bright white.

I like the idea of the peel-off liners. I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

I found a link to the paint trays. Taking a coffee break from painting the ceiling, got almost to the center of the room done.

It's going alright, except even getting primer into the bead of the boards takes a little more effort, esp. where the boards are joined together. The contractor glued and nailed, but I'm wondering if these seams won't open up a couple months or even weeks from now. I'm trying my best to put as much primer in there as I can. Yes, I'm going to use the roller afterward.

This morning I noticed that around the crown molding in the bedroom, which I remodeled two years ago this April, cracks in the caulking between ceiling and crn.mold. have occurred. Also a bit where the crn.mold. meets the wall. So I'll have to have that re-done. This old house will continue to settle on and off though I do realize.

Here is a link that might be useful: paint trays

Here are some pics I took awhile ago. You can see how I'm painting the bead first on the ceiling. On the walls I used the roller and touched up with a brush, because the bead was shallower on the panels.

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A lot of work but when it's finished it's going to look fantastic. It's giving me ideas, ssshhhh, don't tell my DH.

Annette

I like the Peel-A-Trays. Very slick! I don't agree with the ad, though, that cleanup is the worst part of painting. For me it's the prep, unless you are doing new work.

Thanks for the link.

I found the trays at the local Sherwin Williams store. The country hardware store where I buy my paint was curious when I told them about the trays, so I'm going to take the label down. Yeah, I would rate prep number one PITA and cleanup second.

Thanks Annette. If you do decide on BB, make sure look at each board or panel and choose the best ones or those without the least defects.

My neck and arm hurt just looking at that, lol. Ceilings are the worst, but beadboard has to be a real pain! We have beadboard panels on the ceiling in one bath, but they're not painted. I used a water-based poly to finish the wood before it was installed. I'm debating whether to paint that ceiling when we redo the bath or not.

We have the same issue with caulk cracking. It's worse in the winter when the indoor air is so dry. Now that the humidity has returned it's less noticeable. I've thought about putting a humidifier on the furnace. I think that might help.

What color are you going to paint the walls and ceiling?

The painted walls look really nice. I remember my sore neck painting the ceilings when we moved here. I used a paint machine attached to a roller which worked really well.

Saw a show on DIY using beadboard to resurface kitchen cabinets. Like that look.

mnwsgal, I was looking at one of those roller machine gadgets at the hardware store, but wasn't sure how often I'd use it and if I could get the hang of it.

natal, my shoulder and neck don't seem too bad today so far.
"Touch of Cream" for the walls, trim, baseboard and crn.molding, a yet to be determined blue shade for the ceilings.

Wish I had seen this sooner. You could have tinted the ceiling primer and maybe gotten away with only one coat of paint.

natal, that probably would have been a good idea.

Well, on Monday I finally finished painting the primer on the kitchen ceiling. I was feeling pretty proud of myself until today when I ran my hand over the walls. They were so rough that I knew they'd have to be sanded before the final finish coats. What a let down.

I started with the sand block, but then remembered what my friend had told me about the electric palm sander she and her man have used in their house. I needed more primer anyway, so I went to the hardware store and browsed the sanders - found a small cheap B&D one for $40. Stood there along time until I finally justified buying it, and I'm glad I did. It took care of the job in no time flat, still a bit of work, but sure faster and more efficient than doing it by hand with a sand block.

I sanded everything today except the ceilings and trim. If I get ambitious tomorrow I'll give those a try. If not, I'll pay the painter extra to do the ceilings!

Schoolhouse- Wow! What a transformation...it's a lot of work, but you're going to end up with a wonderful kitchen! :)

Thanks. My right arm was so sore when I woke up this morning, but it's better now. I didn't do any work today on the kitchen.

And I found the shade of blue for the ceilings yesterday, it's called "A Light Blue Sky". :)

I got all the primer on all the surfaces I'm going to do. Finished up the baseboards awhile ago, and that's it. I called the painter and he's coming Wednesday to look at it and tell me how much it will cost to put the top, or finish, coats on. It's just getting too close to garden and yard work time, do not want to spend any more weeks painting the rooms myself.

There's goes a big chunk if not all of my garden budget - but there's always next year.

Ah, yes Schoolhouse. I know well how that is. We were going to tear down the pink house and build a garage/studio office/mIL suite however...the garden is sucking up all the money. Actually it will be the drainage to complete the garden.
I keep telling myself in the end it will all be worth it :)
Beadboard is beautiful but all that wood sucks up paint like a monster, doesn't it.

Just keep telling yourself how beautiful it's all going to look when it's finished, that should take some of the sting out of your shrinking gardening budget. There's always next year, at least that's what I keep telling myself, it's new basement windows frames and all for us this year.

Annette

Well, the painter came yesterday and got it all done. I'm happy with the way it turned out, but a few observations.
I've been using a small table lamp for light in the kitchen until the ceiling fixtures are finished. Last night when I walked into the room I couldn't help noticing that my white sink and stove looked pale blue! The ceiling was reflecting down on them. Plus the creamy white walls changed from a more white to a yellow. So depending upon the light, the colors are going to change. When I walked in there this morning, it reminded me of a big bathroom. If I would have known, I think I would have gone a shade lighter in both the creamy white and the blue - not that I don't like it but I think I would have liked it better. Also trying to decide what color to paint the door, same as the walls or a white.

Right now, I'm taking a coffee break from washing and scraping up paint spots on the floor. Then it's moving day! going to try and get most of the furniture back in except the fridge. Need help with that. All in all, I'm glad I did it and the room looks so much cleaner then when the brownish and mis-matched wall paper was on there! It'll take some getting used to.

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It looks beautiful.

I like how color changes in different lighting. Wonder how it will look with the overhead lights? Perhaps you will like that better.

If you want to be whimsical and call attention to the door you could paint it the same blue as the ceiling. If you want the door to blend in from your photos the window and door frame already painted look nice. Or you could leave the door off.

I know you are excited that the project is about done and you can start using your kitchen again. Please post more photos when everything is back in the room and the door question has been resolved.

Thanks again. I got the furniture back in except for the fridge and a bottom cupboard (that needs finished). I DO love it now. I was so excited I even huffed and puffed and pushed the big pantry cupboard from the bedroom, down the hallway and into the pantry. I kind of hate to put anything more in because it will hide some of the walls. :)

The cabinet to the right of the stove will eventually be gone when and IF I get upper cabinets on the opposite side of the room, and the fridge will go left of the sink. I'm hedging on the uppers because I'm afraid it will make the room appear smaller and too busy, even if they have glass doors.

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I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, it.

Annette

Thank you Annette. I'm not liking the idea of the fridge taking up so much wall space now, but there's no choice. It is of a small size, not very wide or tall, so that helps.

Some say it can't be done, but I visualize some sort of feet for the fridge to sit on, about 4" high, just enough so that it doesn't interfere with the air return register too much which it will sit over. I'm brainstorming day and night. :)

It turned out great! Love the ceiling color! I'd incorporate more of that into the room. Does the fridge have to sit next to the sink? Is there room next to the stove where the table is now?

Great looking kitchen. I love your cupboards and table. What material was used for the table top? I second the idea of using more of the ceiling color in accessories or other areas of the room.

"A Light Blue Sky" is just what I have been looking for to paint my office. I keep saying I want sky blue. Please what brand of paint is it?

Thanks again. The table is a ceramic or porcelain top vintage. The paint brand is True Value "Easy Care".

As for blue accessories, I not a person to match things too much; but if I add any blue it will be another shade other than the ceiling color. Plus I don't care for alot of "things" sitting around on what little counter space I have. Just always been that way. Except for my library room where being surrounded by books and memorabilia feels right and comfortable. :)

natal, the fridge originally sat to the left of the stove and the little green table to the left of the fridge on another wall - hard to explain, very awkward, always disliked it. My plan was to put upper and bottom cabinets (with much needed counter space)where the fridge and little table sat (an "L" shape).

Since I can't afford the cabinets yet, I'm putting the bottom half of an old cupboard to the left of the stove for counter space and storage. Just eliminating that small green table has freed up so much space. The fridge will go to the left of the sink, replacing another storage cupboard I had there. No place for the storage cupboard now but out in the garage. It'll all work out for the time being.

Just a thought, what do you think about painting the inside of your cupboards a lighter shade of blue or would that be too much. Everybody's tastes are different when it comes to how much color to use as accents. Did you mention painting a door earlier, what color is it now?

Annette

Not too keen on painting the insides of the cabinets other than white, but I can see where that would work in other circumstances.

Yes, that back door, the one that looks so dirty now and has the doggie scratches on. I usually paint it white, but it doesn't stay white long because it's in constant use; and the paint soon wears off. Maybe the original paint finish was oil based, sometimes that can yellow over the years. Plus no storm door, just a screen door and the weather takes a toll on it from the outside. Was sure I wanted it white again, but now I'm thinking the same cream color as the walls and trim around it.

The contractor just left. He finished hanging the ceiling fixtures and putting the shelf back up in the pantry. It's coming together - just in time for nice weather and beckoning garden duties.

Schoolhouse, you said the fridge wasn't very tall, so maybe it won't be an issue ... but I'd be concerned about it blocking the light from the back door. That was the setup I had in my former kitchen and I hated it.

I really love it Schoolhouse. I love those 40's cabinets, you stove and the tables. Really lovely. I especially love how you kept a very vintage look. It's perfect!!

natal, here's an old pic of what the kitchen used to look like. The fridge will replace that white cupboard. Yeah, I know what you mean about the light, plus it's a bit of a squeeze coming in that back door; but I'm kind of used to it and the tall cabinet to the right of the stove will eventually be gone. Also wondering if my fridge will turn even more yellowish than it is now when the sun from the window beams in on it's one side. Oh, well, can't have everything, plus it will be so much more convenient when cooking. Oh, and I moved the clock to over the white cabinet, it drove my SO crazy when I had it on the window frame. ha ha

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and the fridge is more narrow than the cupboard too.

I got the fridge into the room yesterday, and all by myself too. I decided to try it instead of waiting probably all summer before I found someone to help me. Heck, I had no trouble pushing and then pulling it right down the hallway form the bedroom to the kitchen and into place.

It fits and as I mentioned is narrower than the white cupboard that sat there (you can see all the door trim now), but I forgot one detail. The fridge can not sit right up against the wall - it has to have some clearance not only for the wire grid on the back but for air circulation for it to operate well. Ugh. So it sticks out about three inches more beyond the sink than I had hoped.

I thought I might have a difficult time getting used to seeing it there, but the trade off is that the fridge is SO much more convenient. My original vision is working afterall.

Glad that it all came together the way you wanted with the exception of the fridge protruding a bit more than expected.
Your hard work has paid off and it looks great.

School House, your kitchen is so perfect and so vintage. I'd trade in my built in cabinets in a heart beat for your beautiful vintage cabinets! I would also paint the door to match the walls so everything is cohesive. I don't think I would use any more blue in the room for accents but maybe some red and limey-green pieces, just a couple, would look fabulous in there. There are so many avenues to take at this point. Just take your time to find the perfect pieces that make your heart smile and then your kitchen will truly reflect your personality.

MeMo

Thank MeMo, I did end up painting the door the same color as the walls and trim (cream), and it looks good altho the photo turned out a little dark. Now, how long it will stay so nice and clean looking with dirty gardening hands and gloves going in and out all summer is another story! ;)

As far as blue accents - I buy inexpensive dish towels at Dollar General, and this time they had a pack that included one blue towel with white stripes. Perfect.

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Looks like you're back in business! Btw, you can switch those fridge doors if it would be more convenient to have them open from the right.

If you have a Big Lots check out their towels some time. I picked up some Martha Stewart dish towels there for $1 each that would be perfect in your new kitchen.

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Ooooo, natal, I like the towels and great price! However, if you saw how rough I am on dish towels, those would never hold up. I'm always wiping down counters and what not and staining them. I try to keep a fresh one to the far left on the rack strickly for drying dishes, tho.

As far as the fridge door, the way the door opens now is fine. I can open the fridge, take something from there right to the stove top in one stroke. I love it.