How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
I've been painting kitchen cabinets since I was a university student living in dingy basement apartments. Even as an English Lit major, I spent my free time decorating my apartment.
Despite all of the various kitchen and bathroom cabinets, I've painted both for myself and now for clients, I have never written a proper how-to blog post. So today is your lucky day because I am going to share all my tips and tricks, my tools and the paint I prefer to use when painting cabinets. This post is in no way sponsored by any company so you can be sure I am being 100% honest and transparent.
First, let's take a look at some of the kitchens I've painted over the years.
If your cabinets are in good shape and working order, painting them can have a major impact on the overall look of your kitchen at a fraction of the cost it would take to replace them.
Let’s take a look at the steps I take and the tools I like to use:
First up, remove all doors and drawer fronts.
Some people like to paint with them on, I find you get a much more professional looking finish when they are removed.
2. Degreaser.
I like to use Natura’s TSP like solution called Safe Prep. It’s available at your local Home Hardware. (My American friends can use this safe TSP alternative from Home Depot. I use a lint free cloth and a scrubby. This step should never be skipped when painting kitchen or bathroom cabinets. You would be amazed at the grease and grime build up that can happen on your cabinets.
3. Once the cabinets have all been wiped down, I like to scuff them up with a sanding block. Give them a wipe down to remove all the dust with a lint free cloth. You do not need to sand the existing finish off. You just want to scratch the surface. This will give your surface some tooth. Some grit for the primer and paint to stick too.
4. Now you are ready to prime. This is the only primer I use. I’ve tried other brands but I keep coming back to this one; Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 or Zinsser BIN Primer. Beware the BIN primer is stinky and you will want to use it in well ventilated area. I also suggest wearing a ventilator.
5. Finish. Many people are concerned about brush strokes, roller bubbles and want that professional finish. I like to use an angled brush for those hard to reach places and a flocked foam roller that you can find at paint supply outlets such as Sherwin Williams. I mention Sherwin Williams as that is the place where I buy my rollers.
6. I like to prime the doors first and you want to prime the backside of your doors. Again some people will just paint the door fronts but again it looks more professional when you paint the back sides too. I paint the back sides first so when the door is flipped over to paint the front, I don’t have to worry as much if the backside gets a knick.
I like to paint the indentation in the door first with a brush, then the centre panel and outer edges with the roller. Once the doors are all done, then go ahead and paint the cabinets frames/boxes. By the time you get this done, your doors will be ready for their first coat of paint. This is usually how far I make it on the first day.
7. When painting, I love the Pro Classic line in a satin finish by Sherwin Williams. Again, not sponsored. It’s just my personal preference. I will say that not all paint are created equal and it doesn’t hurt to spend a little more on a gallon of paint when it comes to painting your cabinets. You don’t want to see all your hard work chipping.
8. I will sometimes use a paint sprayer on the doors and drawer fronts as it is faster but you can achieve that smooth finish using the flock foam roller I referenced above. You can’t tell that I sprayed the doors and hand painted my cabinet boxes.
9. On the second day, I will do my second and third coat. I like to wait a full 24-36 hours before rehanging the doors and installing the drawer fronts. I’ll wait another couple of days before installing the cabinet hardware to ensure the paint has had time to harden. It takes a full 30 days for paint to cure so use your cabinets lightly for that first month and avoid any scrubbing. With the paint I use, I do not need a protective top coat.
I should note the kitchen cabinets I painted (shown above) for this tutorial were actually laminate wrapped vinyl. I used the same process on them as I would on wood cabinets. It’s been several months since they were painted and they have held up beautifully. The kitchen in our last home was all painted by hand and I only did a touch up on the doors after living there for four years because we were listing our home on the market and I wanted to freshen everything up.
There you have it. My tips and tricks to achieving a professional looking painted kitchen. Painted kitchens are classic and look just as a great in a modern home as it does in a farmhouse. Some may think it’s a trend but painted kitchens stand the test of time.
