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Are the cabinets in your kitchen old? Do you intend to swap them out? Painting them is a simpler and more cost-effective approach than replacing them. Kitchen cabinets are not an exception to the rule that paint can do wonders for anything.

Therefore, if you want to improve your kitchen without spending a lot of money. Knowing how to Paint your kitchen cabinets is the perfect do-it-yourself solution. You may either do it yourself or get professionals to perform it if you want to save more money.

I’ve covered all the information on the type of paint, price, and painting technique for kitchen cabinets in this post. If you read thoroughly, these suggestions can definitely be of use to you ; when painting my cabinets, I used the same methods. Therefore I merged them to share with you guys in the hopes that it would also be helpful for you.

What Is the Cost of Painting Kitchen Cabinets?

One of the most expensive re-modelling projects you can undertake is a kitchen renovation. Changing the cabinets may add up to close to 40% of the whole cost.

The cost of cabinets for a 10-by-12-foot kitchen can easily reach $5,000, and the quality of your new cabinets may be worse than those you’re replacing. On the other hand, you may drastically alter your current cabinets for a much lower cost by giving them a couple fresh coats of paint. Actually, painting shouldn’t cost more than $200, plus one or two weekends of your time.

Should I Paint The Cabinets In My Kitchen?

Before you head to the paint store, inspect your cabinets to see whether they can be salvaged in the first place. The greatest paint job won’t be able to resurrect cheap cabinets that haven’t aged well. Hanging rails grow slack, thin veneers peel, or particleboard cabinet bottoms or shelves droop or fracture. If these were the issues you were encountering, you would be better off replacing your kitchen cabinets.

Assuming everything is still in fantastic condition and is functioning correctly. Let’s look at some of the issues you’ll need to repair before you begin painting your kitchen cabinets.

Which Paint Should I Use for Cabinets?

Latex Or Oil?

Some professionals have completely abandoned oil-based paintings as latex paints have improved substantially in recent years. Latex paints are easier to use than oil-based paints since they dry rapidly and can be cleaned up with water. But many professionals continue to choose oil-based topcoats, claiming that they provide a tougher, more resilient paint layer and level out to a final surface that is more uniform. The entire curing time of latex paints is also lengthier (up to three weeks) than that of oil-based paints. They are susceptible to harm in the meantime.
Both latex and oil will produce a high-quality finish. If you do want to use latex paint, make sure it is made entirely of acrylic. Since this provides more durability and adherence than vinyl.

Spray Paint Or A Brush?

The smoothest choice is a spray-on finish, but painting it well requires some practice. Additionally, you’ll probably need to rent the spray equipment, which raises your expenses. Also you’ll need to take the time to mask off all of the kitchen’s potential spray targets, such as worktops, cabinet interiors, and appliances.

We advise utilizing high-quality brushes instead due to these factors. Purchase a fantastic 3- to 4-inch-wide square brush with straight ends to quickly cover big, flat panels, as well as a 2- to 3-inch-wide angled brush to quickly paint door frames and reach corners of doors with molding. Oil-based paint should be applied using a natural-bristle brush. Whereas latex paint should be applied with a synthetic brush that doesn’t absorb water.

Cabinets May Be Painted Over, But Should They First Be Stripped?

The best course of action when the current finish removed before painting. This gets rid of any potential adhesion issues between the new paint and the old finish.

However, although stripping may be the purists’ ideal, it is not always feasible or completely essential. It should just need a thorough washing and a light sanding to get the surface ready for fresh paint

Is The Finish Regular Or Faux?

If you want to spice up the appearance of your kitchen, adding a fake finish may give it a shabby chic, rustic, provincial, or futuristic appeal. Your cabinets may seem worn with very little work if you use crackling glaze, which is sold at paint stores. Simply brush the glaze over a dry base coat in a single direction (thick for wide cracks, thin for small cracks), allow it to dry, and then repeat. Finish by applying a flat topcoat of the base colour in a direction opposite from the glaze. As the paint dries, which takes approximately an hour, cracks will begin to appear.

The distressed appearance is another option for a rustic look that doesn’t require extra paint. Layers of colour and black paint are used to get this appearance. After the paint has dry, carefully smooth the surface to reveal the underlying colours in the areas where the cabinets are utilized the most.

The surface of the detail may be softly scraped. Trim, corners, and seams with a paintbrush dipped in a lighter colour than the cabinets and brushing the excess onto a cloth until the brush is almost dry. Imitating the appearance of some paint magic ageing and becoming antiqued

A high-gloss finish is at the opposite end of the range and will make your kitchen look sleek and contemporary. Apply a high-gloss clear acrylic varnish over your last application to make your cabinets gleam. Using this method, you may give the color depth and give your kitchen’s surface a glossy sheen.

Cabinet Painting Steps :

Step 1: Use Rosin Paper To Protect Counter Tops :

The last thing you want when you learn how to paint kitchen cabinets is paint all over your counters since painting cabinets is a dirty task. Covering your worktops, back-splash, and floor with low-cost rosin or brown builder’s paper is a simple method to protect them.

A typical roll measures 35 inches broad by 140 feet long. After determining the best paint for kitchen cabinets, you’ll have plenty of paper leftover once you’re through painting the kitchen.

Step 2: Take Off All Of The Hardware, Doors, And Drawer Fronts :

Everyone has seen painting projects where the drawer interior was painted before the hinges and hardware were painted. While you are learning how to paint kitchen cabinets, it could be tempting to leave the doors open. However, the output will be lot neater and more polished as a result of this.

On many modern cabinets, a few screws need to be backed out in order to remove the drawer fronts. If you don’t want to paint the drawer sides and bottom, tape them shut using masking tape. Use masking tape to cover your drawer fronts if they are a fixed component of the drawer and cannot be removed.

Step 3: Label The Doors :

Begin learning how to paint kitchen cabinets by doing a quick sketch or two of all the doors and drawers. You can use any number you like.

Mark the doors and drawers with the corresponding number as you remove them. Mark the location of the hinges in an inconspicuous location. Wrap the numbers with masking tape to keep them in place while you paint.

Step 4: Remove The Grease :

Even the greatest kitchen cabinet paint will not adhere to oily cabinets. So the first and most important step in learning how to paint kitchen cabinets is to clean them using a grease-cutting solution. Dish washing liquid will suffice, but a specialized grease remover, such as TSP replacement, is preferable.

Scrub the cabinets after mixing according to the directions. After that, rinse them with clear water and dry them with a clean rag.

Step 5: Don’t Overdo The Sanding :

Before starting your job on how to paint kitchen cabinets, sand the cabinets to give the fresh paint a nice surface to adhere to. However, you are not need to sand the wood down to its bare minimum.

Sand your cabinets lightly using 120-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge if they have a factory finish. Start by removing bumps using coarser 100-grit paper if the surface is rough due to prior painting or inadequate varnishing. To remove any sanding traces, re-grit the surface with 120-grit.

Step 6: Pick A Quick-Drying Primer :

Do you wish to expedite the project? For the initial application, use a primer that dries quickly. Make sure the primer is suitable with the paint you intend to use by reading the package for information on recoating times.

Use an enamel under body primer, experts advise. Water-based paint has advanced significantly, and some premium acrylic alkyd hybrids can compete with oil-based paint. Even yet, a lot of professional painters like oil-based paint, particularly for priming.

Oil-based paint levels out nicely and dries slowly. You have more working time and fewer brush strokes as a result. Additionally, oil-based primers like Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Enamel Under body sand readily once they have dried, creating the ideal foundation for your finish coat.

Step 7: Take Into Account Filling Open Grain :

The grain of some species of wood has several open holes. A excellent example is oak. The pores are visible through finishes and are particularly obvious below paint. It’s acceptable to let the grain show, but you must fill the pores before painting if you want a smooth, grain-free appearance.

There are several approaches. A high-build primer can be applied in layers, with each layer being sanded down until the pores are filled. Alternately, you might use spackling to fill the grain as seen above. Filling with spackling is more challenging if your cabinets have several curves and mounded edges. Finish the task by sanding and priming as usual when the filler has dried.

Step 8: Vacuum Before Using A Tack Cloth :

You must thoroughly clean the doors, drawer fronts, and cabinet frames to guarantee a smooth paint finish and good adherence. Starting with a soft bristle brush attachment, vacuum everything thoroughly. This eliminates loose dust, but the remaining dust still has to be removed.

The conventional painting technique makes use of tack cloths. A tack cloth should be properly unfolded and gathered loosely before usage. To remove dust from the surface, lightly wipe it over it. To reuse it, often shake it out and reform the bundle. Throw away the cloth and acquire a new one when it can no longer gather dust.

Step 9: Support Doors On Standoffs :

It is simple to find plastic painter’s pyramids, which are useful for holding doors firm while you paint them. As an alternative, you may make your own standoffs by screwing 2-inch plywood scraps into 3-inch squares. If you don’t mind a few barely detectable dimples on the back of your doors, you may use standoffs to paint both sides of a door at once.

Here are some guidelines for painting kitchen cabinets. Paint the back of the door first, keeping the edges unpainted, so that you have a place to lay your fingertips when you turn the door over.. Next, flip the door over and place it on the screw points.

After letting the door dry, you may paint the front and borders of it. Where the screws come into touch with the wet paint, little indentations can be seen, although they are hardly noticeable.

Step 10: After Priming, Double-Check For Flaws :

After removing grease from cabinets, the initial paint preparation process often involves using spackling or wood filler to cover any holes, dents, and dings. It’s a good idea to examine everything under a strong light after sanding, cleaning up the dust, and priming the cabinets in order to find and repair any residual dents or holes. Usually, following priming, these issues are simpler to detect.

An oil-based spackling solution like MH Ready Patch works best for filling since it adheres firmly and dries quickly for a long-lasting repair. But other fillers can also be effective. The drawback of this second round of spackling is that the mended areas will need to be primed again.

Step 11: Lightly Sand Between Coats :

As the paint or primer dries, dust may condense within. Sand between layers of primer or paint using 220-grit sandpaper or an extra-fine sanding sponge for the smoothest finish. Before recoating, clean and tack as usual.

Step 12: The Basics Of Painting Tools And Techniques :

Paint kitchen cabinets with a little roller: While a skilled painter may do wonderful things with a brush, for the majority of us, a mini roller is a fine option. Home centres and paint stores have tiny roller frames and sleeves.

There are many different kinds of tiny rollers available, but for painting cabinets, mohair, microfiber, or foam sleeves are ideal options. The smoothest finish may be achieved with foam sleeves, but since they don’t contain a lot of paint, regular reloading is required. Test several sleeves on the inside of doors to see which one complements your paint the best.

When painting frame-and-panel cabinet doors, be sure to use finishing brushstrokes that are in the same direction as the wood grain. The final brushstrokes should be applied from top to bottom to the vertical stiles.

Roll, then brush: If you’re a traditionalist and still like To best Paint with a brush, you may expedite the process by first using a small roller to apply the paint. The paint is applied by rolling. After that, softly smooth the surface with paintbrush bristles to level out the coat and remove roller marks.

Step 13: Choosing The Best Paint For Kitchen Cabinets :

Choose a paint that has been created for painting woodwork and cabinets by reading the label. Additionally, keep in mind that glossier surfaces draw attention to flaws, so unless you’re a really diligent painter, think about using an eggshell or a satin finish.

Try including a paint conditioner like Floetrol if your paint appears too thick and isn’t levelling off after application. For the proper ratio of conditioner to paint, see the directions. Paint that has been condition frequently dries more smoothly and is simpler to apply.

Step 14: Strain Your Paint :

Even brand-new paint, according to our expert painting adviser, needs to be strained before use to get rid of any little lumps that can damage the paint work. Filter any residual paint if you don’t want to go that far.

Step 15: Use A Pad To Scuff Up The Profiles :

Using a green abrasive pad, sand the molded profiles to a smooth finish to create a better surface for paint. Sandpaper can’t bend well enough to reach all of the little crevices.

Step 16: Apply Primer-Sealer :

To achieve a final coat that is effectively bonded, treat all surfaces evenly with primer-sealer. Additionally, primer-sealer products lessen the necessity of sanding and deglazing previous paint finishes. A primer-sealer also has the benefit of offering a solid foundation for semi gloss and water-based paint. Because it repels stains and water and is simple to clean. High-gloss enamel paint was previously the finish of choice for kitchen cabinets. However, modern water-based treatments are easier to work with and offer an equally lasting surface.

Step 17: Reassemble All Of The Pieces :

Once the second coat has dry, reattach the door and drawer fronts. Enjoy the fact that you were able to improve the appearance of your kitchen cabinets without investing a lot of time or money. The tape covering the door numbers should be removed after hanging each door in its appropriate opening. After altering (or installing new) drawer knobs, reinstall each drawer.

7 Common Mistakes People Make When Painting Kitchen Cabinets :

Final Judgment