Best Way to Paint Kitchen Cabinets: A Step by Step Guide

PAINTING KITCHEN CABINETS – Your cavelike kitchen area feels by doing this due to the fact that the dark cupboards have actually drawn all the light out of the space. Yet a brighter remodeling doesn’t necessarily indicate changing those dismal boxes with brand new cabinets.

As long as the frameworks and doors are structurally audio, you could clean them up and brush on some brand-new paint– and within a weekend take that kitchen from uninspiring to sunny.

As This Old Residence senior technological editor Mark Powers shows, all you require is some solid cleaner, sandpaper, a paintbrush, and also a little effort.

Exactly what you don’t require is a whole lot of loan, as the improvement will certainly cost you a fraction of also the most affordable new cabinets. And that’s news that must sure illuminate your day.

STEP 1// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Table Illustration

Introduction

Paint cooking area closets is, like any kind of paint work, a simple job. Yet understanding the ideal glazed coating is done in the preparation work.

Prior to brush ever before strikes wood, there needs to be a great deal of time dedicated to getting the surface area all set to accept paint. That implies correctly cleaning up, sanding, and priming every inch of the surface area, or the coating color will not stick well.

Cleansing is one of the most crucial action in the procedure. Years of greasy finger prints as well as cooking splatters can leave a layer of crud that prevents paint adhesion.

You could get rid of a lot of the gunk with TSP alternative (a cleaner from DAP or Savogran) or a degreaser– the former if the closets are not too filthy, or the stronger degreaser if the crud is thick– but it may take a couple of passes. After that, you’ll need to harsh up the surface with some 100-grit sandpaper in order to help the paint stick.

The guide you make use of could additionally make or damage the finish. To get a lustrous surface, you need to make use of a “high develop” sandable guide, such as Eurolux from Great Paints of Europe, to finest fill the wood as well as the surface.

The sandable part of that equation is essential, so that you can smooth the surface before painting on the coating coat. You might also require two coats of guide to totally fill up the grain.

To keep the doors and also cabinets flat as the paint degrees, make yourself a pronged drying shelf by piercing screws up with several pieces of scrap timber. That way you could flip your work as soon as it’s dry to the touch.

Likewise, screw mug hooks into the edges of doors as well as drawers so you could order hold and also relocate them without fingerprinting the paint; then hang them up for far-off drying.

The formula of finish painting you utilize contributes to the smooth look. Typically, paint cabinets for a high-traffic location such as a kitchen called for making use of oil-based paints. Nonetheless, working with oils can be messy, and the fumes are hazardous.

Fortunately, while latex paints will never ever rather self-level and also flow in addition to oils, they’re obtaining close. Latex formulas defined for kitchen cabinetry— classified “100% acrylic”– will develop an also, sturdy surface. And, oftentimes, they’re also low in unpredictable natural compounds, or VOCs, making that poisonous paint smell.

As long as you’re sprucing points up, take into consideration altering the hardware or placing on a fake finish for that added wow element.

STEP 2// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Prep the Room

Cover the kitchen counter adjacent to the cabinets with rosin paper and painter’s tape. Cover the backsplash with 0.5-millimeter plastic.

Flag each cupboard door or drawer as well as its equivalent opening with matching numbered pieces of tape so you’ll recognize which piece goes where. Get rid of all pulls and handles, and after that unscrew hinges from both the cupboard boxes and the doors. Pull out the drawers as well as, ideally, loosen the fronts.

Utilizing a sponge and also the suitable cleanser, wipe down the doors, cabinet fronts, and also cupboard frameworks wherever you intend to painting.

Suggestion: If you’re reusing your old hinges, also flag the combined joints with their doors and area for simpler reinstallation.

STEP 3// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Smooth Dings or Divots

Making use of a putty knife, fill up any type of dings or divots with wood putty. Also, fill up any type of old hardware holes if you plan on changing out the handles as well as draws.

Utilizing 100-grit sandpaper, sand the putty smooth and also rough up the closets’ finish. Sand with the grain, as well as use enough pressure to press the paper into any kind of holes, nicks, or damages without rounding over the sides.

Crew mug hooks into the edge of the doors as well as cabinets– on the leading side of upper cabinets and on the bottom side of lower closets and also drawers.

STEP 4// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Prime the Cabinets

Lay the doors facedown. Making use of a 2 1/2- inch paintbrush, use a layer of guide. Brush initially against the grain then with it. Repaint the interior panel before the rails and also stiles.

Allow the primer completely dry to the touch prior to flipping the items to painting the opposite. Prime the outside of the cabinet boxes (as well as the inside if desired) while awaiting the doors to dry.

Let the doors and also cabinet fronts completely dry to the touch, keeping them level so the paint degrees off. Then hang them from the mug hooks to treat totally.

STEP 5// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Sand the Primer

Permit the primer to completely dry for a number of hours. Using a random-orbit sander and also 220-grit sandpaper, smooth away any brushstrokes in the guide on the panels and other flat surfaces.

STEP 6// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Sand the Primer

Sand the trim making use of a fine-grit sanding sponge. Press the sponge into the groove of any type of trim specificing. Sand the cabinet boxes and structures likewise.

Vacuum cleaner all surface areas thoroughly; then wipe them down with a tack fabric. If essential, apply a second layer of guide and also resand the surface until you achieve a smooth, grain-free base coat.

STEP 7// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Brush on the Finish Color

Make use of a brand-new chisel-tipped paintbrush to apply the coating shade. Starting on the back of the doors and drawer fronts, brush on the paint, selecting the grain.

Repaint the panels first; then work your way out to the rails as well as stiles. Use a thin coating to prevent drips and uneven protection.

While the doors and cabinets are drying, keep them perfectly level to allow the paint to level off. Meanwhile, painting the closet boxes and also face structures.

When the doors as well as cabinets are completely dry to the touch, turn them over as well as layer the face, once more working from the indoor panel bent on the rails and also stiles. Let them rest level till they’re dry to the touch. After that hang them to dry for one more 2 hours before using the 2nd coat.

STEP 8// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Alternate Application: Splash the Paint On

To keep the paint smooth, you ought to utilize a brush on the cupboard boxes and also face frames. But for a remarkable finish on the doors and also drawer fronts, you can use a solitary coat with an airless paint sprayer.

Splash the edges initially; then fill out the field on the face of the door. Make certain to overlap each go by concerning 50 percent, as well as do not allow up on the trigger until the spray is entirely off the surface.

Keep the doors and cabinets flat and level until they are completely dry to the touch. After that hang them to dry entirely.

STEP 8// How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Set up the Doors, Drawers, as well as Hardware

As soon as the cupboards have actually absolutely treated (another day or two, depending on the weather condition), attach the joints to the doors and afterwards to the cabinet boxes– fit them by transforming the change screws. Install the drawer encounters.

Screw on the handles as well as draws.

Pointer
If your cabinets are uneven, deceive the eye by readjusting the hinges up until the door as well as cabinet joints look even.