Knowing how to paint kitchen cabinets is the ideal DIY answer if you want to update your kitchen without spending a lot of money.
An excellent substitute for buying new cabinets is painting your existing ones. It’s a terrific, cost-effective method to remodel your kitchen without going through the hassle of a major, pricey renovation. The greatest approach to achieving a fresh look without the bother is to paint kitchen cabinets.
The process of painting kitchen cabinets involves a little bit more than simply picking up a brush and starting to paint. particularly while attempting to get a smooth finish.
Follow professional tips to know what is the best way to paint kitchen cabinets after researching the best paint for kitchen cabinets to guarantee your painting project is completed to a high standard.
What Type Of Paint Should You Choose For Kitchen Cabinets?
Finding the ideal cabinet paint color is the first step in the entire process. You want to be sure that the paint color you choose will work in your kitchen because you are aware that this will be a time-consuming project.
Matte or chalk paint
Although a matte finish is typically harder to clean and less resistant to chipping, it can produce a more rustic appearance that may work well in a country cottage kitchen.
In that scenario, keeping it in a kitchen with a lot of traffic can be challenging. However, because matte paints are frequently water-based, it is more probable that you will discover a low VOC (volatile organic compound) and environmentally friendly alternative.
Satin, semi-gloss, or gloss paints
Kitchen cabinets should be painted with satin, semi-gloss, or gloss paints since they are typically much easier to clean, more resistant to grease and cooking fumes, and less likely to chip or scratch than their matte counterparts. These coatings are typically solvent- or oil-based, which makes painting with them challenging.
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?
How can cabinets be painted to achieve a silky-smooth finish? The preparation comes first! As vital as the painting process itself is, if not more so, is the preparation. You are setting yourself up for failure if you overlook the preparation necessary for painting your kitchen cabinets.
Supplies
- Drop Cloths
- Painters Plastic
- Degreaser
- Painters Putty
- 200 Sandpaper
- Painters Tape
- Premium Nylon/Polyester Brush Paint Brush
- Multipack Of Foam Paint Rollers
- Drill
- Primer
- Paint
Following are the steps to paint kitchen cabinets:
1. Prepare The Space
Preparing your kitchen and a separate space for your cabinet painting endeavor is the first stage in the how-to paint kitchen cabinets procedure. This entails removing all the hardware, cleaning the surfaces with a vacuum or duster, and emptying all the cabinets and countertops.
It’s a good idea to acquire all the necessary materials before you begin. You will have everything in one place and won’t have to interrupt what you’re doing to retrieve your tools if you do it this way.
The cabinet doors and drawers must be painted, therefore a garage or comparable area where you don’t mind getting messy is required.
It’s a good idea to lightly sand the surfaces if you’re painting the cabinets a different color than they are now. This gives the surface extra texture by slightly roughening it. The new paint will adhere better and produce a more even finish with additional texture.
In order to shield worktops and floors from paint spills and drips, you should also lay down drop cloths.
2. Establish A Painting Station
For a smooth, effective painting project, setting up a workstation is necessary for painting kitchen cabinets.
A level platform that can bear the weight of the cabinets should be chosen. Use an existing table in your kitchen if at all feasible to avoid having to move the cabinets too far.
To prevent paint splatters, cover the table’s surface with a drop cloth or some old newspaper. To help with air circulation and to keep the space well-ventilated, place a fan nearby. This is where opening a window will truly help.
Additionally, you can construct a drying rack for painted kitchen cabinets. To make a flat platform, one method is to place two 2x4s between two little ladders. So that you may hang your painted cabinet doors and drawers on them, screw eye hooks into both wood planks.
So that you don’t have to continually walk back and forth, and have all of the painting supplies nearby.
3. Remove Every Drawer And Hardware
Label all of your boxes, drawers, and cabinet doors. Using painter’s tape and numbering the cabinets is a simple way to accomplish this.
Each cabinet should have a piece of tape on the inside. Number each cabinet from upper left to right. Apply a second piece of tape to each door using the same numbering system. In this manner, when it’s time to put the doors back in place after removal, you can quickly locate their location.
You must first remove the screws holding the doors in place before you can remove the doors. After that, gently remove the door off its hinges with a pry bar. As you do this, take care not to harm the door or the hinge.
Finally, take out all the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers after everything has been labeled. This will make painting considerably simpler and guarantee that all surfaces are painted.
When you have to put everything back in its proper place, this is a crucial step. It can sound bothersome, but if you neglect it, you’ll be playing a matching game with your cabinet doors and drawers when this project is finished.
4. Degrease And Clean All Surface
This process phase is really important. Any accumulated residue, cooking grease, or grime must be cleaned and degreased from your cabinets. For this stage, the degreaser works nicely. You’ll get the best results if you start with a clean canvas.
Cleaning all surfaces is necessary before painting cabinets. By doing this, you may be confident that the paint will stick properly and won’t subsequently flake or chip. The new paint won’t adhere as well to the cabinets if there is any oil, grime, or other debris there. This means that sooner rather than later, you will need to repaint them.
After cleaning the cabinets with a damp towel, thoroughly scrub any dirt or oil off of them with a sharp brush. Before proceeding to the following stage, let them dry completely.
5. Remove The Cabinets’ Present Paint
Use a paint stripper to remove the cabinets’ paint. Use the paint stripper according to the manufacturer’s instructions. To completely remove the paint, you might need to use it several times.
When working with the stripper, be sure to put on gloves and safety gear because it can be dangerous if it gets on your skin.
The cabinets and drawers can be primed after all of the previous paint have been removed.
6. Prime The Cabinets
In order to ensure that the paint will cling to the cabinets, priming them is a crucial step in the process of painting kitchen cabinets.
Choose a primer that is specially made for wood surfaces among the variety of primers available on the market.
Using a brush or roller, apply the primer, making sure to get into every crevice. Before proceeding to the following step, allow the primer to dry completely.
All of the cabinet surfaces should be painted with a layer of high-quality primer. The purpose of using a primer is to ensure that the paint adheres to the surface more effectively, leading to a finish that will last for a long time.
After giving the primer a full night to dry, carefully flip the drawers and doors over and proceed as before.
7. Sand The Cabinets And Caulk And Seal Them.
In order for the paint to adhere to the surface, it needs to be smooth, so sanding is a crucial stage in the painting process. Sand the whole surface of the cabinets with fine-grit sandpaper, paying close attention to any particularly rough or bumpy places.
This process smooths the surface because the priming layer has a tendency to apply thickly and occasionally pool. Use 220 grit sandpaper to lightly sand all surfaces after the primer has dried fully, which typically takes 24 hours (front and back). Focus on any pools or drips that may have formed.
After all of the cabinets have been sanded, put a bead of caulk along all of the seams and joints using a caulk gun. This will contribute to a polished appearance.
Apply a thin coat of sealant to the cabinets using a brush or roller. This will keep the cabinets appearing brand-new and safeguard the paintwork.
8. Apply Paint To The Cabinet Boxes
It’s time to paint your kitchen cabinets now that you’ve primed them. Pick a color that works well with the other elements of your kitchen and the appliances you already have.
Painter’s tape should be placed between the cabinet boxes and any backsplashes and wall surfaces they come into contact with. This makes it easier to paint the entire box and prevents the paint from getting in places you don’t want it to.
Apply a thin coat of paint to the surface of the boxes using a roller brush. To prevent lap marks, make careful to paint against the grain of the wood.
Before proceeding to the following stage, give the paint at least 24 hours to cure.
9. Paint Kitchen Cabinet
You can now go to learn how to paint kitchen cabinets with high-quality paint if you were successful in completing the cabinet painting preparation procedures.
Put down the first coat of paint.
Apply a thin, even coat of paint exclusively to the recessed or intricate sections of the cabinet door using a 1″ or 112″ angled brush, painting in the direction of the wood grain. Paint the remaining flat surfaces next using your little foam roller. Any overlapping brush strokes or paint drips can be gently removed using your roller.
Here, applying thin coats of paint is crucial. This will lessen the likelihood of drips, pooling, and any other painting-related defects. In the end, it will also give the cabinets a smoother surface.
Starting with the doors and drawers is a smart option since you can work on applying the first coat of cabinet enamel to the cabinet boxes while they are curing.
After letting the first layer of paint for 24 to 48 hours to dry, you should turn everything over and carry out the same procedure on the opposite side. After drying of first later repeat the process for the second coat and let it dry.
9. Prime And Paint The Cabinets’ Drawers, Shelves, And Doors
The final step in painting your kitchen cabinets is priming and painting the doors, drawers, and shelves. Use only high-quality paint and primer to ensure a smooth, long-lasting surface.
Use a tiny brush to evenly apply the primer to all edges and surfaces of the doors and drawers. Use a tiny brush or roller to paint the doors and drawers after the primer has dried. Paint in even, thin layers, let each to dry before adding the next, for best effects.
The shelves must first be taken out of the cabinets and laid flat on a work area before you can paint them. All of the shelves’ surfaces should first be primed before being painted with a tiny brush or roller. Before reinserting the shelves into the cabinets, let the primer and paint thoroughly dry.
10. Reassemble All Of The Parts
It’s time to put everything back where it belongs after painting your cabinets. To ensure that each component is returned to its proper location, follow the labels and the order in which you removed them. Don’t risk damaging your paint job.
Reinstall all cabinet drawers and doors after giving the kitchen cabinets (24–48 hours) to dry completely. Because you meticulously took the time to label everything at the beginning of this endeavor, it should be simple.
You’ve successfully finished painting your kitchen cabinets.
Advantages Of Painting Kitchen Cabinets
A few advantages of painting your kitchen cabinets stand out.
- It takes significantly less time than tearing down existing cabinets, removing them, and installing new ones.
- Painting your kitchen cabinets is a more cost-effective option than buying new ones.
- It enables you to avoid a significant remodeling and maintain your current cabinets’ arrangement.
- It’s friendly to the environment. You avoid tossing away perfectly good materials only to change the color of your cabinets.
Tips For Cabinet Painting
The following advice will be useful as you learn how to paint kitchen cabinets.
- It’s crucial to prepare the cabinets. don’t miss it.
- The best bond is made by oil-based primer, which also conceals wood grain better than latex primer. However, due to the VOCs, the use of oil-based primers is restricted in several areas.
- Has your primer tinted to the color of the finished paint if you plan to paint dark cabinets a lighter color? Fewer coats of paint will be required and the coverage will be better.
- Make use of premium, top-notch paint, and materials. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is absolutely accurate. Better products produce better results. You want to be sure you are doing everything you can to make your painted kitchen cabinets last if you are going to the time and effort of painting them.
- When selecting a cabinet paint, stick with a semi-gloss or high gloss paint finish. These paint treatments have a durable surface, making them ideal for kitchen cabinets. They are more durable and the tougher the finish. Additionally, they are simple to maintain and let’s face it, kitchen cabinets get a lot of use and can become soiled.
- Paint with the grain of the wood. It will reduce the number of strokes.
- Avoid rushing! This is a time-consuming process if you want your cabinets to appear excellent and last. You’ll only wind up paying for your haste and step-skipping in the end. For the greatest results, take your time and paint your kitchen cabinets correctly.
Related Questions
Is a roller or brush preferable for painting cabinets?
You can use a roller on the front and back of drawers and doors. This is significantly quicker than using merely a paintbrush and will result in a more even and smooth application of the paint. After that, use a brush to retouch small or challenging-to-reach places.
How can I avoid leaving brush strokes on painted cabinets?
Paint with the wood’s grain to minimize brush strokes. Paint only one side of drawers and doors while working on the trim boards with the foam roller and brush. The base cabinets should then receive a coat of Cabinet Enamel using the same brush and foam roller. Clean your brush and let it dry overnight.
Do kitchen cabinet doors have paint on both sides?
Doors usually take a while to paint since you have to cover both sides and wait for each coat to cure completely. You can start with the cabinet doors’ backsides. Apply the first coat of paint, wait 24 hours, and then apply the second.
Is vertical or horizontal spray painting preferable?
For vertical surfaces, the horizontal spray typically works best. Make use of the vertical setting for tops and other horizontal surfaces. Any kind of surface can be sprayed using the circular pattern. Before spraying your nice workpiece, it’s a good idea to test the patterns on a throwaway piece.
Conclusion
Painting your cabinets is a terrific method to freshen up your kitchen because there are so many different color schemes to pick from. If you undertake the work yourself, you might even have extra money to spend on new knobs or countertops.
Follow the provided instructions carefully, and don’t forget to let the cabinets, primer, paint, etc. enough time between each process to dry completely before going on to the next.
