Do you have ugly kitchen cabinets that need a makeover? This tutorial shows you how to paint kitchen cabinets to give your kitchen a facelift on a budget
Last week I shared with you how I transformed my kitchen cabinets from flat doors to my all time favorite - Shaker Style Cabinets! Today I'm going to share with you some tips and How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets of your very own! Confession. I didn't take many pictures of this process because it just looked like white paint on a door no matter what stage of the process I was in.. So I'll just share my tips and tricks with you today, and a few before pictures I have! : )
Supplies:
- Kilz Oil Based Primer
- Enamel Paint
- 4" Foam Roller
- Painter's Pyramids
- Paint Brush
- Orbital Sander
- Caulk
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
After you have built your doors, you can move on to the whole painting process. I did the exact same thing to my cabinet bases as I did to my doors. I think I was able to get away with one less coat on the bases though ; ) You just have to keep painting until it looks good.
Preparing to paint kitchen cabinets
Before you begin painting you want to make sure you have filled in holes or gaps with wood filler or caulk (use where appropriate), sanded down, and have wiped everything clean.
First, remove all hardware and shelves, and scrub them clean. You want them as clean as you can get them. For my cabinet bases, I took some rough grit sandpaper and sanded everything down as best I could, it doesn't have to be perfect. Then go over it with a finer grit to smooth it all out. Then wipe everything down with a damp cloth and vacuum up any sawdust. You don't want any sawdust left or the paint won't adhere correctly.
Priming
Once all your prep work is done, it's time to prime. Use OIL based primer. It stinks, it sucks to clean up, but it is SO much more durable and it adheres WAY better! I am in the process of painting all my trim, and since it's next to carpet I use a water based primer, and while it gets the job done, I can truly say oil based is better!
Start off brushing in all corners and edges of your door (or cabinet), working around your trim. Then use your 4" foam roller to roll the remainder of your doors/cabinets. Let this dry.
Now Sand it all down with 220 grit sandpaper. Yes. We will be sanding in between every coat. Don't hate me, but it really does make it prettier! Make sure you wipe everything down after each time you sand!
Now apply a second coat of primer, let dry, and sand again.
Paint Kitchen Cabinets
After that is taken care of we can move on to the actual painting. For the cabinet paint you need 100% enamel paint. It is durable, and it just has a great finish! It's still water based, so clean up is easy, yay!
Just like with the primer, start off brushing any corners and edges, then roll the paint on. Make sure to fix any paint drips. Once dry, sand it down again, and wipe clean.
Repeat this process until you have a total of 3 coats OR until you are happy with the results. You might get lucky and only need 2 coats.
On your last coat, no need to sand ; ) If you see any paint drips on your last coat you can use a sanding block to help remove them, you might need to dab a little paint over that to smooth it out, and fix any other needed touch ups.
Now give yourself a HUGE pat on the back and enjoy your beautiful cabinets!
To see more of my kitchen, you can check out my Kitchen Tour, and catch up on the kitchen progress and how to DIY a remodel!
UPDATE: My NEWEST Kitchen progress can be found HERE
amanda cutler
Did you sand by hand or use an electronic sander for your cabinet bases and cabinet doors? I have an electric and would love to use that, including between coats of primer and paint as long as it won't mess things up.
Katie
I used an electric sander for most of it, but I did use just a sheet of sandpaper for some of the hard to reach areas. Definitely go with the hand held sander. Mine is a random orbital one... if yours is just one of the square ones, make sure you go with the grain of the wood though : ) Have a great night, and let me know if you have any other questions!
Kitty
Do you have to remove the cabinet fronts and drawers before painting?
Shellie
Why do you paint the cabinets and then sand the paint off? What kind of paint roller do you recommend? Also when sanding the paint coats, how deep do you sand it?
Katie
Hi Shellie, You don't actually sand the paint off. You will need to use a very fine grit sandpaper, which will just simply smooth everything out and create a nice surface for the next layer of paint to adhere too. You won't sand your final coat. You won't need to sand very deep in between paint coats, but you will want to make sure to get a good sanding on the wood to remove any previous finish. I suggest using a foam roller because it helps to avoid the brush streaks when painting with a brush... a regular roller is meant for walls and will just kinda push the paint around on wood cabinets. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Shellie
Why do you paint the cabinets and then sand the paint off? What kind of paint roller do you recommend? Also when sanding the paint coats, how deep do you sand it?
Anna
I love how these turned out! Fabulous work. What color white did you choose? Also, did you tile that beautiful subway tile backsplash?
Taunica
Great job, they look awesome. Did you paint the interior of the cabinets as well? I have seen tons of exteriors painted but am wondering about the process/outcome of interior painting.
Katie
Thanks so much! I did paint the interior! I did the same thing on the inside, except one less coat since I wasn't quite as worried about it looking completely flawless, but you wouldn't even know it just looking at it.
Katie
Hi Anna, I painted them with Behr's Decorator's White, which is a pretty bright white. I did do the backsplash 🙂 I don't have a tutorial for that one though, but it's pretty easy and subway tile is very simple to work with! Have a great weekend!
Megan
Hi! Im getting ready to paint my doors, and I was wondering what you meant by 100% enamel paint? Do you just ask for this at the counter rather than wall paint? Thanks! Megan.
Katie
Hi Megan, I'm not entirely sure what the difference is, I was just told by a friend who works in the construction industry to make sure the paint is 100% enamel. I believe most of the Behr paint is, which is just regular wall paint. Since I'm just going off the word of a friend, I think the reason being is that some of the cheaper paints aren't 100% enamel. But you should be able to find the paint you need at any hardware store, the employees working in the paint department knew what I was talking about when I asked for it! Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!!
Becca
I am in the process of painting my cabinets white but I've found that I can still see the wood grain which I am not fond of. I am using a latex paint and a paint brush. Should I try a roller? Do you have any suggestions on how to get a smooth finish with no visible wood grain? Yours look fabulous!
Katie
Hi Becca,
Unfortunately getting rid of that wood grain entirely is hard to do. I used a satin paint instead of a high gloss. The glossy ness tends to pick up those crevices quite a bit more than the satin. I would definitely use a roller. Paint brushes will drag any paint out of those crevices as well leaving them more visible. But to completely get rid of the wood grain there is a "high build" primer you can use. It's pretty expensive though (which is why I decided against it) but I was painting the inside and out of cabinets. If you just want it on the outside it might not be too costly, unless you have tons of cabinets ; ). But I would suggest the small foam rollers. That's what I used! And the satin paint. I also did 2 layers of primer, and 3 coats of paint.... that did help hide some of my grain as well! Hope that helps! Good luck on your kitchen!
Elise
How long would you say this whole painting process took you? I know you had a little more time building the border on the cabinet doors, but I'm curious to see how much of a time commitment this is. Were you able to do it in one weekend, or did you have to avoid your kitchen for longer?
Katie
Hi Elise, oh gosh... I had to do it in so many short periods of time because of all my kids. I pulled all my doors of first and emptied cabinets. Then I focused on the base cabinets so I could get everything put back together. I lived without doors for a few weeks because adding the trim and the extra sanding is definitely what took me the longest! If you were just painting I did 5 coats all together and each coat has to dry a few hours in between then sanding so the dry time is what gets you. If you can lay out all your doors and do the base cabinets and doors at the same time, you could maybe do it in a long weekend if you work pretty much all day. I'd say it's more realistic (for me) if you did the base cabinets in one weekend and the doors in the next. I hope this kinda helps... I was doing so many other things in the middle of painting the cabinets it's hard for me to say exactly ; ) But it took my over the course of a month probably. But that's because I'm generally working on 3-4 projects at a time because of blogging! Let me know if you have any other questions along the way!
Karen
Can I do the same thing if I am not sure if my cabinets are solid wood? When we redid the kitchen years ago, the boxes were ready made.
Katie
I would think so. Just make sure you use an oil based primer, and you might still need to rough the surface up with a fine grit sandpaper. I'd try and figure out what kind of material they are though just to be sure before diving in to such a big project ; ) Lt me know if you have any other questions! : )
Ruth
What color did you use on the wall? I love the blue strip up above the cabinets. 🙂
Katie
Thanks! It's Palladian Blue from Benjamin Moore : ) We love it too!
Charlotte
Hi how do you put the silver tiles on the side of the cabinets? I love them
Katie
Hi Charlotte, I just used double sided duct tape, but to be honest you might want to use a little glue as well because the steam did make mine start to pull away a little and I ended up putting a bit of glue back here ; ) Thanks for stopping by!
Amanda
where are your knobs and drawer pulls from?! Kitchen looks great!
Sara
Hi, I was just wondering how you laid your doors out? I hear that is a make or break thing. Did you finish all of the fronts then flip and do the backs? Thanks and they look great!
Laura Copp
did you ever try a paint sprayer to cut down on the time?
Kate
I'm not sure if someone already asked this, I haven't read through every comment.......... Did you paint the insides of your cabinets also?
Melissa
Hi, I'm just wondering, did you use a top coat at all? Verathane or wax to seal the cupboards?
Thanks!
JC
Yes, she posted she had painted and sanded the insides as well....just one less coat.
Outdoor Kitchens
Extraordinary employment, they look marvelous. Did you paint the inside of the cupboards too? I have seen huge amounts of outsides painted yet am pondering about the procedure/result of inside painting.
Dusti Bourne
Okay, that’s it! I am officially chalk painting some ugly old wood furniture in my kitchen! Thanks!
Brenda
Hi, if you used an oil base primer, can you use a latex paint on the cabinets. I thought that would cause the paint to peel off.
Shelley
That is what I've been reading in my research as well!
Westly Smith
Thanks for the tip to paint the doors first. For me, it's just hard to know where to start. My wife wants me to paint our kitchen cabinets. I agree with her, they look old and we need something new in our house. This should help out a lot!
erin patrick
This was so helpful to me!! I have a kitchen with severely outdated forest green and white cabinets and painting is pretty much my only option for updating at the moment but I was super intimidated! I think that I can do this now after reading your post! :)Thanks for sharing!!
Ramon63
great job, thank you Concerning using the Kilz Oil Based Primer- I once tried to paint with this primer and it was drying so fast that I had to take it all down. Can you expand about this product? I keep reading about it in various post as a good product.
Jessie Rogentine
Roughly how much would you say this remodel cost you minus the appliances? So for the paint, tile, counter tops and flooring. I really want to do this to our kitchen but not sure if we can budget it. Thank you!
Lorraine Castellano
Our kitchen cabinets look like they are made of fiber board with a veneer that looks like thin contact paper stretched over it. They are all "framed" out. The coloring on all of it is like a dark oak. I want to paint them. What preparation and paint would we use for this type of surface?
Lorraine Castellano
Our kitchen cabinets look like they are made of fiber board with a veneer that looks like thin contact paper stretched over it. They are all "framed" out. The coloring on all of it is like a dark oak. I want to paint them. What preparation and paint would we use for this type of surface?
Matt
Hello-
We are in the process of painting our cabinets white and love the drawer pulls you used. Can you please tell us where you got those?
Thanks
Joyce
I bought some from wayfare!
Richard A. Blake
Hey!
It is good Post to read. If you can do it yourself , you should. However if you are not assured that you can do it, it’s always better to get assistance.Keep sharing your thoughts.
Thank you!
Peter
Great job! Really good information. Also, I love your gas range. You have great taste!
Peter
I am very much a visual learner. I like how you posted this blog together with a picture. It is much clear and understandable.
fernando Lopez
thanks for the tip you get very good job
Carly
These look really good Katie, you may just have inspired me to tear my kitchen apart before Xmas!
Great job, thanks for the inspiration. Carly xx
Andy Shepard
Your advice to consider the storage space, locking system, and material of the cabinets would be important. This could ensure that you’re able to have them customized for your kitchen so that they’ll match the style and provide the storage you need for your items.
Leah
Yes, thank you so much! I am going to follow your directions to the "T". Starting this weekend!
Bethany Birchridge
I love that you mentioned to clean the kitchen cupboards and sand them before painting. My aunt recently redecorated her kitchen and you the back corners look a bit rough. Something I like to do when sanding is go in with a paintbrush and sweep up as much excess as possible.
Mandy
Hi. Beautiful redo! I am getting ready to tackle my kitchen. And paint those ugly wood cabinets I own. What color did you paint your cabinets? So many whites to choose from!
Kalia Floors
Excellent tips, it's very helpful. I'm glad you are passionate to share this thing with us. Thank you.
Sam Kresslein
Perfect timing! Going to paint my kitchen in the next few weeks, and you really laid out all the steps in detail. Super helpful :D thank you for your sharing
Logan Antonio
Nice tips. It is very informative post. I am searching this information from few days and I found this information on your blog. Your blog is very informative. Thanks for sharing this information with us. Keep posting and keep sharing like this.
James
Using oil based primer is huge and a mistake I see a lot of would-be DIYers make when they're first taking on a painting project. Great post!
- James
Elite Cooker
I think it provides a huge idea on painting kitchen cabinet. Actually,I love the way you go. Thanks for sharing your valuable opinion!
Derek McDoogle
I did not know the fact that for the cabinet paint you need 100% enamel paint. I've never done this before so I think it would be better to call a professional this time. From my point of view, my kitchens cabinets might need to be replaced.
Lily
I read out your article and I got some good idea about kitchen cabinet painting. It's an amazing tips about kitchen cabinet painting Really its help me to improve my kitchen environment.
Thanks for your amazing tips.
Brandon F
I have painted my kitchen cabinets recently so can attest to the fact that using oil based primer is the way to go. It's the foundation that so important. On top of that we used outdoor semi gloss paint from Dunn Edwards. Was told the resin inside outdoor paint helps the paint to withstand more than interior semi-gloss.
George
A great idea about kitchen painting. I think your idea is far enough to design my kitchen cabinet.
Thanks for your amazing tips. Keep sharing!
ola
hello Katie,
You post is very informative and easy to follow. i love it.
I linked to you in my latest post.
Thanks for the love you share through your writing.
Homeia
Thanks for nice tips! Myself and my wife were thinking about buying a whole new kitchen, but looking what you have done, we may be better off just painting the kitchen units & cabinets!
Evita
I am currently working on our kitchen and counters. This is a lovely idea! 🙂
Alyssa Leon
Nice loved it. I love the white cabinets and the overall look of the kitchen. I also like the simplicity of the directions easy and straightforward. I have a small condo size kitchen and will be attempting this project.
Ron
Great tips! I love how detailed and practical your advice is. Prepping the cabinets properly seems like a game-changer for a smooth finish.
Josh B
Painting kitchen cabinets is such a great way to refresh a space without a full renovation! Love these tips—prepping properly and choosing the right paint really makes all the difference.
Roni O
Thanks for these super helpful tips! I’ve been thinking about updating our kitchen without doing a full remodel, and painting the cabinets seems like a cost-effective way to get a fresh look. Love that you mentioned proper prep—so many people skip that and end up with chipping paint.
Thanks again. Great read!
Katie Adams
Thank you so much Roni!