How To Repaint Kitchen Cabinets

Learning How to Repaint Kitchen Cabinets is one of the least expensive and most effective transformations you can do yourself, and for any kitchen (Or Bathroom)

Best of all, painting kitchen cabinets yourself is a simple and inexpensive overhaul, and with this DIY Kitchen Painting Guide, you can complete the project in just 3 days.

The “Do it Yourself” category – painting kitchen cabinets or bathroom cabinets – can be one of the most rewarding home projects you will ever take on, and in the process, you will save a lot of money.

Professional painters can charge between $2,000 and $5,000 to repaint cabinets, depending on the size of your kitchen, making this project one of the biggest cost-savers most homeowners can take on themselves.

And Great News –  With these simple steps below, you can paint kitchen cabinets without stripping them first!

How to Repaint Kitchen Cabinets

First Step:  Buy the Paint & Materials:

Allow a budget of $300-600 for all materials needed to paint kitchen cabinets, depending on the size of your kitchen, the grade of materials chosen, and any new hardware.

We recommend this list of Paint and Materials – For Repainting Kitchen Cabinets:

• Best Type of Paint for Kitchen Cabinets (see suggestions below)

• Primer – Buy the best Primer for all types of wood surfaces (see tips below)

• Paint Brush – We recommend a high-quality 2 – 2 ½” Nylon Bristle brush

• Foam Roller – 3” mini foam roller with refills for a smooth, even finish.

• Painters Tape – 1 roll of painter or “Frog” tape should be sufficient

• Drop cloths – to protect the floor and countertops.

• Have plenty of rags for quick clean-up.

• Sharpie pen/Paper (To identify Doors and Drawers)

• Screwdriver or drill with bits to remove hardware

• Portable Workbench

• Shop Vacuum

• Wood putty and a putty knife (if you have damage or nicks to fill)

• Ventilation masks

• Tack cloth – If you plan to sand, buy tack cloth to remove dust from cabinets.

A few Quick Tips:  Before Painting Kitchen Cabinets:

• Allow Sufficient Time:  While many claim that repainting kitchen cabinets is a 1- or 2-day project, we recommend allowing 3-4 days. Pick a time to set aside 3-4 days for this project.
• Buy the Best Paint for Kitchen Cabinets: Choose the best paint you can afford. This is a time when the saying… “You get what you pay for”… comes into play. A lousy brand of kitchen cabinet paint or primer will doom your project.  We highly recommend visiting a paint store such as Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore and consulting with a sales expert before you buy.
• Good Lighting: Ensure your kitchen has sufficient lighting. This may require additional lamps or job-site lights to brighten your working space.
• Buy the Best Primer for Kitchen cabinets you can find. Buying the best Primer for cabinets is just as important as the paint you use. We believe the best-rated primer for kitchen cabinets is the KILZ Adhesion Bonding Primer.

Without trying to sound too much like a commercial…..Kilz is a low-VOC water-based primer designed for easy cleanup; it does not emit toxic fumes like oil-based primers, and it adheres to plastic laminate, glossy surfaces, metal, and existing latex or oil-based paint.

It dries in one hour, so you can quickly complete the next step – painting kitchen cabinets.

Remember that no matter how great your paint is, the paint will peel if your kitchen cabinet primer doesn’t adhere permanently and the primer coat fails.

Day One:  “Prepare” Cabinets for Paint:

Step 1)  “Sketch” Your Existing Kitchen Cabinet Layout

Make a quick sketch of your kitchen cabinets, number each door and drawer on the plan, and save the sketch in a safe place for later reference. 

Many doors and drawers are made to fit a single opening, especially in custom kitchen cabinets. It’s essential to return each door and drawer to its original location.

Refer to the Kitchen Cabinet Sketch below – Use this type of method to keep track of and Identify Doors & Drawers before removing them:

Step 2)  Label Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers

• Using a small piece of painter’s tape and a Sharpie pen, label each door on the “hinge pocket” on the backside of each cabinet door. The number will be concealed after the door hinge is installed.
• So, for just the doors, you can write the door number right in the hinge pocket on the door without painter’s tape.
• For the drawers, use painter’s tape and label the inside of each drawer box. Do this according to the number or letter shown on your sketch.
• As shown above, I like to number the doors and assign a letter to each drawer to keep everything separate and straightforward.

Step 3)  Remove Cabinet Doors and Drawers

After you have labeled all the doors and drawers in your kitchen (or bath), remove the labeled items, carefully set them aside, and move on to Step 4.

Step 4)  Remove Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Remove all hinges, screws, knobs, and pulls from doors and drawers, and separate the hardware into small boxes of screws, hinges, pulls, and knobs. 

(Note: leave sliding drawer glides in place unless you are repainting the inside drawer “boxes,” – which is a huge job).

Step 5. If Neccessary, Temporarily Move any Appliances

Slide the refrigerator, dishwasher, etc., out temporarily if you need access to cabinet frames for Priming or Painting.

Step 6) – Prep Kitchen Cabinets, Doors, and Drawers for Paint

1. For old wood cabinets with “a varnished finish – Use a good de-glosser such as
2. For old wood cabinets with a “painted finish,” use an excellent de-greaser first, such as Kleen strip
3. Fill any minor nicks or dents with wood putty
4. and lightly sand all doors and drawer front surfaces with 200-220 grit sandpaper.
5. Wipe off dust and residue from wood surfaces with a clean, soft rag.
6. Use painter’s tape to tape off the inside of cabinets, shelves, and drawer boxes (not to be painted).

Step 7)  Protect All Surfaces

Before applying primer and paint, cover appliances, countertops, and floors with plastic, drop cloths, or paper to protect them from paint splatters or spills.  You will be very glad you did!

Step 8)   “Prime” Kitchen Cabinets

Use the Best Primer to paint your kitchen cabinets. We recommend KILZ as the best adhesion primer for all cabinet finishes.

Before You Start (Tips):

If the “Inside” of your kitchen cabinets is a Natural finish (like Oak or Maple), we recommend leaving the inside of the cabinets and the drawer boxes Unpainted. 

The photo above shows a woman priming the inside of her kitchen cabinets.  However, when the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers are closed, you will not see the inside of the cabinets. So we consider painting the inside cupboards and drawers an unnecessary step and an enormous labor savings for you.

While the interior of cabinets and drawers is left untouched and unpainted, the “face-frame” of cabinets does require painting (shown above). The face frame Does Show when the cabinet painting project is completed.

When painting kitchen cabinets, leaving the inside cabinet a “natural” color goes very well with most of the. Popular paint colors today include white kitchen cabinets, sage green, and dusty blue.

Six Steps to Prime Kitchen Cabinets:

1. Apply Primer to one side of all doors and drawer fronts. Note: Always apply paint toward the wood “grain.”
2. Depending on how Flat or Detailed your cabinet doors and drawer fronts are, we recommend using either a good 2 – 2 ½” wide nylon bristle paintbrush or a mini foam paint roller for flat surfaces or using both as needed.
3. Lay each “Primed” piece of cabinetry Flat on top of a covered table, empty boxes, sawhorses, or otherwise “staged area” to dry.
4. Next, Prime all cabinet “boxes” – starting from the back (inside) and working out to the front.
5. Note: If you leave the inside of your cabinets original and unpainted, you will only need to prime and paint the “Inside Edge” (front frame) of the cabinets.
6. You will apply only one coat of primer, so ensure it is applied evenly and thoroughly to all “exposed” cabinet surfaces.
7. Allow 1 ½-2 hours for the primer to dry. Then flip the drawers and drawers over, and apply primer to the back side of each door and drawer.

Day Two:  “Paint” Kitchen Cabinets

Step 1)   “Sand” Kitchen Cabinets – First

• Lightly Sand all exposed primed surfaces with an extra-fine 220-grit sandpaper.
• Note: While sanding kitchen cabinets is optional, it is an excellent idea to do a light sanding on all exposed surfaces between the primer, paint, and final clear-coat finishes. Sanding provides a smoother finish and a much more professional-looking job.
• Tip: Sanding is much easier and quicker if you use an extra-fine “Sanding Sponge” for flat surfaces.

Step 2)  “Paint” Kitchen Cabinets

• Our choices for the best paint for kitchen cabinets would be Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, or Dunn-Edwards. Each manufacturer has stand-alone paint stores and a vast array of color selections.
• However, if you don’t have a good paint supplier near you and plan to paint kitchen cabinets white, we recommend INSL-X Cabinet paint, which you can get shipped from Amazon, along with your primer.
• If you’re looking to spice up your kitchen with color, check out Nuvo’s Warm Greige or their many other color options.
• Proceed with Cabinet Paint: Follow the same steps used for applying the primer and apply Paint to all primed surfaces, including doors, drawers, and cabinet boxes.
• We recommend waiting one day (minimum 8 hours) before proceeding with the final finish coat and hardware.

Day 3:  Complete Cabinet “Finish & Hardware”

This is the “fun day” – the day you wrap up your kitchen cabinets painting project!

Step 1)  Apply “Clear Coat” to Kitchen Cabinets

• Select one of the Best Clear Coats for Kitchen Cabinets, and apply a final “Clear Coat” Finish after allowing the Paint coat to dry overnight – or for at least 8 hours.
• We recommend Rust-Oleum Polyurethane Clear coat finish because it’s water-based, easy to apply, and dries quickly – in about 2 hours.
• Apply one coat of polyurethane to the painted finish; it is easiest applied with a foam roller. The clear coat finish is critical for protecting and maintaining the beauty and paint of your painted kitchen cabinets.
• The Clear Coat is Essential for protecting painted surfaces from wear, nicks, and stains, making it much easier to clean painted cabinets daily.
• Most clear-coat finishes dry to the touch in 2 hours or less.  Read the instructions to ensure it is dry enough to reassemble the cabinets, and then move on to step 2 below.

Step 2) Reinstall All Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers

• Install all of the hinges back onto the finished doors. (Install drawer slides onto the finished drawers if previously removed.
• Using your previously numbered kitchen layout sheet, reinstall all kitchen cabinet doors and drawers you removed and return them to their correct numbered kitchen cabinets.

3)  Install Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Finally, install your New or repurposed door pulls, drawer pulls, or knobs on your refinished cabinets.

4) Clean Up!

Remove all surface protection from countertops, floors, and appliances; vacuum any dust; mop floors, etc.

Step 5)  Enjoy Your Beautiful New Kitchen!

Now you know “How to Repaint Old Kitchen Cabinets” – And more importantly – How to Do It Yourself! 

While your kitchen may not look exactly like the Kitchen below, this should give you some idea of how great white-painted kitchen cabinets can look!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q:  Can you Paint Any Cabinets?

A:  Any cabinet surface that can be scruffed or lightly sanded can be painted. However, Melting melamine or plastic laminate cabinets requires a special bonding primer.  In addition, all laminate surfaces must be free of defects to ensure a proper finish.

Q:  What is the “Best Paint” for Kitchen Cabinets?

A:  Most professional painters and paint stores recommend using a water-based Latex or Acrylic Paint for kitchen cabinets. Both types are easy to apply, and because they are water-based, they clean up easily.

Q:  What Is the Best Paint “Finish” For Kitchen Cabinets?

A: Most painters and homeowners prefer satin finish paint for today’s kitchen remodels. The paint finish you choose for kitchen cabinets is also a preference, with the top 3 finishes including Satin, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss.

Satin is a slightly dull finish and hides more defects or imperfections in the wood, unlike a semi-gloss or gloss finish, which will likely expose knicks, dents, or scratches on the wood surface.

Q:  Should You Apply a Clear Finish Over Painted Cabinets?

A:  Applying a polyurethane finish as the Final Coat when painting kitchen cabinets is highly recommended. The final clear coat protects against everyday wear and tear and allows easy wiping of stains from food prep, fingerprints, etc.

Due to the nature of cleaning and handling in a kitchen, painted wood left without a clear coat finish will break down more quickly and require additional repainting.

Q:  Which is Better For Kitchen Cabinets, Oil-Based Or Latex Paint?

A:  While Oil-based paint provides a “harder” finish when dry, Oil-based painting involves harsh fumes, longer dry times between coats, and challenging cleanup. Approximately 90% of professional painters use water-based latex or acrylic paints for painting wood cabinets.

How To Repaint Kitchen Cabinets – Video:

While this video isn’t identical to the cabinet painting steps in our article, it’s pretty close. The video, courtesy of This Old House, is a short but fun tutorial on how to repaint kitchen cabinets:

Conclusion

While painting cabinets is more advanced than painting walls, and this job may look challenging to someone not accustomed to painting, once you know “what materials to buy and how to apply them, painting kitchen cabinets is not something you can do without proper guidelines.

Just remember to set aside three full days; don’t skimp on materials by buying the “cheap stuff.” Before you know it, you will be walking into your beautiful, newly painted kitchen!

Thanks for visiting BestHomeGear.com. Please leave us a comment below, and don’t forget to check out our other DIY articles to get the job done yourself.

References and Additional Reading:

• Avoiding Paint Fumes? – Healthline.Com
• How To Wire a 3-Way Switch DIY – Besthomegear.com
• Cabinet Painting Mistakes To Avoid – Good Housekeeping.Com
• How to Clean Tile Grout – BestHomeGear.com
• Best Type of Paint Finish (Sheen) for Cabinets – Homedepot.com
• Paint fumes if Pregnant – Americanpregnancy.org