Tips for Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Today I’m going to share with you tips for painting kitchen cabinets based on our experience. This is the second post showing you how we painted our kitchen cabinets. You can see post #1 here with a lot more photos of the finished project.
Thank you for all of the great comments and compliments on our Kitchen Makeover. It was a long process (about 7 years) but I’m so happy with how it turned out. I thought I’d dedicate a post to the process we went through to paint the cabinets, given all of the questions left on the last post.
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets:
We made a lot of mistakes and I’m happy to share with you those mistakes so that if you tackle painting kitchen cabinets yourself in the future that you might avoid some of them.
How Long Does It Take to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?
Let me first say that this is a HUGE undertaking. It’s not really a weekend project, more like a “month of weekends project”.
My husband and I worked mostly on Saturdays and evenings and had everything went as planned it would have taken at least 2 full weekends plus several other weeknights.
Tips for Painting Kitchen Cabinets:
We were really nervous before we started painting. We have tackled a lot of DIY projects in the past, my husband even built a deck and pergola behind our home once. We’ve painted every room in our home, installed beadboard paneling, replaced lights, and installed hardwood floors. But this project was a bit different.
I think we knew that if we messed up we could seriously hurt the value of our home going forward. I think that kitchens sell homes, and a bad paint job would mean that we’d either A- have to replace the cabinet doors or B- pay a professional a lot of $ to fix our mistakes.
We went back and forth on it for years because honestly there was nothing wrong with the kitchen before, although I would argue that it would have started to look dated soon.
How we Painted our Kitchen Cabinets
So funny story (well now we can laugh about it but it didn’t seem very funny at the time). We practiced by painting kitchen cabinets that were in our butler’s pantry.
We went to the paint store, told them what we wanted to do, and they told us what paint to use and how to do it. It turned out great. Even a builder friend of ours said that he would have thought the cabinets we originally white.
After this burst of confidence, we decided to tackle the kitchen. We went back to the paint store to get more paint, but this time visited a location closer to our home (same brand of paint, different store).
When we tried to buy the same paint that we used in the butler’s pantry, the kid at the counter said they didn’t make it anymore and to use this other paint instead. So we went with their recommendation.
(you can see the orange peel texture in this photo)
The Mistakes We Made
As the cabinets started to dry we realized there was a problem. The finish was chalky and there was an orange peel texture on the cabinets. I read online about how to fix it and could not figure it out.
We changed the settings with our paint sprayer, changed how much the paint was thinned, and made a few other adjustments Every time I thought we had resolved the problem the solutions didn’t work.
Grumpy and tired we stacked up the cabinet doors in the garage (don’t do that they stick to each other) and left them alone while we decided what to do next.
Just by coincidence, we stopped in the first location of the paint store because we were running errands in the area. We were buying paint for another project, and I noticed that the same guy was there that we talked to originally.
I told him the problems that we were having painting kitchen cabinets and asked if there was ANY way that we could get that first paint again, special order, or something? He proceeded to walk over to a shelf in the store and picked up the paint. It was right there the ENTIRE time!
We told him how the cabinets looked and he told us we needed to sand off all of the other paint then start over again.
So we began step 2 of the whole process AGAIN.
Here is what we did the 2nd time that worked, and I’ll never paint cabinets with any other way again.
If you are going tackle painting kitchen cabinets here are my recommendations
One: Remove the Doors
First of all, remove the cabinet doors and hinges. Then number the cabinet doors so that you can put them all back in the same location when you’re done.
To do this we marked the number with a sharpie inside of the hole that the cabinet sat. We then covered up the number of painters tape. That way the number would be visible when we were done, but would not show since it was hidden inside the hinge hole.
Two: Wash the Cabinets
Next, wash the cabinets doors and frames with a mild detergent.
Then tape off the insides of the cabinet frames, and the floor of the kitchen. (on a side note, we did not paint the inside of our cabinets, I would not tackle that job unless we were going to tape off all of the walls in the kitchen and spray the inside).
If you are going to install different cabinet hardware at this time be sure to use wood filler to fill in the existing holes.
Three: Degloss
Now degloss the cabinets (doors and frames). Ask for a wood sander/deglosser at the hardware store, then apply it according to the directions on the bottle. It will rough up the surface a bit so that the primer and paint will stick, and you should not have to sand your cabinets.
Four: Prime
After you’ve deglossed and cleaned the cabinets apply a light coat of primer. We used Kilz primer. You can use a brush for this step but make sure that you apply a very light coat and don’t leave any brush marks. If there are brush marks sand them lightly after they are dry.
Now you’re ready to start painting kitchen cabinets. Before let me just say that I’ve been happy to work with a few different paint companies in the past for projects on this blog. This project is not one of them. This is just the paint that we bought and found that worked ourselves. It’s not sponsored in any way although I did include a few affiliate links for some of the items that we used).
Five: Picking the Paint
Using a good quality brush paint the cabinet frames, sides and crown molding. If you’re not sure which brush to use check the paint can, the manufacturer usually will recommend a brush to use with that brand of paint.
It will take about 2 coats. We found a brush that gave us a smoother finish than a foam roller. We tried both. The water-based paint we used is “self-leveling” meaning it levels out any brush marks and gives you a smooth finish. Just make sure you don’t use too much paint. I didn’t notice any brush marks on our cabinet frames after we finished.
Six: Spray Paint the Doors
We tried a lot of different ways and found the best way was to spray paint the door on a table then moving it to the floor of the garage to dry.
This is the paint we used. It’s called Cabinet Coat and the color is Sierra Blanca (that is a color created by manufacturer of the paint, the paint cannot be tinted to any color, they recommend using their predetermined colors)-
The color we wanted originally was Dove White by Valspar, the Sierra Blanca is the closest one, and I’m happy with how it came out. It’s white but not too bright or sterile. We bought it at our local Benjamin Moore store, but it’s not made by Benjamin Moore so you may be able to buy it at other paint stores.
How to Spray Paint the Cabinets
We tried two different paint sprayers, the one we liked the best was the Flexio Paint Sprayer by Wagner. (The first paint sprayer had a hose that kept coming out of the sprayer, and it would mess up the paint).
We did thin our paint with water. The sprayer comes with a guide so that you know when the paint is the correct consistency. It will be too thick to spray as it comes, the thinned paint will give you a smoother finish. Make sure you mix the paint and water well. we used a mixer attached to our drill.
Before you paint a cabinet you need to test spray a surface of similar texture. You can buy an old cabinet door or a smooth piece of wood. There are a bunch of different settings on the paint sprayer and you need to make sure that you’ve got the setting that will work best with your paint and on your cabinets.
When you spray to make sure to do it in smooth even strokes. Don’t hover over one place for too long and don’t get the sprayer too close to the board or too far away. Let the paint dry completely, keep practicing until you get a finish that you like. Then you’re ready to tackle the doors.
If you have trouble READ the directions that came with your paint sprayer. Ours included lots of tips.
Tips for Spray Painting the Doors
We set up a table in our garage to spray the doors and covered it with plastic and put tarps on the floor just to be safe. We sprayed the doors on one side (while on the table) then gently lifted the door (fingers touching the unpainted side only) and moved them to the floor of the garage, resting them on these paint pyramids.
They totally saved our butt. Before we were stacking them on old paint cans or boxes. We then let the doors dry completely and just prayed that a bug didn’t land on it while it was drying. That happened to us a lot – it was July in Kentucky.
It took two coats of paint on the front and the back of each cabinet door. You have to let them dry completely between coats, that’s why it takes several days to complete the process.
Also: Since we could not use the Cabinet Coat on the island (we wanted a custom color) we used a paint recommended by the store. The color is Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore.
Painting Kitchen Cabinets, my Final Thoughts:
Like I said before I think this process comes all down to the paint. That was by far the biggest mistake we made. We used the Cabinet Coat paint but I know others have had great results with other types of paint.
Just be sure you talk to someone at a paint store that KNOWS what they are talking about. You don’t want to use regular wall paint. You need something with an enamel finish so that it will hold up (you don’t want it to chip). I wish we had sprayed test samples before we tackled the entire kitchen, but you know what they say “live and learn”.
If you’ve painted your cabinets before I’d love to hear your tips and I’m sure others reading this post would love to hear them also.
More Home DIY Projects You May Like:
How to Build an Outdoor Firepit
Hello! We are getting ready to paint our cabinets as well. Wondering how this has held up over these months? Any chipping?
No chips. Still looks great and really easy to clean!
We had our cabinets repainted, an ivory color, by a professional. Very happy with results. We used a new type paint by Sherman Williams low odor, fast drying, long wearing. Many contractors are raving about it. We think its great~ no lingering smell, looks great and my hubbies allergies did not suffer!!! Check it out.
Could you tell me the name of the sherwin William’s paint you used,
I found that I could use Dutch brothers kids lids as my painters pyramids since I had a lot saved .
Looks really nice. I painted all my bathroom cabinets with Behr Premium Plus Ultra in dark French Roast. 2 years later it’s holding up well
I have been thinking about painting my cabinets too, but I definitely don’t want to end up with the issue you had with it ending up chalky. Could you please tell me what brand that was so that I can avoid it? I’m very sensitive to texture and chalkiness will most likely not work for me.
Thanks for the information. It was super helpful, for my husband and I are about to tackle this project for our kitchen. All of our cabinets are in the garage not the house since they are newer, but used cabinets we purchased from a friend that was redoing her kitchen and didn’t want her old cabinets that were only 5 years old (great condition). Thanks again! Your kitchen looks amazing!
Hi, I know what its like to get something not to workout. We gutted our kitchen and took all the cabinets down for this whole project. We had to redo dry wall and move electrical for this kitchen project.
We used deglosser but since the finish was so old we had to go back sand. The finish had gloppy finish on them and it was impossible to remove with out sanding. We have been painting since April. I am using Val spar cabinet paint, since it too is self leveling. This is not a process for the weak of will, nor is it for someone who is not patient. I found two coats of primer with a light sanding in between makes a huge difference in the final product. I too found that thinning the paint helps and that cutting in with a very small angled brush helps. Do not allow an impatient husband to glop paint on the cabinets. I found that lead to a lot of sanding. I polished the paint with 0000 steel wool in between coats for a very smooth finish. However, we brushed each door and drawer front by hand. Then hit it with a tack cloth put another coat on a day later and finished with two coats clear poly. This prevents black marks on the paint. Makes the cabinets totally washable. In a few weeks we will polish the clear coat with steel wool to raise the shine. We are getting the hnges and hard ware powder coated a brushed nickel. I am using cut glass drawer knobs and pulls. A little cabinet bling :). I never want to do this again…lol.
Great job. I learned a lot and think it would be too hard for me to accomplish on my own in my small condo. I will save your post for the future! I really loved the white cabinets!
Hey Melissa!
I’m in Kentucky too, right outside of Lexington. I’m getting ready to paint my two year old kitchen cabinets. I’ve got the doors off and everything numbered. I will probably do the faceframes first, since it’s so bloody humid outside. I’m also doing white and gray. Love your gray. Wish me luck!
Hi, I noticed you mentioned your biggest mistake was in your paint…I have the same kind of paint ready to go, but only purchased a sample size for now. I’m desperately not wanting to sample any more paints as I’ve been getting ready to do this huge project for about a month now. What is the best paint via word on the street and what did you not like about the insl-x? Thank you!!
I’m sorry, I have read so many blogs on how to paint cabinets and I forgot about the first page of your blog explaining the FIRST paint you used! Thank you for this blog, it has given me the last bit of confidence and advice before tackling this FUN project:-)
I see you caught that I did LOVE the insl-x paint. Best of luck to you!!
Which Kilz primer did you use?
I used Kilz 2 (latex) and my 25 yo orange oak cabinets were bleeding through (the white Kilz turning orange, not just see through like your picture) and I was able to scratch it with a finger nail. This didn’t seem right to me so I switched to Kilz original (oil) but it’s tough to work with, very hard to get a thin coat, dries fast so it leaves a lot of brush strokes so I’m having to sand then out a bit, but then I get down to the grain in some areas and I have to prime again! I wish somebody could tell me what I’m doing wrong! Your cabinets look great!
Let me check. I’ll go look at the can in the basement and let you know. I do not think it was the oil based. I know you don’t want to paint latex over oil since it could peel…
Thanks, let me know!
I’m assuming the Kilz was Latex based after you checked?
Yes, latex
We are tackling our kitchen remodel in two weeks. Thank you for all the tips. What type of sprayer did you use?
I have a similar situation where I’ve primed my kitchen cabinets and applied the first coat of color, but there is the rough “orange peel” texture and not a smooth surface. I’m wondering what you’d recommend me doing as I’m scheduled to put on a final coat of paint tonight. Do I sand the surfaces smooth. All I really care about is the doors, draws, and cabinet faces.
Note: I haven’t thinned my paint and I’m using a sprayer.
Help!
If you are getting an Orange Peel texture you need to adjust the settings on your sprayer. There should be instructions with your sprayer of what adjustments to make to get rid of the texture. Have you tried thinning the paint? That is what helped us. I’d test it on a sample before you spray your cabinets.
We chose to sand our cabinets down since the orange peel was really bad on ours. I think it’s just a matter of taste. I will say that a second coat will not cover up the texture, we thought it would and it didn’t make any difference. Good luck!
Did you put a top coat over paint to keep it protected against chipping and stains?
Hey Melissa. Did you use the same paint on the cabinet trim as you did the doors? By the way, It looks gorgeous. I’m trying to work up the nerve to paint our kitchen cabinets.
yes, it’s the same paint for all of it. call me if you have questions 🙂
I read your blog on painting cabinets. I like your method….I have one question, Is there a reason I can’t use the paint sprayer when I apply the primer coat? Seems like it would be faster and easier.
The primer is way too thick and will clog your sprayer. You just need a very light coat.
You can rent or buy a professional sprayer from your local paint store. Then you can Spay the primer and paint like we do.
Did you use a top coat? I want to do this, but with little ones running around I’m terrified the paint won’t hold up.
No, no top coat.
Love the new look!!! I have decided to paint my cupboards and you have given me some great tips. Thanks so much for your post!!!
It iss a quite nice article. I have been looking
forr this info for a quite long time. Thank you
I want to do this SO much! The difference is amazing. The white looks so clean and fresh!
Good job!
OH my goodneesss! What a huge difference! Funny I read this, I just called someone today about getting our cabinets refinished! But even after reading this, still seems so daunting! Great job and it looks SOOO much better!