Thompson’s Guide to Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Posted by Ben Thompson on 05.27.16

In our last blog, we discussed how to determine if painting your own cabinets makes sense for you. If you were able to review our questions and have decided that you want to take on the project yourself, we’ve put together a list of tips to help make painting kitchen cabinets a success. Keep in mind that is that it takes time and patience to do it right and it’s more complicated that painting a room.

  1. Label all of your cabinets and drawers before removing them. Also label the interior spaces where you remove them from or create a diagram with corresponding labels. This is critical; don’t assume you will know which one goes where or that you can put them back up in any spot.
  2. Remove the doors, drawers, hardware, hinges and knobs. Do not try to paint them in place and do not paint your hinges, as the paint will crack. We recommend you use plastic baggies to house the items you remove from each drawer or cabinet. Label these as well.
  3. Thoroughly clean the doors and drawer fronts with grease removing cleaner.
  4. Sand each piece lightly to so that you remove any gloss finish and provide a surface for the paint to stick to.
  5. Vacuum the dust! This is important or you will end up with a gritty finish.
  6. Apply stain-blocking primer to ensure a smooth paint application and to avoid spots once dried.
  7. Select a high-quality paint and apply two coats. We recommend a light sanding between coats.
  8. Wait until the doors are completely dry before putting them back up.

 

Topics: Love Where You Live, Kitchens, FAQ