Painting kitchen cabinets is a big project, and there are no shortcuts to get a professional finish. The rewards are huge as replacing the kitchen cabinets will cost thousands of dollars. Painting your kitchen cabinets will save you thousands of dollars and look just like new.

Old kitchen cabinets that look worn, especially around the handles and draw pulls. In addition you are probably tired of the dated color of the cabinets and the discolored hardware. If the cabinets were well-built with solid-wood doors, drawer fronts and frames it would be a shame to tear them out and throw them away.

There are many pitfalls associated with painting kitchen cabinets and having the finish you want. Getting the look of a factory finish is not easy for the average homeowner using enamel paint. Ideally the cabinets should be spray painted. For the average homeowner it will involve investing in a compressor and paint sprayer and removing the cabinets to a work location to do the job. This approach may not be the best approach because the average homeowner does not have the experience or the work location to perform spray painting therefore the finish may not come out as hoped.

Instead of using a sprayer I recommend using a high-quality paint brushes, high-density foam rollers, a shellac-base pigmented primer and alkyd-base enamel paint, along with an additive that promotes better leveling of the paint once that it has been applied. This is the best paint for kitchen cabinets. I don’t recommend water based enamel because it will leave brush marks.

DIY painting kitchen cabinets:

1. Empty the cabinets and drawers and clear all countertops and shelves. This is a great opportunity to get rid of duplicate items and stuff you never use. Put everything in moving boxes and store them in a nearby room.

2. Remove the cabinet doors, drawers and all hardware. You can’t achieve professional results without doing this. Mark the drawers and doors so that you’ll know where they go when it’s time for reinstallation.

3. Remove cabinet doors and hardware, including pulls, hinges, catches and stops. Store the hardware in a safe place so pieces don’t get lost.

4. Wash the cabinet frames, doors and drawers thoroughly with a solution of water and detergent. If necessary, use a scraper or putty knife to remove any hardened grease deposits, but do not gouge the wood.

5. Hang sheets of plastic over doorways to keep sanding dust from migrating throughout the house, and lightly sand all surfaces that will be painted. This includes both sides of the doors, the drawer fronts, the rails and the stiles. Flexible sponge sanding pads work great in the recesses of raised panels. A palm sander with a 220 grit disc is more useful for flat areas.

6. After sanding, fill dents and nicks with wood filler, and sand it when it dries. Clean the sanding dust. Use compressed air or a vacuum to remove dust from the grooves and corners.

7. If your cabinets are stained, apply at least two coats of good-quality primer paint.

8. After priming, fill dents and scratches with a patching compound. Sand smooth after the compound dries.

9. Lightly hand sand between coats of primer with a very fine, 320-grit abrasive paper.

10. Remove dust by blowing with compressed air, and then wipe with a tack cloth before proceeding with each coat.

11. Finally, apply the finish coat. I recommend using Benjamin Moore’s Impervo alkyd-base enamel paint mixed with Flood’s Penetrol leveling additive. Follow the manufacturer’s directions when mixing the paint and the additive. You must add enough so that the paint flows on smoothly with minimal visible brush marks. If the paint thickens as you work, add a bit more additive and stir well. Paint the backs of the cabinet doors first and then the fronts.

Apply paint with the grain. For recessed panels use a 2-in. brush designed for alkyd enamel, such as one with China bristles or a blend of polyester and nylon.

Roll the flat areas with a high-density foam roller. Tip off rolled and brushed surfaces by lightly dragging a wet, but not loaded, brush tip across the entire length of the surface you’re painting. Tipping off eliminates most of the brush strokes and helps with leveling.

When the paint is dry (wait at least 24 hours), reinstall doors and drawers, along with hinges and catches. Then install the new hardware.

Painting kitchen cabinets is a lot of work but with patience, the end product should come out looking like new cabinets that will last for many years.

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