Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Yes, you can paint kitchen cabinets yourself. Professional help is always good, however, it is possible to paint kitchen cabinets to a high standard without sourcing external help.
Painting kitchen cabinets is a more cost–effective alternative to replacing them. However, there are pros and cons to doing so. This guide will cover the advantages, disadvantages and best practices to help both DIY enthusiasts and tradespeople decide if doing so is the best decision for them.
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Why Painting Kitchen Cabinets Is Worth Considering
There are many advantages of painting kitchen cabinets, these include:
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Cost-effectiveness: It is often significantly cheaper to paint kitchen cabinets than to replace them. The money saved can be put towards other DIY projects.
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Speed: It can only take up to a week to paint a set of kitchen cabinets. This is usually much faster than searching for new ones, purchasing them and waiting for them to arrive.
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Environmentally friendly: Extending the life of kitchen cabinets by painting them helps to keep those materials out of landfills for longer.
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Increased colour options: It’s common that there are many more colour customisation options when painting kitchen cabinets yourself vs. purchasing new ones.
When Painting Kitchen Cabinets May Not Be Ideal
There are also disadvantages of painting kitchen cabinets, such as:
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Decreased durability: Cabinets that have a painted finish are generally less durable than those with a factory finish, such as laminate or vinyl. As a result, they are more prone to scratches, chips and scuffs. Cabinets that see a high volume of usage (near a kitchen sink, in a bathroom) are especially vulnerable.
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Extensive preparation: In order to achieve a professional-grade finish, a long process of preparation is required. This consists of dismantling, deep cleaning, degreasing, sanding, priming and painting. Skipping any part of this process will lead to the cabinets peeling.
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Hides natural character: Cabinets that are made out of solid wood, e.g. Oak, Mahogany, Cherry, won’t maintain their original attractive appearance when painted. The natural grain and warmth of the wood will be lost upon painting, which some homeowners see as a negative.
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Blemishes: Repainting kitchen cabinets usually causes blemishes. This is because touching up chips and matching the exact existing colour, without professional tools and experience ,is extremely difficult.
Tools and materials needed for painting kitchen cabinets
Below is an extensive list of all the tools and materials needed to paint kitchen cabinets. It is organised into the different parts of the process.
Cleaning and Repair:
Disassembly:
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Small bags
Sanding:
Painting and finishing:
Paint quantity
In order to paint kitchen cabinets to a high standard, it’s important to have enough paint for your specific job to avoid running out of paint mid-project. Having enough paint also ensures that there is a uniform level of finish across all the cabinets.
To help with calculating if you’ve bought enough paint, look at the rough formula below for small, medium and large kitchens.
|
Kitchen Size |
Total Doors/Drawers (Surfaces) |
Primer (Litres) |
Top Coat (Litres) |
Rationale |
|
Small |
10 to 14 Surfaces |
0.95 L |
1.9 L |
Small galley kitchen. Allows for 2 coats of primer & 2 coats of paint. |
|
Medium |
20 to 25 Surfaces |
0.95 L |
3.8 L |
Average U-shaped or L-shaped kitchen. 3.8 L is the standard starting amount. |
|
Large |
30 to 35+ Surfaces |
1.9 L |
4.75 L |
Large open-plan kitchen with an island. Requires extra material for full coverage. |
It’s important to remember that this is only a rough guide. It’s recommended that after calculating the amount of paint you’ll need using this guide, you purchase between 2–4 litres more to ensure you don’t run out of paint.
Painting kitchen cabinets in 6 simple steps
Here’s how to tackle the job step by step:
Step 1. Remove cabinet doors and hardware
Take all doors and drawer fronts off their hinges, then remove all hardware from the doors and hinges (e.g. knobs, handles, and hinges)
Be sure to label all the individual parts to make reassembly easier later. Use tape and a marker to carefully label the components and their corresponding cabinet spots (e.g., "U3-B" for Upper Cabinet 3, Back). Place all the screws and hardware into labelled bags.
Step 2. Clean the cabinet door thoroughly
Degrease the cabinets and frames to remove all the grease and grime. Cover your work surfaces, floors, and appliances with plastic sheeting and drop cloths. Tape off the inside edges of the cabinet frames and any adjacent walls.
Step 3. Sand your door surfaces
Lightly sand down all surfaces (doors, drawers, and frames) with 100-150 grit sandpaper. You don't need to remove all the old finish, but you must scratch the surface to create a "key" for the primer to stick to.
Use wood filler to patch any dents or old hardware holes. Sand the filled spots smooth with 220 grit paper.
Step 4. Apply primer
Use a high-quality primer, such as a shellac-based primer or a high-adhesion water-based primer.
Apply a thin, even coat of primer to all the surfaces. Use an angled brush for edges and details, and a microfibre mini-roller for flat areas to minimize brush marks.
Once the first coat is dry, lightly sand the surfaces with 220 grit paper to smooth out any texture. Wipe clean with a tack cloth.
Apply a second coat of primer if needed, especially if the original colour was dark.
Step 5. Paint the cabinets
Apply the first coat of cabinet paint following the same technique as the primer (brush for edges, roller for flats). Keep the coats thin to avoid dripping and reduce curing time. Allow the paint to dry completely (follow the manufacturer's directions—usually 4–24 hours).
Once dry, gently sand with 400 grit paper to remove any bumps or dust particles, then wipe clean.
Apply a second, thin top coat. Focus on maintaining a smooth, consistent finish. Do not re-roll areas that have already begun to dry.
Let the paint dry to the touch (usually 12–24 hours) before handling. The paint needs a full 7 to 30 days to fully "cure" (harden). Treat the cabinets gently during this period to prevent chips.
Step 6. Reassemble your doors and touch up
Once the paint is completely dry (it needs to have been left to dry for at least 24 hours), carefully remove all painter's tape and plastic sheeting from the cabinet boxes.
Attach the hinges, handles, and knobs to the doors and drawers using your labelled bags for reference.
Carefully re-hang the doors and install the drawer fronts in their original, labelled locations. Take care not to scratch the freshly painted surfaces.
Benefits of applying a top coat
Below are the key benefits of applying a top coat on painted kitchen cabinets:
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Enhanced durability: The top coat provides the cabinet with a protective shell, reducing the chances of chipping and scratching. It also helps kitchen cabinets to withstand abrasions from hands, cleaning cloths and objects hitting the surface.
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Easier to clean: A top coat is resistant to common stains that can occur in a kitchen, such as grease, coffee stains and wine stains. As a result, the cabinet is able to be easily wiped clean when dirty.
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Visually appealing: The top coat of a kitchen cabinet provides it with a richer, more uniform colour profile and a smoother feel.
Tips for a Smooth, Durable Finish
Below are some key tips to ensure painted kitchen cabinets have a smooth, durable finish:
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Degrease: Degreasing the kitchen cabinets thoroughly before painting will ensure that the paint bonds properly to the cabinet and doesn’t peel.
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Dry before reassembly: The drying time of each coat of paint varies between 4 and 24 hours. The curing time is usually much longer, between 7–30 days. This is where the paint fully hardens. Giving the paint adequate time to dry and cure significantly reduces the chances of damaging it by scratching or chipping.
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Avoid cleaning too early: Cleaning kitchen cabinets too early after painting can lead to scratching and chipping. It’s important to wait until the manufacturer’s estimated curing time has passed before doing so.
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Always use a primer: This acts as a vital bonding layer between your kitchen cabinet and the paint. It can prevent natural woods from bleeding through the paint colour.
Key takeaways for painting kitchen cabinets
When repainting kitchen cabinets, it's important to remember to:
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Thoroughly clean your cabinets before you repaint them: If you don’t, it can cause paint to quickly peel off.
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Label all the parts of your kitchen cabinet: When disassembling the cabinets, labelling each individual part will make reassembly much easier and avoid damaging the cabinets or yourself when they are placed back in the kitchen.
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Sand properly and use primer: This creates the bond between the previous finish and the new paint, which helps to prevent peeling.