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How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Perfectly In 10 Steps

By: Andrew Saladino | 7 min

Woman painting kitchen cabinets.

Painting kitchen cabinets is a budget-friendly way to modernize your space without the rigmarole of a full remodel. If your cabinets are of adequate quality and you have the tools to clean, sand, and prime your cabinetry, painting is an affordable way to update your kitchen.

With a couple gallons of paint and some patience, even the newest DIYer can revitalize kitchen cabinets beautifully. The only question left to answer is what color cabinet paint will you choose?

Even high-quality paint is reasonably inexpensive, and all it takes is a gallon or two and time to dry between coats for refurbished cabinetry. Learn how to paint kitchen cabinets in 10 easy steps below.

How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets

  1. Gather Your Tools
  2. Create Your Budget
  3. Choose Your Paint
  4. Clean Your Cabinets
  5. Prepare Your Kitchen
  6. Prime and Sand Your Cabinets
  7. Paint Your Cabinets
  8. Dry and Apply Second Coat
  9. Add Finish or Gloss
  10. Add Your Hardware
Tools needed to paint kitchen cabinets.

1. Gather Your Tools

When it's time to get your project started, you'll need to gather some basic tools. Here's what you'll need:

  • Painter's tape for keeping paint off your walls and other surfaces
  • Drop cloth to protect floors
  • Cleaning supplies to work with a clean surface and rejuvenate hardware
  • Screwdriver or drill for removing cabinet doors and hardware
  • Caulk for filling any imperfections on your cabinets
  • Sandpaper for sanding down existing finishes or paint
  • Foam roller or paintbrush for applying paint and primer
  • Paint tray for an even paint application
  • Primer to make paint last
  • Paint for a finish you'll love
  • Gloss or finish to seal in your hard work
Hand using calculator and counting money over blueprints.

2. Create Your Budget

On average, it costs between $900 and $1,200 to repaint a standard kitchen. This can vary depending on hired labor, paint quality, and cabinet design.

The cost of painting kitchen cupboards is often lower than paying for brand-new cabinetry. However, dedicated time and attention to the project is a must. Painting kitchen cabinets that look professional requires meticulous preparation and care throughout the entire process.

When in doubt, use a kitchen remodel cost estimator to calculate the project. Expect to pay $50 per gallon for quality cabinet paint. A gallon of paint covers about 400 square feet, so one should be enough for your kitchen cabinets.

You might realize you want a hardware refresh or need some new hinges as you get started, which can bump up the cost to redo your kitchen cabinets. Painting time can last up to a week or more, so your budget should also reflect any additional expenses incurred from not using your kitchen, like eating out at restaurants.

TIP: Include appropriate tools in your budget like painter's tape, drop cloths or rosin paper, liquid deglosser, silicon carbide sandpaper, a paint scraper, putty knife, gloves, sanding sponges, primer, siliconized acrylic latex caulk, and paintbrushes.

Sand, prime, and paint in the direction of the wood grain for the smoothest finish.

3. Choose Your Paint

The quality and durability of the paint you choose will affect the lifespan of newly painted cabinets. Find the best paint for kitchen cabinets by selecting a manufacturer that formulates a product specifically for use on cabinets.

  • Oil-based paint is more traditional but takes more time to dry.
  • Latex painttakes less time to dry and gives a smooth finish.

TIP: Slow-drying paint like oil-based paint, although more time-consuming, dries with fewer visible brushstrokes and offers a more professional finish.

Hand in glove with cleaning spray in one hand, cleaning a kitchen cabinet with a glass face.

4. Clean Your Cabinets

Remove everything from the cabinets and store the contents. Before beginning any prep work, clean your cabinets with mild, grease-cutting soap on a soft cleaning pad.

Make sure your cabinets are completely dry before sanding and priming. This helps paint to stick and extends the lifespan of the project. You can also remove hinges and hardware during this step to clean and polish them as necessary.

TIP: Remove all doors from the cabinets and keep track of hardware with labels if you plan to reuse them.

Man opening a kitchen windo to ventilate the area before painting kitchen cabinets.

5. Prepare Your Kitchen

Next, it's time to get your kitchen ready to paint. Open up your doors and windows so the room has proper ventilation so paint fumes can dissipate. Then remove any furniture that could get in your way.

Once your area is cleared, set down drop cloths to protect your floors, countertops, and any furniture you couldn't move out of the way. The last step to get your kitchen ready is to tape off your cabinets as necessary so your repainted cabinets have a perfect finish.

Glossy white paint being used on cabinet faces resting on a painters pyramid.

6. Sand and Prime Your Cabinets

Use a liquid deglosser if the existing cabinets have a high-gloss finish. If not, simply sand with 100 grit sandpaper, vacuuming frequently to remove sawdust. You might start to notice some cracks or holes in the cabinet. If you do, fill them with wood putty, let it dry completely, and sand it smooth again.

For the smoothest surface, sand by hand and use an orbital sander. The orbital sander saves you time on larger cabinet surfaces, then you can go in to sand the details by hand.

Begin the paint job with a primer. If you have tight-grained wood on your cabinets, like cherry or maple, then a slow-drying oil-based primer works well.

For open-grained wood, like elm or oak, use a brushing putty in several coats, using a new brush for every coat and sanding in between. Brushing putty is like a cross between wood filler and primer. It creates a smooth surface on highly textured wood types.

Use an orbital sander to smooth large surface areas quickly.

TIP: When sanding, move the paper in the same direction as the wood grain to avoid visible scratches.

Woman wearing white hat painting cabinets with a light brown base paint.

7. Paint Your Cabinets

Prop your cabinets up before painting for an easier application on edges and corners. Consider laying the doors on painter's pyramids for increased movability around the bottom. You can also rest the cabinets on disposable cups in a pinch. Paint the cabinet boxes first, then move on to the doors.

Paint with even strokes, finishing back into the wet paint and feathering the edges. For the smoothest finish, paint in the direction of the wood grain. When you're done, use a small foam detail brush along the edges of the cabinet to smooth out any paint that might have gathered there.

TIP: Paint the back of the doors before the front to avoid paint smudges in the most visible area.

White painted cabinets in clean kitchen with stainless steel oven, and lit backsplash.

8. Dry and Apply Second Coat

Watching paint dry is admittedly not the most exciting part of this process, but it's necessary for professional-looking cabinets. The paint needs to fully cure before another layer is added for maximum durability. Once you've let your cabinets dry, apply a second coat of paint.

TIP:Lightly sand your cabinets between coats of paint, especially if you're working in a dusty area.

Person using paint brush to apply varnish and protect their painted kitchen cabinets.

9. Add Finish or Gloss

Once you're done painting, you have some options to refinish your cabinets and add different effects:

  • Gloss adds a layer of shine.
  • Glaze creates dimension and settles into creases for an antique effect.
  • Lacquer smoothes surfaces completely for a glass-like shine.
  • Varnish protects cabinets without altering the finished look.

It's not always necessary to add a finish to your cabinets, but it will make your hard work last longer. A semi-gloss polyurethane varnish is your best bet for a finish that will protect your hard work without changing the painted effect of your cabinets.

10. Add Your Hardware and Reassemble

Line up your hinges, handles, and knobs with the top of the door rail. Loosely attach the metal cabinet pulls on each end before securing them completely. If you refinished your hardware, make sure you've allowed plenty of dry time before attempting to reinstall.

Install new hardware after painting your kitchen cabinets for an updated look.

TIP: If you have a larger drawer at the bottom of a set, install the bottom knob higher than the center of the drawer front to support the weight of the drawer better.

Hand screwing in gold handles to newly painted kitchen cabinets with powertool.

Painting Kitchen Cabinets FAQs

Have more questions around what it takes to paint your kitchen cabinets? Browse the answers to frequently asked questions below.

What is the best paint to use on kitchen cabinets?

Choose your cabinet paint based on the type of cupboards you own. Acrylic latex-based paint is the most durable and easiest to clean. Paint manufactured specifically for cabinets will have a smooth finish, but any high-quality paint will have a similar effect.

The best paint for kitchen cabinets is specifically manufactured for cupboards, such as Cabinet Coat by Insl-x. The best brand of paint for kitchen cabinets varies, but water-based paint from manufacturer Benjamin Moore works well in darker colors, and Sherwin-Williams' ProClassic Waterborne Satin is a reliable latex paint.

Can you just paint over cabinets?

Without proper prep work, painting over your cabinets won't produce a sleek finish and will chip easily. Whatever time you save skipping the prep work won't be worth it when you have to repaint your kitchen cabinets after a couple months instead of a couple years.

By cleaning and prepping your cupboards, you can produce an entirely new space similar to the ones in these before and after photos.

Can I paint kitchen cabinets without sanding them?

It is possible to paint your kitchen cabinets without sanding, but the wood grain will be more prominent through the paint. The best way to paint kitchen cabinets is by sanding them first so the paint will adhere better.

Is it better to roll on or brush on kitchen cabinet paint?

The difference between brushing or rolling on kitchen cabinet paint is mostly personal preference. Rolling on paint is quicker but doesn't give you as much control. To get the best of both worlds, use a roller to cover large areas, then smooth out any inconsistencies with a brush.

If painting your cabinets is too labor-intensive for your remodel, consider purchasing all new assembled cabinets to save time, or ready-to-assemble cabinets for a cost-effective alternative.

Painting kitchen cabinets is a budget-friendly way to modernize your space without the rigmarole of a full remodel. If your cabinets are of adequate quality and you have the tools to clean, sand, and prime your cabinetry, painting is an affordable way to update your kitchen.

With a couple gallons of paint and some patience, even the newest DIYer can revitalize kitchen cabinets beautifully. The only question left to answer is what color cabinet paint will you choose?

Even high-quality paint is reasonably inexpensive, and all it takes is a gallon or two and time to dry between coats for refurbished cabinetry. Learn how to paint kitchen cabinets in 10 easy steps below.

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