How To Paint Kitchen Walls

How to paint kitchen walls sounds easy…right?

Not really. The fear for me is figuring out how to paint kitchen walls. It doesn’t matter how many times I have done it, the questions are all the same. Every house is different and you want a different feel or look for each. So I worry, will I choose the right color? Will I paint it the right way? Will the kitchen look good or will I hate it?

All good questions, as long as it doesn’t freeze me from further action.

So I made a simple formula for me to decide how to paint kitchen walls, what colors to paint and how to tackle it in a way that makes me know I will love it.

Want to skip all my gibberish? Check out the Home Depot “How To Videos”.

1. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – Choose Kitchen Colors

My thoughts on what color to paint kitchen walls is simple, I keep it light and airy. But that’s me.

I have a friend that loves a dark house, including the kitchen.

Whatever your thoughts are, choosing a color to paint your kitchen walls isn’t hard.

Take a trip to your local hardware store or paint store and get samples of the paint colors you think you want. While you are there, grab some darker and lighter colors than what you think you may like. They are free, so grab as many as you like.

Bring them home and put them on the walls, just tape them up there so you can stand back and look at them. I like to put them against some trim or cabinets, so I get a better idea of what it will look like in the kitchen.

I look at them for a few days and move them around the room. Light makes a big difference.

I can narrow it down pretty quickly and come up with 2 or 3. From there, it’s all you. You need to decide what you want in your kitchen.

If you still can’t decide, go back to the store and buy a small sample of each color. Bring them home and paint a 2 foot square swatch of each and see what you think. Your walls will look crazy, but that’s ok. Ignore you family, they will love it when it’s done.

Home Depot also has a product called SureSwatch which is a paintable clear film you can put on your walls for your samples instead of painting right on your wall.

Colors will look different in your home than at the store, so it is worth it to buy samples. So many times this process has changed my plan completely and I went with a different color.

Don’t be afraid to mix colors too in a small bowl. You may come up with your own color. Just put a sample of your color on paper and take it to Home Depot, they can mix it up for you.

Take your time, don’t rush. The worst thing that can happen is you hate the color and have to repaint.

2. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – Choose the Best Paint

I have bought the cheapest paints and I have bought the most expensive paints. There is a difference!

I have found the more expensive paints are thicker, almost like pudding. Painting with the thicker paint means less mess and I like that.

My favorite paint used to be Benjamin Moore, but it’s way too expensive. So now I use Behr Paint from Home Depot because it is just as good and half of the price.

Home Depot has a cheap paint that they mark for contractors, Behr PRO. It’s very thin and messy, but it will do the job with 2 or 3 coats. So take that into consideration when you are adding up the cost. You will need more paint.

Home Depot moderate paint is Behr Premium Plus. I have used this paint a lot. It is thicker than the Pro, but not as thick as the Marquee. But for the money, this is the one I buy. I usually only need 2 coats to make it look spectacular.

Home Depot best paint is Behr Marquee and is rated #1 in Consumer Reports (Feb 2017). It’s thicker and spreads easier, but you pay for that too. The can says it guarantees on coat coverage. If that is true, that will save you money. It has a primer in with the paint, so even if you are going over a dark color, they guarantee it will cover perfectly the first.

Behr Paint is exclusively sold at Home Depot. Consumer Reports - Behr Paint Best Paint for your Dollar 2

Keep reading to see what type of paint you will want for your kitchen. Yes, there are several types.

3. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – Find the Right Type of Paint….yes, there are different types

Choosing the right color seems like the main focus, but choosing the right paint type is equally as important. Grease, grime and traffic play a huge part in the kitchen. I want an easy clean up and not to have to worry that if I scrub hard the paint will come off.

So what is the best paint for kitchen walls – Satin or Semi Gloss? Flat paint is out because it is too hard to clean without damaging the paint.

Satin, or Eggshell, has a sheen to it and is hard enough to stand up to a little elbow grease.

A Semi Gloss has even more sheen and will reflect the light in your kitchen. I like that because I like the lighter kitchens. It is also very durable. This is my choice in kitchen and bathroom paint. It won’t scrub off when I get to scrubbing hard gunk off.

The bad thing about the shinier paints is they will show cracks easier. The cracks don’t bother me, but you need to decide for your kitchen.

How many gallons will you need to paint your kitchen? Here is a paint calculator to help you figure out how many gallons you will need.

Also, always use water based paint. The only time I might use oil based is on an exterior project. Water based is so easy to clean up and oil based is a nightmare.

4. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – Clean the walls.

Tools Needed:

De-greaser
rag or sponge

I know what you are thinking….I don’t want to clean…I want to paint.

Don’t worry about how to paint kitchen walls yet, this is all part of it.

Believe me, cleaning now will save you headaches later.

Paint won’t stick on grease. Cleaning greasy walls before painting is a must. You must get the grease off! Try a de-greaser and it should come off easily. I have used Zep heavy duty and have been really happy with it.

Walls are dusty, you don’t want that dust on your roller. A quick dusting and you are ready to prep the walls.

5. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – Fill Nail Holes

Tools needed:

We aren’t done yet.

Since you have already cleaned the walls, I can assume you took out all the nails. If not, do that now.

You need to fill those holes, unless you know for a fact that the same pictures are going back in those holes. Filling holes is easy and quick.

Here is an easy video that shows you how easy it is to fix those bothersome nail holes.

6. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – Tape the walls off

Tools Needed:

I think this is the most important thing you can to do prep your walls for paint. I hate doing it because it takes time, but afterwards I am always so happy that I did.

I use Frog Tape…the green one…because I find it to be the best. Painters tape is designed to stick to the trim so we can paint the walls and not the trim. The problem is, some tapes, the less expensive ones, let paint seep through the edge of the tape. That is a serious problem for me. So do yourself a favor, get the good stuff from the start.

Here is a great tutorial video that will help you tape off your kitchen walls. I highly recommend this step.

7. How To Paint Kitchen Walls – You are now ready to paint

Tools Needed:

Paint
Caulk Knife/Paint Can Opener
Stir Stick
Angled Paint Brush
Small Bowl
Roller
Roller tray and cover
Roller extension pole
Drop Clothes

Ok, so you have cleaned the walls and patched all the holes correctly. Now you are ready to paint.

I recommend you use a small bowl or plastic cup for hand painting. Just pour some in and work from there for cutting in all the walls. I have small hands and it so much easier for me to hold a cup or a small bowl than a paint can. So choose something comfortable to hold.

Cutting in means painting around the edges of all walls, doors and windows. Any place the roller won’t go.

I use a roller tray cover because I am lazy. I don’t want to have to clean the tray. But you can use the tray by itself.

I use cheap rollers, but the experts say they leave a messy edge. I haven’t found that to be a serious problem. So it’s a place where I save money. I just pick up a pack of 3 rollers with the nap size that I want, usually 3/8″ or 1/2″ nap is good for kitchen walls.

I am a true believer in the angle paint brush. I find it makes cutting in so much easier.

People often ask me how to paint kitchen walls. Do you go up and down or side to side or does it matter? Do I cut in first or after I roll the walls?

Everyone has their own way, but I do the cutting in first. It takes the longest and once I am done rolling, it just feels good to stand back and see the results. Cut in about 2 to 3 inches from the edge. That way your roller doesn’t have to try to get to close to the trim.

Paint in long continuous strokes with the roller. Try to get a 3 foot wide section each time you roll.

Let your paint dry between coats. You will need a break anyway.

I almost always paint 2 coats. There is a huge difference between one and two coats.

Continue around the room, fix the spots you see that need another coat or you missed.

Now it’s time to clean up.

This will go a lot faster once you get into the project. I love painting and I always look forward to a new room. I even love the way paint smells. I know…weirdo.

Have fun!