Can I paint kitchen cabinets? Should I paint my kitchen cabinets? What if I don’t like it when I am done?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? I know I have. Painting kitchen cabinets has become very popular and so easy to do.

It is the perfect solution for older cabinets that have seen better days or if you just want to either lighten up your kitchen or make it a bit darker and more homey. If you paint your cabinets and you don’t like it, paint them again with a different color.

If you would really like to replace your cabinets, but can’t afford it right now, this is a great way to extend the life of your cabinets and make you happier in your beautiful kitchen.

Painting your kitchen cabinets will make an instantaneous change in your kitchen. It will be like night and day. It doesn’t have to be some crazy color, choose white if you want. Or you can choose a couple different colors. The picture above shows the lower cabinets in a different color than the upper cabinets. This is your kitchen, you paint it like you want it.

One more thing you need to do before you get started. You need to decide now if you are going to paint the inside as well as the outside of your cabinets. You don’t have to paint the inside, but it looks more professional when you do. You will probably be the only one that ever looks in there, so it’s your call.

Get Ready To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets

When your ready to get started painting your cabinets, clear off your counter tops and if you are going to paint the inside of your cabinets, now is the time to take everything out of them.

Take the doors off the cabinets and remove the handles and the hardware. Put these in plastic bags so you don’t lose any of the parts. Put masking take on your doors so you know which one goes where. It saves time when you put them back on, otherwise its like a puzzle.

I like to set up a work area for painting the cabinet doors. I usually have my husband set up some saw horses with boards on it and then I cover them with old sheets I use as drop cloths for when I paint.

How To Clean Kitchen Cabinets Before Painting

It is recommended that you thoroughly clean your cabinets before painting with a sponge and denatured alcohol.

I prefer to use Dawn dish soap. It still attacks the grease, and that is what you want to get rid of, and isn’t as stinky as the denatured alcohol.

Clean them as good as you can, getting in all the nooks and crannies. Let them air dry. This is going to help the paint to stick to the cabinets. Paint doesn’t really stick well to grease. So clean well now and you won’t have problems later on with paint falling off.

How To Prep Kitchen Cabinets For Paint

Now that the cabinet doors are clean, we need to give them a light sanding for a smooth surface with 100-grit sandpaper.

If you are going to use the same door handles, you don’t have to do anything with the holes on the doors. But if you are changing the handles, you will need to fill at least one hole on the doors with wood putty. Do this after you scrub the cabinets clean. Stick some putty in the hole, smooth it out with a putty knife, let it dry for 20 minutes or so and then start sanding the cabinets.

There are two differing opinions about whether to sand or to use a primer-sealer at this point. I am told that if I use the primer-sealer I won’t have to sand. But I like to sand because I think it makes it look more professional. So I do both, I sand and I use the primer-sealer.

I sand first to get the imperfections off the cabinets and then I apply my primer. After it’s dry, I lightly sand again. At this point I decide if I think it needs another coat of primer.

What you do before you paint makes all the difference after you paint. So take your time here, get it right the first time.

Easiest Way To Paint Kitchen Cabinets

I hate to admit this, but I have a thing for paint. I love the way it smells, the way it feels, I love everything about it. So this is the exciting part for me. Cracking open my first paint can and dipping my paint brush in. It is a real high for me.

The best way to paint kitchen cabinets is with a good brush and a small sponge roller. You can spray it, but I really wouldn’t recommend it. It would mean a lot more prep work and a much bigger mess. I know it would save time, but in the end, I think it takes up more time.

Don’t use a disposable brush. The rule of thumb is, the better the brush, the better the finished product. Besides, a really good brush just makes your work easier. So invest in a good quality paint brush, one that fits your hand well. I recommend Purdy paint brushes. I have used many different brands over the years, but I always come back to them. You won’t be disappointed, promise.

Start from the center and go out. That way you are never having to reach across a painted piece. Sometimes it is a bit of a struggle to figure that out, but you will get it soon enough.

Paint nice even strokes with light coats of paint. You will need more than one coat and several light coats seem to look better in the end than one heavy coat of paint.

Take your time and enjoy this project. You are creating a brand new kitchen for you and your family.

Best Paint To Use On Kitchen Cabinets

The debate goes on whether to use an oil based paint or a water based paint. I have used both and they both turn out beautiful.

The oil based paint will dry harder, providing a more durable finish for your cabinets.

I always go with the water based paint because of the clean up. It is so much easier to clean the brushes with water than the chemicals needed for the oil based paint. Also, the water based paint doesn’t stink like the oil based does. The fumes make me a bit sick at my tummy. But it is up to you.

As for what type of paint, I do have an opinion. I use a water based paint from Benjamin Moore in a semi-gloss. I like the thickness of their paint and the quality. I have tried them all and I highly recommend Benjamin Moore paint.

Paint Techniques For Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Painting is painting….right?

Well mostly that is right. Clean, prep and grab a paint brush.

But there are some new techniques that are really popular right now for painting kitchen cabinets. One that I have been watching is called Chalk Paint. No, it is not to be confused with Chalkboard paint. It is also called Milk Paint.

It would be used if you like the rustic look or the shabby chic look. It creates a piece of furniture or cabinets that look aged and worn, but are still beautiful.

It is a process that was made popular by a woman named Annie Sloan. She has her own paint and wax that you can buy. Because it has become so popular, there are many different brands on the market now as well.

I haven’t done this yet, but I have been wanting to. I am currently looking for a small piece of furniture that I can practice on it with chalk paint. I have a friend that does it all the time and even paints kitchen cabinets with it and she says they always turn out great. She even tells me she has a recipe to make her own chalk paint. I think I need to Google that.

I have a blog that I follow where she gives a really good explanation of what chalk paint is and how it works. So if you are interested, jump on over there and check her blog out. Her blog is called Perfectly Imperfect.

The other thing that intrigues me about chalk paint is that you can paint on almost anything. It will adhere to glass, and even fabric. So you can paint a chair if you don’t like the fabric. Doesn’t that just open up all kinds of ideas in your head? It does in mine.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when you paint kitchen cabinets. But it is nothing you can’t tackle and then sit back and enjoy.

Remember….above all else….have fun!!!

Originally posted 2014-10-10 16:55:56.