How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Painting your cabinets can help transform your kitchen space, without costing the earth. It is a really simple upgrade you can undertake.

Cabinets are a strong focal point in a kitchen, so you might want to opt for a really bold colour which brings your room into the 21^st century. Or you might want to paint your dark wood cabinets white to brighten the space up.

It isn’t something which can be done in a day, though, so ensure you have the right products and remember to do your prep work.

You will need:

• Drop cloths
• Painter’s tape
• Degreaser
• Screwdriver
• Sander
• Sanding sponges
• Primer
• Paint
• Paint sprayer

When doing any DIY, you need to wear PPE. Eye protection, a mask, work boots, and gloves are all essential when working with sanders, drills, and paint sprayers.

 

 

Step 1: Gather the materials

Once you’re confident you can paint your kitchen cabinets, gather everything together and do your prep work.

Remove as much as possible from the kitchen, such as small appliances. Anything which can’t be removed should be covered with drop cloths, such as your sink and tap. Use masking tape around any edges, such as on walls or floors.

Also, work out what you’re going to paint. The full door will need painting, but are you going to bother also painting the inside of your cupboards?

 

Step 2: Remove the cabinet doors and drawer fronts

Focus on one door and cupboard at a time. You can use a screwdriver, or an impact driver if you want to save time. Remove everything from the inside, before unscrewing the hinges to remove the doors and the handles too. You’ll need help with this as they can be heavy.

Completely remove the hinges from the door, as well as any handles, and leave these to one side.

 

Step 3: Clean & sand

Clean your door and cupboard with a degreaser and tough kitchen cleaner on a cloth. You may want to use sugar soap if the dirt is particularly built up.

The paint needs a textured surface to cling onto. So, once you’ve cleaned, sand. The aim is to stop any shine. Start with a fine sandpaper of around 180 grit so you don’t cause any damage, but reduce the grit if it isn’t making a difference.

Use sanding sponges on any small areas, which are a bit easier to adapt.

 

Step 4: Prime

Ideally, you will now move outdoors where there is good ventilation. If not possible, work in a well-ventilated part of your home with plenty of space.

Priming will cover any imperfections (such as stains or wood knots) and allow the paint to stick. You can use a small brush here to ensure you get into every part of the door.

SPEEDY TOP TIP: Use an All-Surface primer on kitchen cabinets. Wood primer is just for bare, unpainted wood.

 

Step 5: Paint

Once the primer has dried, paint. Professional painters and decorators will use a paint sprayer for a smooth, continuous finish and the ability to work much quicker than with a paintbrush or roller.

Otherwise, a microfibre roller and a small two-inch paint brush will work, but it will be a lot more time-consuming, and you’ll have to be careful to not make any errors or leave brush marks.

Start with doors, as they take the longest. You need to paint two sides and allow time for drying when they’re flat. Leave 24 hours between each coat. Two coats should be enough. Leave another 2 hours to dry fully.

 

Step 6: Reassemble

Once your cupboards are fully painted, it is time to reassemble the parts together.

You want to wait long enough for the paint to have dried and hardened to reduce the likelihood and possibility of chips.

SPEEDY TOP TIP: Why not update your handles, too? For a budget solution, spray paint them. If replacing them, use wood filler to cover the holes and allow to dry before drilling new holes.

 

FAQs

Can you paint all kitchen cabinets?

Yes. As with painting anything, though, you need to ensure the surface is prepped, and clean, and you can access the entire cabinet.

This means that not every cabinet and door can be painted. Anything with plastic laminate, vinyl wrap, or a gloss finish will be hard to paint over, as the paint won’t be able to adhere to the surface. Intricate doors with detailing will also be tricky to paint entirely.

Sometimes, a vinyl wrap can be removed from a door, but this is going to be time-consuming.

Test the door before getting stuck in with some primer and paint on an inconspicuous part of the cabinet. If you can’t scratch it off when it has dried, it will have adhered to the door, and you can carry on.

 

What paint should I use on kitchen cabinets?

When choosing the right paint for your kitchen cabinets, you want something which looks natural, can withstand everyday contact, and can easily be cleaned.

Your best bet is to use a specialist multipurpose internal paint designed for the material of your cabinets. In most cases, this will be MDF. Check it advertises a durable finish, is easy to clean, and has a smooth finish.

An interior wood paint will be good on original, wood-based doors which haven’t yet been painted. If you use chalk paint, you’ll usually have to seal it with a topcoat or wax.

 

READY FOR MORE DIY TIPS?

If you’re looking at transforming some more areas of your home on a budget, we have loads of information on our news page.

You’ll find all the power tools and hire equipment you need right here. Why not start planning your next DIY project and open a Speedy account online or visit us instore for all your tool hire needs.

Speedy has more than 200 local service centres across the nation, hire counters in selected B&Qs and nationwide 4-hour delivery. It has never been easier to hire the tools and equipment you need.

 

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