Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets

Painting your cabinets is a perfect way to makeover a dated kitchen without splurging on a big renovation. It doesn’t cost much and, with the proper preparation, your paint job will look great and last a long time. We’ve used the tutorial outlined below to paint cabinets in 4 separate kitchens (not to mention cabinets in other rooms too) so we’re confident it’s a DIY project that will work for you. Follow along below!

Before and After Of Wood Kitchen Cabinets Painted White

The kitchen featured in this tutorial is from our second house which had solid oak cabinets throughout (along with wood paneling!). So while steps focus specifically on painting wood cabinets, the process is similar for any cabinet material. You can also refer to our tutorials about painting already-painted cabinets and painting Ikea cabinets.

Steps To Painting Cabinets

Here is a brief overview of how to paint your kitchen cabinets. The process takes time, patience, and a little bit of elbow grease – but nothing is especially complicated or tiring. At worst, it’s just a bit repetitive – especially if you a big kitchen.

  1. Remove cabinet doors and hardware
  2. Patch cracks and holes (optional)
  3. Lightly sand all surfaces
  4. Apply a liquid deglosser
  5. Prime one coat
  6. Paint two coats
  7. Rehang cabinet doors
  8. Reinstall cabinet hardware

This project can be completed by one person but may go faster with help. Proper surface preparation is the key to success here, so don’t rush steps 2-5.

John Painting Ikea Cabinet Doors With Small Foam Roller

The overall time lime depends on the size of your kitchen, but even painting a small kitchen will span several days due to drying and curing time between coats. You also want to make sure you have ample space to spread out your cabinet doors, like in a garage or spare room.

How To Paint Cabinets Video Overview

You can see these steps in motion by watching the detailed video below. To view an abbreviated version of this process, you can see a quick version of painting cabinets on YouTube.

Note: You can also watch the video above on YouTube.

Supplies Needed To Paint Cabinets

Paint Primer Roller Tray Paint Roller And Other Cabinet Painting Supplies

The materials you’ll need to paint your kitchen cabinets aren’t much different from other painting projects. So you may have many of these supplies already on hand.

You could use a paint sprayer for this project, but we don’t feel it’s necessary. If you already own a paint sprayer and are comfortable using it, go for it. It can save time. But we’ve never regretted painting by hand instead.

What paint should I use to paint my cabinets?

Water-based, latex paints formulated for cabinets or trim are best for painting kitchen cabinets. Oil-based paints used to be recommended, but are not necessary or practical for a DIYer. They are smelly, difficult to clean up, and can yellow over time. Also, water-based paints have come a long way and offer a similarly smooth and durable finish. Our favorite cabinet paints are Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel and Benjamin Moore Advance. If you prefer a different brand, consult the paint desk expert for the best formula for your job. Buy the highest quality paint your budget allows.

Step 1: Remove cabinet doors & hardware

Carefully unscrew all cabinet doors from the frames using an electric driver. Remove existing hinges, knobs, pulls, or other hardware. If you are reusing this hardware, be sure to collect it in a bag or box for later. You may also want to label each door with painter’s tape (I.e. “lower left stove cabinet”) to help avoid confusion during reassambly.

Cabinet Doors Spread Out On Kitchen Floor For Painting

You will also need to slide out any drawers from the frames. If possible, unscrew the drawer front from the box. You may also need to empty some drawers and cabinets. We don’t typically paint the inside of the cabinets, so most things can stay in place while you work. But take care to cover or temporarily move items while you sand, to keep them from getting dusty.

Step 2: Patch cracks and holes (optional)

You can skip this step if your cabinets are in good condition and you’re reusing the existing hardware placement. For our cabinets, however, we planned to swap the existing single-hole knobs for two-hole pulls. The existing hole was in the wrong place, so we used wood filler to patch all of the existing hardware holes before proceeding. We were also changes the hinges, so we patches the holes for those too on both the doors and frames.

Cabinet Hardware Hole Filled In With Wood Filler

To apply the wood filler, use a putty knife to push it into the hole and smooth it. Once dried, sand off the excess. You may need to do a second coat, since it may shrink slightly as it dries.

Step 3: Lightly sand all surfaces

Prepping your wood cabinets for paint is the MOST IMPORTANT step if you want a long-lasting, durable result. Skipping the next few steps puts your paint job at risk of scratching or rubbing off, especially in high-traffic areas. So while this part is probably the most labor-intensive, please don’t shortchange it! We also have more detail in a dedicated post about prepping cabinets for paint. Here is an overview:

Use an electric sander and medium-grit sandpaper (like 120) to lightly sand every surface you will be painting. This means doors, drawer fronts, faces of cabinets, sides of cabinets, etc. You do NOT need to remove all of the existing finish. The goal is NOT to get it back to raw wood (although that it is okay). The goal is simply to rough up the surface enough to help primer and paint bond to it. You may need to hand sand small corners and nooks.

John Sanding Wood Kitchen Cabinet

This process will be dusty, so try to do it outside or in a well-ventilated space (we did most of ours in our sunroom, above). When it comes time to sand the frames in place, cover items in your kitchen as needed to keep sanding dust from getting everywhere. After you’re done sanding, wipe your cabinets clean using a tack cloth.

Step 4: Apply a Liquid Deglosser

Liquid deglosser (sometimes called “liquid sandpaper”) helps etch the surface of your cabinets & frames, helping ensure a strong bond with the paint. Krud Kutter Gloss Off is our preferred deglosser. The one pictured below is difficult to find.

Some people use a liquid deglosser in place of sanding, but for wood cabinets we recommend doing both to be safe. It also helps remove any built-up grease or oil residue you may have missed while sanding, especially in nooks and crannies. You may also have heard of using a chemical called TSP (trisodium phosphate) instead. However, TSP is more of a cleaner than a deglosser, so we don’t recommend it.

Liquid Deglosser On Wood Cabinets Before Painting

You can apply it with a rag or paper towel or put it in a spray bottle. It doesn’t need to be rinsed or wiped off. Just give it a few minutes to soak in. We sometimes do two applications to be safe.

Step 5: Prime One Coat

The last prep step before painting is priming! Primer is a critical element to good coverage and a long-lasting finish. Do not skip it! We like a Zinsser all-surface primer. It can be used off-the-shelf if you are painting your cabinets white or another light color. For darker or more saturated paints, consider having your primer tinted to match.

Cabinet Door Fronts Coated With Primer

As you can see above, you’re not going for perfect coverage. Primer will be splotchy as it dries. This is okay. The main goal is to get a thin, smooth, and even coat. To do this, we recommend (1) using an angled paintbrush to get into edges or corners, then (2) using a small foam roller to remove brush strokes and coat the large, flat surfaces. Go slow and watch for drips along edges!

Cabinet Doors Get Painted In Sunroom On Paint Risers

We suggest propping your doors off the ground with painter stands to make priming and painting easier. And if you’re painting both sides of your doors (which we think you should!) we’ve developed a specific order that helps minimize marks or dings on your freshly painted doors. It requires a bit of patience as you wait for one side to fully dry before flipping it over to do the other.

Cabinet Boxes In Kitchen Primed With Primer

Don’t forget to do your cabinet frames and boxes too! You may want to use painter’s tape and drop cloths to protect walls, floors, appliances, and countertops.

Step 5: Paint Two Coats

Once your primer coat has fully dried and cured (see the manufacturer’s instructions on the can for specific times), you may repeat this process with your chosen paint. We used the color Benjamin Moore Cloud Cover. Again, use a combination of a brush and foam rollers to get a smooth finish. The paint may look slightly textured from the foam roller, but it will even out as it dries. Just remember: your main goal is thin & even coats without drips!

Handing Painting Cabinet Box With Foam Roller

As a rule of thumb, we do two coats of paint for any painting project. But it’s especially important with painting cabinets. More thin layers is stronger and less prone to scratches than one thick layer. Just be sure to allow enough dry time between coats before touching or recoating.

White Painted Kitchen Cabinet Doors Laid Out

This part should be super satisfying. You’re finally seeing your hard work pay off and your vision come to life!

Step 7: Rehang cabinet doors

Once everything has fully dried, you can reassemble your kitchen. Screw hinges back on. Slide drawers back in place. You can even put things back in your cabinets.

John reattaching cabinet door in painted kitchen

Things might get banged around in this process, so we often like to give our paint an extra day to cure before beginning. You’d hate to scuff up or scratch off the fresh paint right away!

Step 8: Reinstall cabinet hardware

At the same time, you can all reattached your cabinet knobs or pulls. However, this will be a bit more involve if you – like us – filled all of the old holes and need to make new ones.

Marking Holes For Cabinet Hardware With Template

We have an entire post – with video! – dedicated to how to install cabinet hardware that will help you do this with precision and speed. But as you can see above, we highly recommend purchasing a hardware template for this step.

How long does it take to paint kitchen cabinets?

Kitchen Crown Molding Top Before

Painting these kitchen cabinets took us 15 days to complete. A lot of that time, however, was waiting for things to dry and cure. They were not 15 days of straight work! So while this isn’t a project you should expect to knock out in a weekend, it’s also not something you need to take 2 weeks off of work to complete. It can easily be done on nights and weekends, like we did. We even had a toddler at the time!

How much does painting cabinets cost?

Painting kitchen cabinets yourself is very affordable, especially compared to the alternative of hiring it out OR replacing your cabinets entirely. We completed this project in 2012 for just $300 and half was for new hinges and pulls. So if you are reusing your hardware, you can expect to spend even less. Here is a rough estimate of what you might spend to paint kitchen cabinets.

  • Sandpaper: $10
  • Liquid deglosser: $10
  • Primer, 1 gallon: $30
  • Paint, 1 gallon: $80 – $120
  • Paint supplies (roller, brush, trays, etc): $40 – $60
  • TOTAL COST: $170 – $230

If you don’t already own an electric sander or drill, those may cost you about $50 each. You can complete those tasks by hand to keep your budget down, but it will significantly increase your time and effort.

Other Cabinet Painting FAQs

Before And After Of Painted Kitchen Cabinets White To Pink

Here are some other frequently asked questions about painting kitchen cabinets:

Do I need to apply a sealer or topcoat?

No, you do not need to apply a sealer, varnish, or polyurethane to your painted cabinets. Paints, especially those formulated for cabinets or trim, don’t require a protective topcoat. In fact, applying one could cause your color to yellow.

What finish paint should I use on cabinets?

We recommend using a satin or semi-gloss paint for a hard, wipeable finish on cabinets. Gloss or high-gloss paint can offer a sleek, modern look with high shine, but should be applied professionally with a paint sprayer to avoid brush or roller strokes. Matte, flat, or eggshell finishes will be harder to wipe clean.

What color should I paint my cabinets?

There is no limit to the colors you can paint kitchen cabinets! We love classic white cabinets, but colorful cabinets have also been trending lately – like our current cabinets (Artsy Pink by Sherwin-Williams) or our friends’ painted cabinets below (Halcyon Green by Sherwin-Williams).

Bee Yellow Back Door Against Halcyon Green Blue Kitchen Cabinets

We always recommend testing any color before proceeding. Colors often appear brighter or more saturated than they seem on a small swatch. Whites also can appear stark or cold, so we recommend something with subtle yellow or gray. Any of these expert’s favorite white paints work well on cabinets.

More Kitchen Cabinet Projects

Adding Crown Molding To Kitchen Cabinets

Looking for other budget-friendly ways to update your kitchen? Here are some other projects you might be interested in:

Update: Our painted cabinets are still holding up great. Check out a little update post here.

*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Comments

  5. Lindsey @ arkadian belle woods says

    WOW! I’m a bit speechless right now….I was going to say the wind was knocked out of me but that’s not fun nor a good thing so I’m at a loss for words! So gorgeous! Going from the before to the after was insane! Sorry I don’t have anything better to say….just know it’s AH-MAZING!

    <3

    Reply

  6. Katy says

    Wow! It looks amazing. I really want to redo a kitchen now! The only thing I’ve ever painted are a few crates and that was with spray paint! Love it though!

    ~Katy

    Reply

  9. Amanda @ Our Humble A{Bowe}d says

    Holy cow it’s bright in there. You’re going to have to start wearing sunglasses at night. Ha, song reference. Love the new hardware, too!

    Earlier this month, we finally finished our cabinets and installed the drawer fronts of our completely DIY cabinets: http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/i-like-big-drawers-and-i-cannot-lie-2/ We spent $844.70 for everything to make our cabinets. That saved us about $6500! Definitely waaaaay more work than store bought, but so worth it!

    Reply

  10. Lauren says

    So pretty! I’ve been begging my husband to let me paint our kitchen cabinets. He says no so far because he thinks I’ll quit halfway and he’ll have to finish (which is true..but still.)

    I’m going to show him your pictures though..see if he changes his mind (spoiler alert: he won’t.)

    Reply

  11. annabelvita says

    Woo to the hoo! It looks totally fab and brand spanking new!

    Do you think you’ll go for lighting under the penisula? It looks a tad dark right now but I don’t know if all the new lighting you have planned (or newly upholstered stools) will do the trick?

    Reply

  18. Sarah says

    Wow, just wow. You guys did an awesome job!!!! I’m generally not one to want white cabinets, but this is making me itch to grab that paint brush for my own kitchen cabinets!

    Reply

  20. Melanie @ Mailbox Journey says

    It looks AMMAZZINGG!
    I really can’t wait to see what it will look like with the cork floor installed. I’m hoping it looks awesome with those stools so you don’t have to do a thing to them, because I love them just the way they are. :)

    Reply

  21. LMG says

    hahaha…when i got to the picture close-up of the retrofit cabinet door with the subtle seam, i was like “geez, that’s not subtle at all–that’s HUGE!!” then I realized there was a big old horizontal line of dirt on my laptop screen from my silicone keyboard cover. whoops!

    looks absolutely incredible! wish I could do the same–unfortch my house came with those thermofoil ones :(

    Reply

  22. Katie @ Epistle says

    I can’t wait for the floors and back splash to go in because I think that will make the change in the cabinets even more dramatic, but for now this is am-az-ing.

    I love the photo of the fridge too.

    How did you choose the hardware? I like chunkier handles, but those look good. I was just wondering how the process of elimination went…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      John and I went to a cool local place with tooooons of hardware options and poked around. We both loved these when we saw them but were bummed that they were special order (would take 3-4 weeks) and were a bit pricy (we hoped to stay under $4 a pop). We were so happy to find them online for less (and available right away!). A site like myknobs.com has about a million options so maybe just browse around and see what you like? My process is always just see what I like best and hope John agrees!

      xo,
      s

  23. Julia @ Chris loves Julia says

    Looks amazing. I love the before and after looking over the new peninsula and into the gallery hall. Probably because that side is more finished than the other view. It just has…. …. LIFE now. Night and day. Night AND day.

    And about your little announcement. You’ll be missed on Babycenter for sure, but that just means I’ll have to hang out right here more. I applaud you in your balancing quest. :D

    Reply

  24. RebeccaNYC says

    oh my goodness! from a dungeon to blinding, bright light! wonderful! and the retrofitted cabinets are pure genius. Now, when are you coming to my place to do MY cabinets?

    Reply

  26. Kelly says

    This looks amazing! I can’t believe how quickly the kitchen has changed (although it’s probably felt like an enternity for you guys)! I am even more excited to paint our kitchen cabinets this summer now – thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  28. Lauren says

    Love the progress! Not sure if this is up for debate, but I would love to see the beams back in a wood tone. Maybe to help round out the floors. In their current white state they sorta resemble soffits. Otherwise, I’m loving all the choices, especially that hardware!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Since the beams are gray in the adjoined living room and run the other way, we decided that in person it would look weird to accent them because when you look through the dining room to see both rooms it’ll be this crazy criss-cross beam thing that competes- so that’s why we’re happy to let them fall back in the kitchen and be the stars in the living room! Hope that makes sense!

      xo,
      s

    • Saleha says

      I was going to ask you if you had considered making the beams grey like the livingroom. Your explanation makes total sense. Looks awesome!!

  32. Alex says

    Things are looking great! You have my sympathies with painting the cabinets, that’s for absolute sure! Whenever I think about painting cabinet doors again I always let my mind wander to buying an inexpensive sprayer that can hook up to our compressor. But it looks like you sure achieved a smooth finish using the brush/roller. Well done!

    It looks great and all feels wonderful when it’s done, but you still have my sympathies for the effort I’m sure you exerted mid project ;-)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks Alex! I may have had a mild breakdown once or twice! I think the whole Christmas/guests coming/book manuscript due/trying to make a play kitchen thing got me in a tizzy!

      xo,
      s

  34. Jaime says

    So I am doing a similar job in my house right now, except I’m using oil paint. We didn’t have the ability to paint the cabinet boxes because they are laminate, so we bought new doors only and matched the laminate color (BM’s Manchester Tan).

    Any suggestions or tips for oil painting? Or does anyone have any awesome links? I know that you must use natural brushes, no rollers, and the priming process is a little different (more sanding, as in, between every coat, and using tact cloths). I say “I know” like I am some sore of expert which I am obviously not so any ideas are super.

    Oh I wish that video came out sooner and then maybe I wouldn’t have been sooo set on getting oil paint. Using the Advance paint seems to cut out many of the steps I have to take. I even had to drive out of state to get my paint! I live in Indiana, and only Kentucky (good ol’ Kentucky) continues to sell oil paints.

    Reply

    • Emily says

      I love oil based paint and only use latex on walls. I would make sure you use a brush and NOT a roller. You’ll put on a thin coat of primer, but pretty thick (compared to latex) coats of oil after that. You’ll want to wait 24 hours between coats, and you’ll want to make sure you sand with steel wool between coats as well. I would do a coat of primer, and then two coats of the finish. Sanding between the coat of primer and again before the final coat.

      The clean up can be a pain, but I buy a good brush, and make sure it sits in a jelly jar of new turpentine between coats. Then I’m lazy and chuck the brush when I’m done.

      It will look AWESOME. I really believe it holds up like no other, and you’ll never have brush strokes because it is naturally self levelling. Good luck!

    • Jaime says

      Naturally self leveling! That is exactly what I needed to hear! I was so worried about brush strokes, thanks!

  35. Petra says

    Looks lovely! I can see the faint thin line on the cabinet, but that’s probably because I have a well trained eye… Don’t change anything!

    Reply

  36. susan says

    You have both done an amazing job. I would be curious to see the back of the extreme retro-fitted doors. The ones you cut into fourths? I was wondering how those would work out. Also, are you planning on keeping the ceiling fan in the kitchen?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ironically the backs of all the retrofitted doors look seamless! Haha. Filling those pocket holes was simple and since they don’t have the bevel detail like the front the seams are just invisible now that we primed and painted! Will have to shoot some more pics for a future post soon! As for the fan- it’s gone! We’re doing a whole new lighting plan and can’t wait!

      xo,
      s

  40. Lizzy says

    whoa!!! it looks awesome! when i squint, i can picture your dark cork floors in the space and that looks awesome too! :)
    i’m excited for you guys!
    do you have a schedule for when the backsplash, shelves, and floor will be accomplished? because, you know, you’re doing this renovation for our enjoyment and not for your own purposes! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, we hope to be there putting in the finishing touches within 6-8 weeks, but since we’ve never laid penny tile or built a range hood or laid cork it’s all sort of a wild card!

      xo,
      s

  41. Barb says

    Those door (and drawer) handles make me smile so much. I keep scrolling back to look at them!

    If we ever get around to replacing ours (we have those horrible little knobs everywhere) it might be for some just like that.

    Reply

  42. sallie says

    can’t stop looking at the before and after pics! seriously amazing!! it’s crazy how much bigger the kitchen looks now. great job!

    Reply

  43. Erin says

    your kitchen looks fantastic!!! Can’t wait to see it all completed!

    P.S. you keep saying you painted your first kitchen’s cabinets but then you said you got all new white ones at Home Depot….so then, what did you paint??

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We painted the original cabinets since we had to live with them for a year or so before any reno (they were crazy knotty pine, so they had to change right away!). Then after our wedding and some getting-settled we planned the new kitchen (which meant closing off a door, a completely new layout, etc) so we sprung for new cabinets since we couldn’t use the existing ones from the 50’s (the uppers were so shallow our regular plates didn’t fit in them).

      xo,
      s

  44. Lisa says

    Did you guy buy a frigidaire gallery fridge? We are in the market to buy one but i was curious if the model you have shows a lot of fingerprints.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We got the one with whatever their fingerprint technology is (it’s not “stainless look” – it’s real stainless, but it’s coated with some sort of poly that blocks fingerprints). Even with a sticky fingered toddler I never have to wipe down the fridge. It’s sort of miraculous actually because our old Frigidaire showed so many prints!

      xo,
      s

  46. Mikalah says

    WOWWWW! I’ve been checking every day to see the progress, but I must admit that this is the most exciting post for me so far. Probably for you guys too, eh? =D Congrats on a shiny new kitchen!

    Reply

  48. Ann L says

    Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off of the floor. Amazing. I can’t even think of anything else to say—other than I love your peninsula more and more time I see it. I want one!

    Reply

  49. Sabrina says

    You guys are amazing. Our kitchen reno is at least 2 years away. Right now I am just trying to think what to do with our 9 X 12, paneled, foam tile ceiling, only 2 awning window, master bedroom lol

    Reply

  50. Diana @ Boy + Girl says

    Bookmarked! This will come in quite handy for me when the time comes to refinish our cabinets. It looks stunning! Your hard work has certainly paid off. Congrats! I can’t wait to see it with the tile installed!
    -Diana

    Reply

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