How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
By , This Old House magazine
Photographs by Kolin Smith
- Time: 3 days
- Cost: $200
- Difficulty: Moderate
Shopping & Tool Lists
- Supplies You Will Need:
- 1. Paint Oil-based or
100 percent acrylic latex paint specially formulated for cabinetry applications or high-traffic areas. You will need about a gallon per coat on a bank of four upper and lower cabinets.
2. Primer to fill the wood grain and to create a smooth surface for the final coat. Look for ones labeled "high build" and "sandable." If your cabinets are laminates, not wood, get a "sealer" primer for smooth surfaces that can't be sanded.
3. Rosin Paper to cover and protect countertops
4. 0.5 mm Plastic to cover the backsplash and surrounding areas
5. Painter's Tape
6. Scrubbing Sponge
7. TSP Substitute or Degreaser to remove built-up residue
8. Wood Putty to fill old hardware holes
9. 100-Grit and 220-Grit Sandpaper
10. Tack Cloths to wipe the sanding dust off the cabinets between coats
11. Fine-Grit Sanding Sponge to smooth the primer on the trim
12. Cup Hooks to hang the doors while they dry
- Tools You Will Need:
-
1. Putty Knife to fill holes and dings
2. Drill/Driver
3. 2½-Inch Nylon-Polyester Paintbrush with chisel-tip bristles (have two, for switching from primer to paint)
4. Airless Paint Sprayer (optional; rents for $75 a day)
5. Screwdriver
Introduction
Your cavelike kitchen feels that way because the dark cabinets have sucked all the light out of the room. But a brighter makeover doesn't necessarily mean replacing those gloomy boxes with all-new cabinets. As long as the frames and doors are structurally sound, you can clean them up and brush on some new paint—and within a weekend take that kitchen from dreary to sunny. As This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers shows on the following pages, all you need is some strong cleaner, sandpaper, a paintbrush, and a little elbow grease. What you don't need is a whole lot of money, as the transformation will cost you a fraction of even the cheapest new cabinets. And that's news that should sure light up your day.