How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro in 9 Simple Steps

Dec 13, 2023

By Kenzi Wilbur and Jennifer Beck Goldblatt

Want to make a major impact in your kitchen? Consider learning how to paint kitchen cabinets. Though a pricy renovation may be out of the question, a fresh coat of paint can lighten, brighten, and give your space a completely new feel. And painting kitchen cabinets is a straightforward DIY makeover, albeit a time-consuming one, that most determined DIY-loving homeowners should feel confident taking on.

Another benefit: It’s relatively inexpensive (especially when you consider how much new cabinets cost), totally transformative, and is likely to make you feel incredibly proud of your DIY paint job. Since the kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home, maintaining its aesthetic and creating a space that you and your family and friends want to gather in has the potential to offer a large return on investment. Here’s what you should consider before getting started:

You’ve seen how a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to a room or an old bookshelf. Your kitchen cabinets are no different. Color trends change over time, and while the dark wood that you first fell in love with for your kitchen may still be in excellent condition, it may not evoke the light, bright space that you want to emulate from more contemporary designs you see daily in your Pinterest or Instagram feed. And when you consider that painting cabinets is a few hundreds of dollars, not the thousands that it would take to replace them, this project becomes an appealing fix for someone who isn’t ready to tackle a complete kitchen remodel.

Painting kitchen cabinets is not hard, but follow all the steps in the process to ensure the paint job will get satisfying results. This isn’t the time to take shortcuts. As with most projects, a buddy is helpful, but having one isn’t necessary. If you’re particularly motivated and savvy with a paint brush, this could even be a doable weekend DIY project—depending on the size of your kitchen and how quickly you work.

The more kitchen cabinets you have, of course, the more time-intensive the paint job will be. You’ll also need a significant amount of space to lay out your cabinet doors for sanding, priming, painting, and drying in between applying the first and second coat. More patience means a smoother finish too.

Don’t skip any steps with this makeover job. Painting over existing paint can make the new cabinet doors too thick, which can cause issues with closing and opening. And if you don’t clean the original cabinets, the oils can botch the new paint job. That mean’s you’ll need to remove all hardware, take cabinet doors off of their hinges, sand, prime, and then paint. Sound like a lot? Don’t worry, you’re likely to get into a groove and, since cabinet doors and drawers are usually flat, the process is easy once you are organized and get started.

Skipping this time-consuming step is a surefire way to lead to a messy finished product. Sanding helps fresh paint adhere to surfaces and will help prevent chipping down the line. It’s also better to sand twice (first to remove old paint, then to smooth out the wood). Get ready for an arm workout!

As with other areas in your home, the type of paint you choose matters. Many brands, including Benjamin Moore, Behr, and more, have special formulations made just for doors, cabinetry and trim, which are easy to apply and provide a bit of self-leveling, providing a nice, smooth finish. But any high-quality paint—latex paint or enamel-based paint—should work well and will be durable enough for the daily wear and tear as well as routine kitchen cleaning. Keep in mind that a gloss or semi-gloss is likely to stand up better to cleaning and scratches and will provide the most durable finish.

You’ll likely want to use both. A brush is great for getting into any crevices, like the inside border on a classic Shaker door design. When it’s time to paint a larger area, grab a foam roller. It will help the paint go on more smoothly and is also likely to make the project go a bit faster.

If you go through all the work of painting your kitchen cabinets, you might as well pick a color you really love. Green—in all its shades and hues—has been on the rise in kitchens, so that’s a great place to start, whether you love a jewel or or an earth tone. White paint is a forever classic and likely goes with everything you already have in your kitchen (just be aware of the potential for showing stains and grime). Black is a bold and moody option for creating a sleek look in your kitchen.

Another good idea for picking a cabinet color: Take cues from the other elements in your kitchen. Take note of the pieces you already love (the hardware? fixed appliances?) to come up with a harmonious palette. Kitchen cabinets should also complement your countertops. What paint color would highlight your backsplash? What hue would stand out against the flooring? Most important, remember you can always change your mind and paint again.

This project does take up a bit of space. You’ll need a large-enough area where you can lay cabinet doors flat to prevent drips while the paint dries between the first and second coat. The more doors you have, the more space you’ll need, unless you plan to work in batches. If you’re banking on borrowing sawhorses and using your front yard, great—just be sure to check the weather first. (Rainstorms and freshly painted cabinets don’t mix.) You might also run into debris flying onto your new paint job. If you’re doing the painting indoors (a garage or covered patio is ideal), invest in little plastic tripods. Don’t forget to get some fans going and open the windows for ventilation.

Think you’re up for this kitchen cabinet painting project? Great. Here’s how to paint your kitchen cabinets, with simple, step-by-step instructions, including tips from Rick Watson, the vice president of product innovation at Sherwin-Williams.

To paint kitchen cabinets, you will need:

Watson warns against blindly choosing the cheapest brushes and rollers: “If you end up going with the dollar-store brushes and the $5 gallon of paint, it’ll look like it.” Spend the time to vet each supply with your local paint store professional. The extra hassle of having to pick brush bristles off your cabinet doors or paint over unsightly brushstrokes is time-consuming and not worth the low price tag. Plus the better the supplies, the longer they will last for future DIY projects. Setting up a proper painting area is also worth the time commitment up-front as it will actually save you time when you cleanup. A drop cloth may be one of your most useful tools when it comes to repainting cabinets.

An electric screwdriver will speed up the process of removing cabinet doors.

You’ll be able to paint every surface a lot more quickly if you take all of the cabinet doors and drawer fronts off their hinges before you start. To avoid one of the cruelest jigsaw puzzles you’ve ever done with reassembly, label each cabinet with a number, and give its corresponding door the same one. (You’ll thank yourself later.) Remove all cabinet hardware—even if you want to buy new hardware and replace the old; you need to start with a clean slate. The more prep and planning you do, the less frustration you’ll have throughout the project. You’ll want to leave the cabinet boxes in place and use painter’s tape where they meet the wall. The cabinet boxes usually have flat surfaces and are free from embellishments, so they’re easier to prep and paint while on the wall. You’ll definitely want to paint any areas that you see from the outside, but it’s up to you if you want to put a fresh coat of paint on the inside.

Yes, clean the cabinet doors before you start sanding.

By Mel Studach

By Hadley Keller

By Elizabeth Stamp

“Eighty percent of all kitchen painting complaints are due to lack of surface prep,” Watson says, and you shouldn’t let yourself be part of this statistic. Degrease months (and possibly years) of cooking splatters and kitchen grease because paint adhesion is better on clean cabinet doors. If you think that you can just sand all that grime off, don’t try to outsmart the system. Sandpaper can’t always get the grime off, and you may be pushing the dirt right into the wood. Some people opt for a deglosser, but a multipurpose cleaning agent should work just as well. Clean your kitchen cabinets thoroughly using TSP degreaser to really banish oil, debris, and grease.

A putty knife removes excess wood filler.

Look for any imperfections like deep scuffs, nicks, holes, gouges, or scratches. Squeeze wood filler into the opening to fill it up, then spread the remaining amount with a putty knife. Let it dry according to directions on the wood filler tube before proceeding to the next step. You’ll be amazed at how this step can make repainting easier and make over the original cabinetry into new cabinets.

Proper sanding ensures primer adhesion.

By Mel Studach

By Hadley Keller

By Elizabeth Stamp

“Sanding scuffs up the surface of the cabinet and opens up the pores of the wood for primer to sink in and create adhesion,” Watson says. Sanding can be done by hand with 60-grit sandpaper or sanding block, if your cabinets only need a light sanding. On the other hand, if you don’t have arms of steel, invest in an orbital sander. You can rent one from a home improvement store or borrow from a DIY’er friend. Take note: The removal of old paint can generate dust or fumes that have lead (if your cabinetry was installed and painted before 1978). Always wear a sanding mask, even if you think your cabinet doors are free from lead paint. Finish up this step by wiping the cabinet surface with a tack cloth to help remove residual dust.

Use a brush to get into the grooves of the cabinet doors.

Consult your paint store professional to be sure you have the right primer for your job. Zinsser Primer for All Surfaces is a good choice for laminate cabinets, as is Behr Kitchen, Bath, and Trim Stain-Blocking Primer & Sealer. For wood cabinet doors, try Zinsser Bin Advanced Shellac primer. Test a patch in a hidden area of the cabinetry before you start painting the exterior. “If the primer fish-eyes, meaning you see a bubble forming on the surface, that tells you your surface isn’t clean enough,” Watson says.

Sanding twice will make cabinet painting really nice.

By Mel Studach

By Hadley Keller

By Elizabeth Stamp

Note: This step is strictly optional. But if you roll with the Type A crowd or want a very professional-looking paint job, consider sanding the dry primer to ensure there’s no grit, dust, or hairs from the brush or roller. If you choose this extra step, you’ll need fine-grain 360-grit sandpaper. The extra sanding guarantees a smooth finish—your future self will thank you, and you won’t have to worry about repainting the kitchen cabinets a year from now. When done, grab a fresh sheet of tack cloth to remove dust. You can also use a vacuum attachment to get the dust out of cabinet door grooves.

A roller brush is ideal on the sides of cabinet boxes and other flat surfaces.

Wipe your cleaned, sanded, and primed kitchen cabinets down with a damp rag or microfiber cloth to get rid of any dust that may have settled. Watson suggests this interior/exterior paint for painting kitchen cabinets. Kitchens are high-traffic, so you’ll want to choose a type of paint that’s really durable. Backdrop Premium Cabinet & Door is washable, and the right paint for a kitchen with a messy cook. The paint finish—high gloss, no gloss, flat, or matte—is totally up to you, however. And there’s no need for a protective clear coat over the top. “If you want extra insurance,” Watson says, “just do a second coat of your pigmented paint.” Using a paint sprayer or spray paint is also an option. Let the paint dry completely before reinstalling your cabinets—consult the manufacturer’s instructions for estimated drying time, usually anywhere from one to eight hours.

The kitchen makeover is almost done. Once the cabinet doors and drawers have dried, put them back on the cabinet frames. This is when labeling really pays off. Then reinstall knobs and other hardware. Without a doubt, the kitchen’s new look will make an impression.