Painting The Kitchen Cabinets

Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great way to bring that drab kitchen of yours to a new level! And let's not even talk about all the savings you are going to get by doing it yourself. 

However, before even thinking about a paint color or grabbing a paintbrush, I want you to examine those cabinets closely. 

Are they still sturdy? 

Is the style something you can live with? 

If your answer is no, or if the cabinets are broken, wobbly, or generally in bad shape, no matter what type of paint you apply, they are not going to look good.

If your cabinets are structurally in good condition, then this post is for you. Nothing like a good coat of paint on those cabinets to bring beauty to a kitchen for a fraction of the cost.

The cabinets in my kitchen were in good condition, the style was not the best, but they were good and sound. What bothered me the most was the color. Yeah. They were the infamous honey oak builder's grade cabinets. :/

This is how my kitchen looked at the beginning of the renovation:

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I decided to paint my kitchen myself for the most obvious reason: Saving money.  If I'd hired someone to do the job, I wouldn't be able to get the type of material I wanted for the countertops.  

Even though I knew it was a long and tedious job, I decided to take my time and do it the best possible way I could.

Let's get to what needs to be done!

• I began by emptying the cabinets and the room.
• The doors, hardware, drawers, and shelves were also removed.
• The surfaces were cleaned with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate), to remove accumulated grease and grime, for the paint to have better bonding.

• The outside surfaces were sanded with 100-grit sandpaper to remove the glossy finish they had.
• Floors, appliances, and areas that were not going to be painted were covered.
• I first applied Zinsser B-I-N Primer to the inside of the cabinets because those were laminated surfaces that needed this type of primer (it adheres to any kind of surface).

| Priming the inside of the cabinets with Zinsser B-I-N Primer |

• For the front and/or outside of the cabinets which were wooden surfaces I applied Kilz Odorless White Primer. Same for the MDF pieces I also added.

| Priming the outside with Kilz |

• The outside was sanded with 220-grit sandpaper to get rid of brush marks. After that, the surfaces were cleaned with a tack cloth to get rid of dust.

| After the first coat of paint |

• Two coats of paint were applied.  For kitchens and bathrooms, the experts recommend the use of oil-based paints because of durability, but I decided to use Latex paint, it dries faster and does not turn yellow over time.  I tried to choose a high-quality paint: Benjamin Moore Aura, with a Satin finish.  After the first coat, all the surfaces were sanded with 280-grit sandpaper, again dusting before applying the final coat.

| Second coat of paint |

• The doors, drawer fronts, and shelves were painted on a table to prevent drips, just the same as with the cabinets, but the waiting time for the surfaces to dry was a full day after each coat.

The Final touches were changing the light fixtures, and countertops, painting the walls, and installing decorative hardware and a window shade.

| Pendant Light | Roman Shade |

At this point, I was soo happy! All the hard work was done and I could see the difference. But hey, up next is how to install a marble backsplash.


The cabinets were painted: Navajo White - Benjamin Moore Aura - Satin
The island was painted: Tudor Brown - Benjamin Moore Aura - Satin


Check all the projects done to update this kitchen:

Closing the space above the kitchen cabinets
Adding moldings to your kitchen cabinets 
Build a range hood.
Build a fridge enclosure.
Update the kitchen island
Tips about installing recessed lights
Final kitchen reveal
Kitchen cost breakdown
1 ½ Year Later How the Kitchen is Holding up
Build-in Plate Rack
Pull Out Shelves in Pantry
LG Appliances Review and Complain

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