Before you get started, there are some key things you need to know about painting kitchen cabinets, as the process differs from a room or wall. For one, it almost always takes longer than you think—often twice as long, says Hunter MacFarlane, project expert with Lowe’s based in Mooresville, N.C. Second, if your cabinets are not made from wood or have a very intricate design, you may want to call in a pro. You’ll want to do the same if you’re refinishing kitchen cabinets, too. If you’re dealing with fairly straightforward wood cabinets, though, there’s no reason you can’t DIY. Here, two experts share the step-by-step process for painting kitchen cabinets. If you can, move appliances over or out of the way, making sure you have access to the sides of any cabinets that will brush up against them, MacFarlane says. Cover your countertops with a heavy-duty plastic tarp, overlapping up the wall if possible to avoid any splatters there. (Keep that beautiful kitchen backsplash safe!) Novice DIYers may also want to tape off the ceiling and any spot where the cabinets meet the wall with painter’s tape, just to be safe. Wipe down the cabinet doors and drawers to remove grease and prepare them for painting. Remove the hardware from all pieces and soak it in a mix of warm water and Dawn dish soap to remove grime and buildup, then dry and store in labeled plastic bags. A word of caution when removing cabinet doors and drawers: “You think you know where everything goes until you remove everything and start getting confused,” MacFarlane says. Save yourself the headache by lightly labeling where each one goes in pencil; it can be as simple as labeling each piece from one to 18, for example, and also writing the number on the corresponding cabinet shell. “If [your cabinets] are stained and have a thick layer of polyurethane, you should sand that off,” says Ricky Hernandez Kolody, sales director with Perco Painting in Allen, Texas. If sanding in the kitchen is your only option, make sure to close the register for your HVAC unit and return units before getting started, MacFarlane says—otherwise, you may find dust throughout your entire house. A good rule of thumb is to never dip your brush more than a 1/2 inch into the paint, MacFarlane says. He advises using a brush called a sash tool, or an angled brush. Brush strokes are very important when painting cabinets: You should drag your brush a minimum of 12 inches at a time in one smooth, long line, rather than going back and forth, to ensure a smooth finish. Your local hardware store will be able to recommend a good primer, but Hernandez Kolody says his favorite is the Extreme Bond Primer from Sherwin-Williams. Again, it’s important to not put too much paint on your brush. If you do and the paint drips, it will be hard to correct if you don’t see it right away (you may even need to sand it again after letting it dry). To protect yourself from paint fumes, wear a mask that covers your mouth and face. After you apply the first coat, wait at least eight hours—or preferably overnight—before applying a second coat, MacFarlane suggests. “It might be dry to the touch, but still not completely cured against the surface,” he says. It’s pretty much a guarantee you’ll need to apply a second and perhaps even a third coat, as you’ll likely see fine streaks with a single coat. A good way to check if they’re ready: Put the first drawer in and push it closed, then open again. If it makes a “tick” sound, that means the paint is sticking and you haven’t waited long enough, MacFarlane says. Once you’ve waited long enough and you’re putting everything back in its place, you’ll be thankful for labeling each cabinet and drawer. The one thing to remember is that, if you’re looking for speed, you may want to consider hiring a pro. Professional painters make short work out of painting kitchen cabinets because they do it all the time, but beginners will need to take their time to get the desired results.
