Paint is a magical thing. You’ve certainly seen what it can do to a room. If you’ve never transformed your cabinets with it, you may want to give it a shot. I don’t know about y’all, but once my kitchen cabinets have put in enough time, I start dreaming of dressing them in yummy colors. Let’s face it—putting in new cabinets can be very expensive. The alternative is a couple of cans of paints and a few supplies. Follow these top tips for painting kitchen cabinets, and within a weekend, you can have a brand-new looking kitchen.
Choose Your Color
Some of y’all get overwhelmed at this thought, but I’m telling you—choosing a color can be fun! Go to your local home improvement store and grab some samples. Even if you’re just painting white, there are several different shades to choose from.
I like to tape those paint samples on my cabinet doors and look at them for a few days. The colors look different as the light changes throughout the day. You want to enjoy the color you choose no matter what time of day it is, so this activity will help you decide, as you get to see the various options in different lights.
Once that’s done, march yourself back to the store and get the amount of paint needed. This will depend on the number of cabinets. Someone at the store should be able to help you figure it out. While you’re there, grab brushes, sandpaper, and some primer.
Sand, Clean, and Prime
I know it seems like a lot of work. But if y’all are willing to put in the work up front, the painting process will go smoothly and quickly.
First thing’s first: take the cabinet hardware and doors off. Save the hardware in containers so it doesn’t get lost. If it looks shabby, I’d suggest ordering new hardware to go along with your freshly painted cabinets.
Create a space to lay out cabinet doors for painting. Some 2x4s in the basement or garage work great. Give them a washing with some hot water and dish soap. If you have a little power sander, then by all means, use it. If not, grab your sandpaper or a sanding sponge and start sanding after they’re dry. This creates a rough surface for the paint to adhere to.
After sanding, wipe them down again, let them dry, and throw a coat or two of primer on depending on how many stains begin to peek through. Do all of these steps for the cabinets and drawers, too.
After the primer is dry, start painting that pretty new color! Small rollers, brushes, and sprayers all work. I prefer a brush because prepping an area for spraying is time-consuming, and a roller can’t get in little crevices. But y’all do what works for you!
Reattach doors and hardware, then stand back and pat yourself on the back, darlin’!
Enjoy these top tips for painting kitchen cabinets and get yourself a pretty new kitchen!
