Painting Kitchen Cabinet Tutorial

So, here is the low down on the "How to Paint Your Cabinets" 

First, clean the cabinets with hot soapy water.  Then I used 409 cleaner around my stove area to get the grease and grime off.  Worked like a charm.

 If you have a lot of build up or older cabinets use PSP.  It really gets all the grime off.

Then it's time to take all those doors off!  This is very important! It just makes for a better end result to take the doors off.  You won't regret it!

Next, use the blue painters tape to tape off everything.  Don't skip this either.  You may think you won't get it anywhere, but trust me you will.



I will admit that I absolutely hate sanding!   I know I'm not alone out there on this one!  I think that is why I put this job off for as long as I did.  However, there are heaven sent primers out there that take that step out for you!  You heard me!!  I used Lowe's Valspar multi-purpose primer. I did just one coat of this.  It didn't look very pretty either.  But, guess what?  That part doesn't have to look pretty.  Just make sure it is smooth, with no runny drips and your good to go!

Now time for the paint!!  This paint is like butter going on! (insert accent on butter)  Sherwin Williams ProClassic is a dream.  It is for cabinets and woodwork so it dries with a hard shell.  I used the satin finish.  Which is one of my favorite finishes.  It's not too shiny but not too flat.  The color is a creamy white and it is actually a special mix.  Sorry!  If you want the actual color, just leave a comment and I can give you the formula.

The tools are pretty simple.  I used a cheap sponge roller for the long parts of the doors and sides of the cabinets.  You know the kind you get at Wal-Mart.

Then I used a pretty good bristle brush from Lowe's.  Only on the middle part of the cabinet doors.  I got no visible brush mark.  I'm telling you, butter!!

It was very hot here in Texas when I decided to paint, so I just set up shop in the kitchen for the doors, and took them in the garage to dry. 

Now, here is the part that was time consuming.  I did 3 coats of paint!!  But, only on the fronts of the doors and the bases.  The inside of the doors I only did one.  If I can skip a step, I will.  I thought no one is gonna be opening my cabinets and examining my doors.  And if they do, oh well!  So that's it!  I've had them now for a year, and I love, love, love them!!  So if it is your dream to have painted cabinets, what are you waiting for?  You can do this!  Don't pay a painter $2500 or more to do a job that would only cost about $100 and some time!  Dive in!