How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Professionally Step-By-Step

Painting Kitchen Cabinets For Beginners

The first thing you need to do, especially as a beginner, is do your research! Be sure to answer these questions below before getting started.

5 Things To Consider Before Painting Kitchen Cabinets

1. Cabinet Material: The type of material that your cabinets are made of can determine the kind of paint and primer you should use.
2. Cabinet Condition: Before painting your cabinets, you’ll want to assess their condition. Be sure to address any repairs before painting.
3. Color Choice: Choosing the right color for your cabinets can make a big difference in the overall look of your kitchen. Consider the style of your kitchen and your personal preferences when selecting a color. We picked a light gray cabinet color as gray is timeless and provides a bright modern look.
4. Prep Work: Proper preparation is key to a successful painting project. This includes cleaning the cabinets thoroughly, removing all hardware, sanding down any rough spots, and applying a primer before painting.
5. Time and Budget: Cabinet painting can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. Consider the amount of time you’re willing to invest in a diy project, as well as your budget for materials and tools (like a paint sprayer) needed for the job.

How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Is hiring a professional cabinet painter worth the money?

In my opinion yes!

Unless you have the time and proper tools to achieve the best results, it’s a good idea to hire a pro. It was well worth the extra money in my opinion.

Step 1: Remove Cabinet Doors

Start by removing all the doors, shelves, drawer fronts, and hardware from your cabinets. Store them in a basement or a spare room, ensuring the temperature is stable until you’re ready to paint.

Step 2: Prepare Kitchen For Paint

It is imperative that you protect your countertops, cabinet openings and floors with heavy duty paper and painters tape (the blue tape). You can find the large rolls of paper and painters tape at any local home improvement store.

Our cabinet painters wrapped all of our lighting and appliances in plastic as well.

Step 3: Patch Holes

Patch any holes or deep scratches with wood filler. If you’re installing in new hardware or hinges, fill the old holes too, unless your new hardware matches the old holes perfectly.

Step 4: Lightly Sand

Lightly sand (100-150 grit) to break any gloss sheen from stain and clean with a damp cloth removing all dust and allow the cabinets to dry before adding first coat of primer

Step 5: Apply Primer

Primer helps create a smoother surface for the paint to adhere to, which will result in better coverage overall.

There are several types of primers ranging from water based, oil-based and shellac based primer.

• First, if you are painting over dark cabinets, apply a coat of Stain Blocking BIN Primer (shellac base). This helps block the dark stain from coming through. Allow 24 hours to dry before applying next coat.
• Second, apply a coat of INSL-X STIX primer. This primer has a durable finish and prevents the paint from coming off when you clean the cabinets with water. Allow 24 hours to dry.

Step 6: Paint Cabinets

Our professional painter recommended Benjamin Moore Advance as the best paint for kitchen cabinets.

We did opt to spray the kitchen cabinets with a paint sprayer as we wanted a “factory finish.”

For the best results, allot 24 hours between all coats of paint for drying time.

The painters applied the first coat of gray paint using a paint sprayer.

Allow 24 hours for the first coat of paint to dry and then assess your cabinets.

If you see any small dings or scratches, refill with wood filler and sand. Then apply a second coat of paint.

Step 7: Paint Doors & Drawer Fronts

It’s best to use a paint sprayer to paint your cabinet doors and drawer fronts if you have the space.

Follow the same process as above with 1 coat Bin, 1 coat Stix and 2 coats paint for all doors and drawer fronts. Be sure to allow 24 hours of drying time in between each coat of paint.

Our cabinet painters set up a paint booth tent in the garage to keep the overspray from the sprayer contained which worked out great. The paint tents come in a variety of sizes too!

For more details, read this post, how many coats of paint for kitchen cabinets for a professional finish.

Step 8: Install Doors and Hardware

Once the doors and drawers have had 24 hours to dry, add new hardware and hang cabinet doors.

We did replace all of our hardware and installed new soft close hinges which made the cabinet doors look and feel brand new. Read this post, how to choose kitchen cabinet hardware for more inspiration.

Best Paint For Kitchen Cabinets

What paint do professionals use on kitchen cabinets?

As I mentioned above, we used Benjamin Moore Advance Paint in a satin finish.

We opted to not use oil-based paint due the excess fumes.

You will find several different opinions about latex paint vs oil-based in honestly, it’s a matter of preference.

They both have pros and cons so do your research, an pick the one that best suits your needs.

We picked Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray as the cabinet paint color because it’s a timeless neutral gray that would also brighten up our kitchen.

Mindful Gray SW

slightly warm undertone

I purchased a small sample size of the paint and also had them cut the color by 50% to make it a little lighter. Here are both of my samples below.

You will notice above that the one on the left is a smidge lighter but we decided that the full 100% SW Mindful Gray would add the right amount of color we wanted in the kitchen.

If you are unsure of what color you want, head to your local paint store and browse paint swatches and purchase a handful of sample colors to test in your home.

If you are looking for the best gray cabinet color, read the post called 7 best grey kitchen cabinet colors for more inspiration.

How To Get a Smooth Finish When Painting Kitchen Cabinets

As mentioned earlier, preparation is key when painting kitchen cabinets. Sandpaper or a sander will help to smooth out any bumps or scratches.

Be sure to fill any cracks or dings with a quality wood filler. This will help ensure that the paint goes on smoothly and evenly without leaving brush marks.

If you want to avoid brush strokes entirely, the best way is to spray paint (like we did) instead of using traditional brushes. Spray paint makes it easy to get into all the nooks and crannies of your cabinet doors, giving them an even coat without any visible lines or streaks.

Just be sure to wear protective equipment when spraying so that fumes don’t get in your eyes or lungs.

Here is another picture of the kitchen before we painted the cabinets.

Below is the kitchen after we painted the cabinets and installed new white quartz countertops and quartz backsplash.

Another view below of the cooktop and range hood before we painted the cabinets.

The newly painted grey kitchen cabinets with white countertops is nothing short of amazing!

You can take a tour of our new kitchen by reading this post, grey kitchen cabinets with white countertops to see more before and after pictures.

Curious about how long it takes to paint kitchen cabinets? The entire paint job took about 7 days and the drying time in between coats is what takes the longest.

For those of you curious about our new black lantern lighting, we have the 6 light black lantern that is approx. 21″ high.

With proper preparation and care, painting kitchen cabinets can be relatively easy and very rewarding! If you missed any of our kitchen renovation series or curious about how to hire a kitchen cabinet painter, see all of the posts are listed below.

Our Favorite

More Kitchen Cabinet Posts

I have lots of posts from our own kitchen renovation to help you get the perfect finish on your kitchen cabinets! Check out these resources to simplify your project & answer your burning questions.

• Grey kitchen cabinets with white quartz countertops (before and after)
• Best kitchen cabinet paint
• How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Professionally
• Best DIY Paint Sprayer for Your Kitchen Remodel
• How many coats of paint should you do when painting kitchen cabinets
• Best grey kitchen cabinet paint colors
• How Much Does It Cost To Paint Kitchen Cabinets
• Updating A Kitchen Without Removing Cabinets
• How to choose kitchen cabinet hardware to match decor
• Mindful Gray Paint Cabinet Review
• How High To Hang Kitchen Cabinets

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