How to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro

Choose your color:

When picking a paint color, it’s important to look at the fixed components in your kitchen, such as countertops, backsplashes, and hardwood floors. "These items have their own color story and will impact your cabinet color selection," says Andrea Magno, director of color marketing and design at Benjamin Moore.

Next, consider how much sunlight the room gets and which direction it comes from, noting that cooler light can make colors look drab or cold. "Some kitchens have an abundance of south-facing natural light, making the range of color options plentiful, whereas others have cooler north-facing light, limiting their selection," says Magno.      

Clean your cabinets:

Using the degreaser and a rag, thoroughly wipe your kitchen cabinets down. Removing surface buildup is a crucial step when painting kitchen cabinets. "Cabinets are covered in grease, oils, dust, and dirt from everyday cooking and use and when you add a water-based paint, for example, to a cabinet that has an oil residue, your paint isn’t going to adhere," says Vega.

Take off doors and drawers:

Empty your cabinets, clear your countertops, and relocate anything moveable into another room before taking off your cabinet doors. Use sticky notes to label and match the doors to the corresponding cabinet boxes using numbers (you may also want to include where the doors are located in the room, e.g. cabinet above the dishwasher) to ensure you’re placing everything back in the same spot when the job is complete.

Next, vacuum the room to remove any dust and dirt that could affect your paint job.

Remove any hardware:

Remove all hardware and place each piece in a small plastic bag. Identify each bag with a number that corresponds with the number on the doors and boxes, then store the bag on that specific cabinet shelf or drawer insert. "Paint your doors and drawers with the hardware still attached, and you risk getting paint on the knobs, pulls, and hinges and buildup around their edges," says Vega.

Protect contact areas:

Before painting, tape off any necessary contact areas, like the sink and stove, using painter's tape. Use drop cloths or brown builder’s paper to protect floors and drape a high-density plastic drop cloth over things like countertops.

Scuff any wood to be painted:

Take the doors to a separate location—like a well-ventilated garage or basement—and spread them about two feet apart (even better, line them up on two-by-fours) and get sanding. "Your goal isn’t to strip the paint or stain down to the bare wood; you simply want to dull down the surface so the subsequent coats of paint will have good adhesion," says Dennis Fiorilli, director of product excellence for Sherwin-Williams.

After sanding, vacuum any dust and wipe down surfaces with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth. Then, inspect the surfaces for chips and cracks to see if any wood filler work is necessary, including holes from old hardware.

Prime the cabinets:

Apply the first coat of primer and allow it to dry per the manufacturer’s instructions (some can take four hours, while others need up to 24 hours). "You want everything to cure to the proper level, especially if your cabinets are in poor shape and you need to apply a second coat of primer," says Mike Mundwiller, senior manager at Benjamin Moore.

Some people like to sand a second time after priming to smooth away any ridges or drips and to make sure the surface is as even as possible before painting. If you take this additional step, wipe away residual dust with a slightly damp microfiber cloth.

Start painting:

Use your foam roller to paint large, flat surfaces and your soft-bristled brush to cut into tight spots and corners. Apply thin layers of paint as you go, because building up the surface with a thicker coat will make the cabinets more susceptible to future chips.

There’s no rhyme or reason to the order in which you paint, but many pros like to start with the doors and then move to the boxes. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions in terms of drying times. At a minimum, let the cabinets dry in a well-ventilated area for 24 hours before applying the second coat.

Reinstall the doors and hardware:

Allow everything to fully dry for a day or two, and then reattach pulls and knobs.