
Yes, regular oil-based paints work great on the kitchen cabinets. Sand and clean the cabinets properly for the paint to adhere perfectly. It will have a much smoother finish and fewer brush strokes. What Kind Of Paint Is Most Durable For Kitchen Cabinets? Synthetic enamel (alkyd) oil paints are durable than latex or chalk paint.
What paint is best for cabinets?
Best Paint for Cabinets: Alkyd Enamel Paint. One of my favorite types of paints for painting cabinets is alkyd paint. They now make water-based alkyd paint which allows for easy clean up, but still creates an extremely durable finish without the need for a topcoat. Basically, it has all the great properties of an oil-based paint (dries to a ...
Should I paint my own cabinets?
You need to have unfinished wood on the back for the wood glue to adhere to when attaching them or the face frames will not be secure. Depending on your kitchen cabinets, you might need to paint the cabinet boxes as well. But a paint sprayer will definitely help speed up that process too.
Should you paint or stain your cabinets?
Paint sits on top of the wood, so it largely obscures the look of the wood. The physical features of the grain will remain but the different colors will be painted over. If you want your cabinets to look like natural wood, you should consider staining them. If you just want to give them a coat of a preferred color, paint will suffice.
How much will it cost to paint cabinets?
The cost of painting your kitchen cabinets can cost anywhere from $1200 to $6000 while the cost of refacing them will likely be within the higher end of $1000 to $9000. The costs will be determined based on the requirements of the project. These are the things that will end up having the biggest effect on your final costs.

Can I use normal paint for kitchen cabinets?
There are many types of paint to choose from, but the best paint for kitchen cabinets is semi-gloss, gloss or satin. Matte is not practical in kitchens and baths where you will need durable paint you can easily clean. No matter the types of paint you choose, prepping is an important step in the process.
What is the difference between cabinet paint and regular paint?
The two primary differences between oil-based paint and latex-based paint on kitchen cabinets are final texture and dry time. Oil-based is more traditional and popular with purists who like the “painterly” look of brush marks, while latex gives a more consistent finish.
Can you use regular paint on wood cabinets?
Can I Use Regular Paint To Paint Cabinets? Painting wood cabinets is the best option, but painting any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper is also possible. Cabinet paints can be used to give your cabinet a smooth finish, but you should use a high-quality paint. Vinyl is not the best choice for your paint.
What paint should be used on cabinets?
Semigloss, gloss, or satin—the harder the finish the better. Matte paint on kitchen cabinets is impractical; I wouldn't even use eggshell finish. You want a surface that's durable and wipeable, so you won't be painting again for at least a few years.
Can you use latex paint on cabinets?
With primer applied, you can apply a latex paint (made with pigments and water) over either latex or oil-based primer, or an oil-based paint over an oil-based primer. When deciding between them on the best type of paint for kitchen cabinets, consider your priorities.
Do I need to prime cabinets before painting?
"Priming helps paint to adhere to surfaces and is a critical step if you're painting cabinets," Gibbons says. Consider Clare's fast-drying, multi-surface paint primer that can help conceal any imperfections and even block stains.
What happens if you don't sand cabinets before painting?
If you don't clean before sanding, contaminates (like cooking grease) will be pressed down into the wood. Contaminates will keep the soon be applied paint for sticking.
Should kitchen cabinets be painted satin or semi gloss?
While satin finishes tend to be fairly durable in high traffic areas, they're not as durable and versatile as semi-gloss against mildew and mold. Kitchen cabinets in high moisture environments can, therefore, do better with semi-gloss paints.
How long do painted cabinets last?
With proper care of professionally painted kitchen cabinets, you can expect your newly painted cabinets to last 8-10 years.
What kind of paint is most durable for kitchen cabinets?
ProClassic Alkyd Interior EnamelFor painting your kitchen cabinets, the best paint is one that's consistently easy to apply. ProClassic Alkyd Interior Enamel is a traditional oil-based paint that when fully cured (21 to 30 days), provides a harder, more durable finish than latex or acrylic paints.
What paint to use on cabinets without sanding?
Buy a cabinet painting kit and get the paint tinted to your preference. Good commercial kits contain a de-glosser to remove any older coats of paint on existing cabinetry. The de-glosser eliminates the need to sand or prime surfaces that are already finished.
How do you paint cabinet doors without brush marks?
How To Paint A Door Without Brush Marks (7-Step Guide)Prepare the area & sand the doors.Remove all hardware.Apply your primer and sand it down.Apply the first coat of paint.[Optional] Hang doors to dry.Lightly sand the paint between coats.Apply the second coat or topcoat and let dry.
What is the best enamel for cabinets?
Valspar (at Lowe’s) and Behr (at Home Depot) both make a good cabinet and furniture enamel, similar to the concept of the Satin Enamels in option 1.
How to label cabinet doors when drying?
While the front of your cabinet doors are drying, label the inside of the doors and cabinets, using the raffle ticket method.
What is an alkyd paint?
“Alkyd” paint is basically an oil paint suspended in a water base. That makes application and clean up easier, but gives you the durability of oil paint. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams both make a great Alkyd product.
How to clean Krud Kutter cabinets?
Do yourself a favor and clean every inch of your cabinets or furniture with Krud Kutter first. Simply spray on lightly and wipe off with a clean damp cloth or paper towel, being sure to get in all the crevices of the cabinet doors. This is especially important in kitchens near the stove and sink. 2.
What is painter's tape used for?
Painter’s Tape – for taping off edges and for labeling doors
Does paint chip over time?
Any paint job on anything has the potential to chip over time with heavy wear and tear. Every product, method, and painting professional aims at reducing this problem to almost zero, but I’d be lying if I guaranteed your paint job would never chip.
Do you have to move anything out of your kitchen when painting?
The secret? Unless you are painting the insides of your cabinets (which I don’t recommend) you don’t need to move anything out of your kitchen! No sanding means no dust, which means all your dishes and food can stay in place.
Choose the Right Paint
Purchase the appropriate supplies for your type of cabinets: solid wood, laminate or metal.
Prepare to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Painting cabinets will take several days to complete, so plan accordingly. Always wear the appropriate safety gear and open the windows for ventilation. Also, for best results you should remove the doors and drawers and work on them in an area that’s out of the way, like a garage or basement. Make sure you’ll have proper ventilation there too.
Prime Kitchen Cabinets
Applying primer is an important step in the painting process. Primer provides a suitable surface for the paint to stick to and it covers imperfections.
Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Paint can be applied with a brush and roller (DIY-friendly) or a sprayer (advanced). If you'd like to use a paint sprayer, watch this video for tips on getting the perfect finish.
Refinish Cabinet Hardware
If you’re using your old hardware, you can clean it or refinish it with spray paint for a new look. If your hardware simply needs cleaning, see Refinishing and Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets for instructions. If you want to replace your hardware instead, see our Cabinet Hardware Buying Guide for options.
Finish: Reassemble Kitchen Cabinets
Now that your cabinets are painted, consider adding shelf liners. Some liners are decorative and stick to the surface. Others are padded to help protect the surface.
See How Your Neighbor Did It
Don't just take our word for it. Hilary of Embellishments, took on this project in her bathroom and the results are impressive. She'll walk you through her real-life process of painting cabinets.
What is the best way to clean painted cabinets?
Maintain your painted cabinets and safely wipe away dirt and common household stains with BEHR SWIPES™ Interior Wall Wipes.
How to remove gloss from a paint job?
Gently sand the surface to help remove any gloss from the previous coating.
What tape do you use to tape off glass doors?
We had one glass door that we taped off using painters tape.
What to do after sanding a surface?
After sanding the surface be sure to wipe off all the loose dirt off your surface. I also wiped the surface one last time with alcohol ( you can buy it at the dollar store) as it removes ALL greasy spots, and I wanted to make sure my surface is clean, dirt free, smooth and ready to be primered.
Can you paint kitchen cabinets?
You can PAINT kitchen cabinets! It's easy and it can make wonders!
Does spray paint dry fast?
Spraying the cabinet doors was fast. We had a large heater in the space (as it was super cold outside) so the paint dried fast.
Do you have to number doors after painting them?
Number the doors if you like, to help with an easier process while you are putting your doors back after you painted them .
Can you spray paint doors with a husky gun?
For spray painting the doors we used Husky Spray Gun Kit. It was fairly easy to use, but the trick to it was to clean the guns properly after we were don with the job.
What happens if you don't prop up your cabinets before painting?
If you don't prop up your cabinets prior to painting, you risk missing edges and corners. Lay doors on painter’s pyramids so you can more easily maneuver a brush around the bottom edges.
How to fix a paint brush that has been painted over sand?
Vacuum up any debris before you even think of dipping that brush in paint. Just a few pieces of dust can ruin the look: "You'll get a gritty finish and it'll look like you painted over sand," says Fahrbach. "To fix it, you'll have to sand it and repaint it all over again."
Can you remove drawers and doors?
You don't remove the doors and drawers. This is a crucial first step: Take all the doors off, pull the drawers out and remove the hardware knobs and hinges. Some people try to save time by painting everything — hinges and all — while they're still in place, but Petersik warns that it's not a long-term fix.
Do painted cabinets look smooth?
Painted cabinets look lovely, but they aren't going to look totally smooth . "If the cabinets have a visible open grain, the grooves are going to show through the paint," warns Don Fahrbach, president of professional painting company PNP Craftsmen in New York City.
Is Benjamin Moore Advance good for kitchen?
The Good Housekeeping Institute really likes Benjamin Moore Advance for a smooth finish that's kitchen-friendly. While it may be a bit more than some other paints on the shelf, it's worth it.
Can you wait days to paint cabinets?
13. You rush to put cabinets back. Yes, it's super annoying to wait days for paint to cure. But if you accidentally smudge the paint, you have to sand the door and repaint it (a hard truth any woman who's rushed to leave the nail salon surely understands).
What paint should I use for bathroom cabinets?
To paint a bathroom vanity or bathroom cabinets, I use Benjamin Moore Advance–a special type of paint that is specially made for cabinets. (See my complete review of Benjamin Moore Cabinet Paint here ). It has a harder finish and is more robust than typical semi-gloss that I use on my wood trim. It has “self-levelling” capabilities which means that it is supposed to go on more evenly. If your cabinets don’t get much wear-and-tear, you could also get away with using a semi-gloss but it won’t be as robust in the long run. In our own house, the previous owners painted the kitchen cabinets the wrong type of paint and two years later they look horrible–paint chips and scratches everywhere!
How do I clean a cabinet door?
1.) Remove doors from the frames and the hardware. Wipe down the cabinet doors and the cabinet with a wet cloth. Ours were pretty clean, and I used a microfiber cloth; but, you can also use just a mixture of vinegar and water to clean it.
How many coats of primer should I use for dark oak?
3.) Next, it is time to prime the wood. Two coats of primer should do it for very dark oak wood like ours. The goal of the primer is to adhere to the wood. Because primer is a lot cheaper than paint (a gallon is about $20-25 for primer) vs. the $42-45 for a gallon of cabinet paint, I always do two coats of primer + two coats of paint.
Why does white paint look yellow?
This happens when you sand down the top layer of varnish on old stained oak cabinets or wood trim and open up the layer of the wood stain. The wood stain is going to permeate all of the layers of paint if you reopen that layer up.
Can you paint old oak cabinets white?
HOW TO PAINT BATHROOM CABINETS. Contrary to popular belief, if you have old stained oak cabinets, you should NOT be using sandpaper on them prior to painting them white! Yes, I know this goes against a lot of what you hear elsewhere. But, I can tell you for a fact that if you sand your cabinets you run the risk of a bad paint job.
Is spray paint better than hand painting?
Spraying the paint with a paint sprayer (we have this one) will give you a more flawless finish than hand-painting or hand-rolling them. We used a paint sprayer in our back hallway and with our pantry doors and the finish is definitely better than our by-hand cabinets. That being said, spraying is a big undertaking with all the set-up involved. If it is a small project, I would recommend hand-painting with a roller and a paint brush and if it is a bigger project then using a paint sprayer will save you time.
Can I use Benjamin Moore paint on wood trim?
Yes! Talk to the sales associate at your local paint store. Our local Benjamin Moore paint store associate actually recommended a different primer to use on all of our wood trim, which I opted against because it had high levels of VOCs.
What is clear coat paint?
Clear coats are usually made with UV blockers, which will protect your cabinets’ paint from fading due to sunlight exposure.
Do you need clear coat for cabinets?
However, this does mean you absolutely have to use clear coat. Yet, if you want to maintain a vibrant finish to your cabinets, it is a good practice to finish with a clear coat.
Can you paint cabinets yourself before adding clear coat?
Before you can add the clear coat, you need to paint the cabinets. You can hire someone, though this can get quite expensive. You can also paint the cabinets yourself.
Do you sand paint in between coats of paint?
Yes, it is important to sand in between coats of paint on a cabinet. It is important, however, to lightly sand the cabinets. Use extra-fine sandpaper. Sanding will help remove dust particles that settle as you paint. The finish of the paint will come out smoother this way.
Can you put clear coat over painted cabinets?
Yes, you can put a clear coat over painted cabinets. After you have painted the cabinets, it is recommended to add several layers of clear coat. The clear coat, usually polyurethane, helps the cabinets look new for longer. Additionally, a clear coat will protect the surface of the cabinet. This will increase the longevity and durability of the cabinet.
Do you need to prime cabinets first?
Prime the cabinets first. It is easy to forget to use a primer, but it is very important.
Can you paint a cabinet door?
Remove the cabinet doors. Many people try painting them while they are attached. This can lead to issues, however. Paint can get into the hinges.
