Update: We have a much newer cabinet-painting post with more photos, details, and even a video for you here.
If you can paint a wall (and even if you can’t) you can paint your kitchen cabinets. There are just a few tried and true rules when attempting this project, so if you follow the simple steps outlined below it’ll be pretty hard to screw things up. And although you’ve all seen our newly renovated kitchen, we actually painted our previous 50-year-old knotty pine cabinets right after we moved in (to tide us over until we had the funds to replace them altogether). Check out the dark and dingy kitchen that we inherited with the house:
And the refreshing “after” thanks to only a few hours of prepping and painting:
So how did we do it? Easy peasy.
Step 1: Figure out what you want. Bring home paint swatches and select the perfect palette, and if you’re planning to replace your hardware, purchase some before you move on to the next step. Because most old hardware is a different size than newer hardware (the holes are further apart or closer together), it’s important to know if your new door and drawer bling is spaced differently than your current hardware before you begin. Then it’s nice to wash everything down with a little soap and water to cut the grease and the spills that have built up on the doors and drawers over the years. Nothin’ like a little sponge bath to get you in the mood to makeover your kitchen…
Step 2: Take it off, baby. Now it’s time to remove all of your hardware and your hinges (regardless of whether you’ll be reusing it or replacing it- and it helps to store everything in a big ziplock bag so you’re never short a screw). Of course by removing the hinges you’ll be removing all the doors, so finding a place that you can lay out a big fabric or plastic drop cloth (which are about $2 from Home Depot or Lowe’s) is a good idea. Once you have your drop cloth in place, lay out all your cabinet doors and drawers so you can paint them all together in one convenient spot (and have full access to the frames of the cabinets in the kitchen).
Step 3: Fill ‘er up. Then if you’re replacing your hardware with something that won’t fit the existing holes in your doors and drawers, you’ll want to pick up some wood filler (it’s around $6 a tube, which is all ya need) and fill those existing hardware holes in all of the doors and drawers. There are many different colors of wood fill, but since you’re painting your cabinets, matching the tone isn’t really a big deal (although it can’t hurt to grab the one that most closely resembles the color of your current cabinets).
Step 4: Get sandy. The sanding process isn’t always necessary (for example, our cabinets weren’t glossy so we skipped it and went straight to priming) but for some people with super shiny cabinets (aka: lots of polyurethane) it can’t hurt to run an electric sander over everything- or take a bit more time to hand sand things- with fine grit paper to rough everything up for maximum paint stickage. Not sure if yours need to be sanded? If they feel matte like a cutting board (a little absorbent) then they shouldn’t need it, but if they feel shiny like a laminated piece of paper or a glossy credit card then sanding is your best bet. Note: lead paint is a serious health risk when sanding, so if you have an older home with already-painted cabinets that look decades old it’s worth testing for lead with a $6 lead test kit from Home Depot. Safety first!
Step 5: It’s prime time. Due to all the grease and even just the wood stain that often coats kitchen cabinets, it’s über important to get down and dirty with oil-based primer (even if the water-based equivalent claims that it works just as well on cabinet surfaces, we’ve seen stains seep right through that stuff, so oil-based is the better-safe-than-sorry alternative). One coat of primer applied with a decent quality roller should do the trick (then just use a brush to get into those tigher spaces and the grooves in the doors). We prefer wool or polyester rollers (Purdy’s a great brand) over foam ones as we’ve found that they rile up the paint and cause bubbles. Oh and it doesn’t matter if you can still see the wood tone underneath after one coat, the primer’s main job is to make your cabinets sticky and the paint will do the rest. You’ll probably want to snag an extra brush just for priming since they’re usually pretty messed up afterwords (it’s best to toss it or save it for other priming projects and use a pristine new one for painting). And ditto with the roller. We usually don’t even try washing the oil-based paint out of it- and prefer to replace it with a fresh new one before painting for a seamless result (reused rollers and brushes can often compromise the smooth finish that you’re going for when it comes to your cabinets).
Step 6: Get your paint on. You’re in the home stretch, so just two coats of latex paint (in a semi gloss finish for easy wipe-ability) are next on the agenda. You’ll definitely want to wait a few hours after applying primer, but I actually primed and painted my cabinets (two coats!) all in the same day. When it comes to applying the paint, a high quality wool or polyester roller makes for the sleekest application. A mini foam roller can also help since it’s smaller and easy to control. You’ll also probably need to use a brush sparingly, just to get into those little cracks and crevices that your roller can’t reach. Do yourself a favor by buying an angle-tipped brush as opposed to a flat-tipped one- they make staying in the lines a lot easier.
Note: We didn’t prime or paint the inside of the doors, but our approach would be to prime/paint them first and then wait five days and turn them over and prime/paint the outside (that way if anything got a bit imperfect after being flipped face down, it would be on the inside- an therefore less noticeable).
Step 7: Wait for it. After two coats of latex paint you now have to practice patience. Most experts advise waiting at least three days to rehang or begin using your doors and drawers (especially since the rehanging process involves lots of holding and pressing and drilling which can muck up anything that’s not 100% dry). We actually advise waiting five days if ya can (it beats doing the whole thing all over again and guarantees a totally seamless finish even in high humidity).
Step 8: Hang in there. Then all you have to do is rehang your doors (either using your existing hinges or new ones), slip in your drawers, and add your hardware. If the hardware is new, take time to measure twice before you drill to avoid any annoying mistakes that will make you want to putty and repaint, which never looks as good as the flawless finish that you get the first time around. John actually took his sweet time drilling all of our holes for the new hardware (to the tune of about two hours) but it was well worth the assurance that everything was perfectly centered and right where it should be. In this case slow and steady wins the race.
*Oh and it bears noting that if your cabinets are anything but solid wood (laminate, veneered, etc) you should definitely take off a door or a drawer and bring it with you to your local hardware store and ask the paint pro there what they recommend. There are some great oil-based primers and enamel paints out there so it might be possible to get a semi-durable finish (although none as long-lasting as solid wood paint jobs). The key is really roughing up the surface so it’s less glossy and then priming and painting with the best stuff they have (usually oil or enamel based). Oh and don’t forget to let everything dry for a while so things can cure up and get super durable for the long haul.
So that about does it for our cabinet painting and refinishing tutorial. Of course Step 9 is to invite all of your friends over for celebratory margaritas or to do the happy dance every time you walk into your amazing new space. We hope this will help you completely transform your kitch on a dime and in a flash. And just in case you need a few more before & after pictures to convince you, here are two clients of ours that we helped transform their rooms with painted cabinets:
Here’s Kim’s crazy blue kitchen that she inherited with her home:
And here’s her two-tone masterpiece after a quick paint makeover (we suggested slightly different colors for her upper and lower cabinets):
And here’s Carla’s kitchen before she came to us for help:
And here it is after we encouraged her to paint her cabinets a crisp glossy white tone (along with her dining room chairs) while the dining table went black to mimic the backsplash:
Amazing what a little paint can do, eh? And if they can do it you can to! So if you have a spare weekend or even a few week nights you’ll be well on your way to a totally new room. Happy painting…
In need of a furniture painting tutorial? Fret not, we’ve gotcha covered.
Update: We have a much newer cabinet-painting post with more photos, details, and even a video for you here.
Tricia Crane says
Can’t afford a total kitchen makeover so I’ve decided to paint my dark pine 80’s cabinets. I’m stuck with a white ceramic tile floor and white countertops. Can you suggest a paint color for my cabinets? My walls are Desert Sand by BM. P.S. It’s a dark, galley-style kitchen. Is their any hope for me?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tricia,
There’s hope! Try a super soft sandy tan tone (BM’s Winds Breath or French White) that’s lighter than the walls but darker than the white floor tile and countertops). You’ll end up with a warm layered kitchen with enough dimension to feel inviting instead of flat. Of course adding accessories for a pop of color or two (cinnamon accents? fresh leafy greens?) will keep things feeling even more interesting and stylish. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
erica says
I thought I heard somewhere that you can’t use oil then latex? Or is it that you can’t use latex then oil? I have old bathroom cabinets that I used acrylic on but it was very hard to paint with. I ended up hiring someone to finish them. Now I need to redo the kitchen cabinets. What brand of Latex is best?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erica,
That’s oil=based paint followed by latex paint. Always a bubbling no-no. But oil-based primer followed by at least two thin and even coats of latex paint is the industry standard. Hope it helps! And latex brand from Benjamin Moore to Glidden or Behr is a great product and should get the job done. Just don’t forget to prime first with the oil-based stuff. Good luck!
xo,
s
Cathy says
Another yhl blog addict here. Seriously… daily addiction.
Can you help me with a kitchen cabinet color? We are getting new cabinets very similar to your current ones. I desperately want them white, but I’m not sure what tone I should go for. My main issue is that I have an all white tile backsplash and white appliances! The floor is oak. The laminate countertop is sort of beige with grey specks (which may change some day down the long road). The wall color will be changing (love your Gentle Tide), but the walls are not around the cabinets (except for above the sink window) to offset all the white.
I’ve learned from you that a layered, dimensional look is best. But I’ve been dreaming of white cabinets for years (they are currently a very dark pine). Do you have any suggestions of some white tones I should check out? I don’t want to go beige/tan.
Thanks so much for your advice. You guys are the best!
YoungHouseLove says
Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White! It’s not too stark or too yellow… it’s juuuuuust right. And we’ve seen many a gorgeous all white kitch, plus with a darker floor and counter you’ll still have plenty of dimension. And layering in some accessories with a bit of color will be the icing on the cake. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Vicky says
Hi,
Thank you for the great advice you have given me in the past. I have one more question on painting my kitchen cabinets. Today was sanding day. Whew! Now that we are ready for primer, I am questioning the primer I bought. It’s Kilz Oil Based Primer. I now wonder if it is sandable, it does not say so on the can. I would rather exchange than use something that is not top quality. I understand it may be necc. to sand out any imperfections in the primer. Also is semi-gloss paint ok on the cabs or would high gloss be better? Your help is greatly appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Vicky,
In our humble opinion, Kilz is the best of the best. It’s what we buy and use consistently in our home improvement adventure, and although it doesn’t say it’s sandable, it is. And we doubt you’ll need to sand anything at all! Just apply a thin and even coat and remember that you don’t want a thick drippy application (which would need sanding)- a thin and even one is the way to go. As for the paint, we prefer semi-gloss to high gloss since high gloss shows more imperfections while semi-gloss still has a nice sheen and a flawless wipe-able finish. Hope it helps! Happy painting…
xo,
s
Vicky says
Thank you, Thank you! My mind is at ease again.
Mari says
We recently bought a 1930s, several times added onto Ranch style home. The living room and dining room are long and wide open, 11′ x 41′ together. I have the dining room painted a dark, brownish green and the living room is brown tones. The kitchen is just off of the dining room through a very narrow and short hallway/entry way. I am thinking of painting the walls kind of a tarracotta and then re-painting the cupboard a dark creamy color. They are currently white and pealing. I am going for a modern country look in my house. I like color, clean lines and no clutter, but I am a ranch girl and love antiques and wrought iron. Any ideas for colors that would coordinate? I don’t want to clash with the green dining room. Also the tarracotta is not set in stone. I just need guidance. I don’t want my home to look gaudy.
aimee says
Hi Youngsters! After all the inspiration on this tutorial, we took the plunge and are painting our kitchen cabinets white. We did everything you suggested, but it looks like we might have to do a third coat of semi-gloss. We sanded after the oil primer, then again after the 1st coat of paint. Do you think we need to sand after the 2nd coat before we do a third coat? I want the cabinets to be as smooth as possible, but I am sooo over sanding. ;) But of course, I am willing to do it if it means a nicer looking finish.
What do you think? to sand or not to sand?
Thanks again,
A
YoungHouseLove says
A third coat is nothing to be worried about so that’s the good news. But wait, there’s more good news… sanding is a thing of the past! As long as you do a thin and even final coat you shouldn’t have to break out that sandpaper anymore. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
betsy says
hi j&s! i discovered your blog a few weeks ago and am officially ADDICTED! i love what you have done with the house and your how-to section is a total inspiration. so after 3+ years of living with ugly 70s stained wood kitchen cabinets, i decided to paint them last weekend – holy cabinets, what a HUGE job! i took all the cabinet doors off, removed the drawers and laid them out in our basement on a plastic drop cloth. i then cleaned all doors and frames with 409, filled holes with wood-filler, lightly sanded and then wiped everything down with wet rags. i then coated each side with ZIN BIN white primer, then did 2 coats of semi-gloss Behr paint (allowing each side to dry 12 hours in between flipping and painting). i finished my last coat monday night and my husband began putting them up yesterday (thursday) and they have started to chip here and there – break my heart :( it seems to be chipping so easily – ie: my husband’s finger nail hit a cabinet door, chipping it down to the wood. i feel like maybe we put them on too soon and now we have all the cabinet doors open, allowing them to dry and cure even more. it’s chipping down to the old wood – is that a bad sign? what should i do about these chips? lightly sand and paint? should i even add some primer to the chips before dabbing paint on? i felt like i followed all the instructions and now i’m super frustrated. help!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Betsy,
So sorry to hear about your cabinet-painting frustration! We’ve heard back from many people who have followed our tutorial with success (and our cabinets never had the chipping issue) so my guess would be that it might be the shorter allotted drying time, the actual material of your cabinets (if they’re not solid wood or something) or the primer (is Zin Bin oil-based, if so it’s great… if it’s water-based it’s not as good). Either way we’re so sorry to hear about the chipping problem, although admittedly we’re not experts in that area since we never encountered that road block. Maybe asking a paint professional at Home Depot or Benjamin Moore is the best next step? Good luck!
xo,
s
prettythings says
I just stumbled on your blog and love it! I’m looking to paint my cabinets (similar to yours, but sans knots) and one of my ideas is to have a darker color for lower cabinets and a soft white for the uppers. Can you tell me why you recommend that style? Is it to open a smaller space (and my kitchen is SMALL! and DARK!)? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, it opens things up, adds interest and dimension, etc. You’ll love the effect. Good luck!
xo,
s
Jake says
This blog is incredibly informative.
I need your help – I’m going to do a cheapo kitchen makeover this week: paint the walls and cabinets, and get new window coverings.
Here’s the circa 1973 mess I’ve inherited: Walls are white, cabinets are brown, flooring is faux wood/brownish, appliances are golden yellow, counter tops are cream colored, curtains are flowery.
I have no idea what colors to use, but I’m willing to try anything. All I know is it has to be different by next weekend. Any color combo suggestions?
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
Good question Jake! I would try something creamy for the cabinets to work with the existing counters (and the warm undertones will also complement the golden appliances and also help them blend). Ideally the cream tone would be at least one shade lighter or darker than the counters so it doesn’t look to washed out. You might want to bring home a bunch of tan, light mocha, or creamy paint swatches and just pick the one that looks best with the counters & appliances (since anything we recommend could have clashing undertones). Then for the walls, something richer and lush (like Benjamin Moore’s Firewood, Woodacres or Saddle Tan) would do the trick, and since the floors are brown you could also do something a bit lighter if you’d like a more airy feeling (like Benjamin Moore’s Baja Dunes). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cassie says
Hello!! I love, love, love this whole site! We are re-doing our kitchen (cabinets first and wall paint second) and want to know what colors to paint our cabinets when we have almond color appliances. We have a creamy, terra cotta tile on the floor and there is plenty of light in the kitchen with 2 windows. I am not a fan of greyish colors but will certainly trust whatever advice you give!! : ) What color of wall would match….we also have trim…. AHHHHHHHHHH! Please help before my husband changes his mind..lol
Thank you!!!!!!!
Cassie says
WOOPSIE… ^^^^^^ the counter tops are a creamy (neutral) marbled looking laminate..
Thanks again…
Cassie
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, try something creamy to work with the existing counters and flooring for the cabinets. But ideally it would be at least one shade lighter or darker than the counters so it doesn’t look to washed out. You might want to bring home a bunch of tan, light mocha, or creamy paint swatches and just pick the one that looks best with the tones in your room (since anything we recommend could have clashing undertones). Then for the walls, something richer and lush would complete the picture (like Benjamin Moore’s Firewood, Woodacres or Saddle Tan). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cassie says
Thanks for the quick response… It helped! I guess I was also wondering what color/colors of cabinets would work best with the almond appliances.. Or at least not make the appliances look dingy or yellow. If you think the greyer colors will do the trick then I am all for it. Is it best to match the floor trim with the cabinets?? I also have an island and didn’t know if I should match it to the cabinets or make it a shade darker than the wall color we choose. Sorry,… I’m skeered! : (
YoungHouseLove says
If you scroll up, the creamy color I suggested was for the cabinets. I can’t select a specific paint swatch with confidence since I don’t know the undertones going on in your existing counter so bringing home a bunch of samples is the best way to do to keep those appliances and counters looking fresh without standing out in a bad way. I think something warm is a better idea than a greyer tone since the appliances are warm and you want them to blend, not stand out. As for the island, try sliding one or two tones deeper than the one you’ll choose for the cabinets on the color swatch for something that’s cohesive yet dimensional. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jake says
Need help – I’m the guy a few comments up with the brown cabinets, white walls, faux wood flooring, and golden yellow appliances. I”m buying the paint Tuesday after work. I have to make a change, but I’m terrified I’m going to make mess of it. Thanks.
Cassie says
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I feel so much better! My kitchen is gonna rock!! Yay ! : )
Jake says
Awesome – you’ve given me a lot to work with. Thank you so much.
This next question will reveal my complete ignorance on matters re: design.
I’ve never painted a room anything other than white or light beige. If I paint all the walls in a rich lush brownish tone, does that include the ceiling, or does that stay white? [There is no trim or crown moulding].
Thanks again.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jake,
I would do the ceiling the lightest shade on that color swatch, so slide all the way up the swatch to find your hue (so it has a bit of color that correlates to the walls and feels more polished and finished- not like you forgot to paint the big white ceiling). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Rebecca says
Just stumbled across your blog last week and I’m newly inspired to tackle my lingering home projects!
Have you heard of anyone having success painting straight-out-of-the-80s almond melamine cabinets with oak trim on the bottom? I saw this done on HGTV once–they filled in the oak strips, added trim around the edges, painted and added knobs. (Here’s the general idea: http://activerain.com/blogsview/459338/the-80-s-are-over-it-s-time-to-clean-2tips4-2sday-) I’d love to paint them white, and I wanted to see if you had any advice.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that sounds exciting! Our advice would be to bring a cabinet door to a paint professional at Home Depot or Benjamin Moore to see what they recommend. Oil based primer followed by latex paint should do the trick but they might have other tips. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kristen says
I have a light wood color for kitchen cabinets… I want a really bright wight… Nice hardware and a tin ceiling back splash…. I have flat black granite counter tops… A light gray walls and white trim. Please let me know what you would recommend for a white paint and brand… Would you also recommend brushing on paint and spray painting the cabinets?? Is yes… how should i do this process?
I hope to get started this Friday…. I look forward to your help… I have heard great things about you.
YoungHouseLove says
Try Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White in semi gloss- it’s perfect! I would roll the paint on and use a high quality brush to get into the cracks & corners- just refer to the tutorial above (in this very post) for the details. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kristen says
White….. note wight…. Typing in the dark…. LOL
Katie says
Hi YHL guys!
I’ve been following your blog for the past month or so and I’m totally addicted!!!
My hubby and I recently purchased a great 1920’s craftsman home that is in great shape, but needs to be painted to suit our style :)
I’ve got great ideas for every room except the kitchen, hopefully you guys can help!
Currently the kitchen has medium-tone original wood flooring, black appliances and a cobalt blue kitchen sink (which we love, so it gets to stay)… Cabinets must be painted, counter must be replaced as it’s currently terra-cotta coloured tiles, but we don’t know what colours to choose! Any recomendations? I’m not sure stark white cabinets will work with black appliances, and wood floors. We love cool tones, and would like an inviting colour! Thanks, and again, I LOVE your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely go for smoky gray cabinets to work with those black appliances and the cobalt sink. The cool undertone will be awesome and a deeper slate gray or lighter soft gray counter will further polish off your space (just be sure it’s at least a shade lighter or darker than the cabinets). As for some actual cabinet colors to try, why not do Benjamin Moore’s Timber Wolf on the base cabinets and a slightly lighter shade of gray (Benjamin Moore’s Marina Gray) on the upper cabinets for dimension and interest. Love it! Send us pics!
xo,
s
joen Luk says
Hi, I have the 80 style European kitchen cabinet that is almond colour melamine with oak trim, and I would like to update the look of it. My son hates the oak pull at the door.
Could you please advise as how should I update the cabinet with low budget ? I have done painting on wall, but not on cabinet. My husband can do some minor handy work.
Looking forward to receive your advise. Thanks so much.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Joen,
Since your cabinets are melamine, the best way to figure out how to paint them would be to take a cabinet door or a drawer with you to a home improvement store and ask the paint professional what they would recommend. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Dear Sherry & John,
Thank you for your blog and your lovely insight! (As well as a great witness to how fun marriage can be) My husband and I are closing on our first house tomorrow morning, and he has given me free reign in the kitchen. We have a galley: 10×7, with a 4×7 eating area underneath a bright window. One end of the galley walks into the dining room and another doorway leads out into our greige living room.
Finally, here is my question: What is a general rule regarding black cabinets? I’d like to paint the upper, outside wall, non-applianced cabinets black and the others a white/cream (cheap cream counter-tops, unfortunately). I would also leave the cabinet doors off, use baskets and put only my silver cookware in the cabinets.
Can it work? Or am I lost in another century?
Sincerely,
~jennifer
YoungHouseLove says
The rule is: that sounds awesome. Go for it! And send us pics! We have every reason to believe that it’ll look fabulous and we wish you the best of luck. Don’t forget to take before photos! It’s really going to be a dramatic change!
xo,
s
Rossana says
Another fan of your blog! We have just finished up a huge demo of our 1984 (first!!) home. We completely redid the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom/bathroom but we don’t have enough money to redo the downstairs bathroom as well. I included a link to a picture of the half bathroom which looks very similar to the bathroom I want to redo – cream colored counters, oak cabinets, off white tile. Since the counters are so blah and can’t be changed out, I wanted to repaint the cabinets and was hoping for some advice. Thank you!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rossana,
The room is so neutral that it could carry of many colors on that vanity, from a wheaty tan to a deep chocolate or even a soft beachy gray-blue (Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ellen McGinnis says
I primed the inside of
my kitchen cup-
boards; then I
painted them with
Easy-Care Latex. Is
it okay to now paint
them with semi-
gloss latex, or do I
have to prime them
again? Thank You.
YoungHouseLove says
You’re probably ok to paint them with the semi-gloss from here on out, but ideally you would have followed the primer with that paint so if you want to be safe you can apply one thin coat of primer. It should probably work either way. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
chad says
Another fan of your blog! We have a newer kitchen with just a bad choice of cabinets. They are like a maple color. The problem we are facing is that we have stainless steal appliances. We also painted the room a light tan to go with the light tan and green flooring. What color would you suggest we paint the cabinets. We need some help. Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
We love the look of crisp white cabinets with stainless appliances and tan walls. Classic and so much lighter and open. We like Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
I am going to try painting my cabinets this week following your tutorial but I am a little nervous about using the oil-based primer. How smelly/toxic/messy is it? Should I be concerned about the fumes, i.e. wear a mask, keep the area well-ventilated? How do you dispose of the paint brushes, etc., that you used? I assume you cannot just put them in the regular trash.
Also, I saw the comment above about not using latex paint over oil paint – I have no idea if the cabinets (or any other room in our house) is painted with oil paint or latex – how can you tell? Our house is pretty old, has not been updated in a while and could have oil-based paint on the walls/cabinets.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mary,
Fear not! Many many readers have followed this tutorial to the letter and ended up with fabulous newly transformed cabinets! As for working with oil-based primer, I would always recommend having a fan going, opening the windows and generally taking precautions to keep the room ventilated. You can also wear a mask if you’d like- it certainly can’t hurt!
As for paint brushes, you can wash them with mineral spirits to use them again with other priming projects (although they rarely come clean enough to be pristine enough to paint final coats, so save them for more of the prep work). If you need to dispose of them for good, driving to your local recycling center (they’re listed online, in the yellow pages, and you can even call your extension office) and dropping them into the “paint waste” area is always a nice thing to do for Mother Nature.
As for not using latex paint over oil paint, our house is 50+ years old and it had latex paint on the walls/trim so I’m not too worried about yours. You will know immediately if you’re using latex over oil paint because it will bubble and not adhere properly (it will seem to slide off and dissipate). I would definitely proceed with latex paint on your walls and trim and cross your fingers that it works (since it most likely will work swimmingly). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
Thank you, thank you, Sherry! Our house is 90+ years so I am never sure how recently things were updated and how old some of the materials might be. This is also my very first home improvement project EVER so I am a little nervous but I am sure with your instructions it will go great. If so, I will send before/afters as I hope it will be a great transformation!
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck with everything!
xo,
s
Jen says
Our wood cabinets are stained the same color as Carla’s! I’m not sure what you’d call that color, but I’m ready for some change. The kitchen overlooks the living room, which is painted a medium brown. We have white tile backsplash in the kitchen and white crown moulding in the living room. The tile in the ktichen has shades of brown and gray. Definitely dark. Our countertops are white. I’ve considered an antiqued white finish to our kitchen cabinets and wondered how that might look against white tile backsplash, white countertops and the brown living room walls. What do you think?
LOVE your ideas! They are so fresh! Thanks for your help. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jen,
Hmm, you could definitely go with an antique white for a light and bright layered monochromatic look in the kitch. I would just bring home a slew of white, off-white and cream paint chips and hold each one up to see which ones go well with the existing backsplash and countertops. With the brown tile in the kitchen and the brown paint in the living room, you’re sure to have a balanced and open look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jen says
Thanks for the tips! Love an open, airy look!
Natalie says
Thanks for putting this together. Did you paint the fronts and backs in one day? I am nervous to ruin one side by rushing things. Any insights you have would be appreciated.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Natalie,
We actually only painted the fronts of the cabinets (so we never turned them over) but if we were going to paint the inside as well we would recommend doing that two or even three full days later so you don’t have the freshly painted side lying on a tarp getting indentations or smears. You want it to really cure up and get a nice hard finish. Starting with the insides of the cabinet doors is also recommended so if you do turn them over a few days later and they get a few imperfections they won’t be on the outside. Hope it helps! We promise the extra effort will be worth the wait!
xo,
s
Julie says
Sherry,
I’m going to paint my wood cabinets white. They were already painted white by the previous owners, but they did a horrible job. I have no idea if they used latex or oil paint – is there a way to tell? If I just do the oil-based primer over everything, then it won’t matter what type of paint is under it, right?
Also, if it is latex paint that they used, can I just sand and go straight to the two-coats of latex paint, or is it important that I prime over the old paint?
Thanks!
Julie
YoungHouseLove says
Correct! If you use oil-based primer it won’t matter at all, and you can follow it with a few thin and even coats of latex paint. Then don’t forget to let everything dry for a while. I would definitely NOT skip the priming step even if it’s latex paint that you’re dealing with because if you want a high quality finish that lasts and looks great, the primer is a short cut in the long run because it really helps your cabinets hold up for the long haul. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erika says
I would love to paint our ugly orange honey oak cabinets white but they are not high quality cabinets. The doors are solid but the sides are made of compressed wood covered by laminate/vaneer. Can I still paint the sides to same way as the doors?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erika,
You can definitely still use the exact steps in the above tutorial for a great transformation that really lasts. Thanks to the doors being solid (which are the surfaces that get the most use by far) you should have great adhesion for a nice finished product. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
scott says
We have the same ugly orange honey oak cabinets with fairly new all white appliances. I’d like to paint the cabinets white, but would that be way too much white in the kitchen?
YoungHouseLove says
No way! White cabinets will be a great way to blend those white appliances into the space for a seamless look that’s open and light! We love Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jeni says
Trying to redo my kitchen. Made all new doors out of pine and beadboard. The boxes were painted so I tried to do a faux woodgrain finish and stain the doors to match. Anyways, I hate it. I have already applied oil gloss polyurethane over about 6 of the doors. I have decided to go with a soft taupe/gray color on the cabinets. How do I start now that some of my doors are poly’d and some are just stained (and some still unfinished wood)? Thanks for any help.
Jeni
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jeni,
You’ll need to sand down the poly’d doors and prime everything with oil-based primer for a “reset” of sorts. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Eleanor says
My husband and I are in the process of painting and putting new hardware on our oldddd kitchen cabinets. They are already white (sort of off-white and dirty looking)– so we are repainting them with a fresh new coat of white paint.
We are planning on using primer, but do you think we need to put primer on the back side of the cabinets as well? Do you think we need primer at all if the cabinets are already white? I assume we do, just checking. Let me know what you think!
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely still used oil-based primer everywhere! It’s the best prep surface to get the paint to stick. As for the inside of the cabinets, if you want to paint them, definitely prime them (if not you can leave them unpainted since they’re not seen from the outside). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Colleen says
Hi Sherry,
We just moved into a 70 year old home with a TINY kitchen with a horrible paint job, paneling and white appliances (which are not that old). We want to gut the entire kitchen and breakfast room, but we don’t have the money yet. We want to paint the cabients and paneling and keep the kitchen bright and airy, since its sooo small. The countertops are a black formica (we may replace) The cabinet doors are flat with nothing on the front, would painting them white be too stark? The floor is black vinyl marble look, its fine for now. What color would you paint the cabinents and paneling? We will replace the knobs with something brushed nickle. We like black, white some shade of steel/blue-grey ish with accents of dark redish/cranberry….what do you think? Or do we do a tan or taupe insead? Thanks! Love what you did to your house.
Colleen
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! You could definitely do white cabinets for a high contrast chic black and white kitchen (Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White). You could also go with a light pewter gray (Benjamin Moore’s Light Pewter) on the top cabinets and a deeper medium cloud gray for the bottom cabinets (Benjamin Moore’s Nimbus) for a bit more dimension and interest. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erin says
We are considering painting the cabinets in our new house. the are circa 1984 plain oak. Our contractor/handy man has talked to us about the job, but he said we couldn’t do white because the grain of the oak would come through and not look good. Have you found this to be true? I would think after priming and 2 coats you wouldn’t be able to see. I wanted to do white because it’s neautral and our whole house has this beautiful crown molding throughout that is white,white, white. The guy talked me into dark chocolate brown cabinets. I know it’s trendy right now, but is it too trendy to not last? HELP!!!
YoungHouseLove says
White is definitely the perfect solution for 80s oak cabinets! As long as there’s no physical bumping out of the knots and things, they shouldn’t show through at all with oil-based primer and two coats of thin latex paint (and if they do feel a bit recessed, some sanding will solve that). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meghann says
Hi Sherry –
I love your blog! I have a question for you. My kitchen has incredibly old, cheap cabinets that are completely flat (no molding or dimension at all) and very long. They are painted white with brown and gold speckled granite countertops and a wall painted red. It is in desperate need of a makeover but I can’t decide what to do. I love white in everyone else’s kitchens but to me the white just doesn’t look right in ours. What are some other colors that you would consider painting cabinets if you had the countertops we have with the red wall?
Thanks in advance!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, what about a mocha color (Benjamin Moore’s Baja Dunes) on the upper cabinets and a chocolate color on the base cabinets (Benjamin Moore’s Cabor Trail)? It’ll look rich with the red wall and really work with the warm gold-speckled counters too. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Do you have any advice for refinishing cabinet doors that aren’t quite wood? My house was built circa 1984, and I believe the cabinet doors are thermofoil or laminate. How do I determine what they are made of and have to paint them white?
Thanks,
Amanda
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amanda,
We would recommend taking a door or drawer to a home improvement store and asking the paint professionals what they would recommend. The primer and latex paint method above should work pretty well (although not as long-term as it would on wood) but they might have some even newer products and ideas to make yours even more durable. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
joanna sim says
Hi there,
I just came across your blog – LOVE IT!!! I am in a similar situation… just bought a house, doing lots of fix-ups and and want to paint our kitchen cabinets white. i’m curious what the inside of your cabinets look like since you mentioned you didn’t paint the inside. Do you have a picture to share?
Thanks for all this helpful information!!!
Joanna
p.s. here’s a picture of our kitchen cabinets: http://mikeeandjo.smugmug.com/photos/599539039_V3cDA-L.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Joanna,
If you check out the House Tour tab under the header you’ll see that we’ve since gutted our kitchen and replaced it with white cabinets (that we didn’t paint) so we’re afraid we don’t have photos of the inside of our old cabinets. Just picture the fronts painted and the insides remaining the same wood tone they were in the before. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meghann says
S – You are amazing! Thank you!
joanna says
got it, thanks!!!
i finally went through a lot of the stuff on your site – loved your wedding pics and everything you did for it. Such an inspiration you are!
Kelly Mitchell says
Have you any experience with trying to paint the classic Home Depot melamine(or whatever that finish is) cabinets? Any suggestions?
Love the site by the way!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We would recommend bringing a door or drawer to Home Depot to see what the paint professionals suggest. The method above should work but they might even have more durable solutions. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
joanna says
btw, have you ever tried http://www.updone.com?
They do museum wraps on the cheap. Not exactly professional lab quality but it was good enough for me and makes for stunning wall art!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We’ll have to check them out!
xo,
s
Beth says
We have Santa Cecilia granite that we are keeping. We have the honey oak cabinets with cathedral raised panels on the top, and rectangle raised panels on the bottom. We are either painting our kitchen cabinets cream or white, and I want the walls to either be a light blue or beige. What do you think would look better?
Thanks for any advice you can give!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Beth,
As people with a soft blue grey kitchen with white cabinets that would be what we prefer. Try Ben Moore’s Decorator’s White for the cabinets and Quiet Moments on the walls. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Beth says
OH, and if you think of a different color scheme for the cabinets or walls – I’m all ears!
Beth says
Thanks for your feedback! My husband keeps saying that the blue colors will not bode well with the brown/cream/yellow granite, so I wasn’t sure!
Jenny says
Hi,we want to paint our knotty pine cabinetes but after considering white or cream, we are not sure because the floor is white and the appliances are cream color and so are the countertops and back splash. Is it too much of a good thing? What color do you suggest. The walls are a nice green. Thank you! Jen
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jen,
I would definitely bring a bunch of tan and cream and ivory and white swatches home and try to select something a bit different yet complementary to the other tones going on (you don’t want anything that matches exactly, just something a shade darker or lighter than the things next to them). You’ll have a nice airy and open kitchen in the end. Especially with those nice green walls. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Carol says
Okay, obviously I’m confused. You use an oil-based primer under two latex coats of color? Isn’t that a major no-no? Also, the end panels of my cabinets are not actually wood but a fake wood laminate. Can I use the same process on them?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Carol,
Oil-based PAINT under latex paint is a major no no, but oil-based primer under latex paint is the industry standard (and it works like a charm!). As for laminate, the process above should work but won’t be as durable and long-lasting as solid wood. You might want to take a door or drawer from your kitchen into the home improvement store to ask the paint professionals there if they have any tips and tricks for painting laminate. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Christine Marie says
I really wish I had read this before I painted the cabinets in our kitchen! Half of the cabinets in our kitchen were original to the house and had a glossy yellowy/off-white finish. The other cabinets we got for free (made them into an island) and were finished wood. I sanded and primed the wood ones and then painted all of them with white semi-gloss latex paint.
Now we’re having some problems. The original cabinets (that started off with the glossy off-white paint) are now peeling chunks of the new paint, and ALL the cabinets in the kitchen stick really bad. I thought at first they just needed more time to cure, but I painted them nearly 3 months ago and there’s been no change.
Is there anything I can do to fix this mess without re-doing everything?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! We’ve actually heard that baby power helps to keep things from sticking so maybe dusting some on will help your uncured cabinets? As for the peeling ones, I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do but sand them down to a smooth surface and start over with our tutorial above. Hope it helps! Good luck!
xo,
s