Things You'll Need:
- Degreasing cleaner
- Flexible sanding pads or wet-dry sandpaper
- Screwdrivers
- Caulking gun and caulk
- Excellent-quality paint brush
- Blue masking tape
- Drop cloths
- High-quality satin or semi-gloss latex paint.
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Step 1
Take the doors off the vanity, pull out the drawers and remove all hinges and hardware. Put them in a bucket of mildly soapy water to soak. If there are rubber "bumpers" on the vanity doors, scrape those off. Replacements are very inexpensive at hardware stores.
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Step 2
Using your degreasing cleaner and warm water, scrub all the woodwork with the flexible sanding pad or wet-dry sandpaper. This takes care of the cleaning and sanding in one step. Rinse and let it dry. Use newspapers or drop cloths to protect counters and floors.
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Step 3
Prime all surfaces. I recommend a fast-drying shellac-type primer like Original Kilz. Paint both sides of the doors (pay attention to drips along the edges) and the cabinet boxes. It usually isn't worthwhile painting inside them. If you are painting around a mirror, either use a very steady hand or blue masking tape.
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Step 4
Now caulk any gaps on the doors, drawers and where the woodwork meets the walls. Slick off all excess caulking carefully with a damp fingertip until it is smooth. Let this dry for at least two hours, depending on how heavy the caulk lines are.
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Step 5
Paint everything you have primed. It is better to do thin, even coats than heavy, clumpy ones. Let it dry at least eight hours. Then, sand very gently with your fine-grit, wet-dry sanding paper or sanding pad. Carefully dust off any residue. Paint your second coat. Unless you are using pure white or a very low-hide color, two coats should be sufficient, but don't put all your paint away just yet.
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Step 6
Hang the doors and replace the hardware. Now check for any little dings from putting everything back together. It's very easy to put a final coat of paint on the door and drawer fronts after they have been rehung and replaced.
