How to Paint White Prefinished Kitchen Cabinets

Painting cabinets and making them look good is a multistep process. It is not a problem to paint prefinished cabinets. By using the right materials, you can repaint cabinets any color you desire. This job will take 3 to 7 days, depending on the number of cabinets to be painted and the speed in which you can paint them.

Things You'll Need

• Drill
• Phillips head drill bit
• Painter's tape
• Drop cloths
• Saw horses
• 2 10-foot 2-by-4 inch boards
• Oil-based paint
• Paint thinner
• Stir stick
• Paint pot
• Small paint tray
• Foam roller
• Roller frame
• Paintbrush

Instructions

Preparation

1. Insert your Philips head drill bit into your drill. Use the drill to remove all drawer and door handles. Remove the doors from the cabinets, and take the hinges off of the doors. Take the drawers out of the cabinets.

2. Place a drop cloth on your garage floor or work area. Set the saw horses on the drop cloth. Lay your boards across the saw horses. Place several doors flat on the boards.

3. Pour approximately 1/4 gallon of paint into your paint pot. Add about 1/2 cup of paint thinner. Stir with your paint stick until thoroughly mixed. Pour some of the mixture into the paint tray.

4. Place a 4-inch foam roller pad on a 4-inch roller frame. Tape the wall next to any cabinet end using painter's tape. Cover your floor and counter tops with drop cloths.

Painting

1. Use your 2 1/2 inch angled paintbrush to cut in the cabinet ends, and any part that cannot be easily rolled. Use the foam roller to paint all flat areas of the upper and lower cabinets. Allow to dry overnight. Repaint any areas where the previous finish shows through.

2. Use the roller to paint the flat panels on one side of the doors, and the paintbrush to paint the edges. Allow to dry overnight. Repaint any areas where the previous finish shows through. Before turning the doors over, make sure that they are not sticky to the touch. Turn the doors over only if completely dry and paint the other side. Allow to dry overnight.

3. Move the doors and put the drawers on the boards. Paint the inside of the drawers, the sides, the drawer face and the back side of the drawer face. There is no need to paint the underneath of the drawers. Allow to dry overnight. Repaint any areas where the previous finish shows through.

4. Reinstall all hardware on the drawers and the doors. Rehang the doors.

5. Wash your tools daily with paint thinner. Rinse until they are completely clean. Do not use water to try to clean your tools.

Tips & Warnings

• Use oil-based paint on a day when you can open the windows. Oil-based paint and paint thinner are strong-smelling products. Most prefinished cabinets have been sprayed with a laquer-based paint. To use a latex paint you will have to prime the cabinets first with a primer rated for oil-based and latex paints. Oil based paints are much stronger, and will last longer on cabinets than latex paints.

• Do not directly paint the cabinets with latex paint. Latex paint will not stick to lacquer or oil-based paints. If you are bothered by the paint fumes, wear a respirator.