How to Paint Metal Kitchen Cabinets

Painting metal kitchen cabinets can update your kitchen's look and provide an easy-to-keep clean surface. Proper preparation and planning is necessary to do a high-quality job. Visit your local hardware or paint store and decide color you want for your cabinets. Generally enamel paint is the best choice. Painting your metal kitchen cabinets will give your cabinets a fresh and clean look. Additionally an array of magnets can turn one or more cabinets into a family calendar and note center.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Masking tape or engraving tool
• Newspapers
• Sawhorses or stands
• Steel wool
• Paint brushes or a spray paint system
• Degreaser
• Undercoat (primer) paint
• Enamel paint

1. Remove the cabinet doors and hinges. Number or mark each door, hinge, and cabinet frame so you know its location. You can use masking tape or an engraving tool to ensure proper reinstallation.

2. Cover the cabinet contents with newspaper or remove them to allow easier access for painting. Generally removing is a better option, so overspray or paint splatter does not affect anything.

3. Lay the hinges on a worktable and clean them with a very fine steel wool, such as a 0000 grade, to prevent scratches.

4. Degrease all the cabinet doors, hinges and frame with a product such as orange oil to remove all traces of grease and grime that can keep the paint from properly adhering.

5. Lay the cabinet doors on workhorses or similar stands. Apply a coat of primer such as KILZ to the cabinet doors and frame. The primer will cover up any minutely remaining traces of grease or oil that you were unable to remove. It is not necessary to strip the old paint or finish off the cabinets when you use a good primer.

6. Paint the cabinets, brushing in the same direction for all strokes. Apply the paint in thin coats for best coverage. You may need to apply more than one coat. Paint the cabinet frame in the same way. Allow ample time for drying.
   
   If you are spraying the surfaces, spray in small bursts, using a thin layer of paint. You will likely need to spray a second or third time for complete coverage.

7. Hinges usually look best when unpainted. Once you have used very fine steel wool to clean the hinges, you might consider spraying them with a clear gloss to improve their luster and shine. An alternative is to replace both the hinges and handles with new ones.

8. Inspect the cabinet doors and framework and touch-up as necessary before reinstallation.

9. Replace the hinges on the doors and then reattach the cabinet door to the frame. Replace all the contents of the cabinet and your kitchen will have a new look.

Tips & Warnings

• Add stencils or thin lines of contrasting paint to the cabinet doors to personalize your kitchen.
• If buying new hardware, take the old ones to the store so you can line up holes properly. Paint in a well-ventilated area, preferably a garage or workshop with the doors open.

References

• Refinishing kitchen cabinets
• Metal kitchen cabinet painting
• Painting techniques

Resources

• Kilz primers