How to Paint Used Kitchen Cabinets

Update used cabinets with fresh paint for a new look in your kitchen.

Whether you are refreshing your existing cabinetry or building a new room, painting used kitchen cabinets will lower the cost of your renovations significantly while allowing you to add a "pop" of color. The process may take a little extra time over installing new cabinets, but it is not difficult.

Things You'll Need

• Dishwashing detergent
• Screwdriver
• Sandpaper
• Oil-based primer
• Paint brushes or painting pads
• Oil-based paint

Instructions

1. Clean the cabinets thoroughly by washing them with a mild detergent-water solution. Rinse them with a sponge and clear water. If the grease build-up on the cabinets is heavy, use a multipurpose household cleaner or a dilute household ammonia solution before applying the soapy water.

2. Take the doors off by unscrewing the hinges from the cabinet bases.

3. Remove all the hardware from the doors.

4. Sand all of the surfaces to be painted. You do not have to remove all of the old paint or stain, but you do need to create a roughened surface in order for the new paint to adhere properly.

5. Brush the primer on the cabinets and doors. Allow it to dry completely. Use painting pads next to walls or mask the wall surfaces with painters' tape first.

6. Apply a thin coat of paint and allow it to dry. Resist the temptation to finish quickly with one heavy coat, as that is more likely to bubble, crack or peel, requiring you to begin again.

7. Add a second coat of paint, if needed.

8. Replace the hardware and attach the doors to the cabinets.

Tips & Warnings

• If the holes in the cabinets and doors have stripped out or if you are replacing the hardware with new pieces that don't align with the old holes, fill the old holes with wood putty before you begin sanding or painting. When it has dried completely, sand it smooth to the surface of the cabinets.

• Paint with an added sealer will eliminate one extra step from your project. If you prefer a shiny finish, however, add a final coat of high-gloss varnish to the cabinets.

• Remove small bubbles or mishaps by sanding the dried surface with fine-grit sandpaper.

• If the used cabinets have multiple layers of old paint, you will get better results if you strip most of it from the surface. Use a chemical paint stripper or an electric sander to eliminate the old paint, and then sand it enough to roughen the surface for the new paint.

• Make certain that you work in a well-ventilated area when you are painting. When sanding, wear safety goggles and a breathing mask--especially if you do not know the content of the old paint--to avoid inhaling lead particles or other harmful elements.

References

• Home Improvement Online: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
• All-Home Decor; Painting Kitchen Cabinets; Ken Morris
• Renovation Headquarters: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
• "This Old House"; Pro Secrets for Painting Kitchen Cabinets; Josh Garskof