How to Paint Heavy Oak-Grained Kitchen Cabinets

Paint your oak-grained cabinets.

Painting heavy-grained wood oak cabinets can be somewhat of a challenge due to the appearance of the grain, which is often difficult to cover up without it showing through. With the right techniques and tools, wood grain such as oak can be covered on kitchen cabinets to create a sleek, new appearance in your kitchen.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Newspaper
• Goggles and gloves
• Water-based wood grain filler
• Trowel
• Towel
• Fine-grade sandpaper
• Clean cloth
• Paint primer
• Flat or eggshell paint
• Paintbrushes or paint rollers

Instructions

1. Remove all hardware from the cabinets and set aside. Cover any exposed surfaces with newspaper to avoid paint drips and spills.

2. Put on your goggles and gloves. Apply one coat of the wood grain filler to the cabinets using a trowel or paintbrush, following the product instructions. Wipe off the excess with a towel, then allow the filler to dry completely.

3. Sand lightly with fine-grade sandpaper, and remove any dust and debris with a clean cloth.

4. Apply one coat of paint primer to the cabinets. Allow it to dry completely.

5. Apply one coat of latex enamel paint to the cabinets. Allow it to dry. Apply another coat if necessary.

6. Let the final coat of paint dry thoroughly before reattaching all of the cabinet hardware.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on the final finish you want, choose flat or eggshell paint. Flat paint will not have any shine to the surface, while eggshell paint will have a very slight sheen.

• Work in a well-ventilated area.

References

• "The Complete Guide to Painting and Decorating," Creative Publishing, 1999
• Rockler: Using Wood Grain Filler