How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets White Like a Pro

Paint your cabinets white.

Old and dingy kitchen cabinets can get an instant makeover with white paint. While it is not difficult to paint kitchen cabinets white, it does take a little bit of time and tedious effort to get a professional look. Paint your kitchen cabinets white like a pro with the right information.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Masking tape
• Pencil
• Liquid deglosser
• Abrasive pad
• Clean cloths
• Sandpaper in varying grits
• Hand sander
• Vacuum
• Tack cloth
• Painting primer
• Paintbrush
• White latex paint

Instructions

1. Use a screwdriver to remove the cabinet doors from the kitchen cabinets. Remove any hardware from the cabinets, and take the drawers out of the cabinet bases. Use a piece of masking tape on the back of the cabinet doors to mark where each of them belongs. This will help when it comes time to reinstall the cabinetry.

2. Clean the kitchen cabinets, drawers, and doors with a liquid deglosser. Use an abrasive pad to help remove any grease or tough dirt from the cabinets. Wipe down the cabinets with a clean cloth.

3. Sand the cabinets with sandpaper and a hand sander. Use lower-grit sandpaper in the beginning, and work up to high-grit sandpaper to smooth the cabinet. Vacuum the cabinets to help remove dust, and wipe the cabinets with a tack cloth.

4. Apply painting primer to the cabinets, drawers and doors with a paintbrush. Move the brush in the direction of the wood grain. Let the primer dry overnight.

5. Paint the cabinets, doors and drawers with white latex paint. Apply the paint with a paintbrush. Once the paint is dry, sand the surface of the paint with fine-grit sandpaper, wipe with a tack cloth, and paint again. Let the latex paint dry for several days.

6. Reattach the doors to the cabinet frames. Insert the drawers into the cabinets. Replace the cabinet hardware.

References

• This Old House: Pro Secrets for Painting Kitchen Cabinets