How to Paint the Inside of Kitchen Cupboards
If you painted the outsides of your cabinets, they probably look fresh, neat and clean, giving your kitchen a whole new look. However, opening the doors may reveal a different story. If the insides of your kitchen cupboards are grubby, a fresh coat of paint may be just what they need to complete the entire look of your kitchen, even behind closed doors. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Painter's tape
- Painting paper or plastic painting sheets
- Screwdriver
- Kitchen cleaner
- Rag
- Scraper
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Paint
- 2- to 3-inch-nap paint roller
- Paintbrushes
Instructions
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Empty your cupboards and use painting tape to tape painting paper or plastic sheeting on nearby countertops, backsplashes, appliances and floors to protect the things you can not move out of the room and are near or under your cupboards.
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2
Remove the cupboard doors with a screwdriver, if desired. This will make painting the insides much easier. Also, remove the shelves to paint them separately, if possible.
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Clean the inside of your cabinets. If they are grimy, use a grease-cutting kitchen cleanser. Don't use ammonia, which can yellow paint. Use a scraper to remove chipping paint, if applicable. Next, use 220-grit (fine) sandpaper to lightly sand the inside to prepare the surface for paint.
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Rinse the cabinets well with a wet rag, swishing it in clean water often. Don't apply primer until the cabinets are completely dry.
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Prime the middle areas of your cabinet sides and shelves with a 2- to 3-inch-nap roller. Apply primer to the cabinet edges and with a medium-size nylon-polyester brush. Use oil-based primer, but note that primers (and paints) labeled as slow-drying do not work well on open-grained woods such as oak, hickory, ash or mahogany, because they soak too far into the grain.
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Sand lightly with 280-grit (medium-fine) sandpaper after the primer thoroughly dries. Wipe away the dust with wet rags or paper towels.
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Paint the insides of the cabinets with a clean nap roller and another nylon-polyester paintbrush. This Old House recommends discarding brushes after each coat. Apply a second coat if necessary after the paint dries, according to label instructions. Sand between coats.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
