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If you’ve been looking at your cabinets and thinking that a fresh coat of paint might be the perfect way to transform your kitchen into a space you can love, make sure your cabinets are in good condition and you have the skills to carry out the task.
“Rolling/brushing cabinets without a sprayer is a “three-weekend” project because the DIYer needs to be able to take their time and paint without roller or brushstrokes. The DIYer needs to be semi-handy and, above all other skills, very patient,” says Paige NeJame, owner of CertaPro Painters of the South Shore and Boston. “Our professional painters who spray the doors off-site often take a few days, so this is not a project that we even finish quickly.”
Painting kitchen cabinets can cost $840 on average. Hiring a professional costs up to $1,200 for an average sized kitchen, and about $155 per cabinet door, cabinet side, or cabinet drawer, according to CertaPro Painters.
After evaluating the following 5 key factors, you’ll be able to answer: Should I paint my kitchen cabinets?
Consider the cabinet material.
If you don’t know what your cabinets are made of, it’s time to do some investigative work. The best paint for kitchen cabinets will depend on the cabinet material. Wood is more porous and will absorb some of the cabinet paint. On the other hand, the paint will have a harder time sticking to something nonporous like laminate.
“Certain cabinets are hard to paint and should not be painted, including rusty or unfinished metal cabinets, teak, and rosewood (oils may bleed through),” says NeJame. “Melamine (laminate) can be done with specialty primers and prep, but often still peel.”
“Thermofoil or laminate are the most challenging,” says Joel Ruiz, owner of Ruiz Renovations and a Purdy Ambassador. “Because they’re slick and nonporous, paint won’t adhere well unless the surface is thoroughly scuffed and a strong bonding primer is used. Skimping on prep here will lead to peeling or chipping.”
Even some kinds of common wood can be challenging. Ruiz says that oak is “easier to paint, but the open grain can show through the finish unless it’s filled or sealed first. If you want a super smooth look, extra steps are needed.”
Determine whether the cabinets have a finish.
Before you can start to learn how to paint kitchen cabinets, you need to evaluate the cabinet material. Wooden cabinets likely already have a stain or glaze on them, which can be difficult or ineffective to paint over. Knowing what finish is already on the cabinets will determine the level of prep work needed. If the surface is shiny and water beads on it, it’s likely got a coating. If water absorbs, it doesn’t have a finish.
“If the cabinets have a previous finish, apply a bonding primer as the first coat,” says NeJame. In some cases, you may find more success if you sand the existing finish before applying the bonding primer. Stripping with chemicals is another way to remove a finish, but it can be potentially hazardous and time consuming.
“Cabinets endure more wear and tear than walls; from grease and moisture in the kitchen to daily handling in bathrooms,” says Lisbeth Parada, Color Marketing Manager with Dutch Boy and Krylon. “Using paint specifically formulated for cabinets ensures you’ll get a long-lasting finish that resists chipping, fading and staining. Cabinet paint has a more lasting finish, which is essential for achieving a polished, professional look that stays beautiful over time.
Inspect the cabinets to assess their condition.
Before making any aesthetic decisions, look at your cabinets to see whether paint can improve their appearance or if they will need to be replaced altogether. Older cabinets may have been subjected to serious wear and tear over time, and accumulated layers of grease and grime.
After wiping down the cabinets with a damp cloth, closely evaluate the cabinets. If you see any chipped wood, swollen or warped surfaces, delamination, or cracks in the frame, address the problems before you begin to paint. For some minor issues, sanding can help.
Multiple areas of damage might indicate that you’re better off replacing the cabinets, but consult a professional to see if repair is possible before heading off to the kitchen showroom. While paint can freshen up a kitchen’s appearance, it won’t do anything to enhance the cabinets structurally—you may just be delaying the inevitable. When cabinets have many issues, you may want to consider cabinet refacing or replacing instead of painting.
Painting cabinets is time-consuming and requires special gear.
Painting a wall usually requires minimal materials and experience—just some prep work, patience, and time. When it comes to painting kitchen cabinets, you may not think there’s anything you need to learn. While it may seem more manageable because individual cabinets are smaller than a wall, it’s definitely a more demanding task.
Depending on the kitchen’s size and number of cabinets, it could take weeks to complete a project of this scale. You need to remove the cabinet doors and the hardware.
Small mistakes and brush strokes may not be evident on a large wall, but they can be glaringly apparent on cabinets. So you may be tempted to invest in special gear like a paint sprayer, but it’s not necessary to achieve a professional finish. And if you’ve never used a paint sprayer, you’ll need to budget extra time to practice with it.
Paint brushes and foam rollers can achieve a smooth finish, especially if you use gloss paint. Gloss can help hide any imperfections while matte paint can highlight them. It’s also essential to let the paint completely cure before putting drawers and cabinets back in place, or you risk ruining all your hard work.
Be honest about your DIY skills.
There’s a time to try new things, and there’s a time to leave the time-consuming tasks to the professionals. If you have never painted cabinets before and you don’t have weeks to be methodical, it’s usually best to leave this job to experts who have the appropriate equipment and years of experience to ensure your kitchen looks as good as new. If you try to take on this project yourself, you could end up investing money in a process that has to be salvaged by a professional, which will cost more in the long run.
“Success hinges on two key factors: the quality of your prep work and the paint you select,” says Ruiz. “Careful sanding, cleaning, priming, and using a high-quality cabinet-specific paint will make a significant difference in the final result. With patience, attention to detail, and a commitment to each step.”
Professionals will ensure that the kitchen is appropriately prepped to keep all of your appliances and flooring safe. They’ll also ensure that the process is done as efficiently as possible with little disruption to your day-to-day life.
