Kitchen Cabinets

Marsha
by Marsha
I am thinking about painting my old wood kitchen cabinets a nice off white color. I would get the paint with the primer already in it. Did anyone have the experience of doing this? Does it have to be sanded down or just cleaned first?
  22 answers
  • lightly sand with 120 or 150 grit paper use oil based primer and oil base for finihs Why. Becasue it is more durable dryes harder and flows out evenly with almost no brush marks.
  • Marsha Marsha on Sep 08, 2013
    thanks for your advice. @Bordeaux Construction Services
  • Aftet you lightley sand it down wipe it down with a solvent before applying paint.
  • Marian taylor Marian taylor on Sep 10, 2013
    Definitely take the time to do your prep work, scrubbing and sanding and use oil base paint,, I did mine years ago and they just now are looking like they need a touch up. Best thing I ever did
  • Tracy Dickson Tracy Dickson on Sep 10, 2013
    I have always had Oak cabinets. We just moved to a new house with white kitchen cabinets. I thought they would be a delightful change. But I have to wipe them down several times a week. I am wanting to rip them out and put in oak when we redo the floor. Maybe we are just messy - we still have children living at home, maybe that would make a difference.
  • Deb Deb on Sep 10, 2013
    I just redid my cabinets. They had been painted with oil base on top of lacquer and chipped terrible. After talking to my nephew who works at sherwin Williams he recommended completely stripping because lacquer doesn't handle paint on top very well. It was LOTS OF WORK but they look awesome now. We sprayed the doors with a low velocity high pressure sprayer and I rolled the cabinet bases with a high quality roller that left minimal roller marks. I used sherwin Williams paint made especially for cabinets in a semigloss. Good luck!
  • Anita Roll Murals Anita Roll Murals on Sep 10, 2013
    You can also use Amy Howard One Step Paint.
  • Debby Boyle Debby Boyle on Sep 10, 2013
    I did mine with just a good latex paint 7 years ago. They look great!!!
  • Deanna Riles-Cox Deanna Riles-Cox on Sep 10, 2013
    Enough matter which paint you decide to use they need to be cleaned first. No paint can deal with any kind of normal build up. There are 2 things you can use to do this. One is called liquid sand paper. The other is denatured alcohol. These cut any build up from cooking and everyday wiping and handling. You can use whatever good paint you choose after that. Myself I would use oil base since as others have stated it is very durable. PS. Don't get high gloss oil it has a tendency to run.
    • See 1 previous
    • Marsha Marsha on Sep 10, 2013
      @Deanna Riles-Cox I never heard of liquid sandpaper before.
  • Tanya Peterson Felsheim Tanya Peterson Felsheim on Sep 10, 2013
    My cabinets were new and my painter recommended Acranamel paint. it hardens like an enamel but is a water base. I have had no scratches or chips in the paint in the last 5 years. I am amazed that it has worked so well. But I have been told in the past the way your paint job turns out has more to do with preparation than it does with the anything else. Def sand off any laquer...I have successfully used liquid sandpaper for many purposes like this but I think a hand sanding would be best at this time.
  • Lori Lori on Sep 10, 2013
    Use Gripper primer-it sticks to anything-it cleans up with water, I used it on a rent house kitchen cabinets and it worked wonderfully
  • Debra D Debra D on Sep 10, 2013
    I just finished painting the ones in the 30 year old home I am renting. They are particle board with veneer and stripping, even cleaning very much was not an option. They would disintegrate! I used oil based Kilz, 2 coats which covered even the greasier sections nicely, then two coats of oil based white paint. They look beautiful now and are protected against water. Do not skimp on any prep work you do! Use the right products, and do it right the first time. (Learned that 20 years ago in another house!) The Gripper primer that Lori from Corpus recommends is a great product and using a good bonding primer eliminates a lot of hard work. Sand down any rough spots after priming, and paint! Good luck and happy painting.
  • Lesa Lesa on Sep 10, 2013
    There is an additive called Flo-trol that you can add to help reduce brush marks. You do need to lightly sand and clean very good in order to get a smooth finish. I have done this a couple of times, (getting ready to do again) and have had good results. It is a lot of work, but well worth the savings.
    • @Lesa Flo trol is used for latex paints it keeps a wet edge so you have no lap marks from drying to fast . Not for use in oil paints use penetrol instead.
  • Julie Julie on Sep 10, 2013
    Whatever paint you choose use several light coats, almost dry brushing. It prevents chipping completely. It's a temptation to put heavy coats of paint to cover the wood but it will dry faster and completely with light coats. I always sand prep and then wash the woodwork with TSP before painting. The finished product will be worth the time.
  • Marsha Marsha on Sep 10, 2013
    I can't believe the response I got from this. Thanks for all the advice.
  • Jane Mayer Jane Mayer on Sep 10, 2013
    You can also use a deglosser, but I would sand the doors all over. They get the most touches and it is those touches that leave marks/ fingerprints/ dirt that you have to scrub later. So make sure that paint is durable by doing all the prep work you can do.
  • I would use a deglosser (TSP substitute works really well!) and lightly sand. Sanding helps rough up the surface so the paint bites into it. In my opinion, three coats of paint should be used for maximum durability! Hope this helps!
  • Deanna Riles-Cox Deanna Riles-Cox on Sep 11, 2013
    The liquid sand paper and the denatured alcohol act as a degreaser and deshine the paint. soaps and household cleaners leave a residue. Marsha check at your local hardware store. Be sure to post pix when your finished.
  • Paula Jones Paula Jones on Sep 12, 2013
    I always paint cabinets with a wedge of upholstery foam, it leaves no brush marks and works beautifully for a rubbed or solid finish. I made this discovery years ago when I had foam scraps left over from redoing our dining chairs. I buy 2" dense green foam from JoAnne's and cut it into different size shapes with an electric knife. Quicker clean up than brushes, too!
  • Kim Trudel Kim Trudel on Sep 13, 2013
    Marsha, in my experience, you will have to lightly sand and TSP (TriSodium Phosphate - use gloves) the doors before you do anything else. Be sure to rinse off the TSP as it leaves a film. Kilz is the very best primer I have come across for priming wood: it completely blocks out all of the wood an any leftover grease/stains. One coat should do it. As mentioned before, it's all about the prep! Good luck!
  • Cindy Buranek Cindy Buranek on Sep 13, 2013
    I would use chalkpaint decorative paint by Annie Sloan, great look, very easy.
  • Cindy Buranek Cindy Buranek on Sep 13, 2013
    Absolutely not, it is decorative paint. Type in on pininterest chalk paint decorative paint by Annie Sloan, I just attended a class and I Love this paint, the name is deceiving, it has nothing to do with chalk, it is a matte finish, stunningly beautiful.