How to paint metal kitchen cabinets?

Brenda
by Brenda
I have 1950's metal kitchen cabinets that are in great shape and want to paint them. They have been painted before but need painting again - any suggestions?
  8 answers
  • Becky Kleibrink Becky Kleibrink on Mar 04, 2015
    my in-laws also have the metal kitchen cabinets. they used marine paint as it is so sturdy & holds up to all the wear. be cautious of the fumes. this is an epoxy based paint.
  • Linda Thomas Linda Thomas on Mar 04, 2015
    Go on google.com like how do I paint metal cabinets and it will give you all kinds of sites to tell you how.
  • Beverly Hyder Beverly Hyder on Mar 04, 2015
    I took mine to a local auto body shop and they did an excellent job. I have dogs and did not want them exposed to the paint fumes. They have held up for years.
  • 153091 153091 on Mar 04, 2015
    Wash, dry and remove the handles. Many brands of METAL paint on the market, read all info. If you took this project outside, I prefer metal spray paint..if not, do yourself a big favor and use a small sponge roller to paint on metal. Lowes sells them. Once you have painted with a sponge roller..you wonder why you never used these before. GREAT for panel doors, no runs, streaks or errors! Does not have to be metal item..try sponge roller on your next projec.t
  • Carol Markim Carol Markim on Mar 04, 2015
    Our first starter home back in the 50s had beautiful white metal cabinets. YUCK! I hated them! Tried to find a carpenter or cabinet maker to make attractive new WOODEN doors and just replace the metal doors. All the MEN I spoke with thought I was crazy & wouldn't even consider the idea. Of course now we know how easy and common this practice is. But since no one wood do it I begged my husband to spray paint the metal cabinets copper. It was a popular color and copper is metal, isn't it? It worked out great but, unless whoever does the painting really cares, and is able to devote hours of being very careful and very focused, I would not recommend it. One added note: Darling husband also spray painted the previously plain white refrigerator. He spray painted every thing in place, in the kitchen, and I can't imagine how we survived (and prospered) breathing in all that toxic paint. Of course I was only 18 and he was 19. We were very stupid but must have had very healthy adolescent lungs. BTW: Kitchen ended up looked beautiful and friends and neighbors loved it. But I still wouldn't advise following our Grand Adventure!
  • Diane Christine Diane Christine on Mar 04, 2015
    Brenda I was looking at a bathroom that has been redone totally gorgeous by the way and she didn't have metal cupboards but it does say on the paint can that it can be used over metal. It's called Glidden Interior/Exterior Gripper white primer and sealer. It's an all purpose paint. https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=glidden%20interior%2fexterior%20gripper%20whi this is the link for this paint. :)
  • Jeremy Morgan Jeremy Morgan on Mar 04, 2015
    Let's try chalk paint. Don't run off yet, Chalk painting is fun, beautiful and you can create one of a kind pieces of art, like your kitchen metal cabinets. Experiment with prep work and primer, chalk paint then make sure you FINIFSH them correctly (for example,wax or varnish). Do your research as I am and ready to chalk paint a formica 70's style newspaper stand. I will keep you up to date.
  • Dannielle McNeill Dannielle McNeill on Mar 04, 2015
    Yes, most important make sure it's clean and free of dirt, then prime with a bonding primer, must be a bonding primer (ask where you buy paint to be sure you have the right kind if your not sure.) You can't use only the paint that says "paint and primer in one" most of those don't have a true bonding primer in them, they are just made to hide and block bleed through color better. Once you've primed you can use any latex paint although I would recommend against a flat on a cabinet b/c it is not as durable as a satin or semi-gloss. If you want to skip priming you can but you MUST use oil base paint if you skip priming, most people don't like to use oil base, b/c of the strong smell, long dry time and yucky clean up.