What is the process for painting your kitchen cabinets?

http://www.hometalk.com/diy/kitchen-dining/kitchen-dining-furniture/how-to-prep-kitchen-cabinets-for-paint-22736556

Hello Judi :) First you need to take the doors off and the hardware. Then thoroughly clean them the cabinet frame and the doors with a grease cutter because if there is ANY grease left on them (and a light sanding will not remove the grase, but will remove some of the veneer while spreading the grease (at least in MY experience ... I had to learn the hard way to make sure ALL grease is gone). Next lightly sand the cabinets with a 200 grit sandpaper so the primer will have something to cling to. Then wipe them down with a damp cloth to get rid of the dust that is left behind. Here is a GREAT link to show you with a video:

http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets-0137670

Thanks for asking HOMETALK about the process for painting your kitchen cabinets correctly :) Enjoy the reward of your hard work :)

Clean them first! Then id do a nice coat of primer and then a coat or two of whatever color you want. Remember there are varying types of sheen for paint- the glossier the paint the easier to wipe clean!

Make sure they are clean and dry. Remove the doors and hardware. Mark the doors and cabinets with tape where they go. Lightly sand the doors and cabinets to remove any gloss and roughen the surface for paint with 120- to 220-grit sandpaper. Use a tack cloth or damp rag to remove dust after sanding. Prime with a stain blocking primer like Zinsser 123, KILZ,or BIN and have it tinted to the color of the top coat. This will prevent dark or stained surfaces from showing through the top coat. Acrylic, or water-base, paints are low-fume and clean up easily with water. Alkyd, or oil-base, paints require good ventilation because the paint contains solvents that can irritate your lungs and make you feel sick. Alkyd options require mineral spirits for cleanup, but they provide a hard, durable paint finish. Whichever you use, buy the best-quality paint you can afford for a lasting kitchen cabinet finish. Seal with at least three coats with a water based polyurethane. Use a small foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.

There is actually paint made specifically for cabinet painting. I would sand them first to remove any dirt or loose paint, and to give the new paint a surface to hold on to. This is especially important if you are over high gloss surfaces. The quality of the paint is very important. Don't cheap out here!

I agree with all the other comments. Best product I’ve used in the past for cleaning and degreasing cabinets is TSP, look for it in your local hardware store in the paint dept. sometimes I’ve also very carefully used a blade to get the extra sticky grease off cabinets. Then proceed with the sanding, priming, light sanding, painting, light sanding and final coat of paint! Use paint appropriate for a kitchen!! 😀

Use TSP, trisodium phosphate to clean them.

Hello Judi; STEP #3 in the video I sent to you tells you what degreaser to use and Steps 1 &2 are great informational tip to make the job easier --- the entire video is 10 minutes long but well worth the watch. Here it is again:

http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets-0137670