Can refaced cabinets be painted? What would be the best paint?
Related Discussions
Should I paint or stain my oak kitchen cabinets?
I was wondering if you could help me with something -- I have an entirely oak kitchen. I know it's the rage now to paint or gel stain cabinets. I've been considering ... See more
How to paint a metal front door?
How do I paint my front door? It's metal.
How to paint grout?
How do I paint grout to change the color? The grout is in great shape, but the color - meh.
How to whitewash a brick fireplace?
What is the best method to whitewash bricks surrounding a fireplace?
What is the best way to remove latex paint from wooden furniture?
I purchased a table and chairs at a flea market and they were badly painted with a flat latex paint. The wood is stained under the latex paint. I would like to refini... See more
What can I do about chipping paint on Ikea furniture?
Hi All, I recently had some Billy bookcases fashioned into a kitchen cupboard, and the carpenter who put them together lightly sanded and dusted, used Zinsser oil pr... See more
Be sure to clean the cabinets well and use a good primer. Something you might want to look at is Rustoleum's Cabinet Transformations.
Yes, they can be painted. If your cabinets are maple, it’s has a very tight grain and paints well unlike oak that you will see pit holes often if it’s just painted over and not prep for paint correctly. Although honestly I hate to see anyone paint maple! It’s actually one of your more expensive woods to build cabinets out of. It can be clear lacquered and have a very light finish compared to other woods or can be stained to look like a cherry kitchen cabinets! Maple not necessarily the hardest wood, but it’s getting up there! Which is why cutting boards are made of maple hardw usually! It’s a sad shame to cover up such a beautiful expensive wood with paint that no one will ever know what wood you have after it’s painted! You can strip the finish fairly easily and it’s not too bad smelling either if you use the Orange stripper! Maybe a little time consuming but it be more then worth it when your done! If your not great at spraying or brushing lacquer or varnish, there’s great oils you can use that are very easy to apply that near impossible to mess up! You can get a high gloss finish with oil just like with lacquer, it just takes more coats cause lacquer sits on top the wood where oil soaks into the grain of the wood and then extra layers will eventually build up a glossy shine! Makes it harder to scratch then lacquer, but if you do scratch it. Another coat of oil over the scratch and you’ll never see the scratch again in most cases. Unless it’s a very deep scratch!
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.
You're welcome, good luck! Be sure to show us when you're done!