Paint old cabinets? What is the best way to do this?

Boo14919532
by Boo14919532

My son bought an old home with very greasy kitchen cabinets and wants to paint them. What is the best way to do this?

  3 answers
  • William William on Aug 11, 2018

    Clean the cabinets with Krud Cutter or TSP, trisodium phosphate.


    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 220 grit sandpaper or a green Scotch Brite pad.. 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.

  • Beth Beth on Aug 11, 2018

    Wash the cabinets with TSP (trisodium phosphate. Home Depot, Lowes, any hardware store.) and wash again. Rinse well before painting.

  • Libbie B Libbie B on Aug 12, 2018

    TSP for certain to get off all the grease but also make sure to buy a really good primer and let dry throughly before painting. It makes a huge difference.