How do I redo the color of my kitchen cabinets?

Brenda
by Brenda

My kitchen cabinets are a cedar color that almost looks orange. When I bought the house they looked horrible so I sanded and restained them all and didn’t realize how orange the stain look until it was too late. That is one job I never want to do again !! I’ve had regular paint over stain covered cabinets in other houses in the past and when cleaning them the paint can come off. What are some other options? Please help me !! Fast !! need to re-tile and paint and really do not want to try and coordinate colors with my ugly cabinets!!

  8 answers
  • Zard Pocleeb Zard Pocleeb on Oct 02, 2018

    To keep the paint from coming off of painted cabinets when you clean apply a topcoat just as you would over stain. This will seal the paint in so it will not peel.

  • I would either sand them all down and add a darker stain that you like or another option is to paint them. You say they peeled off in your other house. That could be due to not cleaning all the old grease and grime off properly before they painted. Or another reason it can happen if you paint over a very smooth surface. Any surface needs to be lightly sanded so that the paint has something to attach too. And using a good primer will help.

  • William William on Oct 02, 2018

    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.

  • Fiddledd224 Fiddledd224 on Oct 02, 2018


    Take a cabinet door or a good photo to the paint department of the home improvement store and ask them what will work for you. They have the best selection, the most up-to-date materials and most important, the most informative sales staff to get you what you need for a professional job.


  • I am so sorry that happened. Very frustrating I am sure. You can chalk paint over stain as long as the stain has cured. How long has it been since you stained?


    Here are the steps I would recommend:



    Step one : Clean with White Lightning by Dixie Belle

    Step two: Use BOSS by Dixie Belle so there is no bleed thru of the stain.

    Step three: Paint one to two coats of Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral paint

    Step four : Use Gator Hide for a water resistant finish.




    Also, we did have a series of LIVE videos on a step by step tutorial of how to paint your kitchen cabinets. If you would like to watch them....


    Day one : https://www.facebook.com/DixieBellePaint/videos/1609328872527961/

    Day two : https://www.facebook.com/DixieBellePaint/videos/1610860225708159/

    Day three: https://www.facebook.com/DixieBellePaint/videos/1612437375550444/

    Day four: https://www.facebook.com/DixieBellePaint/videos/1615506548576860/



    Teri - www.dixiebellepaint.com If you ever need help or have any questions you can feel free to call us at 813-909-1962 during business hours. We have a full staff here eager to help you!

  • Debby Debby on Oct 03, 2018

    Rustoleum Cabinet Restoration. No sanding.... its fabulous........EZ and looks awesome.

  • Fiddledd224 Fiddledd224 on Oct 03, 2018

    Take one of the cabinet doors to the paint department of the home improvement store and ask them to select paint/stains and other finishes and application tools that will work for your kitchen. They have the best selection, the most up-to-date materials and most important, the most informative sales staff to get you what you need for a professional job.

  • Libbie B Libbie B on Jan 20, 2022

    We have painted cabinets and LOVE the way they turned out. https://alifeunfolding.com/updating-the-kitchen-in-our-rental-property/