How can I paint my Formica kitchen cabinets?

Yes. Are you sure they’re plastic laminate and not melamine faced?

Sure you can! But you will need to lightly sand the cabinets with 120 grit sandpaper to rough up the finish a bit so the paint will adhere properly. After you sand them just wipe them with a wet rag to remove the dust & be sure they're dried thoroughly before applying the paint. Good Luck :)

On formica, you really need to use a bonding primer. Formica is known to resist paint, so only scuff sanding won't cut it.

Make sure to scrub the cabinets of grease, oil and build up with dawn dish soap or something that will cut through all that grease. Then and scuff sand before you prime.

Then I would use an enamel product like Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim and Door Paint. It is super tough and will withstand the constant use of kitchen cabinets. And it doesn't need top coated.

General Finishes has a paint called enduro pigmented poly that is super tough as well, but its supposed to only be sprayed on.

You could use chalk paint, but you'll need to top coat it (I wouldn't use wax topcoat in a kitchen) with water based poly. I prefer Varathane brand.

Whatever you do, just remember that the prep work before painting is the most important.

Hi Jeannine! I can tell you how to paint your Formica kitchen cabinets with Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint :)

It is super easy to paint with Dixie Belle.

Step one: Clean with White Lightning

Step two: Apply two coats of Slick Stick

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

Step four: Use Gator Hide for a water-repellent finish

No sanding required!

I am attaching some kitchens that have been painted with Dixie Belle Paint so you can see the outcome.

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/

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!

We have an awesome group on FB that gives you all kinds of help if you are interested. click here to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FriendsWhoLikeDixieBellePaint/

Check out BeyondPaint.com. The best paint for Formica, laminate, melamine. No priming, minimal sanding. I painted my hair salon cabinets and 2 years later, they’re still perfect. A little pricey, but a small amount goes a long way.