How To Completely Change Bathroom Cabinets With Just Paint

This was what we started with. Builder grade, 80’s oak. Both the tub surround and the cabinets were this lovely shade of orange. The previous owners had replaced the vanity top and hardware, but this cabinet still needed a little something.  

Steps for this project:

1. Pick your new hardware. Picking hardware the same size as the existing holes means no filling the holes and re-drilling. 

2. Do a little scuff sanding with 220 grit sandpaper. This smooths out the rough spots and helps the paint to adhere better.

3. Clean the cabinets, here I used White Lightning mixed with water in a spray bottle and some paper towels. 

4. Now comes the fun, painting! I’m using Dixie Belle’s Gravel Road. It’s a beautiful warm dark gray. It goes really well with the blue walls and the black and white accents in the room. It also contrasts with the light counter top which I like. 

The color and coverage of this paint was excellent, and it only took one coat to cover completely! 

Step 5. When dry apply a topcoat. I used Gator Hide. It’s water resistant, which is a necessity here. I brushed it on with a Dixie Belle brush and it gave a smooth finish with no brushstrokes. When the topcoat is dry, install the hardware, and this bathroom cabinet is finished! 

What a difference a few hours and some paint can make to this bathroom cabinet! If you’d prefer to stain your cabinets rather than paint,   to my emails. Please follow me on Facebook @RootsandWingsFurniture where I share more tips and advice. 

Watch the process!