Help me paint my cabinets

[Roadrunner]

I need to repaint my cabinets. As a very non crafty person who has never done a home improvement project, I am at a loss. My cabinets are painted white right now. I was told I need to wash them with something, sand them, prime them, and then repaint. 
There has got to be an easier way, no? 
If you can suggest what to use and how to go about this, please help. 

[gardenmom5]

I didn't keep it - but I did recently come across an article - you can't use regular latex paint.  (that can take up to a month to really cure)  I don't recall which it was - but there are paints that are good for cabinets that will stick and make a hard finished surface.

only a sprayer will give you a smooth finish.  

I believe it's TSP or denatured alcohol to wipe them down.  a degreaser and a deglazer. - that will make a big difference as for the paint sticking.

[Scarlett]

Just to give you a little encouragement ….. here is before and after of my kitchen. The before is the first day I looked at this house.  Not my stuff lol.  

It is  mostly finished. There are a few odds and ends.  But I think it turned out great.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Scarlett

[prairiewindmomma]

I mean, there are people who skip steps, but that typically leads to peeling or chipping.

You want to clean and de-gloss them.  If you have any oil splatters or the like on the cabinets, that's a problem. 

You sand them because you want to the paint to adhere.  You don't have to sand to bare wood, but you do want to rough them up a bit.  You then wipe them down with a tack cloth.  There are some people who skip this step by using a special primer, but it's expensive and it's been out of stock a lot on both the Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams lines this year. 

Priming cabinets gives you good coverage to block bleed through of colors. It also gives you a smooth surface for the paint.

Then there are the two top coats. 

Here are two different popular bloggers and how they painted:

https://centsationalstyle.com/2010/03/painting-kitchen-cabinets-etc/

https://www.younghouselove.com/how-to-paint-your-cabinets-aka-hallelujah/  and when they did it again in a different house https://www.younghouselove.com/mauve-kitchen-cabinets-hidden-hinges/

[Spryte]

3 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Just to give you a little encouragement ….. here is before and after if my kitchen. The before is the first day I looked at this house.  Not my stuff lol.  

It is  mostly finished. There are a few odds and ends.  But I think it turned out great.

Wow! I hope you’ll share how you did this, and the products you used.

[prairiewindmomma]

If you want to buy a sprayer rather than roll (it is more cleanup work, fwiw, and you have to be super careful about overspray---set up a plastic tent in your garage to do the doors).....this is the one I recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VKFDEO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Spryte said:

Wow! I hope you’ll share how you did this, and the products you used.

Dh did it all.  He did a fair amount of cleaning and then a little sanding but not as much as you would think.  He had planned on spraying it but at the last minute he set up in our garage and painted it by brush.  But he is really good at that.  And we decided it was a 50 year old kitchen and we would settle for 'good enough'.

[Roadrunner]

@Scarlettlooks amazing!!!

[Roadrunner]

7 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

If you want to buy a sprayer rather than roll (it is more cleanup work, fwiw, and you have to be super careful about overspray---set up a plastic tent in your garage to do the doors).....this is the one I recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VKFDEO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

What if I am painting outside? It looks simpler to spray. 

[prairiewindmomma]

IME spraying outside, you need to be very careful of prevailing winds because it can create unevenness on the doors. You also need to allow for a nice place for them to dry for 48-72 hours (depending on humidity levels).  When I was first painting stuff I left stuff to dry outside and had to sand off stupid bugs like gnats that had decided to investigate what was going on.  I'd much rather clear off the garage, set up a spray tent out there, and then leave things to dry in the garage without having to haul really wet stuff back in. YMMV, but compared to spraying outside and then trying to haul wet stuff in and place it on the drying cones, I'd rather roll inside and forget spraying altogether.  If you choose to roll or brush, follow the tips in the blogs I linked.  I painted most of our interior doors last summer with just a brush, no problem, but it takes some patience. If you're a beginner, and your doors are relatively flat, I'd roll.  

[gardenmom5]

Always remember - as much of a pain as prep can be, you will be much happier with the results, and they'll last longer.

sanding will also make sure they're nice and smooth, and any unnoticeable imperfections in the surface, don't become evident afterwards.

 

A tip from a neighbor who owns an autobody shop.

You want the item you are painting to be at least 60 degrees, and you want the paint itself to be at least 60 degrees.  (warmer, will stick better and dry faster.) - temperatures not only affect dry time - but adherence.   (when I've had to paint in my garage in the winter - I made a 'tent' by hanging tarps (tarps, not painting plastic film drop cloths)  from the rafters.  Then I brought in a space heater to warm up at least the area where I was working.  It made a difference. - I also didn't have to worry about overspray for other stuff.)

Edited December 7, 2021 by gardenmom5

[Roadrunner]

14 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

Always remember - as much of a pain as prep can be, you will be much happier with the results, and they'll last longer.

sanding will also make sure they're nice and smooth, and any unnoticeable imperfections in the surface, don't become evident afterwards.

 

A tip from a neighbor who owns an autobody shop.

You want the item you are painting to be at least 60 degrees, and you want the paint itself to be at least 60 degrees.  (warmer, will stick better and dry faster.) - temperatures not only affect dry time - but adherence.   (when I've had to paint in my garage in the winter - I made a 'tent' by hanging tarps (tarps, not painting plastic film drop cloths)  from the rafters.  Then I brought in a space heater to warm up at least the area where I was working.  It made a difference. - I also didn't have to worry about overspray for other stuff.)

I wonder if I should do all the pre work and then pay a professional to spray paint my cabinets. 

[BlsdMama]

1 hour ago, Roadrunner said:

I need to repaint my cabinets. As a very non crafty person who has never done a home improvement project, I am at a loss. My cabinets are painted white right now. I was told I need to wash them with something, sand them, prime them, and then repaint. 
There has got to be an easier way, no? 
If you can suggest what to use and how to go about this, please help. 

Are you on FB? I can give you an amazing group. 
 

There are easier ways but here’s the deal— how long do you want this to last?

 

 Because kitchens get oils so the cabinets need proper cleaning. Because they have paint on them and paint adheres best to a very slight roughness, yes, you need to sand AND prime. It’s not easy. It’s just worth the effort. 

[prairiewindmomma]

3 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

I wonder if I should do all the pre work and then pay a professional to spray paint my cabinets. 

Typically a professional will want to do their own prep work so that they can have a good finish on the cabinets since it's their reputation on the line. YMMV, but that's how it has worked when I've priced out various jobs.

[Faith-manor]

Another option for a fresh look is to not paint the cabinets just give a good cleaning and a new coat of sealer/gloss, and then buy cabinet doors in a lighter or darker stain/color and mount new doors. It makes an updated appearance without all the work.

[Roadrunner]

17 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

Are you on FB? I can give you an amazing group. 
 

There are easier ways but here’s the deal— how long do you want this to last?

 

 Because kitchens get oils so the cabinets need proper cleaning. Because they have paint on them and paint adheres best to a very slight roughness,yes, you need to sand AND prime. It’s not easy. It’s just worth the effort 

Yes I am on FB. Please do give me the group name!

[Roadrunner]

8 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Another option for a fresh look is to not paint the cabinets just give a good cleaning and a new coat of sealer/gloss, and then buy cabinet doors in a lighter or darker stain/color and mount new doors. It makes an updated appearance without all the work.

You clearly haven’t seen my “white” cabinets. 🤣🤣🤣😳

[Scarlett]

4 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

You clearly haven’t seen my “white” cabinets. 🤣🤣🤣😳

LOL, I feel your pain.  Because we had to reconfigure some of the kitchen (we took out a microwave/oven combo and moved things down toward the refrigerator)  we ended up adding a couple of new base cabinets.....So painting was necessary to make everything match.
 

[Pam in CT]

DON'T SKIP PREP

 

Really *good* cleaning can mitigate the need to do *as much* sanding. And depending on how dark/grainy the paint/wood you're trying to cover is, you can get away with skipping primer. Covering up white paint is about as good as it gets.  But you really do need to wash, sand, and clean off all the grit from the sanding.

Otherwise it'll look good for a year or two and then start chipping.

 

[hshibley]

I washed, sanded, primed with an oil based primer and used an oil based paint for my kitchen cabinets and it’s stood up great for years. It’s really worth  putting in all the effort not to have to redo it in a couple of years. 

[Carrie12345]

Can you skip all the “extra” prep? Sure. But you’re likely to regret it. 
 

<— skipped most sanding. 

[hshibley]

1 hour ago, Carrie12345 said:

Can you skip all the “extra” prep? Sure. But you’re likely to regret it. 
 

<— skipped most sanding. 

Sanding with an orbital sander given all the other work that needs to be done is really not that big of a deal. 

[lmrich]

prep, prep, prep and get quality paint. Adhere to dry times. 

It is worth it. 

[Chelli]

Lowe's sells this great paint specifically for cabinets and furniture that requires no sanding or priming. I used it this summer to redo my kitchen cabinets and they look great. They've held up great as well. 

 

[Anne]

Scarlett, I love your kitchen - it looks GREAT!

Anne

[BlsdMama]

Cabinet Painting and Refinishing -all caps. 
 

Are you redoing oak cabinets? If so, it’s especially important you use the right primer and paint. I wouldn’t touch the “cabinet” paints with a ten foot pole and don’t mention the words, “chalk paint” in this group if you don’t want skewered with words. 

[Roadrunner]

16 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

Cabinet Painting and Refinishing -all caps. 
 

Are you redoing oak cabinets? If so, it’s especially important you use the right primer and paint. I wouldn’t touch the “cabinet” paints with a ten foot pole and don’t mention the words, “chalk paint” in this group if you don’t want skewered with words. 

Actually the only thing I already have is paint. I splurged. It was a whooping $150 per gallon. So I better get this project right. 

[BlsdMama]

52 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Actually the only thing I already have is paint. I splurged. It was a whooping $150 per gallon. So I better get this project right. 

Oh snap. I hope it was the right stuff too because that is some price paint. But I’m dying to know what color!

[Roadrunner]

1 hour ago, BlsdMama said:

Oh snap. I hope it was the right stuff too because that is some price paint. But I’m dying to know what color!

Farrow and Ball down pipe.

I didn’t know it was going to be that much, but after they mixed it, I was stuck with it 🙂 

[BlsdMama]

37 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Farrow and Ball down pipe.

I didn’t know it was going to be that much, but after they mixed it, I was stuck with it 🙂 

I did a deep gray like that on my lowers for a two tone. I love the color. ♥️ 

[easypeasy]

2 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Actually the only thing I already have is paint. I splurged. It was a whooping $150 per gallon. So I better get this project right. 

😲 I did not know Farrow and Ball was that pricey! It's a beautiful color, though!!

[Green Bean]

Hire someone who knows how. That's all I got. Very unhelpful. Out I bow now.

[Scarlett]

8 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Farrow and Ball down pipe.

I didn’t know it was going to be that much, but after they mixed it, I was stuck with it 🙂 

Beautiful color. Are you going to have light countertops?

[Roadrunner]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

Beautiful color. Are you going to have light countertops?

Yes, white quartz. 

I am flipping the color scheme completely in the kitchen. White cabinets didn’t work out too well in my heavily trafficked kitchen thanks to my DH. Yes, I blame him, Mr. Cilantro hanging off the chandelier.  

Edited December 8, 2021 by Roadrunner