Prep Cabinets for Painting Cabinets
You don’t have to replace your cabinets to give your kitchen a fresh look.
Worn, dark or outdated cabinets in a kitchen or bath can come alive with a
fresh coat of paint.
Preparation
The following instructions cover preparing stained wood cabinets for a new finish.
These instructions will not work for laminate surfaces. Laminate and tile tops can
be replaced. Ask a Lowe’s associate for assistance.
01 Clear off the countertops of all appliances and kitchen items.
02 Empty all drawers into boxes for storage until the refinishing is done.
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03 Protect the countertops and floor with a
painter’s drop cloth. Use painter’s masking tape as needed to ensure that surrounding
appliances and furniture are not damaged.
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Removing Doors, Drawers and Hardware
Although you may be tempted to paint the doors and drawers in place, removal is
a simple step that will give you more professional-looking results.
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01 Place a number on a small piece of painter’s tape and attach it to the back of each door and drawer in the most logical sequence: top to bottom or left to right. This will help you relocate them on the cabinet frame when everything has been painted.
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02 Remove all cabinet doors from the frame.
03 Remove all drawers from the cabinet.
- For drawers with side tracks, pull the drawer all the way out, then lift the front for removal.
- It might be easiest to remove the drawer face from the actual drawer. Most faces are held in place by a few screws.
04 Remove all hardware, such as handles and hinges, from the doors and drawers.
Cleaning Cabinets
Over the years, cabinets typically accumulate a lot of grease and grime. You can clean cabinet surfaces in preparation for refinishing in the following ways:
- Trisodium Phosphate, or TSP cleaner, will wash away dirt and give
your paint a nice, clean surface to adhere to. Mix it with water according
to the manufacturer’s instructions and clean all cabinet doors, drawers
and the frame using a bucket and kitchen sponge or cloths.
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Sanding Cabinets
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01 Sand cabinet surfaces with a coarse grit sandpaper to roughen the coating. Sandpaper coarseness is identified by its grit number. 80 is a coarse paper.
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02 Then sand the surfaces with fine grit (150) sandpaper until smooth to the touch.
- TIP: For the smoothest finish, move the sandpaper in the same direction
as the wood grain.
- TIP: When purchasing sandpaper, look for products specifically designed
for paint removal.
03 If you’re painting the cabinet interior, sand those surfaces as well.
04 Once sanded, clean the cabinets again with warm water and a cloth or sponge to remove dust and debris.
- Allow the cabinets to dry before proceeding.
05 Inspect the cabinets for dents or cracks that require filling. If you’re replacing the hardware, it’s a good idea to fill the old hardware holes.
- Use a 5-in-1 tool or putty knife to force wood putty into cracks, dents or holes.
Refer to the manufacturer’s application directions on the container for best results.
- Use a 5-in-1 tool or putty knife to carefully remove excess putty until the
surface is relatively smooth.
- Once the area is dry, use coarse and/or fine grit sandpaper to smooth the surface
to blend in with the surrounding wood.
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Update Cabinet Doors
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If your cabinets really are plain and outdated, before you paint them consider adding
some decorative detail with raised panels. You can find detailed instructions for this
cabinet project at LowesCreativeIdeas.com.
01 Cut ¼" thick plywood into smaller panels that will fit on the cabinet fronts.
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Make sure they are large enough to cover any existing grooves.
02 Apply adhesive to the panel and center it on the door.
03 Miter cut the moulding to fit around the panels, similar to a picture frame.
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04 Glue the four moulding pieces in place.
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05 Allow the adhesive to dry.
06 Apply a thin layer of caulk where needed.
- Typically, you might need caulk in the joints between the plywood and
moulding, and the moulding and door front.
07 Allow the caulk to dry.
08 Lightly sand the door if needed.
- TIP: Other ways to decorate cabinet doors include using complementary second colors for trim or edges, installing ornate moulding appliques, or applying transfer decals once the paint is dry. Ask a Lowe’s associate for assistance.
Applying Primer
Primer will help paint adhere to the cabinet surfaces and may also be necessary if you are painting a dark color with a lighter one or if you are finishing bare wood or repaired spots. Make sure that the primer is one recommended by the manufacturer of the paint you have selected. Ask a Lowe’s associate for help in selecting the appropriate primer for your project.
01 If you haven’t done so already, be sure that the walls, floors and countertops have been covered and taped off so excess primer doesn’t damage them.
- TIP: Use a low-tack tape on wallpaper.
02 Before continuing, make sure you have adequate ventilation in the area where you will be finishing. Also make sure you have the appropriate temperature for the primer. Refer to the primer manufacturer’s instructions for specifics.
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03 Apply the primer to the doors, drawer fronts and frame using a paint brush
or small paint roller.
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- If you’re painting the inside of the cabinets, apply primer to those surfaces first.
- Foam rollers are easy to use, give good results and are inexpensive.
04 Allow the finish to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions,
typically 24 hours.
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05 Lightly sand the surface with an extra-fine (320) or super-fine (600) grit sandpaper.
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06 Wipe all surfaces with clean water and allow to dry before continuing.
The hardest part of refinishing cabinets is done—the prefinishing. The next step is
painting. Watch How to Paint Cabinets, with accompanying printable instructions,
at Lowes.com/Videos.