How To Paint Cabinets (courtesy of Lowes.com)

Painting your cabinets can give a quick update to your kitchen or bath. Just follow these steps to give your cabinets a fresh look!

We’ve already prepared our cabinets for painting. Now, if you haven’t done that yet, take a look at our how-to-video, How To Prep Cabinets For Painting, at Lowes.com/videos. You can also print out the complete instructions for this project, along with a tool list. So, with your cabinets prepped, it’s time to paint! You will need:

Paint
A good quality paint brush
A 5-in-1 tool
Stir sticks
Paint tray
Drop cloths
Painter’s tape
Ladder
Sawhorses and lumber, to support the cabinet doors for easy painting.
You can also use a roller frame with a high-quality, foam roller, or a very fine, mini-nap roller to apply the paint.
You might also need door bumpers or wax.

When selecting your paint, look for a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. A glossy finish will be easier to clean. High-quality latex products are durable and allow for easy cleanup.

If you haven’t already, clear your counter tops and tape off areas where your cabinets meet the walls and floors. Protect everything with drop cloths.

Now, if space and weather allow, take your cabinet doors into a garage or a basement for painting. If you’re painting indoors, make sure you have proper ventilation. OK, our cabinet doors have already been primed, and now we’re ready to paint!

Start by thoroughly stirring the paint. Then, begin painting on the back side of a door, starting in the center, and working your way out. You only want to brush over the surface a few times, with a high-quality brush. Brush marks are normal, and as the paint dries, these will level out.

Allow the paint to dry several hours before you turn the doors over and do the other side. Paint raised or decorative elements carefully, making sure that paint doesn’t puddle.

Alright, now on your cabinet’s framework, use a paintbrush, a high-quality foam roller or a fine nap mini-roller to apply the paint and, again, roll or brush the paint on in just a few strokes.

Wait 24 hours for everything to dry. Then, reattach drawers and doors. Another great way to get a fresh look is with new hardware. New hinges, doorknobs and drawer pulls can be installed easily, and really give your entire room a facelift!

Here’s another tip…painted cabinets will continue to cure and dry over time, so to prevent doors and drawers from sticking to the frame, apply door bumpers or even a bit of car wax to the surfaces that touch.

And with that, your project is complete! And, your kitchen, or any room with cabinets, will look dramatically different. Now, if you’re searching for other ideas on how to update your home, check out our lineup of how-to projects at Lowes.com./videos.

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