Revitalize Your Cabinets

Before

After

PAINTING CABINETS (NO SANDING REQUIRED!)
A fresh coat of paint allows you to quickly, easily and inexpensively update and enhance the look and feel of the rooms in your home.  Painting wood cabinets brings new life and style to any room, from kitchens to baths to offices and more.  It gives cabinets a new lease on life and is an environmentally-friendly alternative to replacement.

Preparation

1. Remove the doors and drawers and all hardware (handles hand hinges) from your cabinets.
2. Clean all soiled surfaces with a damp rag and a solution of water and vinegar or tri-sodium phosphate (TSP).
3. Fill any holes (that will not be reused) and imperfections with wood filler.
4. Fill any cracks and crevices with a good quality latex caulk (I prefer the DAP brand).
5. Apply blue or green painting tape to protect adjacent surfaces that you do not want painted.

Priming

1. For previously unpainted wood cabinets, apply a good quality primer (I like Kilz2 primer/sealer/stain blocker) with a brush or sponge roller.  Note: this step is the key to avoiding the sanding process and the mess associated with it.
2. Allow the primer to dry sufficiently (according to manufacturer's instructions).   

Painting

1. Apply one or more coats of quality latex enamel paint, such as Behr, Valspar or Benjamin Moore, using a good beveled brush (for the corners and crevices) and a sponge roller (for the large, flat areas and a smooth, brush-mark free finish).  Note: for cabinets and woodwork, I typically prefer a semi-gloss or gloss finish.  Just be sure to watch for and roll out any drips.
2. Heavily grained wood, such as oak, may require a second coat to help level the surface and disguise the texture.
3. Allow paint to dry sufficiently between coats (according to manufacturer's instructions).

Clear Coating

1. For greater durability, after the paint is dry, it is a good idea to apply a clear coat of latex polyurethane (especially to the doors and drawers and other working surfaces) to give the cabinets a hard, durable finish that will stand up to heavy use and help prevent chipping.

Reassembly

1. You can reuse your existing handles and hinges (to keep them out of the waste stream) or purchase new ones for an even greater design change and more updated look. 
2. Either way, install the desired hardware on the doors and drawers and reinstall them on cabinets.
3. Lastly, add some small bumpers to the inside corners of the drawers and doors as needed to further protect the new finish.

Painting cabinets does require some time and effort, but the results can be impressive and well worth the work and expense.  Your cabinets will look like new and you will have the satisfaction of a job well done.

Finished