How To Paint A Cabinet Door

Prep:2

Active Time:5

Dry Time:2

Total Time:2 7

Take off all old hardware. Don’t be lazy and try to paint around. Trust us it rarely ever works.
Create baggies and a labeling system for the doors and hardware. On the old oak Merillat cabinets, we have the hinges are large. Write a number on the door with a sharpie where the hinge would be since it will get covered up anyway.
Use 220 sandpaper to roughen up surface of doors (painted or wood).
Make sure doors are smooth and clean. Use a deglosser to wipe down doors. If necessary lightly sand any rough spot before wiping down.
With primer or paint use the brush first to go in the ridges where a roller won’t go on the back of the door.
Then use a small foam roller to go along the edges and the back.
Lay flat to dry.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to get 2-3 coats of paint.
Once the paint is not tacky, you can flip over the doors and begin painting those.
Use the brush in the creases and ridges. Making sure you don’t have drips.
Use a small roller in all places you are trying to apply a smooth and even layer.
Repeat the process until you do not see any white or uneven spots coming through.
Attache doors back on your already painted cabinet boxes. Allow as much time for the paint to cure as possible.

We love Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Enamel Paint. You can see how we repainted our kitchen island here.
We will never paint cabinets or trim with different paint. However, if that paint is too expensive we have also had success with Behr Latex Enamel.
Use a stain-blocking primer if doors haven’t been painted before. Then follow these steps with at least two coats of latex enamel paint. We also normally use a latex-based primer if it is your first time painting cabinet doors.
Great options for primers are SW Latex Multi-purpose Primer, and Zinsser.
If you are changing hardware placement, you will need to fill the old holes with wood filler and smooth them out before painting your cabinet doors.

Cost: Varies $100-$200