20 tips on how to paint kitchen cabinets

Dust can settle in the paint or primer as it dries. For the smoothest final coat, sand between coats of primer or paint with 220-grit sandpaper or an extra-fine sanding sponge. Then vacuum and tack as usual before recoating.

Paint with a mini roller: A good painter can work wonders with a brush, but for most of us a mini roller is a great alternative when painting kitchen cabinets. You’ll find mini roller frames and sleeves at home centres and paint stores.

Type of mini roller: There are many roller sleeves available, but when learning how to paint cabinets, mohair, microfiber or foam sleeves are good choices. Foam sleeves will leave the smoothest finish, but they don’t hold much paint, so you’ll be reloading frequently. Experiment on the inside of doors to see which sleeve works best with your paint.

Follow the wood grain: If you’re painting frame-and-panel cabinet doors, follow the direction of the wood grain with your finishing brushstrokes. The vertical stiles should receive the last brush strokes running from top to bottom.

Roll, then brush: If you’re old-school and still like to paint with a brush, you can speed things up by first applying the paint with a mini roller. Roll on the paint. Then drag paintbrush bristles lightly over the surface to even out the coat and eliminate roller marks.

Read the label and choose a paint that’s formulated for painting woodwork and cabinets. And remember, glossier surfaces highlight imperfections, so unless you’re a very meticulous painter, consider a satin, semi-gloss or matt finish.

If your paint seems too thick and isn’t levelling out after it’s applied, try mixing in a paint conditioner like Floetrol. Read the instructions for the correct proportion of conditioner to paint. Conditioned paint is often easier to apply and dries to a smoother finish.

Our pro painting consultant insists that even fresh paint should be strained before use to remove any small lumps that could mar the paint job. If you don’t want to go to this extreme, at least filter any leftover paint.

When you’re sanding a smooth finish to provide a better surface for paint, use a green abrasive pad to sand the moulded profiles. Sandpaper doesn’t conform well enough to get into all of the intricate spots.

If you decide to paint with a brush, splurge on a good one. For cabinets, a 50mm brush like the one shown here is just about perfect. Keep it clean and it will last for many paint jobs. Paint stores usually offer the widest selection and the best advice.

Pro Tip: Dampen your brush. It’s easier to clean your brush if you dampen it with water (for water-based paints) before you start painting.

Here are more painting tips professional painters don’t want you to know.

When you’re painting the edge of a cabinet door, it’s easy to apply too much paint and create a build-up along the edge. To avoid a dried ridge of paint along the door edge, smooth out any paint that’s lapped over onto the adjoining surface with a paintbrush or small sponge brush.

Learn 10 tips for painting edges.

With a little practice and a good sprayer, you can achieve factory-finish quality by spraying your doors. A pro-quality airless sprayer will work best to spray unthinned water-based finishes. But you can also get great results with a high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) sprayer.

Just be sure to thin the paint according to the instructions and apply several thin coats rather than one thick one.

Here are 10 things you need to know before spray painting.

Pigmented shellac in a spray can (BIN is one brand) is perfect for spot-priming areas you may have missed or areas you have patched and sanded. Shellac sticks well to most finishes, dries quickly and covers well.

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Source: Family Handyman