That may get you wondering if you need a primer for cabinets. The fact is, applying primer is an important step in the painting process. Primer provides a suitable surface for the paint to stick to, helping it to last longer and look better.
Paint your cabinets.
If you are using General Finishes Milk Paint, you do not need to sand or prime! You are ready to start painting! We used the built-in benches on our deck to lay out our doors, which worked well. If you don't have a large space to work with, just work in batches.
If you don't use primer on new wood, the paint won't stick well and will be more likely to peel away. You also need that coat of primer to seal the wood so it doesn't absorb moisture later on down the line. If your cabinets are laminate, you don't want to skip priming before painting them.
Depending on the surface and the paint chosen, you may need to apply a wood or melamine primer. If your surface is MDF, varnished wood or Melamine you can use the Dulux Difficult Surface Primer. However, if you use Dulux Cupboard Paint you can skip this step as no primer is required!
Oil-based primers are the best primers for kitchen cabinets. Existing cabinets almost always have a smooth painted finish or lacquered finish that is difficult for paint to adhere to. Oil-based Primer is the glue that provides a good base for the first coat of paint.
Depending on what kind of primer you're using and the state of the cabinets, you will need 1-2 coats of primer. For many cabinets, one coat is plenty, but if you're uncertain, a second coat won't hurt as long as it's not applied too thick. When it comes to the actual paint, you will need at least two coats.
Both Slavik and Fiorilli agree—using a paint sprayer is the best way to achieve the most professional cabinet finish as well as save time. That doesn't mean that a brush or roller should never be used though.
Wood cabinets are ideal for painting, but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted. Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer. The laminate must be in good condition for best results. A gloss finish will make your cabinets sheen, but it may show a lot of dings or mistakes.
Generally speaking, 2-3 coats total do the trick (primer first, then paint), so long as you keep in mind the quality of paint you're using, the condition of your cabinets, and how the color in question might interact with the existing color of your cabinets.
Clean Surfaces
Start this process by scrubbing your cabinets to get rid of any grease or residue. Clean all of the surfaces to be repainted with a solution made from one part trisodium phosphate and four parts water. Rinse, but do not soak the cabinets. Allow them to dry thoroughly before applying paint.
Only one coat of primer should do the trick, unless your cabinets are really dark, then I would recommend following up with one more coat of primer when that first coat is dry before moving on.
Applying primer: 1-2 hours. Painting the first coat of paint: 2-4 hours. Painting the second coat of paint: 2-4 hours. Drying and curing time: 24 hours.
When You Should Sand The Cabinets. The only times Chris and Lexi recommend sanding before priming is if the old paint is chipping, you're trying to change the texture of the surface, or if you're planning to use a water-based primer.
Can You Paint Over Cabinets Without Sanding? Skipping the sanding step is OK if you're making a change from one newly painted surface to another, or painting raw, unvarnished wood cabinets.
Latex paints are the preferred type of paint for kitchen cabinets and come in several finishes. The options are matte, semi-gloss, gloss, and satin.
Chalk paints have become an increasingly popular choice for kitchen and bathroom cabinets thanks to their superior coverage, low VOCs, and durability. Many people view chalk paint as one of the best paints for cabinets, as it requires little to no prep work before you can get started.
Either paint your solid wood cabinets in the late fall, winter or early spring months when the wood doors do not have any moisture and/or swelling in them. That way when the humid months come-and-go you won't be able to tell because you painted them when they were at their smallest point.
Painted cabinets may be dry to the touch within a few hours, but the curing process can take several days. Until the cabinets are fully cured to a hard, durable surface, they'll be more susceptible to chips and marks.
Always sand down before applying any layer of paint. Sanding can remove any stray brush marks and smooth the surface so that your next layer of paint coats smoothly.
Then, hang it next to your backsplash and appliances to make sure it really works. Whether you're using a paint sprayer or brush, start with the doors and drawers; they take the longest, since you need to paint both sides and let them fully dry in between the two top coats.
You don't have to remove the cabinet doors to repaint them, so leave them on their hinges if you're not going to replace them. However, it is easier to paint the cabinet's façade with the doors off. You can paint the hinges to match the cabinets or mask them with painter's tape to keep them as they are.
On the fronts and backs of drawers and doors, you can use a roller. This will apply the paint in a more smooth and even manner and is much faster than only using a paint brush. Then, use a brush for touching up small areas or for hard-to-reach spots.
If you want to change the colour of your kitchen cabinets, you can spray paint them or use a roller. Both will do the job, although the finish won't be equal. If you want to achieve a factory finish, the best way to paint kitchen cabinets is by spray painting them, and we say this is a professional coatings company.
For an extra smooth and professional-looking finish, many paint experts recommend spray painting kitchen cabinets. This method can be easier than working with a paintbrush and roller, but it takes some time and practice to really get the hang of it.