Yes, using a primer is highly recommended when painting cabinets with Behr.
Yes, it's entirely possible to paint cabinets without sanding, and thousands of DIYers and friends have done it successfully. But don't forget the prep. Skipping sanding doesn't mean skipping cleaning, priming, or using the right products.
“If you use BEHR PRO® e600 Exterior Paints, you can do all the broad surfaces without a primer because it's great at sealing the surface.
Yes, you can paint cabinets without primer, provided you use an "all-in-one" paint with built-in bonding and primer. However, you must thoroughly clean and degrease the surfaces, and you may need extra coats for the paint to adhere properly.
Recap: Painting Kitchen Cabinets
The 1/3 rule in cabinet design is an interior design guideline stating that a cabinet pull or handle should be approximately one-third the width of a drawer or one-third the height of a cabinet door. This ensures hardware is visually balanced and functional.
No, Behr cabinet-specific paints (such as BEHR PREMIUM® Cabinet, Door & Trim Enamel) do not require a top coat. These specialized formulas are designed as hard-drying, durable enamels that cure beautifully on their own.
Painting without primer often leads to poor adhesion, uneven color, peeling, and the bleeding through of stains. Because primer acts as a bonding agent and sealer, skipping it means paint can flake off slick surfaces, absorb unevenly on porous materials, and require significantly more coats to cover dark colors.
Most Behr paints are "paint and primer in one," so a separate primer isn't needed for previously painted drywall in good condition that is a similar color. However, a dedicated primer is still required for specific surfaces to prevent peeling and ensure proper adhesion.
Priming is recommended over all properly prepared coated or uncoated surfaces. For all interior surfaces, use a product such as BEHR® Kitchen, Bath & Trim Interior Stain-Blocking Primer & Sealer No. 75.
Not Thoroughly Cleaning the Cabinets
If you don't plan to sand your cabinets, you really should wash them clean with a solution of water and dish soap before applying paint. There's a good chance grease and grime are coating the doors, and you should never paint over this—the paint will not adhere correctly if you do!
The best overall paint for cabinets at Home Depot is BEHR PREMIUM Cabinet, Door & Trim Enamel. It provides excellent flow, self-levels to hide brush marks, and dries to a hard, durable finish that resists scuffing and chipping.
Apply First Coat
Start by using an angled brush for each cabinet door's recessed or detailed areas while avoiding brush marks on the flatter, smoother areas. Next, immediately paint the remaining flat areas with a mini roller while smoothing any overlapping brush marks or paint drips to create a uniform look.
Yes, you can absolutely paint over painted cabinets. The secret to making it last and preventing peeling or chipping is proper surface preparation. You rarely need to strip down to bare wood; instead, focus on cleaning, de-glossing, and using the right primer.
Kitchen cabinet colors that feel dated include stark, clinical all-white, cool minimalist grays, and red-toned woods like cherry or honey-oak. Flat, one-dimensional brown-on-brown color schemes and overly bright primary colors have also fallen out of style.
Most paints are designed to reach the intended color and finish with two coats, plus the second coat helps to average out any missed spots. If you wanted to prime, that would be primer + 2 top coats.
Red is universally considered the hardest paint color to cover. Vibrant red pigments are highly transparent and inherently prone to bleeding through subsequent layers. Other notoriously difficult colors to cover include black, dark blue, dark green, and bright yellow.
For makeup, the best alternatives to primer are everyday moisturizer, aloe vera gel, or a few drops of setting spray. For painting or DIY projects, high-quality alternatives include acrylic paint mixed with wood glue, gesso, or even a very light, misted coat of matte spray paint.
Behr cabinet paints—primarily the Behr Premium Cabinet, Door & Trim Enamel—are highly regarded by DIYers for their excellent self-leveling, smooth finish, and fast recoat times. While casual users praise its ease of use, professional painters are more divided, often citing average coverage and long-term oil resistance when compared to premium competitors.
The best professional-grade paints for kitchen cabinets are hybrid alkyd enamels and waterborne polyurethanes. They deliver a tough, self-leveling, and chip-resistant finish. Top industry choices include Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel, Benjamin Moore Advance, and INSL-X Cabinet Coat.
Cabinets, doors and windows can be closed as early as 2 hours after final topcoat. After 2 weeks, cured paint film may be cleaned with a mild, non-abrasive liquid detergent. Dry paint film is mildew resistant.
Properly prepping your cabinets is the most critical step for a flawless, long-lasting finish. Remove all doors, drawers, and hardware. Thoroughly degrease every surface with a heavy-duty cleaner, scuff sand to remove the glossy sheen, fill any imperfections, and apply a high-quality bonding primer.
The most common cabinet pull sizes for standard doors and drawers are 33𝟑 inches (76 mm) and 𝟑𝟑𝟒 inches (96 mm). These "center-to-center" measurements (the distance between the two screw holes) are heavily favored for traditional designs, while 55𝟓 inches (128 mm) is the modern standard.
For cabinet frames, doors, and shelves, 3/4″ plywood is the best option. For cabinet backs and drawer sides, 1/2″ plywood provides a balance between strength and weight. Lighter applications, such as cabinet back panels, can use 1/4″ plywood.