Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is a good, reliable primer for cabinets, particularly for DIYers looking for a low-odor, easy-to-use option that adheres well to wood, laminate, and glossy surfaces without heavy sanding. It is excellent for adhesion but may not be the best choice for blocking severe stains or wood tannins (like on raw oak) compared to shellac-based alternatives.
When painting kitchen cabinets, you need to use a primer that will stand up to high levels of moisture. We recommend Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 or Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Plus for kitchen cabinets.
Zinsser Allcoat
It's durable, can be washed and wiped clean repeatedly and can be applied using a spray, brush or roller to suit your own preferences. If your kitchen cupboards are laminate or glossy, we recommend priming these first with Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3.
The best primer for kitchen cabinets depends on your material, but Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Based Primer is widely considered the best overall. It blocks tannin bleed-through, seals odors, and adheres to glossy surfaces or old varnish without heavy sanding.
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.
For a flawless, factory-like finish, the absolute best paints for cabinets are hybrid alkyds or water-based enamels. These formulations combine the smooth, durable finish of traditional oil paints with the easy cleanup, low odor, and non-yellowing benefits of water-based paints.
Joanna Gaines’ dedicated product line is called Magnolia Home Cabinet & Furniture Paint by KILZ. It is a specialized water-based acrylic enamel designed to provide the durability of an oil-based paint. It features superior self-leveling, remarkable durability, and a sleek, hard finish.
Yes. Lightly sand cabinets to help the paint adhere. For laminate, always use a bonding primer.
To paint cabinets perfectly smooth, meticulously clean and degrease surfaces, fill wood grains, and sand between coats. For a flawless finish without a sprayer, use a high-density foam roller or fine mohair roller to apply thin, even coats of premium self-leveling enamel paint.
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.
Choose Zinsser BIN for tough stain-blocking, odors, and raw wood/MDF. Choose Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 for general interior/exterior adhesion, masonry, and painting over glossy surfaces.
And yes you can absolutely paint laminate kitchen cabinets! You just need a good primer (Zinsser BIN is the best) and several thin coats of paint, sanding between each coat.
Oil-based paints have been used for decades because they dry to a very hard, durable finish. They resist scratches and give cabinets a glossy look that lasts for years. However, they do come with drawbacks. They take longer to dry, have a stronger odor, and require paint thinner or other solvents for cleanup.
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is a versatile, all-purpose water-based primer that adheres to almost any interior or exterior surface without the need for sanding. It can be used on:
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.
Kilz and Zinsser are the two heavyweight titans of the primer world, but they excel in slightly different applications.
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.
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 solution is surprisingly simple. Installing a soft close cabinet hinge is a small upgrade that acts as a crucial safeguard for your investment. By catching the door and guiding it to a gentle, quiet close, these hinges do more than just stop the noise.
Painting kitchen cabinets takes time; just the prep work of washing and sanding the cabinet doors took me half a day. The painting itself is the fastest part; most of the time you'll spend will just be waiting for the paint to dry between coats. I made the mistake of trying to paint a second coat after just 2 hours.
The best primer for cabinets depends on your specific surface, but Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer is widely considered the ultimate choice. It offers unbeatable stain-blocking (especially on oak tannins) and sticks to any surface—even glossy laminate—without the need for heavy sanding.
The best primer for painted cabinets depends on the material underneath and how well it has been cleaned. For the most durable and stain-blocking finish, Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Based Primer is the top choice. For slick laminate surfaces, use INSL-X Stix, and for a water-based low-odor option, Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond is excellent.
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.
For kitchen cabinets, satin is generally the better choice. It provides the ideal balance of durability, cleanability, and aesthetic appeal. Eggshell is softer and has less shine, making it less durable and harder to wipe down in high-mess areas like a kitchen.
The best overall paint for cabinets is Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel. This hybrid formula gives you the smooth, hard finish of an oil-based paint with the easy application and quick dry time of water-based formulas. It levels out beautifully, hiding brush strokes for a highly durable, professional-looking finish.