Getting great results when painting your kitchen cabinets boils down to two key things: using quality cabinet paint and applying it correctly. Before moving out of our last home in Utah, we refreshed the upstairs kitchen with a coat of cabinet paint and new hardware. It was a budget-friendly upgrade that made a big impact without replacing all the cabinets.
This is a weekend-type project that really only requires some basic painting supplies.
Tools
Materials
- Sanding block
- Degreaser
- Lint-free cloths
- Painter’s tape
- Masking paper
- Pre-taped plastic
- Plastic drop cloths
- Primer
- Paint
- 220 grit sandpaper
The Before Photos
Here’s what the kitchen looked like before any cabinet paint. Unlike the downstairs kitchen, this one had a great layout—it just needed brightening and updating. A fresh coat of paint on the cabinets would make it feel brand new without breaking the bank.
You can see this kitchen is right off the dining nook where I added trim and built a custom table. Soon, the kitchen would look just as good as that space.
Painting the Upper Cabinets
Before applying cabinet paint, always clean and sand your cabinets. I know some people skip sanding, but in my experience, cabinet paint sticks better and lasts longer with proper sanding.
I removed the doors, cleaned everything with a degreaser, and used a sanding block to rough up the cabinet surfaces. Afterward, I wiped them down with a lint-free cloth to remove dust.
The next step to painting with cabinet paint is to use a good-quality primer. I recommend BIN Shellac-Based Primer to help the paint adhere for a durable finish.
I used a roller and brush to apply primer to the face frames—just where the doors attach. Since I was planning to use my favorite paint sprayer, I covered the cabinets with painter’s tape (sticky side out) and paper instead of emptying them.
For the doors, I followed the same cleaning and sanding steps. Then I masked off the hinges and primed the edge on the hinge side.
Then, I put the cabinet doors back on. Now you can see why I’m only painting the face frames and one edge of the cabinet door. With the paint sprayer, everything else on the cabinets will be easy to reach.
Before spraying, I covered everything—countertops, sink, fridge, microwave—with painter’s tape, pre-taped plastic, and drop cloths. Opening all the cabinet doors made it easy to spray the outside and both sides of the doors.
Once the primer dried, I used 220-grit sandpaper for a quick smooth-out. This little step makes a big difference in the final finish of your cabinet paint.
Pro Tip: See the floor in this pic? I skipped masking it and got overspray everywhere. Lesson learned! When I painted the lower cabinets, I made sure to cover the floor first. Masking upfront is way easier than cleaning up later.
Painting the Lower Cabinets
Since I was painting the upper and lower cabinets in different colors, it made sense to work on them separately. The process for the lowers was similar but with a few tweaks.
I cleaned and sanded all the lower cabinets, then wiped them down to remove dust.
For the lowers, I decided to prime and paint the entire face frame, the backs of the cabinet doors, and the drawer frames by hand. This meant I didn’t have to open the cabinets while spraying or mask off the insides.
With the lower cabinets being a different color, I masked everything again—including the uppers—so I could spray the lowers with primer and cabinet paint. And yes, I covered the floor this time!
The BEST cabinet paint is Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel. It’s their highest-quality paint for cabinets. It’s durable, washable, and goes on beautifully. The uppers are painted Alabaster, and the lowers in Accessible Beige.
Painting the Tile Backsplash
Yep, I painted the tile backsplash! The cabinets looked great, but the old backsplash didn’t match. I could have gone with new tile, shiplap, or even a faux marble epoxy backsplash, but all those options would’ve taken more time and money. Instead of replacing it, I opted for paint.
I used Rustoleum Home Floor Coating as a base coat, then painted the backsplash with the same Sherwin Williams Alabaster I used on the upper cabinets.
Here’s a trick for a clean paint line between the backsplash and countertop: carefully cut along the edge of the tape with a utility knife before removing it. Then, run a bead of caulk along the bottom of the backsplash. When you peel up the tape, you’ll have a perfectly crisp line.
The final step was installing DIY plywood drawer organizers and swapping out the hardware for brass. Just look at the before and after photos—it’s amazing what paint can do!
The kitchen is brighter, cleaner, and feels so much bigger. If replacing cabinets isn’t in your budget, cabinet paint is a low-cost option with MAJOR results.
Like many DIYers, I love how paint can transform a space. I’ve used it to remodel the basement in our Utah home, which included rearranging and painting the existing cabinets. I’ve also used paint to spruce up the front porch in our current Nebraska home.
When we moved to Nebraska and remodeled our kitchen, paint was the budget-friendly choice for painting black windows. You can read all my tips and tricks for painting window frames black right here.
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