Refinish painted kitchen cabinets
Give sound painted cabinets a durable new finish with careful cleaning, priming and thin coats.
Home · 2–4 days + cure · Medium
Before you start
Check old paint for lead before disturbing it. Isolate food, dishes and appliances; ventilate and follow coating and cleaner PPE instructions. Control sanding dust, keep finishes away from ignition sources, and support removed doors flat.
Tools and materials
- Compatible degreaser, repair filler, bonding primer and cabinet enamel; fine sanding pads and masking materials
- Brush, small finish roller, trays, driver, labeled hardware bags, padded supports, vacuum, gloves and eye protection
Check the problem
Confirm the old finish is sound
Probe peeling edges and inspect swelling or grease near handles. Repair loose joints first; replace damaged MDF or loose foil rather than burying it under paint.
Test the coating system
Clean a discreet area, prepare it and apply the proposed primer and finish. Let the test cure for the specified period and check adhesion before committing to the whole kitchen.
Steps
Remove and map the doors
Photograph the layout, number each door and drawer on a hidden area, and bag its hinges and pulls together. Remove the hardware and set the doors on stable padded supports.
Degrease and repair
Wash fronts, edges and exposed frames with the selected cleaner. Rinse if required and dry thoroughly. Fill chips with compatible filler; sand the cured repairs level.
Scuff and remove dust
Protect adjacent surfaces. Lightly abrade sound paint to the coating maker’s recommended finish without sanding through thin veneer or MDF edges. Vacuum and wipe using the coating-approved method.
Apply the bonding primer
Brush recesses and roll flat areas thinly, including edges without creating drips. Let each side dry enough to handle before turning. After the stated recoat time, lightly smooth imperfections if permitted and remove dust.
Apply thin finish coats
Brush details, then roll broad areas while maintaining a wet edge. Follow the specified number of coats and recoat time; do not keep brushing paint that has begun to tack. Coat frames using the same system.
Cure, rehang and verify
Wait for the coating’s handling and service times—not merely touch-dry. Refit hinges and pulls, align doors and add suitable bumpers. Check clearance and avoid washing or heavy use until full cure.
Wait for the coating’s handling and service times—not merely touch-dry. Refit hinges and pulls, align doors and add suitable bumpers. Check clearance and avoid washing or heavy use until full cure.
Tips
Grease defeats adhesion
Handles and cooking areas need particularly careful cleaning.
Keep paint out of hardware
Mask hinge cups and threads so the original parts fit again.
Dry is not fully hard
Leave doors ajar if recommended and treat the finish gently during its stated cure period.