How to Paint Cabinets Like a Pro (or Better!)

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If you have been following us at How We Do for a while, you know that I am not afraid to paint anything, especially cabinets. Painting cabinets completely changes the look of any room and gives it a beautiful new look, as I did in our Master Bathroom makeover and our Kid’s Bathroom Makeover. Today I will show you just how easy it is to paint cabinets with a few easy-to-follow steps. 

finished bathroom cabinet after painting cabinets DIY

The most important thing to remember when it comes to painting cabinets is that you need to use the right tools and materials. That is the secret to success. You don’t want to cut corners or use lower-end products, especially primer and paint. 

Let’s get started on this fun DIY painting cabinet project. 

pin image with pink background, bold title that says "HOW TO PAINT YOUR OWN CABINETS LIKE A PRO" and an image of the finished room

Supplies for Painting Cabinets

before paint cabinets project. White cabinet with black countertop

How to Paint Cabinets Like a Pro (or Better!)

  • The first step of painting cabinets is to remove all the existing hardware. If you are new to DIY, you will want to get a good drill; it is a must-have on so many DIY projects. 
  • I always save all the hardware in a plastic bag, even if I am not planning to reuse it. You never know if you may need it while working on your project. And don’t forget to label the bag so you remember what the hardware goes to!
  • With this project, I am working with laminate cabinets. You will want to lightly sand them to remove the sheen and get a surface that the primer will stick to. No need to sand all the way down, just enough to rough it up. I am using 120-grit sandpaper. 
  • Remove the doors from the cabinet. It is super helpful, especially if you have several doors, to label where they go, so it is easy to assemble the cabinets back together at the end of the project. 
  • Use a hand sander where the orbital sander does not reach. 
  • After the sanding is done, wipe off (tack cloth works well), dust, and vacuum all the doors, drawers, and cabinet base. 
  • You can choose to remove the false drawer fronts or leave them on. It is much easier to paint them when they are removed. 
  • It’s time to prime! I used a shellac base primer that is really strong, but it does a great job of covering the existing cabinets/colors, especially laminate cabinets. If you don’t use a great primer, you may find underyling colors or stains coming through the primer. Tannins can also be released when sanding, they kind of appear as a yellowish color, and not just any paint or primer will cover them. An oil-based shellac primer works best.
  • Once the primer dries, you will want to sand it lightly with finer grit sandpaper. This helps give you a nice smooth surface. 
  • Don’t forget to wipe down, vacuum, and dust off after each time you sand. 
  • You don’t always need two coats of primer, but I chose to do two because I am painting laminate cabinets, and I noticed some of the original dark cabinet color showing through. Since I am painting my cabinets a light color, I wanted to make sure they are covered really well. 
  • Lightly sand with finer grit sandpaper just to smooth, be sure you don’t get any sanding scratches while sanding. And once again, clean off the sanding dust.
cabinet primed ready for paint
  • It’s time for paint! I highly recommend using a high-quality urethane enamel paint made specifically for cabinets. They self-level and provide the smoothest finish. For this project I used ProClassic enamel paint from Sherwin Wiliams. The color I used was Repose Gray in a satin finish. I was going to use the Emerald enamel, which is one step up in quality, but they were out of stock, and this is still a very high-quality paint perfect for cabinets. 
  • If you plan to paint with a roller, I recommend using a foam roller to help create a smooth finish. I prefer to roll the base of the cabinets first. I start with all the edges and then roll the front. This helps remove any drips that might sneak over from the edges. Use a really high-quality brush where the small foam roller does not reach.
  • When the base is drying, you will want to start prepping the doors and drawers. 
  • Use an orbital sander for sanding the fronts and backs of the cabinets. 
  • Apply the primer. Follow the same steps that I did for the cabinet base above. Use two coats if needed, and don’t forget to lightly sand in between coats, wiping clean each time after you sand. 
  • I opted to spray my cabinet doors and drawers with my paint sprayer. It goes on so well to provide the smoothest paint finish without streaks. This is my favorite paint sprayer I’ve used; it is spendy but completely worth it to me! You can also use a foam roller to paint the the cabinet doors and drawers.
  • Apply as many coats of paint as needed for full coverage, allowing plenty of dry time in between coats.
  • Make sure the cabinet base, the cabinets, and the drawers are 100% dry before reinstalling the cabinets and drawers. 
  • Add existing hardware back onto the cabinets or replace with new hardware. 
finished painted cabinet

There you have it! How to paint cabinets like a pro! Need some help painting your cabinets? Check out my video tutorial here, where you can see all the steps of this painting project. Be sure to tag me on Instagram in your finished projects so I can see how amazing they are! #howwedoandyoucantoo

You might also be interested in: How To Update Outdated Cabinets with Liquid Wood.

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