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When I had originally shared my tutorial From Hate To Great: A Tale of Painting Oak Cabinets, I had absolutely no idea how many people were looking for a tried and true way to transform their outdated kitchen cabinets! I’m so glad I have been able to help and inspire so many cabinet painting projects.
I have had lots of kind words about how my kitchen turned out and I thank you all so much! With that, there have also been hundreds of questions that I’ve received via comments, emails, and social media. In this post, I wanted to share the most frequently asked questions to hopefully help jump start your own” hate to great” cabinet transformation. Let’s start by addressing the number one most asked question…
1. How are they holding up?!?
The simple answer is great! Here are some pictures of the kitchen cabinets today:
A bit over a year later and they have held up beautifully! I have had my fair share of oopsie-daisies including, but not limited to: whacking pots/pans into cabinet doors, accidentally scraping the stick vac against the bottom of the cabinets countless times, dripping tomato sauce down the cabinet and not realizing I did so until days after, or my most recent oopsie when the bronze finial from my paper towel holder went flying out of my hand whacking directly into a cabinet. Throughout ALL of these (and probably some more my husband didn’t tell me about) the paint job hasn’t budged! No peeling, no chips, no worn areas. I truly believe this is thanks to the amazing-ness that is General Finishes High Performance Water Base Polyurethane Topcoat. It can take a flying finial beating and allows me to clean off crusted-on pasta sauce with just some paper towel and warm water. I can’t speak more highly of this stuff. It is KEY to durability!
Three other things I would HIGHLY recommend to ensure your painted cabinets stay looking their best:
- Door Bumpers : You absolutely need these. These tiny little rubber stickers prevent wood on wood contact which will ultimately over time, create wear on your finish.
- Hardware (knobs/pulls) : Knobs/pulls eliminate the need for you to touch the door or drawer to open it, in turn there will be less touching the paint job and less chance for any wear.
- Soft Close Adapters : You can read all about how great and easy to install these babies are here. But from a practical POV the soft close prevents the cabinet doors from slamming against the boxes. This proactively prevents any wear… and trying to slam the doors will entertain you for hours.
Full disclosure, I do not have children or pets, so I can’t speak from that perspective on wear and tear. But given my experience above, I think it would pass the test!
2. Why did you put the cabinet doors back on before applying the poly?
I wanted to be able to apply the poly to both sides of the doors at once. This was to expedite the process, otherwise it would have taken double the time to allow them to dry, then flip over, and apply to the other side. It also allowed for easy application (standing up vs. hunched over the doors laying flat!)
3. Why did you leave the hinges on the doors when painting?
I left them on because they were already adjusted for that door so leaving them on allowed me to put them back on easily and quickly. Otherwise I would have had to re-adjust them once they were up. It eliminated the time to take them off and put them back on. If you feel more comfortable taking them off, go for it. I found leaving them on to be a big time saver. (And if you get paint on the hinge, a little rubbing alcohol takes it right off!)
4. Can you see the grain? What does it look like?
Yes. You can definitely see the grain. Before painting them I was obsessing over that. I did not want to see that severe oak grain. But the only way to get them truly smooth is to use a grain filler which is a very messy, time consuming, sanding-required process that I simply did not want to get involved with. So I bit the bullet and slapped an extra coat of the primer on any super grainy doors. Now that they are complete, the grain honestly doesn’t bother me at all. If anything, it shows you have real wood cabinets under that gorgeous paint job!
Here’s a picture showing the grain in harsh direct light:
And here’s a close up of a drawer:
Don’t fear the grain, embrace it.
5. How many coats of primer did you apply? How many coats of poly did you apply?
2 coats of Zinsser 123 Water Based Primer on the cabinet boxes and doors. 3 coats on doors that were really grainy.
3 thin, even coats of General Finishes High Performance Water Based Polyurethane Topcoat applied with a staining sponge. The more coats you apply, the stronger your finish will be once it completely cures (see original tutorial for more on this and for info on how many coats of paint.)
6. Did the topcoat/poly yellow?
Nope, so far so good. One of the reasons I chose the General Finishes High Performance Water Based Polyurethane Topcoat is because of its better-than-the-others reputation for not yellowing over time. Again, full disclosure I do not get harsh sunlight in my kitchen and my home is a smoke free environment, both contribute to yellowing. Also keep in mind my cabinets are Antique White, not a pure white so any yellowing would be less noticeable.
7. Satin finish vs. Semi-gloss finish?
I went with a Satin finish as I wanted a slight bit of shine. Semi-gloss is shinier and I felt it may make the grain look more prominent. It’s really personal preference, but both will work and both are available in the General Finishes topcoat.
8. Drying times?
Drying times for the primer, the paint, and the poly are going to vary based on climate. In more humid climates or during more humid times of year, drying times may be longer. I’m in the northeast and my primer dried enough for a second coat within about 6-8 hours. The paint I left 24 hours+ between coats to be sure it was dry. The poly dries pretty quickly, but I did one coat per night for a few days, so I left 24 hours between each application. The complete curing of the paint and poly takes 60 days, so be very careful with the cabinets until then!
9. The added trim on the bottom of the upper cabinets, can I see closer pictures?
Your wish is my command:
At the time I added the trim for a more custom look, but now it also hides inexpensive, awesome wireless LED lights! I wasn’t expecting them to be as good as they are. They are remote controlled and add some sexy mood lighting in the evening. You know, to set the mood for loading the dishwasher…
10. Why Sherwin Williams ProClassic paint?
I answer this in the original tutorial, but I still get this question often. Sherwin Williams is pro-quality paint. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than new cabinets and quality does matter when it comes to finish and durability. Practically, I didn’t want to deal with a paint sprayer and because this paint is self-leveling it could easily be applied with a foam roller for a smooth finish. It’s also nice and thick with great pigmentation so less coats would be needed for full coverage.
11. My cabinets are a different kind of wood, will this work?
I’ve never tried this method on a wood other than oak, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. As long as the cabinets are not raw wood this method should work just fine. I would recommend doing a patch test if you’re unsure.
12. Would this process work on oak bathroom cabinets? Will it hold up?
Yup! Check out my master bathroom makeover here. I used the exact same process on those cabinets and they’re holding up beautifully!
13. Any other tips, suggestions, comments?
Yes!
- If you want to use this method, do it exactly how I did. If you deviate and use different products or methods it will most likely change the outcome. For example, one reader chose to sand her cabinets down then follow my process. This “unsealed” the oak and allowed it to release tannins and bleed through the paint. This is something a water-based latex primer won’t stop, you need an oil based primer. Another example is when a reader painted her cabinets then chose to use a different poly which yellowed her white paint immediately. If you do deviate from the process, do your homework before hand so you know what to expect.
- Always buy paint samples before you buy the gallon(s)! Paint chips don’t sufficiently show the color, do a test cabinet drawer or back of a door before committing to the entire kitchen to make sure you like the color in your space.
- If you are painting your cabinets as part of a bigger kitchen reno, make sure the cabinets are the very last thing you do! You don’t want them getting bumped, banged, or messed up from tearing off countertops, ripping up floors, or painting walls.
- As a friendly DIY reminder, before you begin this project make sure you’re comfortable with the materials and process. I encourage you to do some additional research. This exact process and these exact materials worked wonderfully for me, but as always, DIY at your own risk!
If you have a question that wasn’t answered here or in the original tutorial, feel free to comment/reach out and I’ll do my best to help you.
Finally, I want to share a few images of other fantastic HATE TO GREAT transformations that readers and fellow DIYers have shared with me! I absolutely LOVE to see your before and afters, so if you use this method, please reach out to send pictures!
What a difference! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: It’s amazing what some paint will do! Are you ready to tackle your cabinets? Go forth future cabinet painters – you got this!!!
This post partied over at the following linkups:
Live Laugh Rowe, Creativity Exchange, The Pin Junkie, Small Victories Sunday, Totally Terrific Tuesday, A bowl full of lemons, Create Link Inspire, A Stroll Thru Life, Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Link Party, Project Inspired, Inspiration Monday, Amaze Me Monday, Motivation Monday, Creative Gallery, Metamorphosis Monday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work it Wednesday, Sizzle into Summer, Creative Muster, Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop, Show & Share, Tuesdays at Our Home, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Bouquet of Talent,
thank you! i have lived for 12 yrs in a (rent controlled!) home with a kitchen with these exact cabinets plus butcher block plus copper counters and i can’t take all the orangey/yellowwwww!
i have read so many DIY blogs that were like “it only takes a weekend to paint yr cabinets!” and then i’d dig through their blogs and see they were basically pros.
i am not a pro. it takes me forever to do stuff so it was nice to read an honest breakdown of the time. plus our kitchen has 22 cabinet doors and 10 drawers. it would prob take me 2.5-3 months of weekends. i should’ve done this during my long layoff in early pandemic.
i am still totally intimidated and prob won’t do it, but it’s nice to have a realistic guide if i do.
i would love a light color but with the copper counters i would need dark (at least on lower cabinets). the counter bleeds green when they’re cleaned when folks aren’t careful about drips – i have had lots of roomies over the years and they’re not always the most cautious of people.
anywhoodles thanks so much.
You’re welcome! LOL Anyone who says it take a weekend is NOT telling the truth! Drying times wouldn’t even make that work!
Good luck if you decide to take it on – it’s a long, but very doable project!
Hi! What kind/ where did you buy the bottom trim/ molding for the cabinets. I like this idea and want to hide my lights under the cabinets. Thank you!
Thanks, I believe it’s from Home Depot. It’s panel cap molding, so it’s actually L shaped so I was able to tack it up to the underside of the cabinets easily. This is similar, not sure if it’s the exact same though. Hope this helps!
I love how they turned out. I have an oak nightmare that keeps me up at night. I think I will try this. I had a question what color did you paint your walls I love it.
Thank you and good luck! Walls are Revere Pewter – Benjamin Moore!
Absolutely love your cabinets!! My question is spraying vs. rolling the paint on. Was this just your personal preference or is using a foam roller better? I heard that spraying will take away more of the grained look of the oak which I think I would like better. If I end up spraying, can I use the same paint you did? Just wanted your thoughts. Thank you.
If you’re skilled with a paint sprayer, by all means go for it! I have never used one and didn’t want my cabinets to be first attempt at trying LOL! I do know from my endless research I did prior that you will need to use an additive to thin down the paint. You should be able to use the same paint I did, but you will need to consult with Sherwin Williams on what to add to thin the paint down. Hope this helps!
So it’s August 2020 and when I click on the link to the paint it says it doesn’t exist anymore. Help! I want the same results you got, but I’m getting so discouraged! Thanks so much!!!
Ps. Your kitchen is BEAUTIFUL! thank you so much for sharing your experience!
Thank you! Whoops, looks like Sherwin Williams updated their site and the link was out of date. Just updated it in the post. This is the paint! Good luck!
Hi Kelly,
Love what you did to your cabinets.
I did exactly what you did (except for a having a couple of weeks beak in between the paint coats as I was trying to finish my floor at that time). After the flooring, I again painted the cabinets and then put poly on it.
It just looks so good now. Thank You.
I have a few problems in some area on the cabinets as the paint is already chipping. what do I do?
Thanks,
Tessy
Thank you, and glad you’re loving your cabinets. A few things on the chipping. 1. Do you use knobs? If not I highly recommend installing some. Touching the cabinets frequently will lead to chips/worn areas. 2. Did you sand at all or have areas of wood that were very worn to begin with? If this is the case, the tannins from the wood could be bleeding through and causing the paint to not properly adhere. Using a bit of oil based primer in those areas then reapplying the paint and the poly should solve this. (obviously carefully and with a fine brush!) 3. How many coats of poly did you do initially? Two thin coats is what I did and they’re holding up well to this day, with the exception of where my toddler constantly opens the pantry door 20 times a day to demand snacks. Admittedly, the paint is starting to wear there, but expected for the way she handles the door. Ha! Hope this helps you out!
Getting ready to bite the bullet and paint the kitchen cabinets. I am finishing up the bathroom (just practice). Do you put the poly on the frame too or just doors? I’m want to finish this project. It’s taking longer than I expected.
Yup – it’s a time investment, but worth it! Poly everything you painted. Good luck!
Your kitchen is beautiful! My husband and I are currently in the process of painting our awful oak cabinets now (following your tutorial!). We are almost at the poly stage and are a little nervous about it yellowing… I know in this update you said you didn’t notice any yellowing, but now that it’s a couple years later I was wondering if that still holds true? We have followed your process exactly (products, steps, etc.) with the only difference being that we chose alabaster white for the paint color. LOVING the painted cabinets so far and can’t wait for the finished product… just a little nervous to poly
Sorry, late to answering this. Cabinets still look great. As long as you don’t get a lot of direct sunlight on your cabinets (a factor in yellowing) and you don’t apply it too thick you shouldn’t have any issue. My cabinets still look good! Hope everything turned out well for you!
The one year later photos are amazing. I have honey oak cabinets currently and considering doing this based on your photos. I’m just curious if they’re still holding up well (now that it’s been a little over 3 yrs). My husband is not excited about this project and he’s skeptical about the longevity of it.
Thanks! Still doing well. Now have a 2.5 year old and the only place that is showing some slight wear is where she opens the pantry door to stand and demand snacks, lol! I plan on touching it up and applying another layer of the top coat in that area. If you use your hardware/knobs to open cabinetry you really have little contact with the cabinets themselves. Everywhere else had help up incredibly well to date. Hope this helps.
Hello! I am so glad I found your post. I finally took the plunge and painted my kitchen cabinets. They were the same orange wood color as yours were. We are almost to the last step of applying the poly. The store we purchased our supplies from did not carry the brand you recommended. We purchased Winwax water based clear satin and wanted to make sure that would work. Don’t want to mess up now. Lol!
Yay for taking the plunge – I much too late responding, apologize, but honestly don’t have much wisdom to add as I’m not familiar with the product. Hope it all turned out well!
My oak cabinets are aproximately 25 years old and are kind of raw in some places already without having to sand them at all which I wasn’t planning on doing. I have washed all the doors and they are ready for primer and now i read that the tannins will come through if sanded and this is kind of the same thing. Which primer would you suggest instead of the Zinnser 123 Primer?
Unfortunately I cannot recommend anything other than what I used, which was the Zinnser Primer. I’ve just never worked with anything aside from this on my cabinets. Sorry!
I did it! I first read your post two years ago and have been pricing cabinets and thinking about this project since then. I finally pulled the trigger on November 4 and finished December 23! I didn’t have any help, painted during the most busy holiday time of the year, weekends only and am now celebrating my first DIY! I went with TriCorn Black, I love it! I followed your instructions, purchased supplies from your links and have an amazing finished project. I am struggling with the drawer pull out mechanism, I’d like to replace the monorail wheel system but haven’t yet figured that out. If you’d like before/after pics I’d love to share! Thank you so much for breaking this project down into doable pieces!! I’m going to paint my front door next and gel stain my banisters 😊
Tricorn black cabinets! SWOON! They must look gorgeous!!! Congrats on completing it! So worth it, right? So for the drawers I did not change them over to soft/self close. It’s something I’d love to do down the line, but was unable to find an easy enough way to make that happen LOL! If you come across one, I’m interested! Good luck with the rest of your projects!
I would love to see the black cabinets. I want to do black on my maple colored cabinets, but am scared! Please post the photos!
Love all the information here, going to bite the bullet and start my project. A couple of questions please….I want to paint the interior of my cabinets also, any suggestions on that?
Also, I need to replace the cabinet doors…any suggestions on that?
thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend painting the interior, as even with a great poly job it’s bound to chip from constant use. As far as the new doors, I can’t recommend a company, but I know there are lots of places online that allow you to order custom cabinetry based on the sizes you need. Good luck!
Hi Kelly,
How did you manage to keep the paint from chipping off the side of the cabinet doors that open against the frames whenever they are opened?
You need the plastics bumpers on your doors so the frame and door do not directly touch. I link to them in my original cabinet post here.
Gayle,
I just happened to browse thru this article and saw your question about needing to replace cabinet doors. A few years ago I purchased new cabinet doors thru Home Depot and painted the cabinet itself to match the color of the doors (it was an espresso color). They have an area within their kitchen cabinets and it is under re-facing. You can order cabinet doors or drawer fronts, all you need is the exact measurements – they have instructions on how to do this correctly.
Hope this helps!
Hello! I used your blog post about painting kitchen cabinets back in October 2016 when we purchased our home. The cabinets came out beautifully and now I can even vouch for them holding up considering it’s been 1.5 years since I painted them. Lol! Anyhow, I never got around to posting before and after pics and would love to if you allow them.
Also, your main kitchen cabinet pic of “from hate to great…” that is all around Pinterest, links to a blog called “Designer trapped” (dot) com.?? I dont know if that person has permission to use your photo but wanted to mention it just in case. It took me a few tries to find practically spoiled bc I kept getting redirected to designer trapped no matter which one I clicked on.
Awesome! So glad you’re enjoying your cabinets and that they’re holding up wonderfully! I’ll email you where to send the pictures to, would love to see them (and post if you’d allow!) Also, thank you so much for the information on pin. I’ve contacted Pinterest to try and have this fixed. Unfortunately some bloggers try to steal traffic by directing other people’s projects to their site. Pathetic, isn’t it?
Hello
Did you have to use caulking in between panels and door frames?
I have seen other caulk the gaps. Do you have paint cracking over there?
Thank you
Interesting, I did not caulk, but I also did not allow paint to pool up in the crevices. Caulking before isn’t a bad idea, you’ll get a very professional finish!
Thank you
I’ve read so many posts I’m running myself around in circles! Yours makes so much sense! However, I started by using Citristrip on ONE base cabinet including drawer and doors. I then sanded it and did a test with white pickling stain on the drawer face. I HATE IT! I wish I would have found your post sooner! Any thought on how to move on and do your method? What should I do with the ONE odd cupboard out?
I know the feeling! That’s why it took me so long to finally get started, there’s sooooo many tutorials out there! So I would try to simply prime over what you did and continue on as my tutorial states on that one cabinet. Not sure how it will work, but since it’s not raw wood (you have the pickling stain on it) the primer will have something to adhere to. The wood is not bear, so you shouldn’t have an issue with adhesion. I can’t guarantee that it will work as I have never tried it, but if I were in your shoes I’d give that a try. Good luck!
Thank you so much for the cabinet painting tutorial and one year update! I am going to start painting my cabinets following your process and had one question for you.
With putting two+ coats of primer on… Did you prime all coats on the back side of the doors and then prime all coats on the front? Or did you alternate one coat on the back, one coat on the front, one coat on the back, etc.?
Thanks for your help!
You’re welcome! Prime everything! The primer dried relatively quickly, so how ever you need to make it work with timing on when you’re priming the backs and fronts. I believe I did two coats on one side, then flipped (once completely dry) and did another two coats on the other side. Hope this helps!
Hello Kelly. I love your tutorial on painted cabinets. I’m purchasing a home that already has painted oak cabinets, that have a ton of visible wear and tear. I figured I could sand the cabinets, prime and repaint based on your instructions, but I read your warning on sanding the cabinets first. Do you think painted cabinets can be re-painted? Any tips to applying the new paint. (FYI – the oak cabinets are painted ivory and I’d be looking to paint them the antique white.)
Hello and thank you! Hmm, sounds like the best way to proceed would be to remove the old paint and start fresh. I don’t have experience in sanding down existing paint and re-painting, but if you do, you may need to use a different primer. I know there are chemicals you can use to strip paint off, but I again don’t have experience with that. Sorry I’m not more help here, but I’m sure a good Google search could help more. Good luck!
I have partical board cabinets, which are varnished. Should I sand them down and follow your recommended paints? Please advise if different paint process is needed. Is there a need to sand them? Thank you
You should be able to use the primer I suggest above right overtop, as long as the varnish isn’t too new or too shiny. I would try a sample back of a drawer or door before going to for the entire thing. Good luck!
Varnish is not new and not that shinny. Can’t wait to get started. This is going to be some project. Thank you for sharing with us your DIY knowledge.
You’re welcome!
How can I send you a picture? It won’t let me attach one
I would love to see, I’ll shoot you an email!
I have been researching painting my cabinets for a long time. I have all of the supplies and have the doors all off and ready to start today. I’m so thankful that I came across your blog in my last moment of hesitancy. I would have sanded everything down but your advice about not sanding due to tannins bleeding through makes perfect sense. My cabinets are 20 year old oak. Thank you for saving me a headache later on as I have a feeling I’ll have enough headaches with the whole daunting process. I was wondering if there is a need to use TSP and Krud Kutter to clean everything or is the TSP enough of a cleaning before primer? Also, do you dilute the TSP or use full strength? I’m SCARED to start but your blog encouraged me.
Glad you stopped before you sanded! 🙂 Follow the directions on your TSP for cleaning. The TSP should cut through everything, but if you’re cabinets are really greasy and dirty you may want to use something else to make sure their nice and clean before priming. Make sure to wipe them down well with a wet cloth after the cleaning and let them dry completely before priming. You don’t want to leave a residue of cleaner behind. Good luck!
Finished today and just want to say thank you. Had a few hiccups near the end but it all turned out well!! It looks great and we love it! Thank you for your step by step tutorial it really did help!
Hi Amy – Congrats on finishing! Glad you love it! You’re very welcome for the tutorial – now relax and enjoy!
My hubby asked me to ask you why you used a staining sponge instead of a brush for the poly?
Thinner coats, more control, avoiding drips and/or bubbles. A brush will lay the poly on thick and could create tiny bubbles in areas where the poly pools up.
Thank you
Kelly , thank you for this awesome idea and all the help you’ve given for other people to do it as well!! A couple questions if you don’t mind: do you just paint the baseboard the same way? It is like pressed wood. And what do you when you paint the cabinets with the holes present from removing the handles and did you paint the 1/2 inch inside of the cabinets? Thank you !
Hi Donna – You’re very welcome! Yes, baseboards of the cabinets are prepped, primed, and painted using the same method. For cabinets holes, if you’re putting hardware back in the same place just remove them and put them back after. If you’re moving the hardware (as I did with my drawers) you’ll need to fill the holes before priming and painting (see original tutorial for the items I used to do that) And yes, I did paint the small lip inside of the cabinets, as that’s part of the face frame. Hope this helps!
We are getting ready to have granite countertops installed and I am going to follow your tutorial to paint our kitchen cabinets! I’m nervous because everyone has told me to sand the shiny coat off first and I’ve read you did not sand. I just need reassurance that I don’t need to sand first if using the primer you mentioned. Thanks!
Congrats on starting your kitchen reno! Myself and the many others who’ve completed this project are proof you don’t need to sand your oak cabinets before painting when using the primer I recommend. Of course you need to be comfortable with the process, so if you really feel the need to sand, go for it. But keep in mind you’ll need to follow a different tutorial that’s based around sanding. Best of luck!
Kelly,
So happy I came across your kitchen cabinet makeover. I’ve been researching and found your instructions to be the best! Beautiful job.
Also, I love your chandeliers! Where did you purchase them??
Thanks for all your advice!😀
Amy
Hi Amy – Thanks so much! Glad you found my tutorial helpful! My chandeliers are linked at the bottom of my original post, here. 🙂
I am so impressed at your project and how the change of color transformed your kitchen!! Currently I have solid oak kitchen cabinets. They were custom made and looked great and chic when we first got them some 30 years ago. But now, looking tired and old-fashioned esp. since the rest of the kitchen was updated with new counter tops, appliances, painting, etc. At first my husband did not like the idea of painting over wood but looking at the before and after photos he is beginning to change his mind. Many thanks.
Thank you! It’s really amazing what just some paint can do. Glad to be of help convincing the hubby 🙂 I actually just posted my bathroom makeover, which includes another good example of painting oak cabinets if you need some more ammunition, LOL! Good luck if you decide to take on the project!
Did you consider General Finishes Milk Paint? And if so, what were the Pros/Cons for Priming/Sherwin Williams paint over Deglossing/ GF Milk Paint? I had just read a couple posts on GF Milk Paint (with also the GF Top Coat) and had decided that was what I was going to do, and then I read yours! Just curious if you considered the Milk Paint. Thanks so much!!!
Yes, I briefly considered milk paint, but at the time I completed this project I couldn’t find enough real-life examples of people using it anywhere aside from furniture. Because these are kitchen cabinets that are used everyday (and take a bit of a beating), I felt that I should err on the side of caution and go for a more traditional, full process to ensure adhesion and durability. Hope this helps!
Thanks Kelly. I agree with you…I think this method is more durable. And let me tell you, I don’t plan on doing this again for a very long time! Thanks so much!!!
How long did you let the painted cabinets dry before you applied the poly?
I waited a few days, that’s only because I was doing this between working, weekends, and a few nights when I had the energy! I would suggest around 48 hours before applying the poly.
Thanks so much for the reply. I wanted to ask but forgot to before- do you sand between poly coats?
No I did not, but some people have. I found it to be an unnecessary step and still resulted in a beautiful durable finish.
Thanks again for the help. I love your site! keep up the good work.
I am curious to know if you only needed 1 quart of top coat although you put 3 coats on. I am just trying to figure out if I need a quart or a gallon. Thanks for your help, the step by step instructions are perfect.
I bought the gallon and I have a ton left over. I used a staining sponge and did 3 thin even coats. My kitchen would have probably used a full quart, but I wasn’t quite sure at the time so I went for the gallon. Happy I did because I wound up using it for other projects later on. Hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks Kelly, great post. We have been debating about our oak cabinets for a while. We have the exact same ones with very similar sized kitchen so I am going to do ‘exactly’ as your instructions. Couple questions :
1. Currently I do not have granite counter top and was planning to get it done this year. Do you think I should get counter replaced first and then take on cabinet paint project ?
2. My whole house has oak wood trim ( honey oak color , same as cabinets) and wanted to paint it white. What’s your recommendation ?
3. Our doors in the house are also the hollow oak doors given by contractors in ’98 and its time to update them to white. Do you think white paint or change them to 6 panel white doors.
thanks
Thanks! To answer your questions: 1. Yes absolutely do the countertops FIRST. There is a high probability of stone company damaging the paint job if you paint before. 2. I would absolutely paint out all the oak trim white. 3. This depends on your time availability and your budget. Painting all the doors is going to take lots of time! If it’s in the budget I’m sure the new 6 panel doors would look great and be a bit less laborious. Hope this helps!
The cabs look fantastic. We have oak that I started to apply poly on…. looks fine, but would rather paint them grey…. think the primer coats will adhere to the very smooth poly top layer? Thx!
Thank you! Since it’s fresh poly, you’ll probably want to rough them up just a bit with some fine grit sandpaper (followed by a tack cloth) before applying the primer to get the best adhesion possible!
I am so glad to have stumbled upon your blog and post relating to painting of oak cabinets. I am in the process of renovating much of my house that we built in 1991. I have replaced the pergo with hardwood, the formica counter tops with granite, the stainless steel small sink with a large black quartz one, my white appliances with new stainless, white subway tile backsplash. I love it. But, the cabinets! I have many solid oak cabinets. They are still in fabulous shape. When I ran estimates for replacement the cost was $20,000 and more. Too much! I thought I’d switch out the hardware and be fine with it. No. The cabinets don’t do my kitchen justice. I am now thinking seriously about painting them and your post came to me at the right time. I didn’t think painting them was an option. I had only seen messy finishes, sloppy at best. Yours look glorious! I am now seriously thinking about following your instructions here step by step. Thank you so much for posting the 1 year later and additional photos of others who have followed your process. You are giving me hope!
You’re very welcome, glad to be of inspiration! Sounds like you put a lot of work into your kitchen already. Painting the cabinets will completely transform the space, giving you the updated look you’re aiming for. Good luck if you decide to take the painting plunge!
I have been “in the process” of this for years!! Cannot seem to take the initial plunge, but your post definitely has pushed me to begin. I appreciate how thorough your directions are including specific products and pics. Best post yet and I’ve read what feels like thousands!!!
I absolutely love how you did not paint inside the cabinets- so smart and time saving. Love the look. My question for you is how bad would it look if I did not paint the backside of the cabinaet doors? I have 20+ doors and 10+drawers, so skipping the backs would save so much time. If it gives the look like your inside cabinets I’m all for it, if it looks tacky or half ass then I wouldn’t want to try.
Anyone have this experience? Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the kind words – So glad you found this helpful! As far as not painting the backs of the doors, I wouldn’t suggest it. It’s definitely going to look like you were trying to cut corners. It’s also going to be difficult to not get primer and paint on the backsides unless you’re going to spend the time to tape them off. My kitchen had 27 doors and lots more drawers, so I know the pain of the project dragging on, but I promise it’s worth it. By taking the time to do both sides, you’ll wind up with a very professional looking finish. Good luck with your kitchen!
Your kitchen is gorgeous! I have been going back and forth on painting my lovely orange oak cabinets since we moved here 7 years ago. I have painted kitchen cabinets before, but they were not oak so this is a new experience. Unfortunately, I began the process after reading MANY different articles that said that the sheen needed to be completely removed before priming and painting. We began by removing the doors from the base cabinets and sanding them down. They have three coats of primer, and I am ready to start work on the base cabinet boxes. I will definitely not sand them like I did the doors. Do you know how long it will take for any color to bleed through? If I leave them primed and unpainted while I begin work on the base boxes and any bleed-through occurs, what would you suggest as a remedy? Thanks for your wonderful tutorial!
Hi Susan, Sorry to hear you sanded! It’s just not necessary as long as you use the primer I specify above. I’m not sure what you mean by color bleed through? I know some people who sanded their cabinets had tannins from the wood bleed through. In that case you would need to use a different primer (possibly oil based) to control that before you would continue the painting process. Not an expert in that space, but I’m sure other tutorials could help you out if that were the case. Good luck wrapping the project up!
Thanks for the quick response. I did mean tannins. I am happy to report that I have nothing showing through at all. I used a SW primer that is a sealer, primer, stain blocker, and all is well. I have 3 layers of primer and three layers of paint on the back of the lower doors and will maybe put 4 layers of paint on the fronts if needed. When sanding the boxes and upper doors, I did a light sand just to scuff up the finish. Thanks again.
You have inspired me to paint my cabinets. I am going with very dark, almost black color. Have painted two to experiment…..looks great. Pairing with white quart counter top and will be doing new back splash Your tips and instructions are going to be so helpful. Now – some have told me I don’t need the polyurethane topcoat…..do you absolutely recommend? Thanks for sharing so much information. jb
Thanks for the kind words! As for the poly, as I stress above the poly is KEY to the cabinets holding up over time. If you’re doing all this work it’s silly to skimp out on the last step which is protecting all your hard work. Hope this helps and good luck with your project!
I have rental property with these oak cabinets. Problem is, that about 12 years ago, we poly coated them to make them shine. Now that I want to apply your recommended process and products, would you still advise ‘No Sanding’ or maybe little sanding with a fine grit?
My cabinets also had an old glossy poly finish, around 15 years old. It was pretty worn down, so going right over without sanding was not a problem. If your glossy poly is still very much intact, and is still very shiny, you may want to consider roughing up the surface with a fine grit sanding block before priming. This isn’t to get the poly off, but to give it some tooth so that the primer can grip on a little better. Just be sure to use a tack cloth after sanding to ensure all the particles are off before priming. Hope this helps!
I am in the same situation as Kelly A.
Mine are 15 yrs old and I poly them 10 yrs ago.
How did you proceed with poly on them Kelly A ?
10 year old poly isn’t new by any means. You should be able to follow the suggested steps I gave Kelley above and be fine, though I always recommend a patch test before.
Kelly, thanks for the update. If you can edit, you might want to change your link on the drawer & cabinet door soft closers. Your existing link did not work, at least in my browser (Chrome).
Dan Linscheid
Ah, good catch! Updated. Thanks, Dan!
I found your post after buying a home full of yellow oak and I knew I had found my solution! Thank you! I started with several small projects to get a feel for the products and the process. I’m an avid DIYer and didn’t hesitate to begin my yellow oak eradication. My first project was painting my fireplace mantel white. OMG what a difference. It looked 100% better than the yellow jaundiced oak did. My next project was painting/staining my stair rail. I opted to sand and stain the banister a medium/dark oak and then painted the spindles a soft white. Super classy look but it makes the rest of my yellow oak scream louder. This was also a labor of love. It took many days and touch ups with small art brushes but the result is so worth it. I’m currently painting my bathroom vanity a light gray as part of a bathroom remodel and then I will tackle the kitchen… Again, thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
Hi Tina – You’re welcome, glad to be of inspiration to you! It’s truly incredible how just some paint and stain make a massive difference. I too just wrapped up painting a bathroom vanity, the very last of my oak! Enjoy all your new updates!
Kelly,
Thank you for this. I am buying a one year old home with Oak Cabinets! Can’t wait to get his changed. Out of curiosity, I have considered going darker on the kitchen cabinets and love the finish you got with the gel on your banister. Do you think that process could be used on cabinets and would it be an easier process? Thanks!
You’re welcome! For a quick minute I considered gel staining my cabinets, but ultimately wanted a light and bright kitchen. There are lots of gel stain cabinet tutorials out there if you’re interested in taking that approach. Good luck with your oak!
Amaxzing how these changes brought out a huge difference in your kitchen
Do you apply poly to the base cabinets? Or only the doors?
Poly everything you painted!
I have Thermafoil Cabinets that I want to peal the plastic Thermafoil off of and then paint. Do you think this would work well … or not clue. I like your recommendations.
Hi Brenda – Ohh, that’s a tough one. Not sure what the condition will be or what material is under the thermafoil… There may be a way to paint over the thermafoil, I’m just not sure if this process will work for that. Sorry! I’m sure if you dig around a bit on Google/Pinterest, you’ll be able to find some solutions for thermafoil! Good luck!
Thank you! We are buying a home that has a lot of deferred maintenance. The home is lovely but nothing has been updated since I was about 10!!! Needless to say I’m not excited about the oak cabinets but I’m also not ready to actually think about replacing them as they are still functional.
Your finished product is stunning and makes the kitchen so fresh and clean! I’m a food blogger so I take a LOT of photos in the kitchen and I’m thinking about giving this a go. It would really look great.
Thank you for all the great instructions and clear information. I’m excited to do some more research and talk to my husband about tackling this!
You’re welcome and thanks for the kind words! I can’t recommend painting your cabinets enough. It makes SUCH a huge impact without a full renovation! Time consuming, yes, but well worth it in the end! Good luck!
I am very impressed! Amazing that after spending all that time researching and then actually doing the project you still took great notes to share with others. Your pictures and narrative are very inspiring. Thank you for shaing
Why thank you for the kind words! 🙂
Are your countertops granite or quartz and do you know what exact brand/color it is? I’m getting ready to do my kitchen like yours…I’m drooling over it! You did an amazing job and In so very thankful you posted fantastic tips and EVERYTHING I need to know! Thank you!
Hi Sarah – Thanks for the kind words! With a little bit of DIY, I know you can make yours gorgeous too! My counter tops are granite. Not 100% sure exactly what color, as it was here when we moved in, but the best guess is “Bordeaux Bahia”, though it’s a slab that errs on the much less “pink/mauve” side. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hello, i heard polyurethane yellows and to get polycrylic?
Hi Kerri – I haven’t had an issue with yellowing using the General Finishes HP Poly, but I did read up a lot polyurethane vs polyacrylic before I started. The issue comes into play with oil based polyurethane, as is has a natural yellowish tint that only gets more yellow with time. What I used was water based and it’s held up beautifully in both colorless-ness (I’m making up words now LOL) and performance. If you’re painting your cabinets pure bright white (mine are antique white), I suggest doing some research on the best poly topcoats for pure white, just for piece of mind. Hope this helps!
I have read your article many times and love the way yours look. Great job, very inspiring. I want to paint my cabinets pale gray and wanted to use some product to emphasize the wood grain ( as you say, embrace the grain). Would I use a glaze or what? What advice can you provide? Thanks for a really great, informative article.
Thanks, Mary! Yes, I would suggest using a glaze over top the paint if you want to bring out the wood grain. With the grain being more prominent as your goal, don’t do more than two coats of primer, you don’t want to fill in the grain too much. Also, glaze before applying the poly. You’ll probably want to try a test cabinet door before you jump into the whole project – good luck!
I’m about to start the DIY cabinet painting process and trying to decide on a paint color. I have bright white trim, and I noticed you do too. Do you feel the slight off color of the cabinets is noticeable against the different color trim? Thanks!
I was concerned initially about that, but I went for it anyway and I don’t think it looks bad at all. Now I don’t have any doors directly in the kitchen, but my baseboards and window/pass through casings are white, and it doesn’t stand out at all. My tile also has both colors in it, so I think that helps tie it all together. I would recommend grabbing a sample of Antique White, painting a large scrap piece of wood, and holding it up to your trim so you can get a feel for how it will look. Good luck with your project!
I have been testing products and methods (on our small bathroom and laundry room cabinets- all the same builder oak) but have the same consistent problem each try: the slightly raised, decorative edge on the cabinet front gets gooey with brush strokes. When I follow the grain top to bottom inside the trim, it tends to leave a little extra small puddle there. So frustrating. Any tips? I have tried painting the raised edge first, then the inside. I have tried following the grain on the inside/middle area then painting the edges second.
Hi Jessica, I’m actually in the middle of painting my bathroom cabinets right now! I’m using the exact same method I used on my kitchen cabinets. A few things that could help you: 1) Don’t paint the cabinet doors while they are up, that’s how drips and puddles happen. 2) Use less paint on the brush/roller. It may be a little more work, but doing a few thin coats VS heavy coats will prevent gooey areas and puddles. You could also follow behind your paint brush with a dry paintbrush brush to work in / absorb excess paint. 3) Are you using a self leveling paint? This is why I swear by Sherwin William Pro Classic. It’s self leveling and brush strokes basically disappear as they dry. A high quality paint is SO important when it comes to cabinet painting.
I highly suggest the products and methods I used, as they have led to much success. Good luck with your projects!
Just wondering about painting the rest of the cabinets. I know you took the doors off but how difficult is painting the parts the doors attach to?
Painting the cabinet boxes was even simpler than painting the cabinet doors. The doors you have to prop up, flip over to do both side, etc… For the boxes I used the same exact process (clean, prime, paint, poly) I did not paint the interior of the cabinet boxes, just the exterior. Hope this helps!
Sooooo impressed – I have had a few sleep less nights so I have read your original Hate to Great & your Still Great tutorial & follow up posts twice – I was all set to start tomorrow when I re read – Paint the cabinets last and as we have tile counters to remove first then granite to install -I guess it will have to wait but thank you for all your hours of reasearch, sharing it all and the beautiful job you did and all your follow up (you were so patient answering the same questions over & over! Lol!! )
I am truly inspired & so excited to go from hate to great!! We built our home in 1992 & have oak everywhere!! I have 25 Solid Oak 6 panel doors that we paid a pretty penny for – now I’m wishing we had hollow 6 panel white doors!!!! We live in CO and have a 2 story family room with lots of windows – great view of the mountains but with the poly on all the oak trim, floors, cabinets, & doors and the sun being so strong here – ACK!! It is aweful – I’m “Blinded By The OAK!” This makes me so happy to know this works!!! I have been told several times over the last 10 yrs – you can’t paint Oak!! Ah Ha I CAN now & will! Thannnkkkk You!
One question for you – the Cosmas Cup Drawer handle pull – I am not hardware savvy so what I’m trying to figure out is do they only require one hole in cabinet or 2? Ad says 3″ hole centers – what does that mean?
Hi Tammy, Thanks for the kind words! Yes, definitely wait if you’ll be removing the countertops. You don’t want anyone/thing messing up your paint job! As far as the cup pulls I used they do require two holes. It’s a little bit more work, but so worth it for the price and final look! Good luck with all of your oak!!! 🙂
Thanks Kelly – granite counter tops are in and cabinets are all off and cleaned with TSP. Now I’m stalling & nervous – maybe not a real DIY gal after all…. My husband says I just need to start … So here are some more detail process questions. I believe you had said to start with the back of the cabinet door – did you do primer on the back of cabinet door then flip it over and prime front – then redo process several times or did you prime back side of cabinet door several coats then flip over and prime front of door several coats? Did back of door require less primer than front of door? Sorry for silly questions but a detailed step by step will help me start priming. Also I was reading Java Gel stain railing at the same time so I might have confused myself. How much time does the primer take between coats & before you flip it over? Does the tin foil on cans prevent it from marks on cabinet door? Thank you Kelly!!!
Hi Tammy – Congrats on the new granite! You can’t back out now! Haha! First, breathe! You got this 🙂 Second, re-read my tutorial above so you can get more comfortable with the process. Third, here’s some answers : When you’re priming it dries relatively quick, so as soon as they are dry, you can flip the doors over and do the other side OR you can do a second coat then flip them, totally up to you – wont effect the outcome! Doesn’t matter what side you start on, as long as your careful when you flip them over (you don’t want to knick or scratch the primer off) You’ll do 2 or 3 coats of primer, what ever feels good to you as far as coverage. The tin foil was to try to avoid a “can ring” on the doors (and honestly to protect my soups from primer LOL!) but wax or parchment paper would work well too. Good luck!!! (You can do it!!!)
My oak cabinets have what I think is some type of laminate on the sides–I was thinking of putting up luan or something thin that I could still paint to match- and I love the trim pieces you did to dress up the sides-as well as love the tutorial and the pics! Very inspirational!
Hi Lynne, thank you! You should be able to find a sheet of oak veneer that you can adhere to the sides and then paint. Some veneer sheets are even peel and stick, making it super easy! Good luck on your project!
I am told by a Lowes employee that if you use Zinser primer on these laminate sides….which are not uncommon….that you can then pain easily. He seems to know what hs is talking about and he says no sanding at all. I am going to try it. I did an experiment with 2 cabinets from my cabinets in garage – picked an almost black with hint of grey vs brown…….looks fab with silver brushed handles. The grain shows through but looks good – as you said proves that cabinest are oak. Your tutorial has inspired me to tackle this project and I am NOT a DIYer. As a professional I feel surely I can pain my cabinet doors!! Your words or wisdom and encouragement have given me the confidence to try. Thank you.
We are in the process of buying a new to us home with the ugly oak cupboards. I love what you’ve done and will be attempting it. These cupboards have the hinges on the outside where your’s were hidden. Any ideas on how to proceed? Paint, and if so, what colour? Or would I be better to replace them? I’m going with your antique white, love it!! Thanks
Congrats on the new home! And sorry about the oak, LOL! You’ll LOVE the results once they’re painted, it truly makes such a difference! With hinges on the outside, it’s not much different except for visually. If you like them you can reuse them, or if they’re not great replace them. Not sure I’d recommend painting them. You’ll want to make sure none of the paint dries inside the hinge preventing it from opening/closing properly. If you do paint them I’d use something like a “Rub & Buff” rather than a paint. Good luck!
Thank you for getting back to me. How in the world did you get such a deal on the table?!! I see it on 3 websites and all of them are the same price at $699. Never noticed if Amazon or Home Depot run sales every so often. Or maybe black Friday. Do you follow these things? Any suggestions are appreciated.
Home Decorators always runs fantastic promos around holidays (with free shipping), combine that with coupon codes for even more savings! When you hit it right, you hit it right!
Did you consider using chalk paint? If so, why did you choose the Sherwin Williams over chalk paint?
Yep! I did a test cabinet with chalk paint and it left horrible paint strokes. Tried sanding between coats and using a roller and it just did not give me the finish I was looking for, so chalk paint was out.
I’ve got those same nasty cabinets and have been researching options. This is great info. Thank you for posting. Could you post a picture of an open cabinet? Also, I probably wouldn’t go with a creamy white, do you have a recommendation for a poly that won’t change the color?
You’re welcome! Later today I can post an open cabinet shot. The best poly I have come across is the General Finishes High Performance Poly that I used. It seems to have a pretty good track record in the non-yellowing dept compared to others. Do a little reading up on it before you take the plunge though. Certain factors such as direct sunlight play into yellowing. Good luck!
Hello! I have finished painting my cabinets and am so nervous about applying the poly! But my question is, did you sand between coats of poly like the instructions on the can say to do? Didn’t know if that was just when you were applying directly to wood or if needed for painted surfaces too. Thanks!!
Hello! No, I did not sand between coats of poly. The can recommends it, but I found on oak there was really no need to. I also applied very thin even coats, if you were applying it thicker I would imagine sanding would be necessary. Good luck!
Wow you did a fantastic job. I have been toying with this idea for about a year. Scary project……
I want to paint my cabinets a gray white or very light gray. Think that would work?
LOVE how your cabinets and back of the island came out. Want to come down South to help me. LOL
Thank you! Yes, totally very scary before you jump in! I researched for about a year before I finally did it, but it was SO worth it! A gray would definitely work. I’m constantly drooling over gray cabinets, but the tile and granite in my kitchen wouldn’t have matched with a gray so I went with a creamy white. If your serious about doing it, I’d suggest tackling a single door. Get the process down, admire your work, then step back and realize now you HAVE to paint the rest! Haha! Good luck if you go for it!
I pinned your post. I need to wait till the fall for some less humid weather here in Texas. I have debated this for a year, I guess it is time to get my feet wet. Thanks for the great inspiring post with all the details.
Absolutely stunning!!! <3
Thanks so much! 🙂
They look wonderful
Thank you!!!
Your kitchen looks absolutely beautiful. I can attest to that because I’ve seen them in person! The transformation is astonishing.. You did a great job!! Looks like new cabinets.
Thanks so much!!! 🙂
Beautifully done and great tips!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Thank you so much, and thanks for hosting!
Great post! I did the same thing with my kitchen cabinets about 2 years ago. I HAVE NEVER REGRETTED IT!! I LOVE a white kitchen, and was told how difficult it would be to maintain. I did have to do a little ‘touch up’ on the doors I openend most often. Just around the inside area of where my fingers grab or touch inside the hardware handle (I have knobs). I would say if you have a lot of people who use your kitchen and will be opening cabinets a lot, to but hardware that sticks out far enough to avoid unecessary touching, like a handle instead of a shorter knob. Other than that, I love them. Nice job! #smallvictoriessundaylinkup
Thank you! #TeamPaintedCabinets LOL! Completely agree with the hardware – avoid touching the cabinets and the finish will last! Though I have to say the poly I used is absolutely incredible. I expected a small knick or chip (I mean, c’mon they’re painted cabinets!) but it truly created a rock hard barrier! 🙂
We have just had our cabinets painted by a professional painter. He sprayed 3 coats of this paint. They look beautiful, but they are still drying in the garage. I noticed today that there are a few raised up black places that I can feel on some of the doors! These are not insects remains. Did you have a problem with anything like that? I was told that oak will do that! Not sure where to go from here! They will need to be sanded off, I think, but then they’d have to be touched up again!
Nope, did not have that problem at all. If you had them sanded (I did not sand my cabinets) and they didn’t use a proper oil based primer before the paint, it could be tannins seeping out of the oak and reacting with the paint. Aside from that, it could just be dust or some kind of debris that was present when they sprayed. Hope everything gets sorted out for you!
How many coats of paint? Forgot to ask you that!
Please see the original post here for the complete tutorial where I list everything you need to know. It’s two or three depending on coverage. Good luck!
My kitchen is almost exactly like your old kitchen. Size, layout, ugly oak cabinets! I have been “thinking” about this challenge for sometime now. At times ready to paint and times ready to reface. I think I have decided to follow your instructions to a tee and I hope to have a success like your do. Thank you for being so thorough in your step-by-step instruction. I also have a 54″ round dining table that is oak with a formica top! So ready for a new wood table. I followed the link for your table and read some reviews. Do you find the wood top overly absorbent? Stains? Ruff to wipe off? What color combination did you get? Thank you.
Hi Sharon – glad you’re taking a chance on the painting! You’ll be SO glad you did it! As far as the wood table, I got such a steal on it (I think I paid $325 for it after sales, coupon codes, etc.) so I don’t often complain about it LOL! I got the dark walnut version. It does have some rustic nooks which tend to hold crumbs, but nothing a wet sponge won’t take care of. There are some lighter spots that appear on the table top, I believe from plates rubbing. They aren’t too noticeable. I’ve gel stained touch-up’ed them up once before. Again, got a really good deal so can’t complain! Good luck with your project and table hunt!