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If you follow Practically Spoiled, you’ll see I’m on a mission of complete oak-elimination from my house. (See my gel stained oak banister makeover here and my painted oak vanity bathroom makeover here)
When we bought our house, the kitchen was partially upgraded: nice new travertine floors, not-my-first choice granite and an “eh” backsplash. But the elephant in the room was the flaming orange, grainy, ugly – yet good condition, solid wood oak cabinets. SIGH.
I agonized for months over exactly what to do with the cabinets (Chalk Paint, Alkyd Paint, Re-staining, Gel Stain, Refacing, Waiting until my husband was out of the house then smashing them to pieces so we’d be forced to get new cabinets … etc.) and finally landed on the no-sanding, prime and paint method.
I know there are tons and tons and tons of tutorials on painting cabinets (I’ve read just about every one, twice… maybe three times), but why not add another one to the mix?
Here are the steps I took to take my ugly oak kitchen cabinets from HATE (an orange oak nightmare) to GREAT (a dreamy, creamy off-white):
This project requires NO major sanding and a lower-intermediate DIY skill level.
This project isn’t technically hard, but it was very time and space consuming. Allow yourself about 4 WEEKENDS for a comparable sized kitchen. Yes 8 hour days, both Saturday & Sunday, for 4 weeks to finish the project. Also prepare for cabinets to take over the majority of your living space and to be eating a lot of pizza and Chinese food. Pick a season when you can have windows open and a fan going, because the best DIY projects always come along with a bit of stink.
Finally, before you begin this project, make sure you’re comfortable with the materials and process. I encourage you to do your own research. This exact process and the exact materials I used worked wonderfully for me, but as always, DIY at your own risk.
You’ll need:
• TSP substitute, a scrubby sponge and gloves for cleaning.
• Foam rollers. (Don’t use regular rollers, their fibers will get stuck in the oak and the finish won’t be smooth.)
• Some quality paint brushes. I used a 2.5″ & 1″ Purdy brush and a fine art brush like these for the tiny crevices and around the hardware. (Don’t cheap out here, I promise a good brush makes for a good finish.)
• A paint tray & painting cup.
• A gallon of Zinsser 123 Water Based Primer. (This is key to the paint sticking to the cabinets!)
• About two gallons (for a kitchen the size of mine, see pics) of Sherwin Williams ProClassic Interior Acrylic Latex Paint in Satin, in your choice of fabulous color. (NOTE: Sherwin Williams refers to this paint as: “ProClassic Waterborne Interior Acrylic Latex” on their website.) The color I used is Antique White and I flippin’ love, love, love it.
• A quart of General Finishes High Performance Water Base Polyurethane Topcoat in Satin. (I did A LOT of homework on the topcoat and this stuff is expensive, but beloved, because it cures rock hard! Highly recommend!)
• Staining pads to apply the poly.
• Elmer’s Wood Fill, if you are moving the location of your hardware OR if you need to repair any dinks, dents or oopsie-daisies in your cabinets before painting.
• An extra fine sanding block (for the wood fill and for a quick, light sand after priming/before painting – only if needed!)
• A pack of tack cloths.
• New door bumpers. (You’ll be removing the old for painting.)
• A show to binge watch & a heaping dose of PATIENCE!
Step #1 – Woodwork. (Optional)
First, I tackled the woodwork. I removed bead board that was on the peninsula which revealed some unfinished wood that was underneath. To dress it up, I added some DIY wainscoting using basic window casing. I also added it the to the side panels of the bottom cabinets and added trim to the bottoms of the upper cabinets. These details make my stock cabinets look a bit more custom, and only took about $125 in materials and about 2 days of Home Depot trips, measuring, cutting, recutting, nailing, caulking and filling. Totes worth it.
I won’t go through a whole tutorial on how to do it, but here’s all the stuff I used for the woodwork:
• Pre-primed, basic window casing for the wainscoting.
• Pre-primed cap moulding for under the cabinets.
• My most favorite tool ever, the Ryobi Airstrike Brad Nailer. Seriously, I love this thing as much as my handbags, my Pinot Grigio and my husband (he’s ok with that.) It’s so easy to use and has taken my DIY abilities to the next level. I swear I wasn’t paid to say any of that.
• My second most favorite tool, my 12″ Compound Miter Saw from Harbor Freight Tools. (If you’re in the market for one, don’t forget to use a 20% off coupon!)
• The best paintable caulk IMO Alex Plus Fast Dry – or if you’re not into the caulk gun thing (it takes time and practice, keep at it) it also comes in a squeeze tube.
• Elmer’s wood filler & an Extra Fine Sanding Block for the nail holes.
Step #2 – Paint Prep. (This is a long one people, but stick with me…)
Take everything in the way, out of your cabinets. I didn’t paint the inside of my cabinets, so I was able leave most stuff in there.
Grab a screwdriver and remove all the hardware (excluding hinges.) Then CAREFULLY, using a utility knife, remove the plastic bumpers on the interior of the doors.
Now clean all the paintable surfaces! Using a little TSP substitute and a scrubby sponge (while wearing gloves in a well-ventilated space), give the cabinets a good scrub down. Wipe off all cleaner with a clean wet rag. Let everything dry completely.
Take the painter’s tape and tape off anything around the cabinet boxes that you don’t want to get paint on. The walls, the floor, the interior of the cabinets, under the countertops, etc.
Label all the doors and drawers. Draw a quick diagram of your cabinet layout and number each door/drawer. Doesn’t have to be fancy or even remotely resemble cabinets, as long as you understand it. Using painters tape and a sharpie make corresponding number stickers and place them inside the hinge on the door. For drawers you can just write the number middle of the backside (after you remove them), as no one will ever see it.
Remove all the doors and drawers, leaving the hardware attached to the doors. Place all the screws in a plastic baggie and put them in a safe, memorable place. You do not want to lose them! (Anyone notice I just said baggie?)
Now here’s where having lots of workspace helps tremendously. It’s amazing how much space cabinet doors take up, but it’s important to take them down to paint. The paint self levels so you won’t have any unsightly drips. Cover your work space with plastic or newspaper, then find something to prop the doors up on so you can easily paint the sides. We wanted to buy these nifty painting pyramids, but with the sheer amount we would have needed, it would have cost like $200. So, instead we wrapped the tops of cans in tin foil and laid the cabinet doors on them. That’s right, our garbanzo beans, soups, crushed tomatoes and artichokes all got put to good use.
Step #4 – Quick fixes.
Any dinks or dents that need to be repaired? Planning on drilling new holes for the hardware and need to cover the old? Grab your wood fill and fill the areas using a putty knife. Once dry, use the sanding block to create a smooth, seamless finish. Use a tack cloth on the cabinets after sanding to make sure you have a nice, clean surface to paint on.
Step #5 – Primer Time.
You’re finally ready to prime! This exciting stuff is quite liquidy and requires two coats for a good base for the paint to grab onto. You can brush or roll it on, though I found it went on better with a brush. Aim for nice even strokes, don’t layer it on too thick. No matter what you do, it will be uneven looking and that’s okay. It’s just primer.
If you’re looking to minimize (not completely get rid of, but minimize) the grain of the oak, go for three or even four coats of primer. It builds up in those nasty grain crevices to reduce their unsightly appearance.
After the primer is dry, only IF you were sloppy and find drip marks that create an uneven surface, you can give those spots a quick very, very light sand to even them out. Follow immediately with a tack cloth to remove the dust.
Step #5 – Paint Party.
Is your primer dry? Great! Grab your pre-rinsed and dried brushes (to remove any loose bristles) and let’s get-a-paintin’.
So why Sherwin Williams ProClassic Interior Acrylic Latex Paint paint you ask? After LOTS of research it checked the most boxes in terms of what I was looking for: 1) High viscosity for thick, pigmented coverage. 2) Durable, this paint is intended for interior doors and trim that take a lot of daily beating. 3) Water based, as I didn’t really want to deal with harsher chemical paints like an Alkyd or Oil base. 4) Self-leveling, because I wasn’t buying a paint sprayer this was SUPER important. I wanted a professional, smooth finish from rollers and brushes and this paint allowed me to achieve that. It is expensive, but in the case of painting cabinets not any old paint will do. Sign up for Sherwin Williams emails and wait for your coupon – they run monthly specials to get as much as 40% off, which is substantial when you’re talking about $60 gallons.
You’ll need two, possibly three coats of paint. Use the small brush to paint around the hinges you left on. If you get any paint on the hardware, rubbing alcohol takes it off. Again, nice even strokes. Use the roller for as much of the cabinet as possible, going in with the brush in tighter spaces and edges. This will ensure the smoothest finish. Make sure you let each coat fully dry before applying the next or flipping a cabinet door over to do the other side. We don’t want to mess anything up this far in, now do we?
Step #6 – Put it back together.
Do you even remember what your kitchen looks like all put together? I know, it’s taken for-like-ever, but that blazing orange is gone, isn’t it? Almost done!
Once the paint is fully dry, find that bag of screws from the hinges (you put it in a safe place, remember?) and using your handy dandy diagram you drew, start putting the cabinets back up – CAREFULLY! You don’t want to scratch the paint job…
Step #7 – Poly Party.
Ask your nearest parrot if, “Poly wanna party?” Did they say yes? If they answered and you don’t have a pet parrot, open a window the fumes are getting to you.
Take a shallow plastic container, like a large yogurt container and pour some of the mixed poly into it. Wearing gloves, take a staining pad and dip it into the poly. Ring it out so it’s not soaking, but not completely dry. Using long, even strokes, going with the grain, apply the poly to the cabinets. Once you wipe over a section, try not to go over it again immediately, as it begins to dry quickly and can get streaky. When it’s dry, add new bumpers before closing the doors or drawers.
The more coats, the more protected your paint job will be. Wait for each coat to dry before you apply the next. I personally did three coats. It dries in 24 hours, but it takes 30 days to completely cure, so handle with care until then.
Step #8 – Hardware.
Guys, this is the crowning jewel, the hardware. If you’re reusing the old, easy peasy, screw it back on. If you’re putting on new, you may need to drill some new holes.
I hunted for hardware for a while, and I was ready to pay some big bucks for nice pieces. But then I found some oil rubbed bronze beauties on Amazon that were not only really inexpensive, but also had excellent reviews. For the drawers I used these cup pulls and for the doors I used these knobs. I was totally skeptical because of how inexpensive they were, but I was pleasantly surprised by their weight and quality in person.
Step #9 – Regain your weekends and sanity.
Step back and look… You did it!!! Grab the nearest bottle of wine and consume it in 3 gulps. You deserve it.
At this point, all of the hard work, hermit-like behavior and take out meals became 110% worth it. Spending around $350 ($225 on painting supplies and hardware and another $125 on trim) I was able to take my kitchen from HATE to GREAT in a month. BIG shout out to my husband who played a major role in this project and to mom, who assisted with the painting!
If this doesn’t prove that a little paint (and a little trim) go a long way…
And here’s the before…
And now after…
It looks like a whole new kitchen! I also installed inexpensive soft close hinge adapters, so now they also feel new! (Read all about that here) Who knew oak could look so good?
Curious how the cabinets are holding up? Check out my update: From Hate to Still Great!
Incase you’re wondering where everything is from:
Appliances: Kitchen Aid
Cabinet Hardware: Cosmas Cup Pulls & Cosmas Round Pulls
Lighting: Quorum Vesta 3 Light & Quorum Vesta 6 Light (NOTE: The glass drops on this chandelier have changed and may not be reflected in the picture! Email before you order. I found this out when I ordered another matching chandelier for my hallway and it did not come with the long “icicle” looking glass, but plain “rain drop” shaped glass instead.)
Chairs: Basset, no longer available!
Table: Aldridge Home Decorators Collection
Under cabinet paper towel holder: Ballard Designs
Faucet: Pfister Wheaton
Iron Wall Decor: Pier 1, no longer available!
Wall paint color: Benjamin Moore, Revere Pewter
Granite color: Not 100% sure, as it was here when we moved in, but the best guess is “Bordeaux Bahia”. It’s a slab that errs on the less “pink” side.
Floor and Backsplash Tiles: Unknown. Like the granite, the previous owner did these upgrades and unfortunately I don’t have any information on them.
This post partied over at these link-ups:
I followed your steps and I love, love, love my kitchen cabinets. I did sand the cabinets lightly with an electric sander. I did it my myself and it took me about 3 weeks for 13 doors and 7 drawers. I used a spare bedroom and did in stages as I found painting outside I had a lot of bugs and particles from flowers, plants, etc. stick to paint. My garage was too full to paint in. Sherman Williams didn’t agree with your method so I pretty much ignored them. They didn’t have the ProClassic Waterborne Interior Acrylic Latex in satin so I had to upgrade to a more expensive paint that the salesperson was saying that I really should use since it had a primer in it. It was about $12 more a can. It has been four months and no chipped paint. Very easy to clean too.
“So I pretty much ignored them” HAHA! Thank you for your trust in my process! There’s been a few more products added to the SW line since I’ve painted mine, so I’m sure there’s more options for cabinet painting now. So glad to hear your cabinets came out great! Enjoy them!
How does black llaquer look over honey walnut cabinets or even dark gray. Do the darker cabinets hide the grain better?
I don’t think one color will hide grain better than another. The sheen of the paint might (a more matte finish won’t reflect as much and show the grain.) But up close, unless you fill it in, you will see grain no matter what the color. Check out my gel stain banister tutorial – you can see the grain on the banisters still despite it being dark.
Did you wait a full 30 days after you polyd to place your hardware? Also did you just follow the wood grain when you applied the poly?
No, I put them on after a few days because I didn’t want to be touching the doors. Yes, always go with the grain!
Wow! What a beauty, I’m actually out of words right now after seeing that comparison. Great job on the transformation.
Thanks so much for the kind words!
SW rep said I needed oil base stain blocker primer and not water-based on old oak cabinets (they have some type of sealant on them). He also said I did not need to seal with poly. Any thoughts on this?
There’s lots of ways to paint cabinets. I can’t vouch for anything aside from what I recommend above. I will say that not using poly is like riding a bike without a helmet. Sure you can do it, but you’ll have less protection. It’s not a step I would skip personally. Hope this helps!
We are thinking about painting our kitchen cabinets. We have the same oak but our upper cabinets have a cathedral arch style. Would that style look okay painted white or do you think it would be better to re-stain?
It suppose it all depends on the look you’re going for. I personally think the arched style looks great painted. You can find lots of examples on Pinterest, I’m sure, so you can see if you like it! Good luck if you decide to take on the project!
Hi, I have been wanting to get rid of my oak cabinets also. I thought I read in this post that you didn’t redo the inside….is that true? Did you just leave them oak? Wondering what to do with the inside of mine.
Yup, they’re still oak on the inside and they look just fine. The doors and drawers are painted on both sides of course. (see my follow up post here, I show how it looks with the drawer boxes open.) In fact a lot of brand new custom painted wood cabinets have wood boxes with painted frames/doors. I was concerned about it for a minute, but once I saw it, it’s completely normal looking! Good luck!
What color of WHITE did you use on the cabinets? Did you leave the Extra White as is or custom-colored it? Love the post!!!
Thanks! The color is SW antique white as linked above!
Hi! I have a question—did your poly top coat yellow over time?
Thanks!
Nope!
No sanding prior to applying the sealer???
No sanding!
Hi! I have done tons of research and I am about to pursue this method! One question- do you have any yellowing or peeling from the Zinsser 123? I’ve read things about using Zinsser Coverstain (oil) on oak to seal tannin, so I did a test with Zinsser 123 and Coverstain on inner upper cabinets. The 123 came out way better and doesn’t stink so bad. I just want to make sure it won’t cause any issues down the road. Thanks!
Haven’t had any issues with peeling or yellowing with the primer I used. Still looks good!
Read many of the questions and comments on your tutorial. Very encouraging. I have two questions. You emphasized the importance of having the doors and drawers level, as they are being painted, to take full advantage of the leveling powers of the paint. Since the cabinet fronts and sides remain in place on the wall -vertical, how does one insure the leveling element? Do you diligently return to them periodically to remove any paint that might accumulate along the bottom? My second question asks for your opinion. Our cabinets are an exact twin to yours in pattern and color. In our case, not only do we want to paint them, but we want to reverse the doors and drawers – have the interior side become the outside and exterior side the inside. The insides are finished as well. They have a flat surface with a small indented detail about 2 inches in. We like this flat simple pattern as opposed to the more detailed pattern of the existing exterior. It appears the hardware placement will match. I need to check to see how the switch matches with the openings for the doors and drawers. My question is have you ever heard of this type of switch/ do you foresee any inherent problems. Thank you
Think you misunderstood the “leveling”. The paint is self-leveling, meaning it won’t leave behind brush strokes. Has nothing to do with being horizontal or vertical. I have seen tutorials where people reverse their cabinetry doors and it works. Give it a deep google/pinterest search and I’m sure you can find some good information on how to successfully execute that. Good luck!
I may… try this on my cabinets this summer. Why did you wait to put the poly on until after the doors were hung?
Just was easier to get both sides done at once when they were hanging. Saved myself a day!
Hello! I’m currently furloughed due to everything going on so what better time to paint my ugly orange cabinets! I followed your instructions and just finished my first coat of paint on the backside of the doors. As I was about to paint my first coat on the front, I noticed two small, like marker tip sized, areas on one where my primer pulled from the fronts where it rested on a 2×4 while I painted the back. Think I may have rubbed or pushed too hard on it when painting? Basically, I’m worried something is off that it would come off so easily when I followed dry times. This did not happen to any the others…
So it’s July now, how did they come out? LOL! They’re a little delicate before you get the poly on so that’s normal. Hope you saw the project through!
This is such a helpful blog post, thank you Kelly! I had my kitchen cabinets refinished by a local cabinet refinishing company and they did a good job, but I want to go the DIY route for my bathroom cabinets this year and I will definitely be referencing this post! 🙂
Glad to be of help!
I researched HUNDREDS of different methods in which to eradicate the golden oak from my home – and this was by far and away the best. I’d love to share my before and after photos with you. SO much better. Thank you so much
YAY! So glad to hear! I’ll shoot you and email to send the pictures. Thanks!
Hi. HELP please. I painted our kitchen wall a beige/tan paint..I want to get rid of the old “honey oak” kitchen cabinet. will light gray paint works? any color paint suggestion? Appreciate your reply. Thank you in advance
Nels
Consider the colors in your floor tiles and counter tops when choosing a cabinet color. If your countertops have multiple colors in it, pulling one of those colors out to be the cabinetry color may be a great choice! Good luck!
I love your blog! I’ve wanted to paint my oak forever but didn’t have the confidence until reading your story. One question, I noticed on your stairs, you used deglosser but not on your cabinets. Mine still have a good varnish on them. Should I consider adding deglosser to your process? Thanks!
Thank you! If the varnish is “fresh” (very glossy) you might want to consider the deglosser before the primer. You may even want to rough up the surface just a bit (gasp, yes sand just a little!) so the primer can adhere well. It’s an extra step I didn’t need to take because my cabinets were so worn… Good luck!
I loved the before and after in your pictures and knew that if you could donly it, I could too. I followed your directions word for word and am happy to say the end result was fabulous! I actually completed the project in September of 2018, but my husband FINALLY completed the tile back splash which looks great. I would love to share my before and after pictures with you as I am so proud of my husband and I and how we transformed our kitchen on a budget.
YAY! So glad to hear another success story, I will email you and you can send the pictures over – thanks!
I’m sooooo happy I saw your project. I, too hate my oak cabinets. They are custom and I paid ALOT for the 17 years ago. They still look new which is good and bad. Good because at least they’ve held up. Bad because I have no excuse to rip them out. I WILL be painting them as soon as I get the time. We build custom home and I work a lot with that. But you’ve given me the courage to do this in my home ;). Thanks thanks thanks.
You’re welcome! It’s a great way to save perfectly good (but ugly) cabinets! LOL – Good luck!
Hi! Just wondering if you sanded between your coats of polyurethane? The directions on the General Finishes poly say to do so, but I didn’t see that detail in your directions. I don’t want to mess up the priming and painting I’ve already done! Thanks!
Nope! I followed the method I laid out above exactly. Good luck!
So…..this method take no sanding at all? Not even before the primer?
Yup.
Hi – love this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much. Question. Would you recommend this same technique for a table? I just bought a table and the paint is peeling so I want to redo the paint. I do not think they used poly. Hoping the poly will do the trick for constant use. Thoughts?
Thanks! I wouldn’t paint over peeling paint – it won’t come out smooth. So not sure this is the right direction for your table.
Hi and thanks for the cabinet painting tips. I clicked the link you recommended for the cup pulls and noticed something interesting. The Amazon seller is charging $5 more for the 10-pack than if you were to buy them individually. Not a lot of money, but it certainly adds up if you have to buy a lot of them. Just thought I’d share in case others (your blog readers) are planning to buy them. 🙂
Your welcome – yeah prices on Amazon fluctuate all the time, but Amazon should advise on the item when it can be found cheaper from other sellers.
Hi! thanks for the tutorial! Just wondering… why do u put back ur cabints before applying the poly? isn’t it easier just to apply the poly first? thanks!
For me I found it much easier to apply the poly to both sides at once, which is only possible if they are hanging. It’s very thin coats, so if you do it right you don’t have to worry about drips. Either way works, this is just what worked well for me.
Hi Kelly. I am so glad I found your site. We just purchased an older houseboat and I cannot wait to try this on the kitchen cabinets! I was wondering if you have any tutorials on painting wood paneling? Do you think this same process would work? Thanks so much!
Hi Tammy – good luck with your project! Pretty sure this would work well on wood paneling, you can just skip the poly part. That’s just for protection since cabinets are used and abused on the daily.
Doesn’t that primer you used go on thick and chunky? How did you get such a smooth finish?
Nope, primer went on smooth. The consistency is smooth and loose, a bit thinner than paint. Maybe you have a bad can?
You are AMAZING! so thankful i found your web page! I have those horrible orange cabinets! I have tryed painting my kitchen so many times trying to make my self like them but it hasnt helped. Its the cabinets. I HATE them! My husband thinks im crazy. Him and his ex-wife picked them out and he thinks they are wonderful. YUCK! Im so doing to them what you did! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much! Good luck with your paint job! 🙂
I have followed your tutorial step by step and it was a GREAT tool! I am on the last coat of paint on the the 2nd side, so then I will be reinstalling the cabinets (can’t wait!)! I have a question about the poly…… did you only apply it to the cabinets and drawers only or all the trim you painted as well? If only to the cabinet doors …both sides?
Yay – glad to be of help! Poly everything you painted, trim, backs, fronts, etc…
Did you find that the satin poly was very shiny?
No, just enough sheen and durability for wiping messes off!
I absolutely love this !!…Maybe you answered this in an earlier comment, I just didn’t have time to read through them all….What did you do with the toe kicks? Paint or replace?
Thanks! Toe kicks were painted the same way I painted the cabinets.
I love your website. I’d like to know on the wood grain showing through. Another site talked about spackling very thin thin layer spackle and then sanding that and she claimed that filled in and covered wood grain what do you think? I’m so ready to start 🙂
I actually considered that for a minute, but was concerned that spackle is kind of soft. Would it hold up? Dent? And then I thought of what a sanding mess it would be and I decided for forgo it. I’ve also seen other tutorial use it, just wasn’t for me. Good luck!
Hi! Similar story to I think everyone else in the comments – I have probably the exact same cabinets – fortunately not too orange-y, but definitely the classic 90’s oak. I am debating whether to paint before we put the house on the market. Anyways, I was wondering what the insides of the cabinets look like? Mine are (most likely?) particle board with I’m guessing some sort of thin laminate (or paper?) covering. I think this is pretty standard, that the only real wood part is the door. So do I just leave the insides alone? They are kind of a light beige I guess, meant to look at a glance like they might be wood grain. Thanks again, I see you’ve inspired lots of us to give this a shot!
The insides of mine are the same orangey oak as the outside. Have a peek at my one year update to see some pictures of the drawers and how they look when open. Painting the interior is only asking for a headache and eventual wear/scratches in my opinion. Even when you purchase brand new cabinets today, most of the cabinet/drawer boxes do not match the finish of the exterior. I did fully paint the backs of the cabinet doors and drawers as well as the full face frames so it looks complete and cohesive. Hope this helps!
Yes, that definitely helps! I had never known what the insides looked like when someone redid the outside and it caused me anxiety that I was going to do the outside and find out I had to do a bunch more on the inside that I didn’t know about, lol! 🙂 Thanks again for your reply!
Thank you so much for this amazing tutorial. I have oak cabinets as well, but not the orangey ones, these are more walnut color. Still great condition, but my kitchen is so dark, painting has been on my “to do ” list for years. I have painted furniture like a crazy woman, but was so intimidated with my kitchen! I believe I am ready to march forward after reading your “after a year” update. So my question is….if trim you add is unfinished, or like what you found on the backside of your cabinets, facing the dining area, do you just prime over it like the cabinets? Will the paint look different?
Thank you again! So thankful I found your website.
You’re very welcome, Jill! I know the feeling of finally being ready to do it, it only took me a year and change 🙂 All the trim I added was pre-primed, with the exception of the backboard (smooth ply) I needed to add to the peninsula, behind the wainscoting. I just primed it a few extra times to ensure good adhesion, then followed the same steps as the rest. Hope this helps!
I want to paint my kitchen cabinets and living room shelves. Question-my baseboards are white, I see yours are too. Did you match the whites? If not, does it look okay that you didn’t? That’s my only hold up. My baseboards of course meet the bottom of my cabinets and didn’t know how that would look with diff whites touching. Baseboards are also oil based and I don’t want to use that on cabinets because it’s a pain so I’m happy to see this tutorial.
Hi Stephanie – I get asked this question a lot. Personally, I don’t think the cabinet color needs to dictate the color of baseboards and trim. Just if you were to have wood cabinetry, they most likely (I hope…) wouldn’t match. In the pictures it may be a little hard to tell, but in person where you see the cabinets against the trim there’s a definite color shift (so you can tell one from another.) Hope this helps!
Have you ever heard of anyone adding a glaze after the paint and before the poly? With a light paint, to add that depth/antique look from a darker glaze in the crevices? Any advice on that?
I have not, but it was something I very briefly considered. After thinking it over I quickly realized that the glaze would seep into the oak grain and make it more prominent, so I quickly abandoned that idea. 🙂
I’m about to start painting and I also have oak cabinets and just wondering if you’re oak grain is still visible and if so does it bother you? Because they look great and I’m in between just sanding, priming and painting or sanding, then using wood filler to hide the oak even though that’s super time consuming.
I answer that in depth with pictures here: http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2016/09/01/from-hate-to-still-great-painted-cabinets-one-year-later/ Good luck!
First of all, I have to commend you on answering all of our questions!!! You really are helping so many of us turn our orange oak cabinets into white works of beauty! Thank you so much. I am ready to begin. While taking a good look at my cabinets I noticed that some of the varnish and stain is almost ‘rubbed’ off and down to the wood in a few places near the hardware. A few areas that are minimal in size, and not on every cabinet door but probably on 4 or 5 of them. Would you recommend I cover these areas with something else or just begin directly with the cleaning step of TSP substitute ?
Hi Julie – You’re welcome. Thanks for acknowledging my “cabinet painting support” LOL! I too had a few small spots that were really worn, almost to wood and I didn’t do anything special in those areas. If you have larger bare spots that are truly down to the wood (almost looking as if you had sanded) you may want to consider using an oil based primer in just those spot areas. This is so the tannins won’t bleed through. Patch tests are everything, so maybe just try one door with my method/products before jumping into the rest. You’ll know immediately if the tannins will bleed through as it will give you a spotty paint finish. Good luck!
As all of the posts before me, I am just about to tackle painting my kitchen cabinets which, coincidentally, are extremely similar to your layout. Thank you for doing all of the research for me! I’m starting with the inside of ONE door so that I can “practice” without ruining the whole kitchen. I’m at the primer stage…first coat of paint goes on tomorrow.
I have a couple of questions that I haven’t seen asked, so here goes…a friend just painted her cabinets and her husband used TSP and then Wil-bond by Imperial before priming. It’s a deglosser and is also listed as “liquid sandpaper.” What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it will affect the rest of your steps?
My other question is…did you add anything to the paint to help with the self leveling? It was recommended to me to add XIM Latex X-Tender to the paint. Now that I bought it, I’m wondering if I should use it even though the person who used it is a perfectionist.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Krista – you’re welcome! And welcome your cabinet painting journey. As far as your additions to the painting process, I can’t speak for either of them as I haven’t tried them myself. Personally, I found I didn’t need either to yield excellent results. The only reason I would see need for a liquid deglazer/sander would be if your existing poly was very new. Also keep in mind the interaction between products. Pro Classic is already a self-leveling paint, so you should do some research before using any additives. Of course feel free to make modifications to the process at your own risk, just make sure to test everything before you jump in. Good luck!
Thanks! I think I will continue with the TSP & Wil-bond, but not the XIM Extender…
How long did you wait in between coats of primer? How long in between coats of poly? How long till the poly was set for good?!
I answer those questions in my one year update, which you can read here.
Thank you. We are in the process of following your instructions and using the exact tools and products you suggested We found out that using a roller for the primer works better for us but everything so far is going well. Having a husband that worked alongside professional painters for two years helps immensely 😁
Glad to hear all is going well! Due to the nooks and crannies in my cabinet details, the brush worked better for me with the primer, but everyone finds what works best for them! Good luck with the rest of the project!
Firstly I thought my wife was crazy to undertake such a project but after all was said and done it looks amazing! But we did have a few problems. How did you repair any paint globs? We had a few and I tried to sand all the way down then reprime and repaint and it didn’t look very good. It left a noticeable indentation in the paint. Any help would be great. Thank you!
Hi Bryan – Amazing what some paint can do, glad it looks great! Sorry to hear you had some paint globs. I have not run into that issue (or heard of anyone who has). It was most likely caused by a roller or brush that wasn’t fully cleaned of previous paint and/or old paint from a paint tray that was being lifted by the new, fresh paint in the tray. It’s important to make sure you pay attention to any “floaters” that could be on your brush or roller before/right after you apply. Obviously, they could have been easily wiped off at the time, but after they dry, not so much. As you discovered sanding will leave quite the obvious mark. Unfortunately, I’m not sure there’s a fix that will give you a good looking result. It’s probably best to leave them alone.
We are in the middle of a kitchen renovation. Our 1974 oak cabinets are going to be painted white.
I want the interiors white too but have heard if you paint the shelves paint sticks to glasswear and comes off in little chunks.
I am thinking of using poly on those only to keep the paint adhered properly.
Thanks for your tips!
Hi Erica – I did not paint the interior of my cabinets, as you’re bound to get knicks and dinks from simple everyday use. Feel free to give it a try with the poly, but I have not tried it and therefore cannot recommend it. Good luck!
Kelly, i did it. I finally did it. I have been reading and rereading your tutorial for months now. I am a teacher and begged my husband to help my all summer long while I was off but it never happened. We have a 2yr old and I didn’t even want to take this on without my husband because it would either take me years or turn out a disaster. We have been updating things around the house and I just can’t stand my cabinets. I managed to get all the materials ready and we started the process this weekend. We have just finished priming everything. We went a bit heavy on the primer so I wanted to ask your opinion or suggestions on this. Can we move forward and keep just that one coat? Also, I saw your antique white color at SW and it seemed very yellow which makes me very nervous because I want white cabinets. But I am also scared it will become yellow with the poly. I am scared, really scared to put the polly on when I get to that step. What happens if I don’t. Also, what if i try it in a patch but it does yellow? How would I go about fixing that patch? Thank you in advance!
Congrats on jumping in and starting! I personally would do two coats of primer, as I can’t vouch for anything less. The primer is key to adhesion, I wouldn’t cut corners here. I would suggest doing a patch test on the back of a drawer face. That way you won’t ever see it if things don’t come out the way you planned 🙂 Good luck!
Please excuse me if someone has recently asked the following questions. How are your cabinets holding up today? With hindsight, what changes would you make in your process and materials used? Thank you for the detailed description of your work.
Please see this post: http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2016/09/01/from-hate-to-still-great-painted-cabinets-one-year-later/
I have been checking your blog for the past 30 minutes and I love it. I came across this new project about your kitchen cabinets. This is wonderful, I am in the process of getting my cabinets painted. I am moving from a beautifully renovated home in NYC to a not so renovated home in NC. The kitchen has the same cabinets as your kitchen and I hate them. The oak is all over the house (floors – stairs – banister – cabinets) and carpet covers almost 75% of the house, it is almost a horror show.
I have a dog so the staining of the oak floors to an Ebony color (like yours) hasn’t gotten any good feedback from the floor contractors saying that it will scratch and look terrible. I am heart broken because I don’t know what to do about these floors. I am hoping I find a solution soon because they need to start working on the floors in a matter of days.
Hi Maggie – thanks for stopping by! My house is truly a prime example of going from oak nightmare to modern and updated with just a few tweaks. I know your new house probably seems like it’s ages away from being transformed, but in good time you’ll get everything modernized to your taste! As far as the floors, I don’t have pets or children, but alas we have a few small scratches in the floor from life. They honestly blend in. On one deep one (where my Dyson stick vac accidentally fell down the steps) I used a dark wood touch up pen and you can’t see it.The thing with oak is you can never fully get the wood that deep chocolate brown color. It only picks up the dark stain true to color in the grain, the rest of the wood gets darker, but not as dark as the grain. The result is that from afar you get a deep colored looking floor, but when you’re up close there a lot of pattern going on in the oak. Wouldn’t that hide scuffs and scratches? ALSO, with a pet do not let them use a gloss finish! I had them mix me kind of a semi-matte finish that has just very slight sheen. A gloss floor will magnify any scratches! Just my two cents, hope I was somewhat helpful 🙂 Have the flooring company do a few patch tests for you with color so you can get a better feel. If they’re using Minwax my floors are 50/50 Ebony and Jacobean for reference. Good luck with the move and the makeover!
YOU have inspired me and I say YES, I will paint my cabinets. I have the same ugly cabinets as you. I’m excited. I will be doing it all myself, hubby is NOT a DIY’er. Although if we have to eat out too often he might help. I’m too old and too creaky to do 8 hour days but I can do 3-4. Plus I can do it during the week.
I have wanted to do white cabinets on the uppers and a gray below. Been wanting to do this for years, now you see it all the time.
Congrats on deciding to take the plunge! It will definitely be time consuming, but very much worth it in the end. Love the two tone look as well! Good luck with your project!
Kelly.. I finally did it somewhat scared to put on the General Finishes because my kitchen does get sun and I don’t want that yellowing that made me strip them in the first place. Anyone you know that has a kitchen with lots of sun that used the General Finishes Poly and didn’t experience the yellowing?
Congrats on taking the plunge! I would suggest doing some additional research. Head over to Amazon and other sites and read reviews to make sure you’re informed and comfortable with your decision.
Hi There, I JUST came across your blog and I LOVE your cabinets!
I have bought all the stuff you listed and have started with the Gloss Off. I am wondering…should the wood have no gloss left on it? The product doesn’t seem to be taking the gloss off (gloss semi off a better name?)
I guess what I am asking is when do I know when the wood is ready for primer. My doors look just like yours and are also oak. Do I need to use more elbow grease or should I use a harsher product?
Thanks! If you’re using a deglosser instead of a TSP you’re just looking to knock down the finish just a tiny bit, not completely remove it. Be sure to wipe the cabinets down well with a wet cloth after using the deglosser and let them dry completely before moving on. The primer will be the bond between cabinet and paint. The deglosser or TSP is just to prep the surface for better adhesion. Good luck!
Hi Kelly, wow you have a lot of comments! Apologies if someone ask this already. I read through the comments but I didn’t see it. I just did my cabinets and bought the same cup pulls. When I got them, they had weird plastic posts on the back. I looked into them some more and realize I’m supposed to countersink them but I’m afraid to start because I don’t want to ruin my drawers. I’m afraid the holes need to be too exact me for my klutzy way of working. Do you remember how you put yours in? Any tips or hints? Your cabinets look great! I used Benjamin Moore Moonlight White on mine with no poly (the paint store guy told me not to use poly over Benjamin Moore). I like your color better I think. The brightness of the white is freaking me out, and I feel like if I paint all my wood trim to match, I will be way out of my comfort zone. Since I haven’t put a poly on mine, I’m thinking about adding a coat of Sherwin-Williams antique white since I think I can just paint right over my paint as though it were just another coat. I like your color much better! My husband is going to kill me when I tell him I want to take all the doors back down and redo them LOL
Hi Joni – Oh no! A color dilemma! Since you started with Ben Moore paint, you should continue with it. Grab a chip of SW Antique White and have them color match it over at Ben Moore in the same type of paint you used. Also, make sure to do a patch test or a sample board of the color before you dive in and repaint everything! As far as the pulls, yes they need to be countersunk, but that’s what gives them their strength and durability. You’ll need to purchase a countersink bit. Bring the cup pull and screw over to your local hardware store and they’ll be able to give you the right size countersink bit. To install them I found the horizontal center with a ruler and made a mark with chalk (so I could easily wipe it off.) Then I visually placed the cup pull where I thought it looked about right and made two chalk marks above the two back prongs of the cup pulls. I then moved the marks down a smidge (as the mark I just made was above where I needed to drill) and held a level to those marks to make sure they were level. I also measured the distance between the marks, making sure it was the same distance apart as center to center of the prongs. Once I felt everything was aligned correctly, I went for it with the countersink. They definitely do need to be exact, but just take your time. I hope that makes sense. There may be other ways out there to do it, but this is what worked for me. Good luck wrapping up your project!
Thanks so much for your help. I had no idea I could buy a bit to do that. And thank you for the color advice. I do like the BM paint. I hadn’t thought of color matching. Thanks for your quick and super helpful reply!
You’re welcome!
Thank you, thank you! I recently bought a 20 year old house and the kitchen has the same awful 90’s oak cabinets. I HATE them so much and can’t wait to paint them! I’ve read a bunch of DIY pins about this, but yours seems the most straightforward to me. I hope to tackle this project in the next few months. I appreciate your step by step making it easy to follow and understand. Your cabinets turned out beautiful and hopefully mine will as well. Thanks again!
Hi Crystal – you’re welcome! Thanks for the kind words! I say this all the time, but it’s really amazing what some paint (and a few weekends and evenings) can do! Good luck when you tackle your kitchen!
I have already done a kitchen with 45 doors but I used MH Ready patch as a grain filler all over. They look great. You would never know they were oak. I’m about to do a master bathroom with large vanity and linen tower. Would love to skip the grain filling and necessary sanding. With your method does the grain show through? Can you post a close up of a door? Thanks
Hi Mary, Yes the grain shows. Please see my one year update, I have close up pictures posted there.
Thank you for sharing! I plan to tackle this project over my Christmas break, and your post made this project a lot less daunting!
You’re welcome! Good luck!
I am wanting a bit of the distressed look around the edges of my doors. Based on the 128,458,234 articles I’ve read about painting cabinets, I gather that I should do this light sanding between the paint and poly steps. Do you have any additional advice? I’m wondering if I need to wipe them down after rubbing the edges with sandpaper.
Haven’t tried the distressed look myself, but that sounds about right I suppose. Anytime you’re sanding then applying another coat of paint or poly you’ll absolutely need to wipe them down well with a tack cloth before the next coat to keep dust particles out of the finish. Good luck!
Hi there, First of all, you are my inspiration!!! I dislike my orange oak cabinets almost as much as I dislike my ex-husband 🙂 And I am obsessed with white cabinets! I love your Hate to Great remodel!! I do have a question for you. In another post the girl suggested using Klean Strip Easy Liquid Sander Deglosser. Do you know if this can be used instead of the TSP substitute you suggest? I don’t want to sand the cabinets and have them bleed through or whatever you called it in your 1 year follow up post, but I am also trying to get rid of as much of the grain as I can. Interested in your thoughts.
LOL! Thanks, Shelly! Liquid Sander/Deglosser is actually a more time consuming process than TSP sub would be. The TSP is just to clean off the cabinet surface to prep for adhesion. With the primer I recommend, traditional sanding and/or liquid sander/deglosser is not necessary. If you’re looking to minimize the grain, additional coats of primer will help a little bit with that, but nothing short of a grain filler will ever make them completely go away. Grain filler is laborious and requires a lot of sanding, which is why I did not choose to use it. I’m sure you read this in my 1 year follow up, but I did obsess over what to do with the grain for a while before I dove into the project. Now that they are painted, I really don’t even notice or mind it. Just getting rid of the flaming orange cabinets made kitchen look 300% better. Hope this helps!
How can I post pic of my freshly painted kitchen? Thanks to Kelly!
OMG, I LOVE IT!
Hi Lora – YAY! Another success! I’ll shoot you an email where you can send me the images to post. Thanks!
Amazing job! So gorgeous!! Can you tell me though, (b/c this would be hard to see in the pics), can you still see the oak wood grain show through when all is said and done? Thanks so much!
Thank you! Have a peek at my one year update. I talk about the grain in detail and show pictures as well: http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2016/09/01/from-hate-to-still-great-painted-cabinets-one-year-later/
I am at a loss. It looks like you’ve done a great job for your vision of awesome but why on earth you would want to paint over your beautiful kitchen with – of all colors WHITE – is beyond me!! I HATE white and LOVE the oak so I’m in just the opposite camp and can’t stand my white kitchen nightmare and want to turn it into a wonderful oak paradise. I’m wondering if your techniques would work in reverse?
Thanks – maybe we should have traded homes. 🙂
Well, to each their own I suppose!
You did a wonderful job! I’m a fellow DIY-er and we just bought a new home with all of the “wonderful” honey oak! I’m going to start with the kitchen cabinets, and move my way to trim and bathroom cabinets, as well as the banister in the foyer. You mentioned that you just finished doing your bathroom cabinets too – do you have photos? Also, I saw you comment on a post that the banister was less time consuming than the cabinets. Do you have instructions for those or photos as well? Lastly, I’m going to be doing our trim (it’s oak currently). What would you suggest doing to tackle those? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, Thanks! Welcome to the world of eliminating oak! Here’s a link to my tutorial on the banisters: http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2014/10/23/how-to-gel-stain-oak-banisters/ For your oak trim, I would recommend painting it with the same Sherwin Williams Pro Classic paint I used for the cabinets. It’s widely known as a durable trim paint. Finally, I’m wrapping up a post about my bathroom makeover and will have it up very soon, so check back for pictures! Good luck!
Hi Sarah, Just wanted to let you know that I posted my bathroom makeover and you can find before and after pictures of the painted vanity here.
Kelly,
We are thinking of doing a dark navy color, but unfortunately the paint you used doesn’t come in darker colors! Any recommendations based on your research?
Love your cabinets – beautiful job!
Wendy
Hi Wendy, ohhh navy sounds beautiful! Unfortunately I don’t have any other recommendations on paint. If you stop into your local Sherwin Williams store, they may be able to point you in the right direction. Keep in mind you’ll want to tint your primer when going with such a dark paint color. Good luck!
Kelly,
At what point did you remove the painter’s tape? After painting but before poly? Or after poly?
Good question. After painting but before poly!
Okay, you’ve INSPIRED me to give this a shot!!! One question though. I’ve read (and heard) that I should use KILZ. Can you tell me why you chose not to use it? Thanks so much! Great job!
Hi Brittany, Yay, glad to hear you’re giving it a go! Now I can’t say why I didn’t choose KILZ (because I don’t have reasons, nor am I versed in that product) but I had done quite extensive research and used a mix of what I found to be best-in-class compatible products. As I wrote above, I read every “painted cabinet” blog post numerous times, read countless articles, dove deep into DIY, woodworking, and cabinetry forums and came to the decision to use the products I list above, including the Zinsser primer. If you deviate from the products and steps I took, I suggest doing your homework and even a sample cabinet. I can’t attest to the results with different products. There’s been lots of success stories following my method, a few I feature in my one year update: http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2016/09/01/from-hate-to-still-great-painted-cabinets-one-year-later/ Also, if you scroll down in the comments and you’ll see that a recent reader had a bit of an issue using a different primer… Hope this helps and good luck!
Okay! Thanks so much. :0)
Why did you do the poly coat after you hung the cabinets? Why not when they are still flat?
Hi, I actually answer that question in my one year follow up post. Have a peek > http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2016/09/01/from-hate-to-still-great-painted-cabinets-one-year-later/
Beautiful job! I was so inspired I have tried it myself! However, I hit a speed bump and would love to see if you encountered the same. I used Sherwin Williams Extreme Bonder for primer and then their ProClassic for paint. I noticed, however, when we did the areas of the cabinet that are made from particle board (the interior of a cuboard and the base along the floor, it PEELED right off (down to the original oak finish was was to never be seen again! This is after following all of the rules of dry time, curing, etc. Did you have any areas that were not solid wood, and if so, how did you treat? Also, I am curious, I was told by SW that the ProClassic has a poly in it, so no need to ploy. Since you used the same paint, I am curious as to your thoughts?
Hi Kathleen, thanks for the kind words! Ekk, looks like the primer you chose to use wasn’t cut out for particle board. Not all primers are the same, which is why I recommend a specific one in the tutorial above. I have a small amount of veneer + particle board on my cabinet box exteriors and there was absolutely no issue with the Zinsser primer and paint adhering. I recommend purchasing this primer for those areas. As far as the poly, you can take your chances and just go with the paint, but I did my homework and just leaving it without poly does eventually lead to chipping. I personally wouldn’t skip this step, as you want the finish to hold up after all the work you’ve put in. General Finishes HP Poly is what I recommend above. Hope this helps!
Hi Kelly,
Wonderful job, beautiful kitchen! Thank you for sharing your experience with all of us!
I am ready to start my own ptoject. Just reading the priming directions (surface preparation) and BAM! it says “DO NOT USE TSP” 🙂
There you go, I am now confused 🙂
What do you think about it?
Thank you once again!
Hi Lora – Thank you! And yes, I’m a ruler breaker! I’ve actually been waiting for someone to ask this question! You just want to use just a bit of TSP substitute on a scrubby sponge to clean of the cabinets, don’t douse them in it. Then afterwards I advise in my instructions above to wipe the cabinets down with a clean wet rag to get all the cleaner off, then let them dry completely. This last step is important to ensure you get the cleaner (and any ick that the cleaner loosened) off the cabinets before you prime. You could potentially have poor adhesion if you skip it. My cabinets came out great, I just did my bathroom cabinets this exact same way, and many others have use this method successfully, but if you rather not use TSP, you can use 409 or a strong degreaser like it. Hope this helps 🙂 Good luck on your project!
Excellent work, Kelly! You are becoming famous for all the background research and effort you put into this project, and for good reason. However, I have a question for you: we have 20 year old oak cabinets that have some water damage near the sink and dishwasher, that actually went through the old clear poly coat to the wood in spots. It is not a smooth transition, but I’m wondering if we should go ahead and lightly sand the damaged areas and perhaps apply 2 or even more coats of primer/sealer to those areas. Your thoughts? I know you keep saying sanding is not required, but these spots are different darker colors as well as texture.
Hi Dan, thanks for the very kind words 🙂 Ah, some decent water damage. If it were just discoloration, as long as the wood had dried out (and wasn’t moldy) you would be able to just prime right over it. But because you’re saying that it’s a different texture than the rest of the wood on that cabinet, I probably would do what you suggested and lightly sand those areas. Just until the transition is smooth. Primer and paint won’t cover texture issues, in fact they’ll only exaggerate them, so definitely take care of that before you continue. Hope this helps!
Hi Kelly,
I apologize if this question was asked already. Did you follow the same process for your trim around doors and floor?
Thank you!
Dawn
Hi Dawn – My baseboard moldings, entry doors, and door trim (all trim not on my cabinets) are actually white, not antique white like my cabinets. They were painted previously using the same proclassic paint. Being as they were white to begin with no primer was needed. Poly is not needed on them either. Hope this helps!
We’re building a new home and I’m trying to decide on cabinet height. Do you know your ceiling height and cabinet height? Looks great!
Ceiling height is 9′ and the cabinets are 42″ + the crown on top. Hope this helps!
Hi Kelly! I just bought a house with maple cabinets that I would like to paint and your tutorial gives me hope! Just to clarify, you did NOT sand the doors before painting?? That seems impossible to me, but is the primer you used the secret?
Also, do you know of anyone who has used your method on maple cabinets? Would you expect it to turn out just as well as it did with oak??
Thank you so much for posting about this process in such detail. I am inspired!!
Karla
Hi Karla – Congrats on the new house! Nope, didn’t sand and yes it’s the prep and primer that make this possible. I have been asked about using this method on other woods, and I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but unfortunately I can’t be certain as I’ve never tried it or heard back from those who’ve inquired. My suggestion would be to grab some small/sample sizes of the paint, primer and poly, take off a drawer, and try this method on the back side of it (this way you won’t see it if for some reason it doesn’t work). If you go for it, please check back in and let me know how it goes. 🙂
Just bought a house and am getting ready to paint our kitchen cabinets! So glad I found your article!!! Went out and bought the exact things on your list . Only thing different was I chose pure white for the color!! Can’t wait to see the finished product!!
Good luck with your project! To answer the message you sent me: “Did you have to buff with a 0000 steel wool in between each coat of poly or did you just let each coat dry and the apply the other coats?” I did not buff, sand, or do anything between each coat of poly. Just let it dry and moved onto the next coat. Creates a solid finish when fully cured! 🙂
Great job and very informative.
Did you consider the SW ProClassic Interior Waterbased Acrylic-Alkyd?
All the advantages of waterbased and alkyd while not turning yellowish.
I searched whether anyone has tried poly topcoat on this pain but could not find any info. I wonder whether it is necessary or if applied whether it has any negative on this paint.
Thank you! I did briefly consider the acrylic-alkyd, but wound up going with the acrylic-latex because quite frankly I was able to find more information on successful projects with this paint. I also read that an issue with the acrylic-alkyd is curing time. I needed to be able to use my kitchen again sooner than later, which meant I needed to poly ASAP (as that had a long curing time itself!). I did a ton a research prior to diving into this project, and I’m happy I did, as the outcome was fantastic and they’re holding up great!
Beautiful transformation!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I just finished my kitchen cabinets and even though it consumed my life for several weeks, the outcome was perfect. Now onto the oak banister 🙂
Hi Carri, you’re welcome! Always happy to hear when another oak kitchen has been eliminated (haha) Enjoy your “new” kitchen! Good luck with the banisters – I promise it’s a bit less life-consuming than the cabinets 🙂
Thanks for posting this tutorial with such great details and all the products you used. I followed them to the letter, bought the same exact products, and now I have a gorgeous bathroom vanity!!! I plan to redo 2 more bathrooms vanities. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Hi Jen – You’re very welcome! Glad to hear you love your vanity now. Isn’t it amazing what some paint can do? I’m actually in the poly stage of my bathroom cabinets now 🙂 Last oak left in the house LOL! Good luck with the rest of your projects!
How did you get away with not sanding the cabinets before priming them? I want to paint my cabinets and by now I’ve read enough tutorials to make me wish I loved my oak cabinets as they are. Buuuut I don’t, lol. You’re tutorial makes it sound doable and I love the thought of not having to sand, but why does ever other tutorial say that sanding is a must? Do regret not sanding them?
A good primer, quality paint, and a solid top coat – that’s how! There’s lots of methods when it comes to painting cabinets, some say sand, others do not. Go with whatever feels comfortable for you! I definitely do not regret spending the time and dealing with the hassle and mess of sanding cabinets when it simply wasn’t necessary. My cabinets are holding up beautifully, you can read my one year update here.
Hi there- your tutorial looks fantastic and we will be trying this at our home soon. How many quarts of primer do you think you used?
Hello! Thanks so much! I purchased a gallon of primer and used about 3/4’s of the can! Hope this helps and good luck with your project!
I apologize if you’d mention this in your blog, but what color are your walls? This is the nicest job I’ve seen so far! Excellent job on those cabinets. You were very specific on what to use and the process, but the outcome is fantastic! Looks professionally done!
Thanks so much, Michel! My wall color is Benjamin Moore ‘Revere Pewter’. I absolutely LOVE this color because it’s a true greige that looks more gray when the surrounding decor is more on the gray side, and more beige when the surround decor is on the beige side. Most of my house is this color because of it’s incredible flexibility.
Hi, the cabinets look great. I have a question and I’m sorry if I missed it. Did you do any sanding to the cabinets before wiping them down and applying the primer? My oak cabinets are obviously stained and finished and I didn’t see mention of any heavy sanding in the prep work. Thanks!
Thank you! Nope, that’s the beauty of the method I used, absolutely no sanding is required. 🙂
Hi! Thank you so much for such thorough instructions with pics, links and other details, including the one year later update!! We followed your instructions to the letter and have fabulous results! It was very daunting to take on the task of painting our cabinets but are so glad we did! Thank you again!!! Now…. on to new lighting!!
You’re very welcome – Congrats on taking the plunge! I love to hear success stories! Enjoy your “new” kitchen!!! 🙂
I love your post! I have debated doing my own cabinets as I am not a very artsy or DIY type person but your post makes me feel at ease with the easy to understand steps. I may have missed this step, but did you paint both sides of the cabinet doors or just the front ? I do not plan on painting inside the cabinet box, shelves, etc. but was not sure if both sides of the doors needed to be painted?
Thank you!
Thanks – happy to pass along the confidence! 🙂 It’s relatively easy, just quite time consuming! (but totally worth it!) Yes, I would suggest painting both sides of the doors for a finished look. I did not paint the interior of my cabinet boxes either and it looks great. In fact with many new cabinets today the interior of the cabinet boxes do not match the exterior and doors. Hope this helps! Good luck with your project!
Hi, your kitchen looks beautiful. Can you tell me what type of tile you used on the floor and maybe show a photo of just the floor? Thank you.
Thank you! Unfortunately I have no information on the tile, as it was here when we purchased the house. Sorry! If I get a chance to shoot a picture of the floor, I’ll post it here.
Great tutorial! We’re about to tackle this in our new house. I tried to look through the comments but there are so many! Lol. What made you choose satin over gloss for the poly? Our kitchen only has one small window, so I was considering gloss instead to help reflect light and brighten it up. I wanted to get your thoughts first.
Hi Ashley – Thank you! I chose the Satin because it had just the right amount of sheen that I wanted. The satin still has a slight shine. I felt that a gloss finish would make the grain more prominent when the light hit it, and I was trying to minimize that as much as possible. The best way to keep the kitchen bright is to choose a light paint color. It was incredible when the cabinets were painted much how brighter the whole room felt! Hope this helps – good luck!
Hi! I LOVE your kitchen makeover! I am in the planning stages now, and wondered how your Antique White looks with white trim. I’m worried mine will “clash” with the existing bright white trim and white doors throughout the first floor. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Marisa
Hi Marisa, Thanks so much! I too have bright white trim and doors. I was concerned initially, but I went for it anyway and I don’t think it clashes at all. Now I don’t have any doors directly in the kitchen, but my baseboards and window casings are white, and it doesn’t look funny or stand out at all. 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 to read through the entire thread. I was told by a kitchen designer that if you paint the oak cabinets in the Northeast it will not hold up. Because of the humidity and temperature changes, Oak expands and contracts. Can you let me know how yours have held up?
Hi Greg, I live in the Northeast and they are holding up wonderfully. You can read my one year update here: http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2016/09/01/from-hate-to-still-great-painted-cabinets-one-year-later/
Hi there. I am going to try painting oak cabinets with black walnut station. I am wondering if you gave ever painted cabinets with deep grooves in it. I am thinking of filling the grooves, sanding and then painting. Material is wood particle board and veneered fronts. Your thoughts are welcome. .
Hi Val – The only cabinets I painted with grooves in it are my oak cabinets, as shown above. If you’re looking to fill the grain/grooves there are special products designed for that, but I’m not sure if they’ll work on veneer or particle board. I believe they are designed for filling wood. Try googling around a bit to see if anyone else has tried this, they may be able to help you out better than I can. Good luck!
Hi Kelly!
I am in the middle of your tutorial and things are going well. Just re-reading the steps and wondering if you still recommend rehanging the doors before the poly step. I worry about stickiness or smudging if doors should knock, etc.
Thanks so much!
Emily
Hi Emily, Glad things are going smoothly! For me, hanging the doors and applying the poly was much simpler and faster than having them laying down, waiting for them to dry, flipping them, then repeating until all the coats were done. With them hanging I could apply a coat to both sides at once. I was careful, leaving them open while drying, making sure they don’t touch, etc. If you feel more comfortable applying it while they’re down, go for it, it just may take a little bit longer. Whatever works best for you! Good luck, home stretch!
Hello! Love the kitchen! Our cabinets are already painted white and I was wanting to know if you would suggest doing the same steps to ‘already painted’ cabinets. Would you still prime, paint and poly?
Thank you! Hmm, I’m not sure if I would recommend painting over already painted cabinets. I suppose it would really depend on their condition and how many coats prior are on them. You would definitely have to prime first and poly after to ensure it sticks, but you may have to rough them up a bit with sandpaper before you prime for good adhesion… Being as I have never personally done it, I can not recommend it, but if you decide to go for it check back in let me know how it goes!
my kitchen looks similar to yours (in the “hate” stage) – same basic color scheme. yours turned out GREAT! My question is this – the oak continues on & on in my house – the pantry doors, fireplace, baseboard. how do you like it in terms of flowing with the rest of the house. we have an open floor plan & im worried about the transitions…thx
Thanks so much! The trim in my house is all painted white, as are the doors, etc. so the painting the kitchen oak flowed well with all the other woodwork. I definitely think you could get away with just painting the cabinets, but if you prefer it to match you can always take on the task of painting out the rest of the oak over time. It’s really personal preference. What may help is hopping on Pinterest and looking for some inspiration pictures that show both scenarios. Here’s one picture I found of painted cabinets looking gorgeous alongside wood trim: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/12384967698798470/ Hope this helps a bit!
LOVE LOVE your post!
I’m trying to follow you and redo our cabinets….Is there a different brand of paint you can recommend? The sherwin Williams pro classic comes in only light shades and I’m looking to go for a chocolate or expresso color… any recommendation?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Thanks! Unfortunately, I cannot personally recommend another brand, as this is the only paint I have used on cabinets. They do have a deep base version, but not all of the deep colors are available. Have you tried going to the Sherwin Williams store to see just how dark they can go with the Pro Classic? Or maybe they can recommend an alternative. Good luck!
Hello!
Thanks for replying. We went by and they do have a similar product. We will look further into it a little later. We have started doing all the moldings around the doors and windows using your way above. Do you recommend we skip the topcoat (poly) for the molding?
Thanks in advance:)
Sure thing! Glad you were able to find a paint that will work in the color you like! No need to use poly on the trim as long as it’s a high quality trim and/or cabinet type paint (which if they recommended a different paint to you at SW, I’m sure it is!) Good luck!
Hi… Read your post… very well done… Only one question, how much do you, and the hubby, charge???
Hahaha! 🙂 You’re not the first one to ask! Unfortunately, we’re not for hire. Besides, it wouldn’t be DIY if you hired out 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Your kitchen looks fabulous and I can’t wait to start my project using your exact steps and materials. My oak cabinets are stained dark brown so I may need another top coat. We’ll see but my question is this. Our hinges are the exposed type and not hidden. The hidden look so my better and cleaner but it looks like a major project to mortar holes correctly to enable to use those type of hinges so I’m probably stuck with the exposed. What are you thoughts about whether they can be painted the same color as the cabinets? Will it look cheesy?
Hi Tim – thank you so much! Yes, changing the hinges from exposed to hidden is a bit of a project that not only requires wood fill and some sanding, but also requires you to realign each door. If you don’t mind the exposed hinges, I would leave them. You could always update them to a new metal color with a good spray paint (designed for metal + use a topcoat), or even get some new ones. I would not recommend painting over them, as the paint won’t adhere properly and will most likely peel. I suppose you could spray paint them the same color as the cabinets? Not sure how that would look though… you may want to embrace the exposed hinges and just update them!
Thank you Kelly. I will most likely just replace the hinges. Also, is it necessary to use a staining pad or can I use a foam brush? Is there an advantage to using a staining pad?
Thank you..
Sure thing! I personally preferred the staining pad to any brush for the poly because it was much, much easier to apply and control how much I applied. I’m sure a foam brush would work if you prefer, I just think it would take a bit longer. Good luck!
Hi. We have oak cabinets and I’ve been considering redoing them. My question is what did you do with the inside shelving? Our cabinets are solid but the inside I’m assuming is press board type material that is a lighter color than the oak. Would love a picture if you have one.
Hi Sarah. I did not paint the interiors of the cabinet boxes or shelves, as even with the best paint and the best poly I just knew they would see a lot of wear and tear from daily use. It doesn’t bother me because if you look at many of the cabinets available today, the faces are often a different color than the interior boxes. I definitely thought about this long and hard before I painted my cabinets, it was a concern of mine too, but it’s not as bizarre looking as you think it may look. I’ll try to grab you a picture soon, but for now check out my update post here, there’s a shot of an open drawer which illustrates how I left the interiors their natural color. Good luck if you decide to move forward with painting!
First you transformation looks amazing. It is instilling the drive in me to do mine. When you did all the priming and painting, did you do the insides of the door first and then the outsides?
Thank you! Yes, did the backs first then the fronts to try to prevent any dinks. I absolutely waited until each side was totally dry before turning them over. Good luck if you take the plunge!
This is amazing!!!!!!! I’ve been wanting to do this so so bad. I just don’t have the time. I work full time, then take care of my ailing Parents. Are you anywhere near Orange County, CA?? Or maybe you have a referral from someone close to me?? It is exactly what I have been wanting for some time now………
Hi Gina, thank you! I’m on the other coast, but if you ask around at your local home improvement or paint store you should be able to find some good referrals for cabinet painters. Good luck!
I just bought a house and your closet has inspired me.
Great to hear! Best of luck!
Kelly,
Thank you so very much for sharing this awesome tutorial! I’m following your steps in our laundry room & it’s turning out fantastic! For those folks considering this for a laundry room or bathroom, It has taken 2 days to complete to the poly stage. Now I (im)patiently wait for the poly to arrive. Lol. This way is now officially the only way I will paint cabinets. Can’t thank you enough for sharing this!
Hi Deb, you’re welcome! With limited cabinetry it moves much faster than a whole kitchen. Which reminds me, I have a bathroom that I should really tackle! LOL! Good luck and feel free to send before and after pics if you’d like to share!
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I have been wanting to take the plunge for two years now and this finally gives me the courage, because you completely spelled it out for me! Now I just have to convince my husband, who’s all about “why do you want to paint a perfectly good piece of wood?” Ugh! Fingers crossed!
You’re welcome! And good luck convincing the hubs… that may be the hardest part of the whole process! LOL
Hi! I have heard that with Sherman Williams ProClassic you don’t need a topcoat. Why did you decide to go ahead and use one?
It’s a kitchen, it gets heavily used. I wanted the security of durability. Didn’t want to take a chance on future scratches, chips, peeling, etc. and so far, so good. It’s held up beautifully and they’re very easy to wipe down. 🙂
Hi! I’m doing the same thing right now in my kitchen. Did you sand between each coat of poly? the can says you should… but I didn’t see any mention of that in your post. Thanks!
Nope, no sanding required! Good luck!
Thanks so much for this great tutorial. I took the leap and did my kitchen and would love to share before and after pics with you (how can I do that?).
Fantastic! I love to see pictures! I’ll email you at the address you specified with the comment. Look out for an email from me! 🙂
By following your steps (3-4 coats of primer) did you have wood grain showing through?
Yes – as stated above, and also covered again in my update you definitely will see the texture of the grain after primer and painting. Now if you’re having a problem with the grain bleeding through (as is you can’t seem to get the primer to cover it color-wise) then you may need to switch your primer to an oil base. This happens when you’re painting unsealed wood. The tannins bleed through. My method above was created to paint over sealed cabinets. Hope this helps!
Thanks for this lovely information, Kelly. I am psyched up to do my kitchen/living room cabinets & bookcases (it is all open) even though I suspect it will take me months – as in 4 -5 months! I have 34 doors and 8 drawers. I am still dithering over the paint color. I have white crown molding, but I don’t want stark white cabinets, so it has to be something I can live with. I don’t want to paint the molding, but I may have to. The cabinets go to the ceiling so the crown molding, while in the same room, is not over the cabinets. I started with a test door – 2 coats of primer, then first color down – way too lemonade-looking. (The walls are yellow although that word does not begin to describe the color. The paint chip actually looks orange!) Next color somewhat better, but not perfect. Third and fourth colors – we are getting there. So that is four coats. However, I notice that I can see a lot of brushstrokes. I was using el cheapo foam brushes – easier to just throw out. Would that be causing the brushstrokes? Full disclosure, I bought several sample colors and I am not sure they are the same type of paint that you used. I was not concerned because I just wanted to test out the colors. Could that be the reason for the brushstrokes? Any wisdom you can supply would be appreciated.
Congrats on starting to take the plunge! You’ll find the right color, it can be hard when you’re working with existing colors in the room. If you are using the SW paint I recommended, brush strokes shouldn’t be an issue. (Can’t speak for any other paint!) I did use a foam roller (link above) for most of the flat surfaces of the cabinets, only using the paint brush on the door/drawer sides and in crevices. Quality of the brush definitely matters – a good brush makes a difference. Try your next (and hopefully final) paint out with a foam roller and a good brush! Good luck!
Your work looks amazing! We have darker oak in our kitchen (about the same size as yours) and would LOVE to change it to white. My concern has always been the grain of the oak showing through the white, and I see you talk about the primer somewhat filling in the grain, with an option to use more primer if you want more of the grain showing. Is there a way you could send me a close up of your cabinets? I’d love to show my husband what it would look like!
You are an inspiration–thanks!
Hi Kathleen, thanks so much! Glad to be of inspiration! I actually recently posted a one year update with close-up pictures of that pesky grain. 🙂 You can view them here Good luck if you decide to take the plunge!
Not sure if you answered in other comments, but how much of your 2 gallons of paint did you use? Our kitchen is about the size of your one side (not including the fridge/stove side of yours), plus an oven where you have cabinets under your stove. Do you think we could get by on 1 gallon?
Thanks!
I basically used up the two gallons. There was a small amount left that I transferred to a pasta jar for keeps, just incase. Hope this helps!
What size brad nails did you use for the framing additions?
I used 1″ 18 gauge brads. Be mindful where you place them, as they can go through to the side of the cabinet if you’re not careful. 🙂
Step #7 – Poly Party… Did you sand the final; paint coat before you used the poly? Are you supposed to sand or use steel wool between coats of poly?
I used a palm sander on my oak, applied two coats of Valspar bonding primer, 3 coats of the same SW paint that you used (sanded between each coat) and ordered the poly that you linked to. It should arrive tomorrow.
Also will the poly give the cabinets a smoother finish? Despite all of the work, I feel like they just feel like they have been painted.
Thank you.
With the GF poly, I did not sand between coats. Poly really gave it a nice finished look and feel, the paint itself tends to look a bit flat without it. It’s also 100% necessary for durability – good luck, home stretch!
Hi,
I am wondering if you know about how much the entire project cost?
Also, how is it holding up?
Finally, do you get stains or marks with the off white? Yours looks beautiful, but I’m nervous about lots of little finger prints!
Hi Alexa, costs are listed above at the end of the post. It’s holding up wonderfully! Look out for a one year update I’ll be posting very soon. The poly makes it very durable and staining is not an issue at all. I simply use a paper towel and warm water to get anything off the cabinets. No staining what-so-ever. 🙂
Thank you for this tutorial! Ive read a few, and yours is the best one so far, so we are removing the cabinets as I type, and getting the garage all cleared out to start painting!
I live in Quebec, and for those who are in this region, you can get the poly from artdec.ca ($90+ free shipping, so I ordered 3 cans of that bad boy. I have a lot of cabinets/doors/light fixture to do!). The paint from sherwin you can get from their stores (thankfully a store was 5 mins from my house !) see this link: http://www.sherwin-williams.ca/en/find-a-store/ (note they have a 40% off sale until Sept 4… score!) and the primer I bought from Canadian Tire. It comes in 2 colors, grey and white, so make sure you get the white one! http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/zinsser-bulls-eye-1-2-3-primer-sealer-3-78-l-0488344p.html
Other than that, i got rollers and the door banging thingys from amazon, tacky pads from artdec. Everything is coming to place! Just wondering if I should go ahead and just paint the inside of the cabinets as well. Do you have any suggestions on this since you already ready over 4000 articles, and i trust your judgement 🙂 Just because i know that they get alot of wear and tear inside from pots and dishes etc.
Thanks again for your help! You should make a section where all your readers can post before and after pix for inspo! It would be amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing info for DIYers in Canada! I know there’s been a few questions on where to pick up items in Canada and this helps! As far as painting the inside of the cabinets, I wouldn’t recommend it. Like you said, they get a lot of use and over time, and even with the strongest paint and poly, they will eventually wear down from constant rubbing, banging, etc. Definitely paint the backsides of the doors for a finished look, but I personally would skip inside the boxes. Besides, it does take around 60 days to fully cure and your cabinets would basically be out of commission for 2 months of drying time! When you’re done, feel free to send me some before and after pics – I’d love to see them! I’m working on a follow up post and plan on featuring some success stories. Good luck!!!
How did you get the polyurethane not to turn the white yellow?
I read a lot on the poly before I chose the GF High Performance, and most of the reviews were quite positive and did not have issues with yellowing. I have not had yellowing either. I suggest doing some research before you pick a product!
Awesome job! Your kitchen took on quite the transformation with just a paint job. We are thinking about doing the same with our cabinets, but they are natural knotty alder. My wife dreams of having her “white kitchen” so looking into doing it. Any advice for a knotty alder renovation?
Thank you! As long as it’s not raw wood, you should be able to take the same approach. Not 100% sure as I’ve never tried it though!
HI Kelly, cupboards look amazing, I have been tossing this idea around for sooo long now, your kitchen has motivated me to go for it. One question, the trim in my house is white. I think from looking at your pictures, yours is also? Are you ok with that, does it all blend? I don’t thind stark white is a good option for the cabinets, I do like the color you picked.
Thanks so much! Yes, my trim is white. I was concerned about it clashing at first, but I feel the colors in my floor really tie is all together. Grab a paint sample (not just the chip!) first and see how you feel about it! Good luck!
Thanks for posting such a thorough blog about this. I recently used the same primer, paint (although I did Dover White from SW) and even used the same satin poly. I cannot describe how much better things are looking, and we aren’t even finished yet.
My question for you is about the poly. We had to have the soffit repaired AFTER I painted the built in cabinets, and of course our handyman got some spackle stuck to the side of one. We did our best to try to get it off, but now there is a chip in the paint. I don’t mind fixing it, but do I need to do a thorough sanding of the area because I poly’ed it before? Thanks!
You’re welcome! Ohh, I love Dove White, so clean and soft! Ah, sorry to hear about the spackle incident. If the area is big, you may want to give it a light sanding (nothing major!) just to rough up the surface. Then prime the area again, repaint & poly. If the area is small (smaller than a nickel let’s say?) I would just use a small paint brush (a detail brush!) and give it a good prime, paint, and poly. I think sanding a small area would be difficult and may cause more damage. Good luck!
Amaze balls ! Very thorough and simplified instructions, giving me some much needed inspiration to tackle my own cabinets. I would love to see a picture of what is beyond your round table, as that area and your kitchen layout is similar to mine, and I was wondering if you were having as much difficulty as I am with furniture placement. We have a wall unit on one end with French exterior doors on one side, and a 6 ft opening into a formal living room, on the other. Any ideas are appreciated, thanks for being so inspiring !
North of the border Sue
Yay, always glad to be of inspiration! Beyond the round table is a half wall then it opens into a two story living room. The room is in the first picture of this post, image on the left. I have a couch opposite the wall unit which sits on the half wall. I have to say the half wall helped me with furniture placement, keeps it open, yet a defined space. Hope this helps!
I have this article several times now, and I’m going for it. We are closing in our new house next week. The oak kitchen cabinets have been haunting me since we first looked at the house, but I am ready to tackle it next week. Thanks for the valuable info!
Glad to be of inspiration! Good luck with your project!
It turned out so well! A friend was asking what I did so I am sharing this with her.
How much did this project cost in total?
See above at the end of my post. It includes the wood work/trim I did too. 🙂
Kelly, If you think you had it bad with oak, you should see my kitchen: same orange oak cabinets, but I also have oak parquet floors, door and window trim, and because they decided there was not enough oak they put up oak beams on the ceiling! My fear is paint color and appliance choice. My kitchen is fairly dark. I hate stark white, but some creams go way to dark in my house. I have used Westhighland white by SW on the trim in adjoining family room and hallway. Any suggestions for cabinet colors. I have a fairly new stainless fridge (my kids drive me nuts with fingerprints!!) and white for the rest. My dishwasher just went and now I have to pull the trigger..what do I pick for appliance choice because I will redo the rest. If I never paint my cabinets white goes better with the oak, but stainless and painted cabinets is amazing. I did consider slate appliances by GE, but they may be too dark. Any suggestions? I’m a single mom so budget is low. Thanks in advance! Great job btw!
Here’s a link to my hideous kitchen..Be warned your eyes may burn. I have since taken down the beautiful border painted and replaced the faucet and hardware, but the pink, yes pink countertop remains. LOL
http://www.zillow.com/homes/155-Walnut-ST-Shrewsbury-MA-01545_rb/?fromHomePage=true&shouldFireSellPageImplicitClaimGA=false
I am debating whether to use Benjamin Moore Advance or SW paint. Can you tell me why you chose SW over BM? It seems everyone is recommending BM for cabinets over SW but I don’t know why. Does the Poly leave any shine? I want to paint my cabinets in a satin finish. Thank you!
All the reasons I chose SW paint are listed in my post above! High pigmentation, thick viscosity, self-leveling, etc. After doing all my research, it was simply the paint I gravitated to due to many positive characteristics. I’ve had a very positive experience with it and it’s holding up great! Poly comes in a few different finishes. I chose satin which has a very slight sheen, you can choose the finish that you prefer. Again, highly recommend the GF High Performance poly that I chose (link above.) I believe it’s KEY to my cabinets holding up fantastically over one year later. Good luck!
We are going to start this project this weekend and I am so thankful I just found your blog today! Numerous people have told us not to paint our Oak cabinets white because the wood will expand and contract allowing it to show through, have you had any issues with this or any suggestions on how to avoid this?
Your did an absolute beautiful job on yours!!
Hi Brittany, thank you! I have not had any expanding and contracting of the wood allowing it to show through. I suppose that’s a valid concern in certain climates? I live in the northeast and it’s been over a year since I’ve painted them and they are still looking great.
Well, I finally finished two bathroom vanities using your methods and they look fantastic!! I can’t believe I did these, that’s how good they look! I ended up using SW alkyd vs poly due to time and location of the cabinets and don’t regret it. The hardest part was replacing the old hinges and realigning the new ones. Your blog was so incredibly helpful, Kelly, thank you SO much!
Hi Carol, you’re welcome and congrats on a job well done! It’s truly amazing what a little paint can do! 🙂
Thank you for this post. It help me have the confidence to paint our cabinets. However, I JUST READ the comment about poly YELLOWING and why you chose the brand you did. OH MY SOUL, I wish I would have read that comment days again, before I applied 2 coats primer, 3 coats paint, one coat Poly, yellowed everything, cried, then smudge painted paint to cover poly streaks! My cabinets look “antique” for sure. Thanks for the help but wish you would have given that disclaimer before I cried over buttery cabinets!
Sorry to hear you had yellowing with a different poly than I recommended above. I can only vouch for the products I used, which is why I recommend them. Unfortunately I can’t make every single point in my post, but I always encourage everyone to do their own homework before tackling projects. Glad to hear you were able to fix them though!
Question for you.. My cabinets were already painted and poly’d before I brought the house. I have been going through the sanding process as well as the stripping process and it is nearly impossible to get this poly shine off. I am worried if I start your process the paint won’t stick if there is more poly on the doors. Any suggestions. I have sanded with a Black and Decker Mouse sander as well as used a stripping solution.
Unfortunately, I’m unfamiliar with the cabinet sanding and stripping process. My tutorial focuses on not sanding at all. Not much help here, sorry, but best of luck!
Hi! My question is about the toekick, is it painted the same as the cabinets?
Yup! Same method! Does require some laying on the floor… 🙂
Your kitchen looks great!! I’m almost finished with my project (rehanging as I type) and I’m debating which poly to use. Before I pull the trigger on the one you used, have you noticed any yellowing of the cabinets? It has great reviews on Amazon, but a couple people mentioned yellowing. I have a very bright white and would hate to see them yellow. Thanks!!
Thanks so much! No yellowing here, and as far as durability this stuff is incredible – not a knick or chip! Two things to note, I don’t get harsh sun in my kitchen (which contributes to yellowing) and my cabinets are antique white, not a true bright white. Hope this helps 🙂
Hi there! I’ve been researching this for a long time and your tutorial is hands down the best yet! Thank you for all the detailed information.
My question pertains to the primer. I sanded and primed with a high hide primer then applied two coats of the SW pro classic. I was horrified after all that work to see that the cabinets “bled” through the paint and primer. You can see yellow streaks in the white paint. I was reading that I need an oil based primer, but not sure where to go from here. Can I prime over the paint I already did and start over? I did not have the zinsser primer, does this particular primer prevent the oak from “bleeding”? Any insight would be helpful! Thank you
Hi Candy, you’re welcome for the info! I’m sorry to hear you’re having issues with the primer your chose to use, but unfortunately I’m unfamiliar with using any other primer than the one I used. You can order the Zinsser primer online if you can’t get it near you, links are above. I didn’t have any issues with the oak “bleeding” through, in fact after two coats of paint, the cabinets were completely covered. It does sound like the primer you used is the issue. If I were in your shoes, I would probably try this. No guarantees it will work as I clearly have never tried it, but this is what I would do to try and fix it. Grab a door and do a test. Order the Zinsser primer and do two coats over your already painted door. Once dry do two coats of the SW pro classic. See if the bleed through is fixed. My only concern is that it’s quite a few layers of paint and primer on the cabinets, but if you do thin even coats it should be ok. Good luck!
I would always remove the hinges – it takes about 15 seconds per door with a screw gun/driver.
Though your process works, I think I would do the poly while still flat to avoid any drips/runs.
Great job!
Whatever works for you – I know this process worked perfectly for me! You won’t get any drips or runs if you’re applying thin even coats. 🙂
I love your detailed info and am getting ready to paint my kitchen cabinets. How is your paint job holding up? I love the fact you don’t sand but feel like it’s too good to be trure.
Donella, funny you should ask – I’m getting ready to post my 1 year update! They are holding up fantastically, it’s all about following the process and using the right supplies. Check back next week and I’ll have my 1 year update posted with pictures 🙂
Greetings Kelly, I stumbled across your blog looking for info on painting oak cabinets. Let me first say great job! and thank you for posting your experience. Compliments too to all of the follow-up replies you have given to your readers. I read a ways back where you didn’t know the name of your granite, right? I recently semi-retired from a company that imports and sells granite, marble, travertine and quartz slabs for our design center. If you’re interested to know perhaps I could identify the stone for you if you were to email me some pictures. With all that said, LOL, my wife having seen your pictures and this article is now anticipating and expecting painted white cabinets. Can’t blame her though as I love the look too, so THANKS but no thanks 😉 cuz now I’ve got another “honey do” project. However, your well thought out method will make it easier. Oh well, I have the time and as I say to my clients, happy wife happy life.
Patrick, thanks so much! And I’m so sorry I’ve given you another project – haha! I may take you up on the granite identification. Posting a one year update on the cabinets soon and I’ll have some more pictures of the granite to share. It would be great to know what it is. Thank you and good luck with the latest item on your honey-do list 🙂
Hello! Love these instructions as they are so easy to implement! I’m curious to know what paint color and brand you used. I’m looking at several and as you know, there are several.
My eye keeps coming back to yours.
Thank you in advance!
Kimbirly
Thanks! All detailed information is contained in the post above! I used Sherwin Williams in Antique White. 🙂
Hello, as much as I would love to have white cabinets I think my husband and I are more comfortable going with a dark brown color. Or maybe even gray. Still unsure but do you think your method will work with other paint colors?
Color doesn’t matter, its the quality of the materials that you use that does. I recommend everything I used above! Good luck with your project!
The Sherwin williams paint a that you have the link for is no longer available on their site. There are 3 versions of pro classic, and I was wondering which one you’d recommend to use for my kitchen cabinets?
Looks like they updated their site and the link broke. Also, looks like they changed the name of the ProClassic paint I used, so I updated both above in the post. 🙂 Also, I have reached out to Sherwin Williams to confirm the formula hasn’t changed, and if it has, what the difference is. Will update the post once I hear back!
Hi! I am planning to do this in our bathroom and am curious – why did you leave the hinges on instead of removing them? Seems like it would be easier to paint with them off, but I assume you had a good reason for leaving them on. Thanks!
Hi Whitney – I didn’t want to mess with the alignment of the hinges. I have TONS of cabinets and I would have had to realign nearly all of them if I removed them. For a smaller project like a bathroom I’d probably remove them because it wouldn’t be too much of a pain to adjust them later. Good luck!
Hi there. I’m in the process of painting my oak cabinets and your blog was great. My only request is can you email or show a picture of the new white cabinets either up close or maybe at night with the lights on to see the gloss effect. I can’t get a good feel of the results from so far away in your picture. It looks incredible but before I go through all this I wanna make sure it looks perfect
Hi Jennifer. If you scroll through the comments you’ll see I posted some additional images. One of them is a close up that shows the sheen of the satin poly. It’s not a very high gloss finish at all, just has a slight sheen. If you’re concerned about the finish I would suggest painting a scrap piece of wood or even the end of a paint stirrer and once dry giving it a coat or two of the poly so you can get a feel for the finish. Good luck with your project!
Thank you Kelly for all your research. This is such a time saver. I started chalk painting one of my kitchen cabinets last week and I just started thinking of the cumbersome waxing process and I couldn’t get the smoother look I wanted. I definitely didn’t want to do spray them or deal with alkyd. It is hot and humid in the south right now. I can only do inside painting. I started to think of doing a latex paint with polyacrylic topcoat. I went to the internet to see if anyone in the DIY world had been successful. Voila, I found your tutorial. I love the Zinsser primer, I already had that on hand. I love GF as well. I didn’t know about the SW Proclassic product though. I called SW and the 40% off sale starts this Friday in my area. So I am priming all this week until I can pickup the paint on Friday. My only concern is working with the foam rollers. I hope I can get a smooth finish like your end product. Did you ever consider the Mohair rollers? Thanks again!
You’re welcome, Heather! Ah, yes that coveted 40% off sale – saves a ton of money as these are pricey gallons! Did not consider Mohair rollers as I didn’t want anything with fuzz to get caught in the grain or left behind at any stage of the process. The foam rollers being solid don’t shed. I’ve also used them previously and loved the very smooth finish they provide, so it was my go-to on this project. Good luck with your kitchen!
Hi again! I’m wondering why you chose a satin vs semi gloss finish?
I just finished painting a spare cabinet door and love it so am ready to move forward but just curious about your finish choice, thank you!
Personally, I liked the Satin finish. It has just enough shine without being too shiny. You could do semi-gloss, it’s really just preference. 🙂
Hi Kelly,
I have hinges on the outside of my cabinets (bummer!) so I plan to replace them with “hidden” hinges. How critical is it to still label all of the pieces? Also, any tips on painting the doors to ensure the hinges still fit ok?
Thank you! Your kitchen looks amazing! I am starting the cleaning part tonight and can’t wait!
Hi Heather – Thanks! Even though you’re changing the hinges you still should label the doors, you want to put the right door in the right place. Sometimes they look close in size, but they may be off my an inch or two and it will be quite the puzzle later on. Not sure how painting will effect the fit of the hinges? Didn’t change mine, so unfamiliar with that. Good luck with your project!
How long should the paint dry before I apply the poly? Thanks!
I waited a few days, because it worked out like that in my cabinet painting schedule. I would recommend at least 48 hours or so (depending on climate – humid climates may need more time) to make sure they’re fully dry before applying the poly. 🙂
Your cabinets look great!
You might have already answered this, but I’ve read a lot of blogs that say that if you don’t have the right top coat, then it will turn yellow on white cabinets. Did the General Finishes top coat turn yellow at all? Are they still holding strong with that top coat?
Thanks! I read a lot about the yellowing top coat issue on woodworking forums. From what I read that doesn’t seem to be an issue with the GF High Performance Topcoat. I have not noticed any yellowing, but my cabinets are not true white though, they are antique white – which is slightly ivory. I don’t have pets or kids, but with everyday adult use they are holding up well, like the day I painted them!
I was wondering if you priced out what the cost of just buying new white cabinet doors and drawer doors would have been?
Refacing would have costs thousands, even DIY options with the size of my kitchen. Painting cost WAY less!
We are still in the planning stages and went from the thought of white cabinets and replacing floor to now Grey cabinets and keeping our white tile with grey grout. We went to Sherwin Williams yesterday to explore and look at colors and the sales person gave us 2 options. 1 was your process with the ploy but suggested their Extreme Bond Primer or he suggested not using a poly and using Semi-gloss paint instead of the satin. What are your thoughts on the suggestion of not using the poly and using their semi-gloss and also their extreme bond primer vs the Zinsser. We are planning on using a test bathroom cabinet before tackling the kitchen but don’t want to waste time or buy a whole set of 2 different paints.
Sorry another question related to the Primer. I also see suggestions for Zinsser’s Bull’s Eye Seal Coat sanding sealer vs. the Zinsser 123. Please comment. Thanks so much.
Hi! I can only speak to the method I used above. I would assume Sherwin William’s employees would suggest their own products rather than mixing and matching. Since I haven’t tested or used them, I can’t vouch for them. Same goes for the alternative Zinsser primer. You can scroll through the comments and read many success stories that people have had using this method I created above, but of course you should go with the products you feel most comfortable with. Good luck!
Thank you so much for the tutorial! We just finished our kitchen and it looks like the whole place is brand new!! You steps made it doable for a beginner like me! My husband was skeptical because we didn’t sand first but hopefully it lasts so I can prove him wrong. 😉
Thanks again!!
Hi Nicole – you’re so welcome! I love to hear success stories, especially ones that involve proving their skeptical husbands wrong, haha! (as long as you did a few coats of the GF HP poly and let it fully cure, you’ll be good!) Enjoy your “new” kitchen!
First, AMAZING job! I am in complete awe of your cabinets! I am planning on tackling this project in the next week and had a quick question. This is going to be a complete newbie question I know, but I am very, very, very new to the whole paint and diy realm! Is there a difference between using primer and paint as opposed to using an all-in-one paint & primer? I plan on turning my cabinets into a light grey color. Thank you so much for the help! Love your blog!
Thank you so much!!! Though the all-in-one route sounds like a nice time saver, think of it as all-in-one shampoo/conditioner. It doesn’t work nearly the same as using separate shampoo and conditioner. The series of products I used, the Zinsser primer, SW paint, and GF poly (all listed and linked above in post) all are top quality and when used together create long-lasting results. The primer was chosen for adhesion, the quality paint is key to having a smooth finish, and the high performance poly is what creates the durability. I personally wouldn’t risk it with an all-in-one product. Hope this helps and good luck with your project!
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Perfect analogy! You did an excellent job of making all the steps easy to follow. Im going to start tackling this project this weekend…. Eeeek!!
Hi, love the look of the cabinets! We are moving into a new home and will be starting on this project soon. The paint colors I have chosen for the walls are a light grey with white trim. Does the cabinet color you chose look okay with the white white trim or should I paint the cabinets and trim the same?
Thank you! There’s not much trim in my kitchen aside from baseboards, a window and a door casing. I personally think it looks pretty good. I did think about that before I painted though 🙂
Hi, your kitchen is lovely!
Can I ask you what you did with your plinth or baseboard that runs under the bottom of your cupboards, did you buy new or paint the old one and did it work well?
may thanks for a great tutorial.
Hi Tracy – thank you and you’re welcome! I treated the plinth as I did the rest of the cabinetry: cleaned, primed, painted, poly-ed. (which required a lot of laying on the floor!) They are solid wood like my cabinets and were in good condition so there was no need to replace.
And, I’m finished! I did my master bathroom cabinets, which also include a row of cabinets below the jacuzzi tub. It was a bit more time consuming then I expected (I thought it would be easy because it is so much smaller than a kitchen!), but the results are amazing! I love it! I followed your guide precisely. I do have quite a bit of touch up on my walls and on the base of some of the cabinets. I used the blue 3M tape and I had quite a bit of feathering onto the walls and it tore off paint from my walls. I also found that it didn’t tear off easily. I ended up having to use a razor blade to cut it away. I have now read about painter’s tape and before tackling the other bathroom, I’m going to purchase different tape.
Thank you for all your research into this and sharing it with us!
Fantastic – glad to hear you completed a successful project! Sorry about the tape, you should contact 3M, it may have been a bad batch as I’ve never had an issue.
So inspired by your work, Kelly, and getting ready to go forward! I think I will begin with the ugly oak cabinets in the bathrooms. I know that you used the SW Antique White and am wondering how this color might look with my outdated, light beige laminate countertops? Or, will your method and choices work for other colors too?
Also, like another post, I have veneer on the exterior portions of the cabinets but am hopeful that your method will work on this type of finish.
Thank you!! This is my summer project like other teachers listed!
Carol
Yay! Love to inspire others! This method would work with any color, but I do recommend using the Sherwin Williams paint I linked to above. Go grab a few paint SW chips and see what works best with your countertops. With lighter tops a darker cabinet could look great. And yes, as long as you use the Zinsser priner on the veneer before painting you’ll be good. Good luck on your summer project! 🙂
Fantastic result. But I’m wondering: Doesn’t the poly top yellow after time? I’m very worried about that on top of white paint. Also, did you wait for the paint to cure before applying?
Thanks! So far so good, no yellowing. I did a lot of research on this poly. Cabinet makers love it because it creates a rock solid finish and is non-yellowing. Did not wait for the paint to fully cure (that takes months, and I needed to use my kitchen before that!) I waited until the paint was completely dry to apply the poly. Hope this helps!
wow your cabinets are beautiful
can you please tell me the color of your kitchen cabinets
Thank you! The color is Sherwin Williams Antique White and the paint I used is SW ProClassic Acrylic Latex Enamel in Satin. The link is above. 🙂
Another question….as I’m impatient! The directions on the can of poly says it is dry in 2-4 hours. You suggest 24….??
If it feels completely dry, go for it! I waited a day between each coat as a precaution, drying times can vary based on how much you applied, your location, etc. (I didn’t come this far to screw anything up lol!) I also was doing each coat after I came home from work, so applying two coats in one evening wasn’t really an option. Good luck!
What did you use for the new wainscotting?
It’s basic window casing trim around $7 per 6′ at Home Depot!
Love, love, love the new look. I am ready to paint my orange oak cabinets! How did you paint the Lazy Susan doors? I have two and they are the only things that are holding me back.
Ah, good question! Those are attached pretty permanently to the lazy susan, so I left them in place to prime/paint/poly them. I did one side at a time, taped up the backside well to avoid any drips or paint on the lazy susan itself. Doing the sides and top was interesting, as I needed to use a thinner smaller brush and turn the lazy susan while painting to get in all the visable areas. In the end, they came out great – so don’t let them scare you! Good luck with your cabinets!
All the information you provided is very helpful. My wife and I plan on painting our cabinets this summer. My one question is that I read many places you should always sand the cabinets before priming and painting. How come with what you did you don’t have to sand them?
The specific primer I used is what allowed for me to not sand down the finish. The high quality paint and poly I used are key to durability. Good luck with your project!
What were the reasons you chose these products over chalk paint?
Chalk paint left terrible brush and roller marks when I test painted with it. Even after sanding lightly and a few coats. Wanted a smoother finish.
All right. I’m sold then! Ordering up my products today for the bathroom cabinets! Thank you so much!
You’re welcome – good luck!
So… I am totally doing this (already done some testing on a few drawer fronts). I am using your method and the same products you recommended. Thanks for the blog!
My cabinets are solid maple and they smooth, unlike oak. I am wondering about the primer: I have painted two coats on a couple of fronts and it looks good but I have questions about how well its adhering to the surface. If I were to try and scratch the primer off (say with my finger nail) it would come off. Does this sound right? Maybe I should sand (maple is different surface than oak) or maybe it will turn out okay after the paint and poly?
What do you think?
Thanks again!
Laurie
Hi Laurie. Even on my oak cabinets the primer could be scratched off with my finger nail. It’s delicate alone, but when paint it applied over it creates a good bond to the cabinets. After the general finishes poly, it’s a super solid finish. I can’t say that I’ve done this on maple, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work the same. (I’ve seen people use this primer to paint over smooth laminate surfaces) Hope this helps, and good luck with the cabinet painting!
Hi! We just bought a hpuse 3 days ago…and your gorgeous kitchen has inspired me to start this project…tonight! Bought most of the material last night. My husband is getting palpitations as we speak. Anyway, did you paint both the front and back side of the cabinet doors and drawer faces? If so, you had to let them dry then flip them onto the cans to do the other side? I’m worried that this would leave a round can shaped dent on the cabinets…
Heather, I like your style – jump right in! My husband was nervous too, but I just started prepping/painting and we had to continue LOL! Yes, I painted both sides of the cabinet doors. Drying time is KEY! Make sure they are absolutely dry before you flip them over. Don’t rush this. If they need 24-72 hours to be really dry, let them have it. (drying times vary depending on climate) The results will be worth it! I personally had no issues with can imprints, but obviously be careful not to move the doors around on the metal or press extremely hard on them. You may want to put some wax paper between the can and cabinet, just in case. Congrats on the new house, and good luck!
We are in the process of buying a house and I see this project in my near future 🙂 🙂 And first thing I thought of is how my husband is probably going to have a nervous breakdown. I NEED to do this!!!!
LOL! I’ve told a few people to just surprise their significant other with one door completely done. Then they’ll have no choice but to help you do the rest – nervous breakdown or not, haha!
hi Kelly,
I know this is an old post but if you do see this, I just wanna say…
This is the BEST and most informative post about how to get this project done.
I am in the middle of doing this to my Mom’s kitchen and your info has been priceless to me! You recommend the best products and you being the guinea pig made me feel so comfortable using these products!Your Cabinets look AMAZING!!! The Whole kitchen does!! Beautiful!!
The only thing I used different is the primer. I used Zinsser BIN shellac primer that I had tinted to my color. (The color is Crescent Moon by Pittsburgh Paints that I had Sherwin Williams match in the ProClassic Acrylic Latex Enamel Paint in Satin)
I am about to start the General Finishes top coat. YAY!!!
How are the cabinets holding up?
Thanks Kelly!!
Thanks so much for the rave reviews! Glad you found this helpful! Poly is the best, easiest part. Really gives the cabinets a finished look – good luck, almost there! My cabinets have been holding up great. Be gentle with them in the first 60 days to really allow the paint and poly to cure. Once it does, they are very durable! 🙂
So glad to hear that the cabinets are holding up and that the “Poly is best, easiest part” … … as, I have been dreading it! I’m a little nervous about overdoing it and the “pulling’ happening. *deeep breath* …it’s gonna be OK!…Right?
I’m assuming from the post that you did the poly with the cabinet doors back in place??
and yes, GF poly is pricey but worth the $ if it’s that good!
Did 1 quart get you through the whole project?
You’ll do great! Yes, I poly-ed with the doors back up so I could do fronts and backs at the same time. The poly is much looser than paint. You’ll do a few thin coats and a quart should be more than enough. I was nervous and bought a gallon, I hardly dented it! Good luck!
Love everything about your kitchen! We are starting this process and hoping it comes out looking like yours! I’m just so scared I pick the wrong granite / backsplash and not going to like it once the cabinets are painted. I really wasn’t thinking about going with dark granite but after seeing yours, I’m in love! Can you post more of a closeup of the countertops? Long shot question….Do you happen to you the name of it? LOL
Thank you so much! I’m confident it will turn out great, you just need a lot of patience LOL! I’ll take some close ups of the granite and email them to you this evening. There’s a bit of pink in the granite which isn’t my favorite, but the rest of the colors really play well with the bronze hardware and the creamy white cabinets. The previous owner installed them so I’m not sure what it’s called, sorry! Be in touch soon!
Awesome tutorial and I plan on using this for my project on my oak cabinets. My only question is how did the oak grain look after totally finished? Can you still see the grain some what? That’s what I am soool nervous about.
Hi Samantha – thanks! Scroll through the comments a bit, I posted a picture of a grain close up. I too was nervous about the grain showing through, but wasn’t willing to properly fill all the grain. It’s a large, messy, nightmarish project on a kitchen my size. The grain definitely does show through, but now that everything is complete, I was surprised by how good it looks. The grain doesn’t bother me at all! Good luck!
Thank you so much! I just finished and it looks great! Because of my hinges, I did have to remove them – and I actually got new ones to match the hardware. Also because I have a three year old and a 3 month old I had to pace myself, so I did all of the top cabinets first, then all of the bottom ones once those were done. Thanks again, I wouldn’t have done it without this tutorial!
Hi Veronique! You’re very welcome! Isn’t it amazing what some paint can do? Congrats on your finished project!
Thank you so much for all your info. You are so thorough it makes it easier to begin our project. We are buying a home in vegas that has oak cabinets with trim and molding already on them, even glass doors on a couple. I am just wondering if you ever considered renting a spray painter gun vs brush and roll? I will also be looking for your banister pics as ours is a big eyesore since there is so much of it (all oak railing). Also how long would you say you waited in-between coats (drying time) for the primer, and poly? thanks again
You’re welcome! I briefly looked into spraying the cabinets, but it was not practical for me. I would have needed to empty the entire kitchen, remove appliances, cover the floors, ceiling, walls, lighting, etc. from overspray… and that’s just to do the cabinet boxes. I also would have needed a place to spray all the doors and drawers. This made the project a lot bigger and more daunting. So for those reasons, I decided against that approach. I honestly don’t think I would have gotten a better result. There are no brush marks what so ever on my cabinets. Drying times depend on climate (I’m in NJ). My primer dried enough for a second coat within about 6-8 hours. The paint I left 24 hours or more 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. Good luck with all your projects!
Question—if I’m using a paint sprayer, do I need to use the same paint?
I’m unfamiliar with using a paint sprayer. If you want to use the paint I suggested above, I would speak with the paint pros at a Sherwin Williams store for instructions on how to use this paint with a sprayer.
Absolutely gorgeous. Such valuable information, thank you. It’s a project in my future as I have a 15 month old. I’m curious, did you paint the walls a grey color because the color in the before photos looks more brown.
Thank you! Yes, it’s an even bigger project with a kiddo! Good luck when you get there! The walls were the same color in both pics. It’s Ben Moore Revere Pewter. It’s a griege and a total chameleon color. Looks more beige around warms and more grey around cools. 🙂
I am in love with your kitchen. I am painting my oak cabinets as well. My flooring tiles are similar to your but have a green, light and darker beige color. I can’t paint it such a white color – I don’t know what color to go with? Has anyone you know painted a darker color? Any hel would be appreciated.
If you do a quick search on Pinterest or Houzz for painted cabinets you’ll find an array of colors that people have painted them! I’ve seen everything from grays, to navy blues, to black. Without seeing the tiles it’s hard to suggest anything, but do search around until you find a combination you like! 🙂
What color should I paint my Oak cabinets if I have white appliances? I am getting new granite as well do you have any recommendations on what pattern for the granite?
Thank you so much!
Emma
Hi Emma! White appliances tend to blend in with white cabinets, so that may be a good option for you. Choosing a granite that has a white base or some white flecks in it would match well. I personally I love River White granite, has a marble look! It really depends on your flooring and wall color, your choices should compliment that. Hope this helps! 🙂
Is there a reason you hung the cabinets back before applying the poly?
I wanted there to be as few steps and drying times as possible. It allowed me to do both the front and backs of the doors as well as the cabinet boxes, all in one shot. The doors didn’t get in the way of hitting any of the spots on the boxes, as the staining pad could get in all the tight spots. I left the cabinet doors open while they were drying.
Thank you so much! I actually seen that this was a question before (sorry!) . I just started this project and am so excited! You are a great inspiration! I am thinking of adding crown molding to the tops of my cabinets. Do you know if the color will be cohesive with the unstained oak trim and the stain oak cabinets? I would hate for the molding to look like an add-on. Thanks!
Hi Janelle – Just make sure to prime the new crown before painting and you shouldn’t have a problem. May need an extra coat of paint, too. The wainscot I did on the front on my peninsula was was all new wood and trim. Now after painting it matches the rest of the cabinetry perfectly! Good luck with your project 🙂
Question: Are your cabinets a different color than your trim? Or did you match the trim in the rest of the house to your cabinets?
Good question! The trim throughout the house is white, I didn’t change it. I did struggle with this a bit when we were first planning the cabinet painting, because I wasn’t sure how cream was going to look next to white. I thought it may look strange (the baseboards mostly), but it actually looks good!
That is my dilemma as well! Thank you so much for your quick response!
Hi Kelly,
Thank you for sharing your awesome tutorial! I have read too many tutorials to count, but yours is by far the best! I also LOVE General Finishes gel stain and poly topcoat, and thanks for the link to the staining pads (life saver). Also, thanks for sharing the link to the soft close hinge adapters. I used these on my laundry room cabinets and they are so great 🙂
My husband and I are remodeling our kitchen and we are doing most of the work ourselves. We decided to remove a load bearing wall between our kitchen and living area, so the first thing we had to do was move the cabinets off the load bearing wall and relocate them to an opposite wall (wow, that was fun). We then purchased additional unfinished oak cabinets and built a lovely dry bar, but…I added a wine fridge because I am a Pinot Grigio snob too! Now we have ugly oak cabinets and ugly unfinished oak cabinets on one wall. We also purchased even more unfinished oak cabinets and built a 4 x 10 island (AMAZING). I am going use GF Java gel stain to finish our island.
While we were waiting for the contractor to come and install the beam in the ceiling, I decided to begin painting my cabinets. Unfortunately, my husband does not paint, so I am solo in this project. Did I mention I have a gazillion cabinets?
I have never used a primer, but I LOVE the Zinsser 123! I purchased 2 gallons because I am painting 4 coats on the cabinet doors, and because I needed more primer to prep the inside (laminate) of one cabinet (YAY!!! It’s a wine cabinet). I also have these unfinished cabinets (I sanded) that require more than a few coats of primer. I also purchased 1 gallon of the SW Antique White, but I think the guy at SW mixed it wrong because it seems too yellow…ugh…so I decided to use SW Creamy White instead. Thanks for sharing your experience with the SW paint. I had absolutely no idea there was a self-leveling paint. This stuff is pretty amazing! It’s easy to roll, brush, great coverage and easy clean-up too.
I am only about 1/3 of the way through my project, but when I finish I will share my before and after pictures with you! You have definitely been a great inspiration for me, and I appreciate all the great tips and the confidence I gained from reading your blog over and over and over again until I finally got the nerve to say “I’m doing this!” Thank you again!
You’re so welcome! Glad to hear you’re tackling this project and that you’re loving the products so far. Would love to see before and after pics – sounds like this is going to be quite the kitchen overhaul! Good luck with the rest of the steps and don’t forget to have a bottle of Pinot chilling for when you’re finished 🙂
Hi Kelly – Beautiful! We are planning to do something similar in our new house (oak everywhere). I’m wondering at this point how everything is holding up. Debating to sand or not to sand and about using a top coat.
THANKS!
Hi Judy, thank you! My kitchen has held up great! I’ve definitely had some incidents with dried on foods, water drips, and have whacked a few pots/pans into the doors accidentally – all without damage. 🙂
We bought a house almost a year ago, and I’ve been wanting to paint the oak cabinets since day 1, but am really daunted by the task! I have been to a ton of cabinet makeover sites through pinterest, and I like yours the best! I’m so glad you talked about researching the type of paint and other tools because I am veeeerrry concerned about that. I’ll definitely take your advice since your cabinets turned out so well. I’ll probably try it this summer. Thanks again!
There’s so much information out there, it can be hard to figure out what to do! Glad to be of some help. Good luck on your near-future project!
Your instructions have been such a help to us while figuring out how to paint our cabinets white. I do have a question though, did you really only use one quart of the General Finishes topcoat? I went to purchase it at a store and the lady there said I needed at least 3 quarts, possibly a gallon for a normal sized kitchen. Thanks!
I actually bought a gallon myself and realized how much of a waste it was (and i have a ton of cabinets!) When I was finished I used maybe 1/5 of the gallon. If you used 3 quarts that would be quite the poly job! It’s a lot looser than paint, so a little goes a long way. If you’re nervous, buy 2 quarts just to have it on hand. Good luck!
What a fantastic job you did! This was so informational for me. We have been searching the cabinet stores, pricing everything and watching a million videos on how to paint them. We are in the Oak nightmare ourselves. We just decided to paint them and save a ton of money. We are going for a dar grey, I am getting samples today! Enjoy your beautiful new kitchen!
Thanks very much! You’ll be very happy once they’re painted. It’s like getting a whole new kitchen! Good luck with your project!
This is EXACTLY what I want to do to my kitchen! Has it held up?? I keep hearing people tell me that I will ruin my cabinets because the paint will just end up chipping.
Hi Katie, my kitchen has held up beautifully! I believe it’s really all about following the right process and using quality materials. Once fully cured, the poly dries super hard. I’ve definitely had some incidents with dried on foods, water drips, and have whacked a few pots/pans into the doors accidentally – all without any damage. 🙂
Your before and after pictures just cemented my decision to paint the cupboards rather than replace. I have almost the identical orange oak/granite combo. My backsplash is the same granite as the counter top. Thanks for the inspiration! You did a fantastic job. And I, too, don’t mind a tad bit of the grain coming through. Off to find Sherwin Williams paint coupons and que up six seasons of Downton Abbey!
Thank you and happy to be your inspiration! Good luck with your project, and enjoy Downtown Abbey! 🙂
Thank you so much for writing this AWESOME “how-to”!! I just finished painting my cabinets using many of your tips and strategies like: cans to hold up your doors while drying, making a map and numbering your cabinets, and most of all using the 3-2-1 no sanding required Bullseye paint primer. Your tips saved me so much time at the hardware store and the project turned out beautifully. Thank you for paving the way and making it so simple!
So happy to hear your project came out well! It’s great to hear my lil’ ol’ tutorial helped you through it!
Okay, that’s it! I am officially chalk painting some ugly old wood furniture in my kitchen! Thanks!
Glad to be of inspiration! 🙂
Thank you so much for posting such a great idea! I close on my townhouse in mid April and will be painting my cabinets right away using your technique. Quite frankly, after seeing your follow up pic of the little bit of grain that shows, I’m even more excited about the project. My plan is to do a similar white for the uppers and a bluish grey for the lowers and tall pantry.
Well, congrats on the new place! Glad to be of help! Good luck with the project, reach out if you have any questions. 🙂
Another question as I am about to jump into this…it appears that parts of the cabinet housing is laminate or particle board…will this method work for this?
If you’re using the primer I recommended above, you should be good. I’ve read many tutorials on Pinterest on how to paint particle board using this exact primer. Congrats on taking the plunge!
I’m close to making this same change to my cabinets and I keep coming back your post. I’m curious if you looked in to using General Finishes Milk paint? It seems fitting with the reviews and then finishing the General Finishes Poly. Your thoughts?
Hi Matt, ah milk paint! I’ve actually started looking into that recently for my super ugly oak bathroom cabinets that have yet to be updated… stay tuned! At the time when I did my kitchen, milk paint didn’t have the popularity it does now so research on it was tough. Now I’ve read a few success stories and it seems to be a good option as long as you’re comfortable with the colors they offer or confident enough to mix your own. I created the method I used from reading a lot of woodworking, cabinet making, furniture making forums and speaking with paint pros. After nearly a year of research, this combination felt like the best way to achieve a professional, durable, long lasting result. Can’t speak from experience with milk paint (yet!) but if you decide to use it, I’d love to hear your experience!
Hi there, I just came across this post and I LOVE the transformation. Our solid oak cabinets were custom made by Mennonites (they do wonderful wood work) and all of the internal draweres are made with birch. I am hardpressed to convince my husband to paint the cabinets because men just don’t like to paint wood! What a beautifully fresh update. Your trim ideas were super. However, I will puruse this idea and hopefully see what happens. I am wondering if the products that you used -especially the primer/paint and poly are available in Canada? It seems like all of your research paid off with your technique and product. I would then need new countertops/flooring and hardware. Just to clarify, you did not paint the inside cabinet doors or the inside of the actual cabinet? Thanks for your work, the results are gorgeous!
Thank you!!! A good way to convince your husband is to prime a few doors. Oops, now you have to follow through! LOL! I did not paint the interior of the boxes, as I was concerned about wear and tear. Looks like Zinsser Primer and General Finishes High Performance Topcoat are available in Canada via Amazon.ca. Sherwin Williams is unfortunately not widely available in Canada, but give it a Google and depending on where you are, you may be able to get your hands on some. Good luck!
Thanks Kelly for your reply. I will look forward to more inspiration!
Awesome job! Did you move your appliances or paint around them?
Thank you! I moved the fridge out because I wanted to paint inside the alcove where it sits. All other appliances stayed in place, just used some delicate tack painters tape to protect the edges. 🙂
It looks fabulous!! You have totally convinced me to do this….In the summer (I am a teacher).
Did you research the Rust-oleum Cabinet Transformations product? If so, what were your thoughts? I was about to go with it, then I read your blog. Why use the process you did?
I have used the ReClaim cabinet paint in 2 different colors for my bathrooms. I love it because it requires no priming. Not sure I want to use it for the kitchen, though.
I don’t want to sand which is why I like the process you used. The thought of sand dust everywhere makes me cringe!!
Thanks for posting your article. The kitchen looks fabulous!!
Thanks so much! I did initially look into the Rustoleum kit, as I read many success stories. Ultimately I decided against it because I wanted a very specific off-white, I definitely wanted to use the General Finishes poly for a strong and durable finish, and my kitchen would have needed 2-3 kits which adds up! Though the convenience of an all-in-one solution was tempting, my method allowed me to pick what I feel are best-in-class products and was more cost effective in the end. Hope this helps and good luck with your summer project!
Thank you for all of this awesome info. I’m a big fat chicken and simply don’t have the courage to do this myself so I’m considering hiring a “pro.” I have very similar cabinets as yours (orange oak, yeah). The guy that came to give me a bid (he’s a cabinet maker) said that he uses lacquer, and that he sands the cabinets to ensure the paint (or lacquer, what’s the difference?) adheres. He said that the grain will be visible though faint and the only way to avoid seeing the grain is to NOT sand the cabinets prior to painting but the drawback is that within a year or two, I will start to see the wear on the paint. (It will eventually rub off/peel off). He advises against this even though it will give me the coverage I want. Do you have any concerns about the paint not lasting because you skipped the sanding? I suppose I can ask him to apply 4 coats, but it almost sounds like too obvious a solution. Wouldn’t he have mentioned that as an alternate option if it’s a viable solution? Can you think of any questions I should be asking him to ensure he qualified to do the job right?
LOL, Carol the Chicken! Listen, you’re not chicken, you just have a good sense of what you can/will do and can’t/cannot do! So about the grain… Scroll up through the comments, I posted a picture of a close up of the finish. You can definitely see the grain up close and in certain direct sunlight, so unless this painter/contractor is planning to fill the grain with wood filler (which requires sanding), you will absolutely see the grain. There’s no other way (that I’m aware of) to completely remove the grain. Every contractor/painter has their own methods. If you’re not sure about the options they are offering you, speak to someone else. They may do things differently. Sure, if you just slap paint over your cabinets without properly priming or finishing with a high quality poly, it’s going to chip off almost immediately. I created this method based on lots of research in both painting and carpentry forums, other tutorials, and speaking with paint experts at my local stores. My process has held up great for me and I’ve accidentally whacked a cabinet with a pot or pan quite a few times now! Net net, if you want no grain to show through you need your cabinets sanded down and wood filled, my method will not completely eliminate the grain. Hope this helps a bit, good luck!
Thank you. I had missed the close up photo of your cabinets. I see what you mean about the grain. It’s very faint. I think it looks great! Thanks again for all the tips. You’re super talented. You know that, right?
You’re welcome and thank you for the very, very kind words! I’m just a girl who was bitten by the DIY bug!
Did you fill in the holes where your old hardware was before you began the process or did you just prime and paint without filling in the holes? Sorry, if this was asked somewhere else and I don’t believe I read that you filled in the hardware holes. I am preparing to start this process in my new home and the thought of having to fill in all of the hardware holes is making me sad lol
By hardware I am referring the the knobs and pulls. I know you left the hinges on. Thanks!
Hi! I didn’t fill the holes for the knobs, because I was putting new ones back in the same place. If you’re doing the same, no need to fill. I did fill the holes for the drawer pulls though, as my new pulls were a different width. Hope this helps!
We are in the process of this right now. Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful and is my inspiration for this project! I love everything about the way yours turned out. Thank you for sharing your tutorial. My question is around the primer. Did you experience this nicking or scratching off very easily while you were going through the priming process? I have our cabinets propped up and as I flipped them to paint the fronts I see that the primer has scratched off after having been left to dry for several hours. Should I stop now and start sanding so there is something for the primer to ‘grip’ to or does the poly cure this?? I, like you, have oak cabinets, have cleaned them thoroughly with a RSP substituted and and using the Zinsser 123 primer. Any insight you can provide would be so much appreciated! Thank you!!
Hi Tiffany – glad to be of inspiration and help to you! Yes, the primer is quite delicate, even after long drying times, but it’s okay! Once the the paint is applied, it absorbs the paint and adheres to the cabinets. Then once you poly it, it’s not going anywhere after it’s fully cured. Touch up the areas that have scratched with more primer and be sure they are smooth to the touch. If not, VERY VERY LIGHTLY with a super fine sanding block, sand down the area just a bit until it’s smooth. If you don’t correct that now, the imperfections will show through the paint. Good luck!!!
Just starting the process of reading all the oak cabinet painting tutorials- ugh! I”ve really liked yours ! My question was on the top coat/poly. I see the wisdom in applying when door are back on- but did you first poly the wood frame in the kitchen before putting the doors on?
Thanks so much, Tricia! I know the confusion that set in after I read my 4,000th tutorial, hope this one helps you! I actually didn’t poly the boxes before hanging the cabinet doors, but there’s no reason you couldn’t do it that way. I just wanted there to be as few steps and drying times as possible, so I hung the doors then went to poly-ville. The doors didn’t get in the way of hitting any of the spots on the boxes, as the staining pad could get in all the tight spots. Note: I did leave the cabinet doors open while they were drying. Good luck with your project!
Beautiful! I just did bathroom cabinets exactly the same way you did. Only I used SW Dovetail. I was going to use a polyacrylic but read that I shouldn’t use it on a satin finish. I never considered polyurethane because I had a bad experience of it yellowing the table I did in SW Antique white. Did your polyurathane yellow your cabinets?
Hi Peggy, thank you! Dovetail is gorgeous, I bet the bathroom cabinets came out great! I have a set of my own I need to tackle! Good question! Actually one of the reasons I chose this specific poly is because of it’s non yellowing reputation. I read up on a lot of cabinet making forums and the pros love this stuff. The last thing I wanted was “buttercup” cabinets, ha! I also only have direct sunlight in the kitchen in the morning hours, so it’s not taking on bright UV rays for more than 4ish hours a day.
Great post..excellent upgrade.. I’d love to see a closer picture on how you attached and used the molding below the cabinets. I’m considering something similar to hide some under cabinet lighting.
Thanks so much! I’ve included some pictures here. (Sorry for the low quality, just grabbed them with my phone and I don’t have natural light right now) If you click on the link to the molding I used, you’ll see it has an L shape. Using my Ryobi Airstrike I nailed the flat, non decorative part to the underneath of my cabinets. I caulked any spaces on the front, then primed/painted/poly-ed the molding along with the cabinet boxes. It was pretty easy and makes the cabinets look much more polished! Hope this helps!
Excellent, thanks so much!
So I love your cabinets so much I was hoping to copy the color you used. I hope you don’t mind! Could I ask what paint color that is?
Thanks! It’s Antique White from Sherwin Williams. More details on paint and color are listed in the post as well. 🙂
Great tutorial! I was wondering why you applied the poly after putting the doors and drawers back on the cabinet boxes? I’ve worked with General Finishes on 2 projects now and it’s a great product both in its application and its hold up!
Thanks! I put the cabinet doors and drawer faces on before poly because I wanted to be able to do both sides at the same time, as I was doing quite a few coats. Since the poly is much thinner than a paint, I didn’t have to worry about drip marks or any leveling issues. I love General Finishes products! 🙂
I LOVE this blog/article! I, like you, have read every cabinet-painting tutorial, A MILLION TIMES! Thus far, yours has been the best and easiest to understand. Your cabinets are absolutely gorgeous! I have the same, dreaded, orange-oak cabinets. I teach third grade and haven’t any spare time will school is in session. However, Spring Break is next week! I flip-flop between doing this over my break or waiting because I will waste the entirety of it! Haha! After reading these questions, I found most of my answers! If this has already been asked, and I missed it, I apologize. I was wondering what you did with the trim that lines the top of the cabinets? Did you leave it on and primer it, or what? I would really appreciate your feedback! This blog has saved my life. After reading it, I truly feel like my husband and I can accomplish this! 🙂
Aw, thanks so much! I know how you can DROWN in tutorials, everyone has a different method! Glad I was able to provide some clarity! So yes, this will basically be your entire break, possibly plus some – based on drying times – so definitely consider that before you take on the cabs! And another yes! The crown moulding on top of the cabinet boxes stayed in place and it was primed and painted just like the rest of the cabinet box exterior. You’ll need a ladder to reach up… or just stand on the counters like I did, haha! Good luck and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. 🙂
Well, we did it!!!! And you’re right… It took my entire Spring Break! Lol. And, we aren’t even finished. We are just at the poly step. I’m about to go insane, but I know it will be worth it. I have two more questions, though… How long did you wait to put your hardware on after the poly? I remember reading that you did 3 coats. Also, where did you buy the staining pad to apply it?
Thanks again for your inspiration! 🙂
YAY! It’s great to hear that you conquered the cabinets! Congrats! How much better does it look already?! I would give it a good 48-72 hours (if you’re in a humid climate, err on the 72 side) after your last coat of poly. You want it to cure enough before putting on the hardware. Just in case you want to change the hardware down the road, you don’t want it sticking! Be careful opening and closing the cabinets in the mean time though – make sure the new bumpers are on the doors and drawers! Staining pads I got from Amazon, I bought 2. (link here.) You’re almost there, the poly part is super easy I promise! Hang in there!
Yes!!! They look SO MUCH better. 🙂 I’m nervous about the poly process. I don’t want it to stick, smear, or look tacky. Lol. I’m hoping it’s quick! 😉 So, I should apply door bumoers before poly?
It’s amazing what paint can do! Don’t be nervous, it’s SO easy. Just put the poly in a shallow container and soak the staining pad in it, then wring it out a bit, then apply it to the cabinets in a long sweeping motion, trying not to go over the same spot twice. The bumpers should go on post-poly. Each coat cures to the touch in 2-4 hours, so after your last coat dries to the touch, put them on. Until then don’t keep doors and drawers fully closed.
Hey, Great Job!! I refinish kitchen cabinets as part of my job As a faux finisher artist. This is exactly how I do it too. When I go to give a quote some people are taken aback by the cost but as you have done a great discrimination of the work and detail needed to accomplish a great look. Thanks D.
Wow – thanks so much! It’s great to hear from a pro that this is the way pro’s do it! Appreciate the compliment!
My wife and I just bought my parent’s home which was designed back in the 90’s. The cabinetry is solid with very few, if any, dings, but I absolutely despise the orange wood color! I’m bookmarking your website and using Pinterest to plan this out properly – will update you on my progress as time goes by!
Good luck with your projects! Be sure to check out my gel stain banister tutorial for even more orange oak transformations! 🙂
Excellent! You did an amazing job. Thanks for all the details and supply links. You have made this project not look so daunting. Did you prepare, prime, paint, and seal the cabinet frames the same way as you did the doors? Did you also just paint the door front and sides and not the interior door panel?
Thanks very much and you’re welcome! Yes, cabinet frames were done exactly like the doors and I did not paint inside the cabinets. I figured scratches and dinks would be unavoidable and decided to skip it. It doesn’t look bad. In fact a lot of new cabinets now have face frames and doors that don’t match the cabinet box interiors. Good luck if you decide to take on your cabinets!
Your kitchen looks amazing. And this article is super helpful thank you so much. I wanted to ask what made you choose that particular paint when it dosnt say it’s specifically for cabinets like some others do.
Thank you! I chose the paint based on a ton of research I did. I not only read up on it, but also went into a SW store to speak with employees on what paint would best suit the project. This paint is commonly used on interior doors and wood trim, so it’s formulated to withstand some abuse 🙂
This is great, thank you for the details! Hopefully the wife and I can take this on – any questions and we’ll come your way.
Do you know the name/color of the tile?> I like the tones and we need to redo the floor while we are at it.
Sure – any questions reach out! Good luck, you got this! Oh man, I wish I knew the tile details because I get this question often! They were in place when we moved in. The owner left a few spare tiles, they’re ceramic designed to look like travertine stone, but they don’t have any identifying markings on them. Sorry!
Thanks so much for the detailed tutorial! I was just curious to know why you left the hardware attached? I think it would be tedious painting around it, and if labeled properly, wouldn’t it be easier to remove and reinstall when done?
Thanks for stopping by! I left the hinges the doors for two reasons: to save time and for alignment reasons. The hinges were already aligned for that door and location and I didn’t want to disturb that. Painting around them is really not tedious at all. I used a small flat artist brush. Any paint that got on the hinges (which admittedly was a bit) came off with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol, even after the paint dried. If you would like to take off the hinges, I would recommend you label them well so they go back in the same place.
Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful! This is the look I am going for in mine. How did you get the paint to stick without sanding first? I have read so many tutorials that say sanding is key in prepping to paint. Is the primer you used the trick to not having to sand first?
Thank you so much! It’s definitely the primer which allows you to skip the sanding, but it’s also a combination of all the steps working together for good adhesion: cleaning, priming, painting and poly. I highly recommend all of the products I used to achieve good results – everything is linked above. I did a TON of research on everything I used before pulling the trigger on this project. I didn’t want to risk messing anything up! Good luck if you decide to give it a go!
Fabulous! As a Realtor, I can attest to a remodeled, modern kitchen adding appeal and value. Your kitchen looks new, bright and so clean compared to the oak. I’ll be using this info and method to help my clients that are considering a spruce. The no sanding, no wood filler is really helpful! Yes, there’s a bit of grain but very little pain! I agree, so worth it. Love the hardware, too.
Thanks so much for the kind words! I may need to borrow your, “there’s a bit of grain, but very little pain” line! It’s so true, and it rhymes! LOL!
Love love your kitchen. I have the same oak every where. You have inspired me to attempt this project ! Where did you get your light fixtures??
Thanks so much! It’s quite the rewarding project to go from oak to a creamy, dreamy white. Well worth the effort! Stop back and let me know how it comes out! My lighting fixtures are by Quorum, the style is called Vesta. I added links above in the post to both of the lights!
Has everything held up pretty well? Thinking of pulling the trigger on our ugly cabinets!
Yes! So far so good! It’s really all about using a fantastic poly (I can’t say enough great things about the one I used, link above!) I’ve had quite a few “oops” moments (accidentally banging into a cabinet, dripping food and not realizing until it was dried up, etc) and the cabinets have wiped clean and have resisted chipping. Do a few coats and let it fully cure! Good luck if you pull the trigger!
Hi was wandering if you were glad you went with satin paint for cabinets ?i’m debating between satin and semi gloss just didn’t want that high shine so really wanted to do satin . Thanks for your time.
Just saw this and looks like the comment was edited and my original response now makes no sense LOL! Sorry about that. The paint finish doesn’t matter too much, it’s really the poly finish that will dictate the shine. Satin is a little less shiny than semi-gloss and I think it’s a great finish for cabinets. Hope this still helps!
Hi! Love your kitchen. I too have the lovely oak cabinets. Right now i am trying to remodel around them until i get the nerve to change them. My question is about your floor tile. Do you know what it is? It is very neutral and close to what i am looking to replace my current flooring.
Thanks so much! Not sure what brand/style the tile is. It was here when we moved in. I do know that it’s porcelain that’s designed to look like travertine, as the previous owner left us a few spare tiles. Sorry!
Hi! Your cabinet redo has inspired me to do my own as we are living in a sea of oak too! One question though, how many coats of primer and paint did you use? Our grain is pretty deep and I am nervous that it will show through. Can you still see the wood grain after you painted?
Hi again. I just saw that Jan asked pretty much this same question yesterday! Sorry!
How many coats of each did you do to get those results?
Hi Traci – Popular question! 🙂 I did two coats of primer, three on doors that were super grainy. I really obsessed over the grain issue for a good month before waving the white flag. To drastically reduce the grain it was just going to be way too much painstaking, messy work. Now that they’re all done, I honestly don’t mind it and I’m glad I didn’t waste time and effort. Good luck on your project!
Hi! Are your dining chairs the same color as your cabinets? Everything looks fantastic!!
Thanks so much! The chairs are oh-so-very close in color to the cabinets. They have a very light glaze on them. Didn’t paint them, they came that color!
Your kitchen looks positively gorgeous!!!! I really want to do this to my kitchen. Can you tell me if you can see any of the grain on the painted cupboards? I didn’t know if a wood filler would be needed to prevent the grain from showing thru. Any tips would be appreciate. Thanks
Hi Jan, thank you so much! Oh the grain… I struggled with this a lot because I too didn’t want the grain to show through. After a ton of research, I concluded the only way to properly do this was exactly what you said, a wood filler. After filling you have to sand, then fill again for any missed areas, it becomes a massive, messy project. My cabinets also are raised panel and have a lot of nooks and crannies that would make it even harder. So I decided against trying to fill in the grain completely. Now that they’re finished, I honestly don’t mind it. From afar you can’t see it, but up close and in direct light you can. The primer helps fill it in a bit, but nothing like what a wood filler can do. I’ve attached a picture of the grain in direct light so you can see the “worst possible angle” LOL! Don’t be afraid of the grain! Good luck with your kitchen!
I actually kind of like the way the grain shows through. I’ll be starting this project in a couple months with our oak cabinets and the idea of using wood filler to get rid of the grain is insanely daunting. I’ll be going your route with 2-3 coats of primer before 2-3 coats of paint. You did a beautiful job. Kudos! 🙂
Thank you! I have to say, the grain definitely doesn’t bother me like I thought it would. If nothing else you can still tell their solid wood, right? Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your project!
My cabinets are already white, but are chipped and dingy. Would the primer work on cabinets that were already painted or would I need to strip all the paint off first?
I wouldn’t be able to answer you with complete certainty, as I believe you need to know what kind of paint is currently on your cabinets. If it’s oil based, you’ll need a primer that is also oil based or is compatible. There’s some more research to be done here before you begin. The one concern I would have, is that where ever you have deep chips and scratches, the primer and paint won’t just fill them in. They will most likely come through, which is reason enough to sand them down in the first place. Good luck!
Love the foyer and kitchen, both spectacular, is the kitchen BM revere pewter also? Thank you.
Thanks so much! Yes, both are Revere Pewter. I just love what a chameleon the color is!
What A great post! You covered every important point possible. I teach a cabinet painting class, in the Sacramento area, and you could teach the class for me! Totally worth all of the work and you saved yourself thousands of dollars. Way to go!
Barbara, The Treasured Home
Wow what a compliment, from a teacher! Thanks so much! 🙂
OMG!! It looks absolutely, positively amazing!!! I want to do this to my cabinets sooo bad, but I don’t want to spend the time. But your kitchen confirms that I must!!!
Thanks so much! I know it’s terribly time consuming, but once it’s done it’s completely worth it! Good luck if you take the painting plunge!
You did an amazing job! I am getting ready to take my wooden cabinets to off-white too, so this was just what I needed!
Thank you!!! Good luck with your cabinets! If you run into any questions, reach out! I’ll have to check in at your blog to see the finished project!
I’ve been wanting to do this for so long! It was supposed to be one of my summer projects, but I can’t seem to get myself motivated! I know it’s going to be a huge job, even though my kitchen is about a quarter of the size of yours. Thanks for the great tutorial! Pinning!
The best motivation is doing a test door. Unless you want one door a different color, you’ll have to do the rest! Good luck when the time comes!
Fabulous!!! I’d love to do this, but my husband would have a stroke!!!!!!! So much better!! Jealous!
Thank you! LOL! I know, it took a lot of effort to get the hubs on board. He caved eventually. I think he thought I might actually take a sledgehammer to them one day…
Hahahaha! I called my husband in and read your quote about fantasizing about smashing the cupboards while he’s gone so you’ll be forced to get new ones 🙂 It’s good to know that mine is not the only man who sees nothing wrong with oak cupboards, oak drawers, oak floors, oak table and oak chairs. OMGosh, I’m really oak-erwhelmed, and have been for 16 years! I used to be that person who thought it should be a federal crime to paint over natural wood — but no more! Thanks for the step-by-step. I have the paint and brushes, now to paint that ONE cabinet door……cuz there’s no turning back after that.
Haha! Don’t let the husband in on all our secrets – you need to surprise him with that one door still LOL! “Oak-erwhelmed”! <-- LOVE IT! That was totally me before all my painting and gel-staining 🙂 Good luck with your project... and getting your husband on board! 🙂
I’m visiting from over at One Project at a time. These turned out amazing! I’ve been juggling the idea of doing this. Great job!
Melanie
http://www.theseblankwalls.com
Thanks so much for stopping by! I toyed with the idea for nearly a year before pulling the trigger. It’s a big project but well worth it for the result!
Hey can you please tell me if the paint came off? And for how long it will stay?
No, the paint didn’t come off. Going strong for over a year without a chip or scratch.
How long did sanding take you? What did you use to sand?
Hello! If you read the entire post above you’ll see the only sanding necessary was after using wood fill on imperfections. The rest of the project requires no sanding (unless you’re really sloppy with your primer and have drips and lumps, and in that case you may want to use a extra fine sanding block once over everything to knock those down.) But no-sanding is the beauty of this method. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi there,
Are you sure that only time you used the sending is when you used the wood filler? I saw from one the pictures that entire wood surface got sanded. Could you please tell me why the surface looks like it was sanded?
Yes, I’m sure the only place I sanded was where I used wood filler. The picture you’re probably looking at is the front of my peninsula. If you read that section of the post, you’ll see I removed the bead board that was there and replaced it with new wainscoting, which is why it’s unfinished wood. Again, nothing was sanded except where wood fill was used. This tutorial is tried and true, with many other success stories beyond my kitchen.
Hi Kelly! I am wondering why you chose to add the Poly after the doors were put back on. Did you only apply this finish to the outside doors and drawers (this I am assuming)? I guess my main concern would be that they would look a bit different then the parts that were not wiped with the Poly. Also, I have never applied Poly this way. Do you much prefer using this technique rather than a brush? Also, thank you for this tutorial. I am getting ready to tackle my kitchen cabinet project very soon.
Hi Laura. I hung the doors, then applied the poly so I would be able to do both sides of the doors at one time (leaving them open to dry of course.) Everything gets poly! Doors, drawers, cabinet boxes, everything you painted. That is the protective top coat and needs to be applied to all painted surfaces for durability. I found success applying the poly with a staining pad and applying many thin coats. Of course you can use whatever method you feel comfortable with. Good luck with your project!
How many cans of the poly did it require? looks great…!
Thanks! I bought a gallon and I used so very little of it that I’m sure I could have gotten away with a quart size! I did 3 thin coats. Hope this helps!
What kind of poly did you use? I didn’t see it on your itemized list
Hi – It’s listed above, but here’s the link again – General Finishes High Performance Water Base Polyurethane Topcoat in Satin.
We bought a house with brand new dark cabinets much darker than yours. Do you think the process would still work with darker cabinets?
Hi Brittany! Should work just fine, the primer will help hide the original dark color. You may need an extra coat of paint, too. Do a patch test on the inside of a door or some inconspicuous area before you tackle the whole kitchen. Good luck!
Hi. I noticed when. I purchased the Primer from our local Menards that they also have it in Gray. Perhaps you could get a quart of Gray for the 1st one to two coats then finish off with white to better cover the dark cabinets. Just a thought. I will tell you to go for it though! I’m doing our laundry room right now and it’s working out fabulously!