Paint Kitchen Cabinets?
 

Hi....interested in painting some kitchen cabinets in a rental unit I own....can I just use an oil based paint if I sand the cabints really good? They are oak cabinets.....with a clear coat poly coating. I plan on sanding them and then painting.

I would use a stripper first to remove the shine and any grease build up that may be on them. Then apply a primer coat before the finish coat.:mornincoffee:

Don't Strip...
 

joanofarctv,

Don't try to strip the cabinets. Been there done that and they don't turn out right again after all of that.

I painted the cabinets in the house I currently own. They were oak w/clear poly also. You can buy deglosser that you simply rub or brush on which dries instantly. Paint with 2 coats of Kilz Premium Stain Blocker. I used Behr Premium Plus Latex Semi-Gloss Enamel. 2 - 3 coats on door fronts and 2 coats inside cabinets. The Kilz is the key to a great job. Also, remove all hardware. I used a very slightly off white color (matched to woodwork) so that they look warm and not stark. Oh, and also invest in a high quality paint brush.

My cabinets look fabulous and in 2 1/2 years I haven't needed a touch up. White cabinets are making another big come-back.

Good luck. :wave:

I repainted mine,...I took all the doors off, sanded everything a bit, put on a coat of stain blocking primer, then sprayed on a couple coats of satin latex enamel, they came out pretty good. I know oil paint is a little more durable but I just couldn't bring myself to use it. I prefer cleaning up with water.

Lightly sand the cabinets using a fine sanding sponge. Lay all the doors out flat in your garage, stack the drawers one on top of the other. Dust cabinets and apply 1 coat of XIM primer Using a thin nap "longboy" roller cover the primer smells god awful but will disipate in 30 mins.

When the primer is dry, caulk all the cracks around the floating panels on the doors, making sure to wipe all excess caulk away with a damp rag. Now you are ready to apply your top coat. We always use Sherwin Williams Pro Classic "Self Leveling Water Bourne Enamel" The cabinets usualy need 2 1/2 coats sanding lightly after the first coat.

PS: I forgot to mention to number all the doors usualy where the hinges attach. We have done at least 500 sets of cabinets in the last 46 Years and have found this to be the most successful. We have done at least 50 sets in the villages, and have had 2 kitchens featured in The Daily Sun House and Garden Section.

I hope this helps. :wave: