Step 1 prep the room photo by brian wilder inset before starting a kitchen paint job empty the cabinets clear off the counters and remove freestanding appliances.
What grit sandpaper for painting kitchen cabinets.
Wood cabinets are ideal for painting but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted.
Light grit sandpaper such as 120 or 180 grit on an orbital won t remove material fast enough.
You should sand cabinets before beginning your how to paint kitchen cabinet project to give the new paint a good surface to grip.
Sand the finish from the cabinets trim and drawers with 120 grit sandpaper.
You can sand by hand if you would like but your arms will probably get pretty tired.
Sandpaper is one of the most common items you will find with professional painters along with all types of construction workers.
Allow the filled areas to dry then use sandpaper to smooth out the surface of the cabinets.
If your repainting project is just a facelift for the cabinets you don t need to sand and paint the inside of the cabinets.
Instead of sanding chris and lexi use mineral spirits and a rough scrubbing pad to clean the cabinets thoroughly before priming them.
But you don t need to sand to bare wood.
Orbital sanders are best for bulk sanding.
If the cabinets are stained or coated with a single layer of clear finish you may not need to use paint stripper.
If your cabinets have a factory finish sand lightly with 120 grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge.
Grab your orbital sander and some medium grit sandpaper.
Most cabinet finishes are too smooth or glossy to reprime and repaint so using a medium sandpaper we like 100 to 150 grit sand down your surfaces a little not enough to sand away the current finish entirely but enough to give the primer a little more grit to stick to.
You just need to use the best materials and take the time to sand and do the brushwork right dee says.
Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer.
Equipped with 100 grit sandpaper orbital sanders remove surface material from cabinets and doors without going too deep.
Choose a high quality paint.
Painted cabinets should get a thorough sanding with 120 grit paper but no matter the finish do a final pass with 220 grit.
This not only cleans the cabinet paint doesn t go on well over grease but the scrubby sponge also roughs up the surface just enough to make the primer stick.
Special cabinet paints are available that provide a smooth finish but any high quality paint should work.
Read on for our tips for painting kitchen cabinets.