Plan to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets? Don’t Do These Three Things

Painting the kitchen cabinets in your flip can seem like a relatively simple DIY job, but it may require a little more work than you think.

Be sure not to do these three things that can sabotage your efforts for a polished and professional appearance.

Not Remove the Cabinet Doors 

Although you may think it’s easier to sand and paint your cabinets without first removing the doors, skipping this important step can be a big misstep.

Taking off the doors can make it easier to sand and paint every portion of their inner and outer surfaces. It can also help prevent paint drips, which can make your paint job look messy, and help keep paint from running as it dries in areas where it’s been heavily applied.

Skip Prep Work

Before you start your paint job, more than likely, you’ll need to prep your cabinets for paint by sanding the surfaces and filling any cracks with wood filler. Skipping this important step can result in surfaces that have a bumpy finish.

After your cabinets are sanded you should wipe them down with a damp cloth or a lint-free tack cloth to remove dust and debris, which can foil your efforts for a smooth surface if these particles get picked up and spread by your rollers and brushes.

Not Use a Primer 

Using a primer on your cabinets is key because it will help conceal your existing wood or painted surfaces. Without a primer the existing surface may bleed through and interfere with the appearance of your cabinet color of choice.

Another benefit of a primer is that it can help give your paint traction so it can better adhere to smooth and shiny surfaces.

If your cabinets are covered with an oil-based paint, which most older cabinets tend to be, if you directly apply a latex paint over them it will eventually begin to peel and your potential homebuyer will have to repaint the cabinets. So be sure to use an oil-based primer over an oil-based paint—then you can apply a latex paint.