How to Paint Cabinets {The Legit Way}

Ok!  In a previous post, I discussed all the reasons why white cabinets make my heart sing, and why I just can't keep from painting every cabinet in my life.  And why the expensive cabinet paint is the ONLY way to go.

Obligatory before shot:

So after 7 years of learning, here's how you should *really* paint your cabinets.

1. Talk to the pros.  Once you decide that painted cabinets are in your future, head over to a professional paint store {no, not lowe's.  or home depot.  or menard's.}.  I'm partial to Sherwin Williams, but in Ohio I loved the Benjamin Moore store.  Just find a few pros that you feel comfortable with, and hit them up for advice.  It's free.
2. Prep.  This seems obvious, but take your cabinet doors off the cabinets, and remove every bit of hardware.  Set it all aside in a safe place.  We like to use clear ziplock baggies so we can write exactly what is included right on the bag {'upper kitchen cabinet hardware'}.  Make a note of anything that may need replaced.
3. More Prep.  Since our cabinets were already painted a color that was close to our goal, our prep work was super easy.  We just had to lightly sand each piece with a fine-grit sanding block.  Our pros at Sherwin Williams said just take 30-40 seconds for each piece.  Super easy.  If you're starting with a wood finish, you'll need to do a little more.  Here's a good tutorial, but make sure you consult your local paint store!
4. Fill the Holes.  If you're using the hardware that you just removed, you can skip this step.  For some of our pieces, we were replacing the hardware, though.  So for those, we just had to use basic drywall compound to fill the holes.  Lots of people love actual wood filler, but we've found that if you're going to be painting over the surface {instead of staining}, drywall compound works great, we always have a bucket sitting around, and it is cheaper.  Win, win, and win.  Wait for it to dry {usually a full 12 hours or more}, and then sand it smooth.  Sometimes more than one application is needed.  Yeah, this isn't a super quick project...
5. Prime It.  Again, since our cabinets were already painted, a primer wasn't necessary for most pieces {too many coats of anything, even the good stuff = no bueno}.  For our cabinet fronts, though, we actually knocked out the existing beadboard panel and replaced it with a flat piece of wood.  So for those areas, I slapped on a quick coat of Zinsser Smart Prime.  It's a great primer, with fantastic reviews.  And it's pretty cheap.  For this, I just used a short angled brush so I could get all of the corners.
6. Paint!  After the primer dries {not too long...an hour or two}, it's time to break out the big guns!  This is important.  Most people swear by a foam brush {to avoid those ugly brush/roller marks that scream, 'I did this at home!'}.  Guys, that it soooo 2010.  The new tool of choice:  the mohair brush.  Yeah, they're a few dollars more than the foam rollers, but they are so amazing.  Paired with the expensive paint, they are the secret to awesome-looking cabinets for cheap.
7. But Wait.  Before you bust out that mohair, use a short angled brush {any brand will do...just make sure it is angled with a 2"-ish handle} to get any ridges/cervices/inside corners.  By doing this step first, you'll end up rolling out any brush marks.
8. Ok, Go.  While that paint is still wet, use the mohair roller to roll a nice even coat over the cabinet.  Don't go too thick, but get an even application.  You'll start swooning over the amazing paint.  Both the Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore cabinet paints are self-leveling, and just leave the best finish.
9. Let Those Puppies Dry.  Before your second coat, wait a couple hours.  If you let the paint dry properly in between coats, the end result will last longer and resist chips/dings/scratches.  Then go ahead and put another coat on, just like the first.  You might even need a third coat {hopefully not}.
10. And Flip.  We've found it works best to start on the back side, so if you would happen to smudge it a bit when turning it over, it's just the back side.  Just don't skimp out on painting the backs or sides or anything.  Even if you think it won't show {it will}.

After the front and back is dry, you're ready to hang!  Keep in mind that the Sherwin Williams paint {not sure about Benjamin Moore} takes 2-3 weeks to fully cure and harden.  It will be dry in a few hours, but you'll just want to be a little more careful that usual for a few weeks.  We considered waiting to hang them, but there isn't a safer place in our house than hanging on the wall.  If we had a guest room or basement or something, though, we would have let them fully cure before hanging.

Here's our after:

Of course, we also removed the soffit, replaced the cabinet inserts, painted the hardware, and replaced some of the hardware.

Overall, painting your cabinets is pretty easy.  It can be time-consuming and tedious, but absolutely worth it.

Anyone recently paint their cabinets or planning on painting cabinets soon?