How To Prepare Wood Cabinets For Painting

In this example Im using a small red oak scrap block that is unfinished.

How to prepare wood cabinets for painting. Choose a high-quality paint. Scotch-Brite pads and a. Sand the surface of the wood.

Wipe away any dust with a slightly damp cloth then let dry. Use a clean paintbrush or a paint roller to apply paint. However if you are working with a surface that already has a finish paint stain clear coat etc on it you will need to sand the surface to scuff it up a little.

To get the edges of the cabinet doors and drawers I found my finger worked better than anything else. Special cabinet paints are available that provide a smooth finish but any high-quality paint should work. Make sure you caulk your cabinet doors.

Make sure your paint is acrylic not vinyl. To prepare wood for painting start by filling in any holes scratches and dents with wood putty. I did the same on the cabinet frames.

For larger surfaces you can use a paint stripper. The following sections will simplify the process of painting over laminate kitchen cabinets. Let the primer dry completely before applying wood paint.

Kitchen cabinets always need cleaning and this is especially important right before painting. Using a putty knife I started with plastic but quickly moved to a metal knife I spread the wood filler on all of the cabinets and pressed it into the grain. This ensures that the paint bonds better with the wood and stays on allowing it to stick to the surface well.