How to Choose the Right Kitchen Cabinet Paint & Helpful Info For DIY-ers

Painting your kitchen cabinets — or replacing the your panels and draw covers with a new style can completely transform your space — and you will save thousands vs. completely replacing your entire cabinet structure. Choosing the right kitchen cabinet paint ensures your cabinets look great and last for years. This guide will help you find the best kitchen cabinet paint for your needs and avoid common pitfalls. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Paint Types

When it comes to cabinets, the type of paint you choose makes all the difference. Here’s a quick overview of the most common types:

Cabinet Paint Offered By Leading Paint Brands

While these paints are good, they are not the best. Using a 2-part paint with a hardener will give you the hard finish you need for your cabinets to last and clean well for many, many years.

Choosing the Right Sheen

In addition to selecting your color choice, the sheen you select impacts both the look and durability of your cabinets. Here are the most common sheens for kitchen cabinet paint:

Eggshell Sheen

This sheen is the most common choice for kitchen cabinets. 90% or more of today’s kitchens enjoy this sheen. It reflects light beautifully, making your kitchen look bright and clean. Not flat like you get with matte sheen, but also not too much shine.

Person painting a cabinet.

Satin Sheen

Satin sheen offers a little more shine than eggshell. This is our second most common sheen choice.

Matte Sheen

This is considered a flat sheen and an excellent choice for a more contemporary look.

Preparation and Application

A flawless cabinet finish starts with proper preparation and the right application method. Here’s how to get it right:

Surface Preparation

Start by cleaning your cabinets thoroughly to remove grease and grime. Sand the surface lightly to help the primer and paint adhere thoroughly. Proper preparation is the foundation for durable cabinet paint results and any shortcuts taken at this step will lead to paint failure 100% of the time.

Priming

paint priming cabinet painting guru

Using a high-quality primer ensures the paint adheres well and lasts for many years. For the best results, choose a primer that will block the tannins (oils in the wood) that, if not blocked, can bleed into primer and leave pink streaks on your cabinets — while you are painting or months later.

Application Methods

  • Brushing: Ideal for detailed areas or corners, but this option can leave brush strokes.
  • Rolling: Great for flat surfaces like cabinet doors if you choose the correct roller cover.
  • Spraying: If you want a factory-like finish, spraying is your best option. It requires special and expensive spray guns, tools and proper ventilation — but spraying gives you a flawless look and evenly lays down the paint that will leave your cabinets looking brand new. 

Avoid These Common Mistakes

The best kitchen cabinet paints still require proper technique—don’t let these errors derail your project:

  • Skipping primer application leads to peeling paint.
  • Rushing surface prep means the paint may not stick or it will fail down the road.
  • Using inferior paint on wood, in a high traffic area like a kitchen, can result in poor durability.
  • Applying paint too thickly can cause drips, uneven drying, and brush strokes.

Choose Cabinet Paint You’ll Love for Years

The right kitchen cabinet paint can transform your kitchen into the heart of your home. With proper preparation and high-quality materials, your cabinets will look stunning for years. 

Whether you’re planning a DIY project or want a flawless, professional finish, our cabinet painting service is here to help. We bring expertise, precision, top equipment, paint imported from Europe which is the best cabinet paint in the world, premium tools, and materials to ensure your kitchen makeover exceeds your expectations. Let’s make your cabinets the centerpiece of your dream kitchen! Note that our imported paint can be 100% matched to any Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore color and sheen.

For the DIY-ers

This is a giant project — and whether you’ve painted in the past or not, you can do it.

BELOW ARE THE STEPS THAT WILL HELP YOU GET STARTED

STEP 1 – MAKE SURE THIS IS FOR YOU!

Understand that depending on the size of your kitchen, you are about to invest 60-140 hours to do this project properly. Painting is the easy part! The prep needs to be done correctly, and for the paint to NOT fail, this project is VERY labor intensive. Review our 18-point process so that you are clear on the exact mission on which you are about to embark: https://cabinetpaintingguru.com/services/cabinet-painting/our-18-point-process/
 

STEP 2 – THINK EFFICIENTLY

Still with us?
 
Great, then increase your efficiency by Joining the Village and the other DIY-ers who have saved themselves time and money by getting our easy to read HOW TO GUIDE. Whether you know how to paint or not, our guide will save you time by giving you specific guidance and exact product choices that you need to successfully complete this project efficiently and beautifully. Most importantly, when you follow our HOW TO GUIDE and use the products and paint that we know are the best, your kitchen paint job will be durable and last for many, many years.
 
I founded this expert cabinet painting company by painting the cabinets in my own kitchen many years ago. I did it all on my own and it took a lot of time. The steps I took years ago are NOT the same efficient steps we take today and now, we are very proud to be considered subject matter experts. What is interesting is that the tools, primers and paints that I used then are far from what we use today. And over the years, we continue to add and swap out to any new best in class products and tools as they become available each year. But we only add them to our arsenal once we have successfully tested and found them to be better than what we had previously been using.
 

STEP 3 – GET OUR HOW TO GUIDE AND PUT IT TO GOOD USE

TO LET OUR EXPERIENCE HELP YOU succeed with this project, we highly recommend that you purchase this much more detailed “HOW TO GUIDE” for $7.99 by sending an email here: info@cabinetpaintingguru.com.

Our guide is easy to read and includes decades of many tips and tricks of the trade which we have learned over the years. We will also share with you the specific products and exact tools that you need to efficiently and successfully accomplish this big job on your own. YOU CAN DO IT!

We’ve used all the tools, primers and paints out there. As you’d expect, not all work as good as the ones that we have chosen. You need to know the best tools, primers and paint that we use to give you the smooth finish and outcome you desire. Only a few are the best in each class and our team uses them — every day.

Don’t waste time experimenting; we’ve already done that for you — and for $7.99 you can tap into what we’ve learned over the decades!

Bringing our experience to your kitchen via this quick and easy to read guide that will save you an enormous amount of time while also ensuring that your paint job looks fantastic and lasts for many years.

STEP 4 – BONUS

The purchase of our HOW TO GUIDE also gives you access to our 2-part imported paint which is not available in stores — and only available to contractors. Most kitchens will only use 1-2 gallons and we can match our imported paint to any Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore color that you choose. You don’t want to invest all this labor in prep, priming and paint to then use substandard primer or paint. Our paint which is imported from Europe and is specifically designed for high traffic areas like the kitchen — and the paint can be cleaned with 409 or Fantastic spray cleaner.

NO OTHER PAINT on the market can be cleaned this way without damaging the color and/or sheen.

This access to “the best paint in the world” bonus alone is worth the cost of our HOW TO GUIDE. Our HOW TO GUIDE will put you in the company of other DIY-ers who have not only saved time and money, but delivered their home a brand new kitchen! We can’t wait to see YOUR “Before & After images”

In the meantime, we wish you the best as you embark on this project and I look forward to hearing from you.

Reach out to me today to get your guide: info@cabinetpaintingguru.com

FAQs

Do I need to sand laminate cabinets before painting?

Yes, lightly sanding the laminate cabinet helps the primer and paint adhere better. Be careful not to sand too aggressively, as laminate is a thin layer and can be damaged.

Can I use wall paint for my cabinets?

Wall paint isn’t ideal for cabinets as it isn’t designed for durability or frequent cleaning. Cabinet-specific paints, especially 2-part paints are much more durable and formulated to withstand heavy use. You are investing so much money (and time if you are a DIT-er) so why not use the best paint after all the labor spent in order to successfully accomplish this project.

What are the best colors for painted kitchen cabinet ideas?

Discover timeless and trendy options to transform your kitchen. From classic whites and grays to bold choices like navy blue and emerald green, explore how different colors can create the perfect ambiance for your space. For more inspiration, visit: Best Colors for Painted Kitchen Cabinet Ideas.

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