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How toCabinet Refinishing

How do I paint kitchen cabinets?

Check your home's age first: before 1978, test for lead paint before sanding. Then take off doors, drawers and hardware, degrease, scuff-sand with 100- to 150-grit paper, prime with a bonding primer, sand lightly with 220-grit, and apply two thin coats of cabinet-grade paint. Give them at least 24 hours to dry before rehanging.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Find out if the paint may contain lead

    If the house was built before 1978, have the cabinets tested by a certified lead inspector or risk assessor before you sand, and assume lead if you cannot tell.[2]

  2. Step 2: Take everything off

    Remove all drawers and doors, and the hardware, and set up a space with room to let everything dry.[1]

  3. Step 3: Degrease and dry

    Wipe every surface with a gentle grease remover and a damp sponge, then let it dry thoroughly.[1]

  4. Step 4: Scuff-sand

    Sand lightly with 100- to 150-grit sandpaper, enough to dull the finish but not to sand it away, then wipe off the dust with a slightly damp cloth.[1]

  5. Step 5: Prime

    Apply a high-quality primer, not a lacquer-based one, and let it dry at least 1 hour.[1]

  6. Step 6: Sand again

    Sand lightly with 220-grit paper without removing the primer coat, and wipe off the dust.[1]

  7. Step 7: Paint the first coat

    Use a microfiber roller on the flat parts and a brush on the edges, and let the coat dry completely.[1]

  8. Step 8: Smooth and recoat

    Sand with 220-grit paper to knock down imperfections without removing the first coat, wipe, then apply a second coat.[1]

  9. Step 9: Let it cure

    Let the pieces dry in a ventilated room for at least 24 hours, ideally two or three days, before rehanging them.[1]

The short version

Painting cabinets is a patient job more than a hard one: clean, scuff, prime, paint, and give it time to cure. Most failures come from skipping the cleaning or rushing the drying, not from the brand of paint. Plan on a few days with the kitchen partly out of use, and decide first whether the paint on your cabinets could contain lead.

Kitchen with newly finished cabinets, a microwave, new flooring and freshly painted walls
Photo: Tomwsulcer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Step 1: Settle the lead question before you sand

EPA says that if your home was built before 1978, "it may have lead-based paint; the older your home, the more likely it has lead-based paint."[2] Sanding old paint is exactly what turns it into dust. EPA recommends "hiring a certified lead inspector or lead risk assessor" to test the surfaces you are renovating, and adds that if you cannot determine the age of the home, "it’s safest to assume the area you are renovating has lead-based paint."[2] Use lead-safe practices either way.

For a homeowner, the rule is narrower than many people think. EPA says that in general "the RRP Rule does not apply to homeowners doing RRP projects in their own pre-1978 homes."[3] It does apply to others: in general, "anyone paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices."[3] So if you hire out the sanding, ask for the lead-safe certification.

If you do it yourself in an older house, EPA's guidance lists a spray mister or pump sprayer to "mist areas before sanding, scraping, drilling, and cutting to keep the dust down," a "High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum cleaner," and "a disposable N-100 certified respirator."[2] Keep children out of the room.

Step 2: Take it apart and clean it

Benjamin Moore's first instruction is to "remove all drawers and doors, and don’t forget to remove the hardware."[1] Number the backs of doors and drawer fronts with painter's tape so they return to the same openings, and bag the hinges and pulls by cabinet. Set up a space with enough room for everything to dry flat.

Kitchen cabinets carry a film of cooking grease you cannot always see, and paint will not stick to it. Benjamin Moore says to "Use a gentle grease remover and a damp sponge to wipe them clean," then let them dry thoroughly.[1]

Step 3: Scuff, prime and sand again

Most cabinet finishes are too glossy for paint to grip, so scuff them with "medium-grit sandpaper (we like 100- to 150-grit)" and wipe off the dust with a slightly damp cloth.[1] You are dulling the finish, not removing it.

Prime next with a good bonding primer. Benjamin Moore's guide is written for its Advance paint and says: "Do not use a lacquer-based primer" with it; check your own paint's label for compatible primers.[1] Primer needs time too: "The primer must dry for at least 1 hour" before the next step.[1] Then "sand all surfaces lightly, making sure not to remove the coat of primer," using fine, 220-grit paper or a sanding block.[1] Pay attention to drips and inside corners, then wipe the dust away.

Step 4: Paint in thin coats

Use a roller, preferably microfiber, on the flat parts, and a brush for the edges: "a brush should be used to tackle the inside and outside edges."[1] Work in thin, even coats; a thick coat sags and stays soft for weeks. Brush the edges first, roll the flat faces right after, and lay doors flat if you can so drips do not run.

Let the first coat dry completely. Then, in the guide's words, "Sand a third and final time with 220-grit sandpaper"[1] to remove imperfections without sanding off the first coat, wipe, and apply the second coat. Always check the can for the temperature and recoat times of the paint you chose.

Step 5: Let it cure

This is where most do-it-yourself jobs go wrong. Benjamin Moore says to let the cabinets dry in a well-ventilated area for "at least 24 hours. However, two or three days is even better."[1] Rehanging early leaves hinge marks and doors that stick to the frame. Paint is also not fully hard when it feels dry: "We do not recommend exposing newly painted cabinets to heavy abrasion or cleaning for at least five to seven days,"[1] so go easy on the doors and skip scrubbing that first week.

Stop and call a pro if

  • The paint may contain lead and you are not the homeowner doing the work. EPA says the RRP Rule does apply if you rent out all or part of a home or renovate to sell, and paid contractors must be lead-safe certified.[3]
  • Testing shows lead and the paint is already chipping. Do not dry-sand it; have a lead-safe certified contractor handle it.
  • The boxes are water-damaged, swollen or crumbling. Paint will not fix a failing cabinet. Read whether to paint or replace.
  • You want a sprayed, factory-smooth finish. That calls for a spray booth or professional equipment, and the cost is worth understanding first: see what cabinet painting costs in Virginia.

Getting help in Virginia

If the job is bigger than a weekend, browse cabinet refinishing or the painting category, and see more painting answers.

When you are ready to hire, describe the job and local painters quote it.

Common questions

Do I have to sand kitchen cabinets before painting them?
Benjamin Moore's cabinet guide says most cabinet finishes are too smooth or glossy to reprime and repaint, so it has you sand lightly with medium-grit paper, enough to give the primer something to grip. The sanding is a light scuff, not stripping the finish. If the house predates 1978, read the lead section before you sand.
Should I use a roller or a brush on cabinets?
Both work. Benjamin Moore recommends a microfiber roller on the large flat surfaces and a brush for the edges and details. Whichever you use, let each coat dry completely before the next one, and keep the coats thin so they do not run.
How long before I can use the kitchen again?
Benjamin Moore says cabinets can go back into service once the paint has dried, with at least 24 hours as the minimum, but it does not recommend exposing newly painted cabinets to heavy abrasion or cleaning for at least five to seven days. Treat the first week gently.
Does the lead rule apply if I paint my own cabinets?
Generally not. EPA's page says the rule does not apply to homeowners doing these projects in their own pre-1978 homes, though it does apply if you rent out part of the home, run a child care in it, or renovate to sell. EPA still advises lead-safe work practices if you do the work yourself.
Can I paint over laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Often, but the surface is slick and the right bonding primer matters more than the topcoat. Check the primer's label or technical data sheet for use on laminate, test a hidden spot first, and expect to scuff the surface before priming.

Sources

  1. [1] How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like an Expert in 9 Steps, Benjamin Moore. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Do-It-Yourselfers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

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