This post: How To Paint Cabinets White | Refinish Cabinets In A Weekend, is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Lowe’s. All opinions are 100% my own.
Since we purchased our home last year we knew there were some projects we wanted to tackle. Luckily we had a few months left in our rental agreement so my husband was able to do a lot of painting in our house. We were able to paint almost the whole house without any furniture, or little boys getting their hands in wet paint. That is one project that would have been difficult to do with a full home. However, the project I’m about to tell you about can be done in a weekend! I’m going to show you how to paint cabinets white. Transform your old and tired cabinets with fresh paint and new hardware. You’re going to love it.
Our home has a lot of honey oak in it and we knew we wanted to change that! We decided to use our boy’s bathroom as our guinea pig since we hadn’t painted cabinets before. Considering it’s upstairs, down the hall and around the corner the chances of a guest using that bathroom are slim to none. So it seemed like a safe bet.
We are so happy with how it turned out! I just love the fresh white look and I can’t wait to tackle our other bathrooms!
It’s simple projects, like learning how to paint cabinets white, that can make a huge impact in your home. If you haven’t yet, I highly suggest watching The Weekender it’s a series that shows viewers how to tackle their home projects with confidence using easy-to-follow steps and expert guidance. All the tips found on The Weekender are affordable. Can’t get much better than that.
How To Paint Cabinets White
You can find this project and more from The Weekender season 2.
Prep:
- Gather the needed tools, lay out an area, cover/protect anything you doing want ruined by dust, paint, or other debris
- Remove doors and number or label them so you know where they are located
- Remove hinges and label them
- Clean the doors using TSP substitute
- Make sure doors dry completely before moving onto the next step
- If you want to fill grain {if you don’t, move onto the next step}:
- We used Drydex spackling compound with a plastic putty knife, old credit card, or gift card. We did three very thin coats. Thin coat, sand, thin coat, sand, thin coat sand.
- If you don’t want to fill in grain:
- Sand thoroughly
- Use shop-vac to vacuum all remaining dust
How To Paint Cabinets White
Priming:
- Prime with product that provides stain blocking to prevent yellowing from wood tannins.
- We used Kilz odorless spray primer and applied three coats
- Used fine sanding block to lightly sand in between each coat
Painting:
- Determine the look you want. You can use a brush, roller, or sprayer depending on the look you are going for. We chose to use a HVLP sprayer to eliminate brush strokes. If you use a brush you need to match your brush to the type of paint you are using. Read the instructions on the can.
- Again we applied three coats, lightly sanding in between each coat
- Paint used for this project was Valspar Cabinet Coat Enamel (White)
Hardware:
Mark out holes for new hardware, and carefully drill holes. Then attach hardware to drawer boxes.
- Re-attach doors to hinges
Further recommendations:
- Depending on paint used you may went to leave doors and drawers off for increased drying and curing time. Follow paint manufacturer’s instructions.
- Make sure everything is taped off or covered that you don’t want oversprayed. If you do it in the garage we strongly recommend you remove your cars prior to spraying to prevent overspray on them. Cover anything you don’t want ruined.
- Wear a mask, goggles, gloves, old clothes
Products Used:
- Painters tape
- Drop cloths
- Hand sander
- Pencil
- 3M sanding sponges
- 9″ paper
- Painters’ Tripods
- TSP Substitute
- Lint free cloths
- Scotch brite pads
- Shop vacuum
- Drill
- Screwdriver
- Paint – Valspar Cabinet Enamel
- Primer – Kilz Odorless Spray Primer
- Spacking – Drydex Spackeling
- Hardware – Style Selections pulls and knobs
Hi; WOW the bathroom looks amazing. I just purchased a used, well very used condo. I would LOVE the cabinets to appear like a shaker. NO grain of the wood showing, white tops, grey bottoms. YOU are my inspiration. Did you use a special cabinet paint? I loved your pictures, and will have my husband view your site today.
Thanks again, crafty lady!!!
Nancy
Read the article!!!
OMG! That is beautiful!! I have oak cabinets and they are stained, was wondering if i have to do any stripping first or just sand?
Can i use a sprayer on the base of the cabinets and use a brush on the doors or will you see a difference?
I have a honey oak double sink bathroom vanity. I would like to change the color to a dark brown color
Can you update color by putting new doors and drawers and doing minimal painting ?
I’m not handy at all
How much would it cost to hire someone to do what is shown in transformation by Hiliary ?
Thanks,
My cabinets are old and flat/smooth surface. No embellishments. Are there any precut products to add to the front of cabinets to give them a more up to date look? (Kitchen)
Gorgeous transformation! I’m bringing back my Monday link party @ DIY Home Sweet Home (first one will be Oct. 16th) and I would love for you to stop by and link up your cabinet tutorial or any new projects your working on! http://diyhshp.blogspot.com
Wow what a huge difference. I love it! I will be featuring this tonight at my Fall into Fall party. Please stop by the party and pick up your I’ve Been Featured button. Thanks. http://diybydesign.blogspot.com
GREAT tutorial – and your cabinets look AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done, guys! Cannot even believe it is the same space – what a remarkable make-over!
job well done love how well it all goes together we are remodeling currently thanks for the great ideas
come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
how much is it for all material.?
wondering how much it.coat to hire someone for it
Your bathroom cabinet turned out great! I wish we had had a sprayer when I painted our master bedroom cabinets, it would have been so much quicker. It took me about a week, off and on, sanding then painting but it turned out well.
Have fun finishing the other bathrooms!
It looks beautiful. I just did mine earlier this month.
I worry about the paint being gummy. You know what mean A friend did this and the paint seemed to not to dry right. I really want to do this in my kitchen
Author
I totally know what you mean! We definitely waited a good amount of time between coats. If time is not an issue you could wait several days between coats, just to make sure it sets really well! I want to do our kitchen too.!.