How to Paint Over Stained Wood in a Bathroom Cabinet

Use a screwdriver to remove cabinet doors, hinges and knobs. Place the hinges and knobs in a plastic storage bag if they will be reused.

Place the cabinet doors in a large work area covered with a drop cloth to prevent spills. Put on safety goggles and a dust mask to prevent yourself from inhaling harmful fumes or sawdust, as well as to prevent chips from getting in your eyes.

Sand the surface of the cabinet with 80-grit sandpaper to remove any varnish or clear coat. Brush off the cabinet doors to remove any excess debris.

Apply a thin coat of paint stripper to the cabinet doors, using a paintbrush. Wear gloves to prevent burns and irritation on the skin’s surface. Allow the stripper to work for the designated time listed on the product, since manufacturers' recommended times can vary from 10 minutes to 45 minutes.

Take a paint stripping tool with a plastic edge, and test the corner of the cabinet door by using a light scraping motion, moving with the grain of the wood. If the stain comes up easily from the wood’s surface, continue scraping the entire door until all of the stain is removed. Note that heavy stains might take two separate rounds of paint stripper.

Tape off the areas where the bathroom cabinet meets the wall, and lay down a drop cloth to protect the floor’s surface. Repeat the process for stripping the wood on the cabinet frame.

Use 120-grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface of both the cabinet doors and the cabinet frame. Wipe them clean with a damp washcloth and allow them to dry completely.

Apply a thin coat of acrylic-based primer to the wood’s surface, using a 4-inch paint roller equipped with a cabinet-grade roller pad. Purchase cabinet-grade roller pads and rollers at your local hardware or paint supply store. Use a soft-bristle paintbrush in the areas where the paint roller cannot reach. Allow the primer to dry overnight.

Apply the desired semigloss paint color to the cabinet doors, using the paint roller and brush. Note that some cabinets will require two coats of paint, but make sure each coat is dry completely before you apply the next coat. Let the cabinet pieces dry overnight before replacing the hardware and reassembling the cabinetry.