How to Paint Cabinets a Whitewashed Look

Clean and sand all cabinet surfaces. An ammonia-based cleaner will rid the surface of grease or other debris that tends to hamper the application process. Sanding existing paint or stain will give a clean, slightly rough surface for the new paint to stick to.

Prime all surfaces. Apply the primer to any surface where you intend to paint. Follow this coat with an undercoat and a thin layer of top coat, both of which will show through once the process is complete.

Wipe on a thin layer of paste wax. When using modern products instead of traditional whitewash, paste wax will give the desired streaked appearance. Apply this product to the whole surface for a severely aged look, or to the edges and doorknobs, areas where natural aging occur first.

Brush on the top layer of paint. This layer is traditionally white, and will stay that color if using traditional whitewash made from lime, chalk and water. The more modern approach of creating a whitewashed look with latex paint will provide additional color options with a product that is easier to apply and maintain.

Sand the top layer. Sanding will remove bits of this top layer of paint, revealing the under coat and giving the streaked appearance of whitewash. This process is best done by hand for an authentic look, though a sander is quicker. Use different grits of sandpaper to make the aging look more authentic.