How to Refinish Cabinet Tops

Refinishing cabinet doors and boxes can give an entire kitchen a facelift, especially if the kitchen has an outdated look. Refinishing the doors requires removing the doors, sanding them and giving them a fresh coat of paint, but the cabinet tops and boxes is where most homeowners get stuck. Since the cabinet boxes are affixed to the wall, it is best to refinish them where they stand, rather than deal with the hassle of removing them, finishing them and installing them all over again.

Screwdriver
Plastic storage bags
Wash cloth
Dry cloth
150-grit sandpaper
Vacuum
Damp cloth
Painters tape
Drop cloth
Paint roller and brush
Paint tray
Primer
Paint

Instructions

- 1
  Remove hardware and hinges that keep doors in place. Place hinges in plastic storage bags marked with the door and side of the kitchen it belongs to for better tracking.
- 2
  Wash cabinet boxes and tops with a wet wash cloth and dry with a dry cloth.
- 3
  Sand the surface of the cabinet top with 150-grit sandpaper. Vacuum away excess with a brush attachment on the vacuum cleaner and wipe clean with a damp washcloth.
- 4
  Tape wall and ceiling surface around the cabinet top and place a drop cloth over the countertop and floor surfaces for spills. Prepare a paint tray with primer made for cabinet or wood surfaces.
- 5
  Apply a thin coat of primer to the cabinet top and box using a small paint roller and brush. Allow the primer to dry overnight before proceeding.
- 6
  Paint the cabinet top and box with the desired paint color and allow it to dry fully overnight.
- 7
  Replace cabinet doors and hardware.

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