Painting Unprimed Cabinet Doors

Remove cabinet doors from the cabinet boxes using a screwdriver to unscrew the hinges. Unscrew the door handles. Drop the hardware and screws into a plastic zippered bag. For the first door, label the bag with a "1." Peel off a piece of painter’s tape, write "1" on the tape and place it on the back of the cabinet door. Label the cabinet box with the same number. Repeat for all the remaining doors. This will help you when reinstalling the painted doors.

Cover the work surface with a drop cloth. Place your cabinet door on a flat work surface. Dip a lint-free rag into the paint stripping product. Rub over the surface of the door, working with the grain of the wood. This will help remove the previous finish on the door. Skip this step for doors that are not stained or painted.

Repair any nicks, scrapes or obvious blemishes on the doors with a non-shrinking putty product. Scoop a small amount of putty into the crack. Smooth it out using a putty knife. Allow the putty to dry.

Remove any remaining finish and prepare the door to take new paint by sanding the surface with medium-grit sandpaper. Work in long, even strokes with the grain of the wood. Use sandpaper to smooth out any bumps created by applying putty in the previous step. Use a tack cloth to clean up any debris left behind after sanding.

Open the primer and mix with a stir stick. Using a 2-inch brush, begin painting the center panel of the door. Paint in long, even strokes from the top to the bottom. Use a smaller, tapered brush to paint the detail areas surrounding the interior panel. Paint in thin even strokes working from the outer edge to the area you have already painted. Tim Carter of Ask the Builder recommends this technique because it helps eliminate unsightly brush strokes. Complete the outside panel using the same technique. For single panel doors, paint from top to bottom in long, even strokes with the grain of the wood. Be sure to keep the door number label with the door throughout the painting process.

Repeat Step 5 to add two or three additional coats of paint to the cabinet doors. Allow the doors to dry completely before rehanging the cabinet doors.