Painting Baked-Enamel Kitchen Cabinets

Use the flathead screwdriver to push the pins in the hinges of the cabinet doors to remove them from the fronts of the cabinets. Place the doors on the plastic tarp.

Mix 1/4 cup of trisodium phosphate with 2 gallons of warm water in the bucket. Wearing gloves, saturate the sponge with the cleaning solution and wash the cabinet doors thoroughly to remove oils and dirt. Rinse away the cleaning solution with water, and dry the cabinet doors with a towel.

Sand the cabinets with the sandpaper to remove the gloss, and scuff the surface. Wipe the cabinets with the tack cloth to remove sanding dust.

Load a 2-inch paintbrush with the oil-based primer and apply the primer over the front surfaces of the cabinet doors in an even layer. Spread the primer into a thin layer with the paintbrush, painting it into raised and recessed areas of the cabinet doors neatly. Prime the cabinet fronts and then allow the primer to dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer.

Turn the cabinet doors over and prime the backsides. Allow the primer to dry for the same time again.

Sand all primed surfaces lightly with the sandpaper and wipe the cabinet doors with the tack cloth.

Load the paintbrush with the semi-gloss latex paint. Apply the paint in a thin layer over the primer, ensuring you cover the cabinets neatly with paint. Cover the cabinets entirely with paint and allow the paint to dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer.

Turn the cabinet doors over and paint the backsides. Allow the paint to dry for the same time again.

Sand the painted surfaces lightly with the sandpaper and wipe them with the tack cloth.

Apply a second coat of paint to the fronts and the backs of the cabinet doors. Allow the paint to dry for at least 24 hours before rehanging the doors.