DIY Painted Hutch Cabinet

Set old newspapers or a drop cloth on the floor. Move the hutch onto the paper or cloth with the help of a friend. Remove handles and other hardware using a slotted screwdriver. Set the hardware aside.

Wear eye protection and a dust mask. Sand the shine off the old paint or varnish using a palm sander and medium- to fine-grit sandpaper on all the flat surfaces of the hutch. Use a sanding sponge or a piece of sandpaper on the detailed and ridged areas of the hutch. Vacuum all the loose dust. Wipe the hutch down with a tack cloth to remove any remaining sawdust.

Protect the glass windows of the hutch or other areas that will not be painted by covering them with masking tape and newspaper. Tape the outline of the glass up to the edge of the wood. Tape newspaper to the areas within your tape outline. Wrap any remaining hardware with small pieces of masking tape to protect them from the paint.

Coat the entire hutch with latex primer using a paintbrush, following manufacturer's recommendations on the container. Allow to dry completely. Use very fine sandpaper to rub off any imperfections in the smooth finish. Wipe with a tack cloth.

Stir the latex paint and pour some into a paint tray. Reseal the paint container. Paint the detailed areas of the hutch first, loading your brush with extra paint to get into all the nooks. Wipe excess paint off elsewhere on the hutch or onto a rag and use the brush to sop up any drips from the detail work. Continue painting the entire hutch. Allow to dry thoroughly. Apply a second coat, if desired, allowing it to dry as well.

Use a foam brush and apply the polyurethane sealer with smooth, straight strokes, wiping up any drips as you see them. Allow to the sealer to dry completely.

Replace any hardware you've removed once the hutch is completely dry.