How to Repaint Midcentury Wooden Kitchen Cabinets With Auto Paint

Remove the cabinets from the wall if it is possible to do so, and move them to a workspace outside. You can often unhang cabinets by removing the screws holding them to the wall with a drill and a No. 2 Phillips bit. The screws are usually located under one of the shelves or under the top of the cabinet.

Seal off the kitchen if you can't remove the cabinets. Hang plastic sheeting in the doorways, and tape it to the door jambs with masking tape. Leave at least one window open to provide ventilation.

Remove the doors from the cabinets by unscrewing the hinges. Remove the hinges and handles from the doors, and set them upright against a wall so you can paint them separately.

Sand the old finish with an orbital sander and 100-grit sandpaper. There is no need to completely remove the finish since you will be painting over it. If any of the old finish is flaking off, scrape it away with a paint scraper, fill the voids with a thin coat of wood filler, and then sand the filler flat when it dries. In the same way, fill cracks, holes and gouges with wood filler. Apply the filler with a putty knife, wait for it to dry, then sand it flat with the sander.

Sand the entire cabinet again with the orbital sander, this time using 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe the sanding dust away with a damp cloth.

Prime the cabinets before you paint them. Automotive primer works best because it adheres to almost anything and will provide the best substrate for the paint. Pour the primer into an air sprayer, connect the sprayer to an air compressor, and apply a light, even coat to the entire set of cabinets and the doors. Let the primer dry for one to two hours, then sand it lightly by hand with 220-grit sandpaper.

Mix the auto paint with the thinner or reducer recommended by the paint manufacturer according to the specifications on the container, and add catalyst if required. Pour enough in the cup of the spray gun to fill it about two-thirds of the way, then spray a light, even coat over the cabinets and doors. Keep the gun at least 6 inches from the surface you are spraying, and move the gun in even strokes. Don't apply the paint too heavily, or it will drip.

Let the paint dry, sand it lightly with 220-grit sandpaper, and apply another coat. Repeat with a third coat, if necessary. Auto paint dries quickly and can be sanded after one or two hours. The curing process is much longer, however -- typically a day or two -- so wait at least that long before you reassemble the cabinet.