How to Patch & Paint Cabinets

Remove everything from your cabinets to create a clear workspace. Remove your cabinet doors, drawer fronts, all hardware and knobs. Clear the room of furniture, counter appliances and all other items that may be vulnerable to paint splashes and flying debris. Lay rosin paper over your counter tops and use your masking tape to hold it down. Use your masking tape to fasten your plastic drop cloth to the kitchen walls above the counter tops and around the cabinets. The idea is to remove any chance of damaging your kitchen while you work on the cabinets. Remove any dirt, grease or debris from your cabinets before moving on.

Apply wood filler or putty to patch any nicks, holes or dents in your cabinets, doors and drawer fronts. The goal is to create a smooth and uniform overall cabinet surface. Firmly press just enough wood putty into the hole or void to fill the damaged area. Allow the putty to dry and become solid. Use your sandpaper to remove any excess putty and to smooth any seams or variation in level or texture between the wood and the putty. Lightly sand the entire surface area of your cabinets to create a roughness that will more effectively hold the paint you are about to apply.

Apply a primer coat if you are painting over stained wood cabinets. Lay a drop cloth and place your doors and drawer fronts on top of it. Apply the primer with your brush in the same manner as you would a coat of paint. If you are painting directly over an old layer of paint, you may choose to skip the primer and go right into painting. If you are using a color that is drastically different from the existing cabinet color, you may wish to use a coat of primer so that you need fewer coats of paint to eliminate the old color bleeding through. If you do choose to use a primer coat, sand it once dry to remove any drips or imperfections before applying paint. Wipe down the primed surface to remove any dust or grit using your clean, moist rag.

Apply the paint with your chisel-tip paint brush. Paint the cabinet shells first, using slow and cautious brush strokes and making sure not to allow drips or pools to form in corners. Smooth each painted section with your brush to eliminate visible brush strokes and lines. Next paint the doors and drawer fronts one side at a time, allowing the first side to dry completely before moving on to the second. Apply a second coat if necessary. If not, move on to the hardware.

Reinstall your hardware onto the cabinet shells first. Install your door hardware and knobs next, using caution not to scratch the newly painted surfaces. Hang the doors and fasten the drawer fronts back onto the cabinet shells.