Painting your kitchen cabinets can give your kitchen a whole new look without the high cost of installing new cabinets. Properly prepping and priming your cabinets before painting is crucial for getting a smooth, professional-looking finish. Here is a detailed guide on whether priming is necessary before painting kitchen cabinets and how to do it right.
What is Priming Before Painting?
Priming involves applying a base coat of primer paint to raw wood or laminate cabinets before the final topcoats of paint.
The main purposes of priming before painting kitchen cabinets are:
- To allow for better paint adhesion. Paint adheres much better to primed vs. raw surfaces.
- To seal and smooth the surface. Primer seals the wood, laminate or existing paint and provides a uniform surface for the new paint.
- To block stains and knots from showing through. Certain primers are designed to block stains, knots and tannins in wood from causing discoloration.
- To improve paint coverage. Priming provides a solid white base so that the new paint color covers evenly in fewer coats.
Do You Have to Prime Before Painting Cabinets?
For the best looking, longest lasting paint job on your kitchen cabinets, priming before painting is highly recommended.
While you can skip priming and go directly to painting cabinets, the results will not be as good. The paint will take more coats to cover evenly, be more prone to peeling or chipping over time and show more variation in sheen.
However, there are a few cases where you may be able to get by without a separate primer coat:
- When using a high quality cabinet paint that contains paint and primer in one. But a separate primer still provides better results.
- For painting over existing painted cabinets in good condition. Lightly sand and clean instead of prime.
- When using an adhesion promoting bonding primer. Can go straight to painting after applying bonding primer.
For bare wood, laminate, veneer or cabinets in rough shape, priming before painting is a must. Taking this essential step will lead to a smoother, more professional looking finish.
Choosing the Right Primer for Kitchen Cabinets
Picking the right type of primer is key to getting great paint adhesion and preventing bleed-through on cabinets. Here are some top primer options:
- Alkyd oil-based primer – Provides strong adhesion on slick and glossy surfaces. Blocks stains and knots well. Can be used for both bare wood and laminate cabinets.
- Shellac-based primer – Excellent stain blocker for covering marks, stains, smoke damage. Useful for problem woods like pine that contain knots and tannins.
- Latex or acrylic primer – Good everyday primer for painted cabinets. Can be water- or solvent-based. Less fumes than oil-based.
- Bonding primer – Bonds tightly to glossy finishes. Useful if not fully sanding existing paint before repainting.
For most kitchen cabinet painting projects, an alkyd oil-based or shellac-based primer will provide the best foundation.
Step-by-Step Guide to Prepping and Priming Cabinets
Follow these key steps to properly prep and prime your cabinets before painting:
Cleaning
- Remove cabinet doors, drawers and hardware. Clean all surfaces with TSP substitute to remove grease and grime.
- For vinyl laminate cabinets, de-gloss using a liquid deglosser or sand lightly with fine grit sandpaper.
- For existing painted cabinets, scuff sand to rough up the glossy paint surface.
Sanding
- Sand wood cabinets thoroughly with 120-150 grit sandpaper to remove any existing coatings and smooth the surface.
- Be sure to sand inside corners, edges and end grains, which have rough surfaces that need smoothing.
Priming
- Vacuum up all sanding dust. Wipe down with a tack cloth.
- Apply 1-2 coats of high quality primer suited for kitchen cabinets, allowing proper dry time between coats.
- Pay special attention to end grains and joints to create a fully sealed surface.
Once thoroughly primed, your cabinets will have an ultra smooth foundation ready for painting.
Painting Kitchen Cabinets After Priming
After proper prep and priming, you’ll achieve much better results painting your kitchen cabinets. Here’s a brief overview:
- Allow primer to dry fully – usually 24 hours. Lightly sand if needed to smooth any drips or rough areas.
- Carefully apply at least 2 coats of a high quality cabinet paint, allowing full drying time between coats.
- For a smooth factory-like finish, spray painting with an HVLP sprayer is ideal, but you can also brush and roll successfully.
- Let the final coat cure fully – 5-7 days is best – before reinstalling cabinets.
Putting in the work on proper prep and priming makes all the difference when painting kitchen cabinets. Your efforts will pay off in a durable, professional looking finish!
Frequently Asked Questions About Priming Cabinets
Should I use oil or latex primer on cabinets?
For best adhesion on slick surfaces, an alkyd oil-based primer formulated for cabinets is recommended. Latex primers don’t stick as well to laminate and glossy paints.
Do I need to sand cabinets before priming?
Thoroughly sanding provides the best surface for priming and painting. At minimum, scuff sand glossy surfaces to rough them up before priming.
Can I use Zinsser BIN shellac-based primer on cabinets?
Yes, BIN primer provides excellent stain and odor blocking. It dries fast, so is a good choice when priming cabinets onsite rather than removing them.
Should I caulk before priming cabinets?
It’s a good idea to caulk any cracks, nail holes, gaps and seams before priming to seal the surface. Be sure the caulk is fully cured before priming.
How long does cabinet primer need to dry before painting?
Oil-based primer needs 24 hrs minimum before painting or sanding. Check the primer directions as some require 72 hrs for full cure. Fast drying shellac primer can be painted in as little as 1-2 hours.
Conclusion
While it adds an extra step, properly priming your cabinets creates the ideal surface for your kitchen cabinet paint job. Sanding, cleaning and applying the best primer for your cabinet material and needs will allow for superior paint adhesion and a smooth, professional finish. Put in the effort to prep and prime thoroughly and your painted kitchen cabinets will look amazing for many years!