17 Jun The Best Type of Paint for Kitchen Cabinets

If your kitchen is looking tired, your cabinets may be the cause. All that opening and closing and handling is sure to take its toll over time.

If you’re daunted by the cost and effort of replacing your kitchen cabinets, fear not, a lick of paint is a cost-effective way to brighten them up and bring your kitchen back to life.

If you do decide to paint though, what type of paint should you choose? Here’s a handy guide.

Pick a Primer

You may be tempted to purchase an all-in-one primer for the job, but a water-soluble option is a much better choice, as this really helps the paint adhere to the surface.

Latex vs Oil

Both oil and latex-based paints will give you a good finish. Choosing which one is for you comes down to personal preference. If you’re still not sure, the pros of latex paints are that they dry quickly and are easy to clean. Oil paints take longer to dry, but leave you with a smoother, firmer surface.

A Durable Finish

For all the spills, splashes and general day-to-day use and abuse your cabinets take, durability is key. A hard finish will be best, such as satin, semi-gloss or gloss. These have the added bonus of being easy to clean. Finishes to avoid are eggshell and matte.

Paint Brushes vs Spray-On

Spraying will provide the smoothest finish, however, not everyone has the equipment, or the experience, to do a good spray-on job. Furthermore, you’d have to remove all doors and drawers in order to spray them in a paint-friendly environment.

Using a brush is therefore a good idea, but to avoid the dreaded brush marks, make sure to use a fine-bristle brush. Rollers should be avoided as these are almost guaranteed to leave marks on your kitchen cabinetry.

Is Painting the Right Choice?

There are some circumstances where painting won’t be enough to breathe life into your cabinets. If they’re chipped or scraped, painting will be fine. But if they’re sagging or the rails are broken, then it may be time to splash out on a whole new setup.

If the doors or drawers are damaged, but the boxes are in good condition, you can reface by veneering the boxes and replacing the doors and drawers.

One final consideration is that if your cabinetry is laminated, they won’t accept paint as well as wooden ones.

Let Pelham Painters Into Your Kitchen

If you’re looking for a professional opinion, or to get the job done without any DIY drama, we’ll gladly help out, so give us a call.