Painting gloss kitchen cabinets and doors can take a kitchen from tired and worn to fresh and new. Follow our expert DIY guide to get the job done well
A painted gloss finish can add light to your kitchen interior(Image credit: Getty Images)
Painting gloss kitchen cabinets and doors can give your kitchen a contemporary new look without the wallet-busting cost of a new kitchen. You can embrace a new gloss finish, or try something on trend like a satin or matt finish. The choice is yours.
Whatever you choose you will need to make sure that you get your preparation spot on. When painting kitchen cabinets and doors it’s one of the most critical stages if you want your new look cabinets and doors to stay looking good for longer.
Follow the tips and steps in this guide and you will be on the path to a stunning new finish.
Is painting gloss kitchen cabinets possible?
In basic terms, the answer is yes, but you need to prep correctly and choose the right paint. Poor preparation will lead to a poorer finish. While your doors, drawers and cabinets will initially look good, they won’t have the same durability and longevity as the first did.
The tools you’ll need to paint gloss kitchen cabinets
Make sure you have all your tools and paint ready to go before you start (Image credit: Steve Jenkins)
To take you through to the end of your project, make sure you have the following kit readily available before you start painting your gloss kitchen cabinets:
A non-toxic and biodegradable sugar soap. Simple dilute in water to get the strength you want or need.
Harris Trade Paint Brush Pack of 5
A set of five trade quality paintbrushes with fine tips for a smooth finish and minimal brush marks.
Purdy Mini Roller Starter Kit
A starter set that includes a mini roller tray, a quality roller frame and two short pile covers with tapered edges for reduced lines.
What type of roller should I use?
The pile on rollers typically comes in a variety of lengths – short, medium and long and it is made from polyester. If you are looking for a relatively smooth texture the short pile is the best option. A medium pile adds a little more texture to a paint job.
But, for the smoothest finish, invest in a set of foam rollers. Use one for the primer and a different one for the top coat. But to start, Michael Rolland, managing director at The Paint Shed recommends a brush. “When painting gloss kitchen cabinets, start with a high-quality brush, we recommend a high-quality brand such as Arroworthy.”
He adds, “use this to paint around any intricate sections or panels of your door, then, once the intricate details have been painted, move on to using a 4-inch roller.”
Michael Rolland
Michael Rolland is a painting expert and Managing Director of The Paint Shed. Michael has years of experience within the painting industry, using this expertise to influence his own DIY projects using the best possible tools and materials.
The steps to follow for painting gloss kitchen cabinets
When painting gloss kitchen cabinets it's essential you get it right. Here we tell you how to prep and paint.
1. Remove kitchen doors
To get the best finish on kitchen doors you need to take them off their hinges so you can lay them flat to paint. Remove any door furniture such as door handles or drawer knobs to give an easy to paint area.
2. Wash and clean kitchen doors
Before you start painting, you need to prepare the surface of any cabinets and doors you are going to paint. The first step is to give all areas a good clean with sugar soap.
Fill a bucket with warm water and add sugar soap as instructed. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
Scrub down all areas with a kitchen scourer and then go over with a clean damp cloth (just use clean warm water) to get rid of dirt and residue and leave to dry.
3. Sand and fill
If your cabinets, doors or drawers have any small cracks or holes you will need to fill them with a good all-purpose filler. Once dry, sand down to get rid of the gloss shine and provide better adhesion for the paint.
Michael Rolland says, “Give them a light sanding with 220 or 400 grit sandpaper, depending on the finish of your cabinets. For cabinets with an open-grained finish such as oak, you should use a heavier grit sandpaper.”
A fine 180-220 grit sandpaper is a good choice for this to create a smooth surface. Use a dry paint brush to get rid of dust from the sanding process.
Sanding and filling any discrepancies on your doors will give a much longer-lasting finish(Image credit: Steve Jenkins)
4. Add a primer
"After sanding, remove the cupboards/doors, lay them flat and brush on a primer coat," says Michael Rollands. “When they are dry, flip the cupboards/doors over to prime the other side. Once the primer is completely dry, give the cupboards/doors a light sanding to smooth out brush strokes."
A coat of primer such as Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer is a good choice. Self-priming paints work well, but using a specialist primer helps create a longer lasting finish.
5. Paint top coat
Place doors (back side down) on three or four same sized blocks – with dust sheets underneath. Make sure the door is steady before painting. Drawers can be stood on their ends to paint.
If you have recesses or ornamental trim that a roller won't fit into, paint these first.
Now use a mini roller to do three edges on doors and drawers. Leave the edge nearest to you until last to avoid accidentally touching it. Then paint the front starting in the top right corner and work downwards and across.
Use even strokes in a ‘V’ or ‘W’ pattern. Finally go over the paint with a light touch to get rid of any ridges.
If painting cabinets, start at the back, move forwards and finish up by painting the edges.
To get the best finish Michael Rolland says to, “repeat the sanding process between coats and use a finer sandpaper the second time. Then vacuum and wipe your cabinets with a tack cloth to clean away any debris.”
A foam roller will give the smoothest finish(Image credit: Steve Jenkins)
FAQ
Should I spray paint gloss kitchen cabinets?
If you are looking for a factory-style finish then spray painting kitchen cabinets is your best option. You can choose a professional or do it yourself. The professionals will be more expensive but a lot less hassle.
If you choose to do it yourself you will need to buy or hire a decent spray gun, a large well ventilated and covered area – i.e. garage to do the job – and a dust free area to let the paint dry.
The best paint sprayers are a heavy investment, but if you're planning to spray paint large areas of your home (for instance, you're decorating a newly built or renovated property), then it can be worth purchasing one.
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Steve Jenkins is a freelance content creator with over two decades of experience working in digital and print and was previously the DIY content editor for Homebuilding & Renovating.
He is a keen DIYer with over 20 years of experience in transforming and renovating the many homes he has lived in. He specialises in painting and decorating, but has a wide range of skills gleaned from working in the building trade for around 10 years and spending time at night school learning how to plaster and plumb.
He has fitted kitchens, tiled bathrooms and kitchens, laid many floors, built partition walls, plastered walls, plumbed in bathrooms, worked on loft conversions and much more. And when he's not sure how to tackle a DIY project he has a wide network of friends – including plumbers, gas engineers, tilers, carpenters, painters and decorators, electricians and builders – in the trade to call upon.
