Best Primer for Cabinets – Buyer’s Guide

Primers for cabinets are necessary on any surface that you plan to paint. Primer helps to ensure that the paint dries to a smooth finish and blocks tannins, grease, smoke stains and water from bleeding through the paint. The benefits of refinishing and refurbishing cabinets include saving money on kitchen remodeling – up to 50 percent and speeding up the process to less than a week.

The type of primer makes a difference in cabinets, depending on the materials used and surface texture The three basic types include latex, oil-based, and pigmented shellac primers. Latex primers are sometimes called water-based.

The primer should seal the cabinet’s surfaces and bond with the cabinet material and paint. It’s risky to paint over stained cabinets without using a primer: in fact, they should get two coats. The following are some of the best primers for cabinets.

Top 7 Best Primer for Cabinets in Apr, 2024

1. Rust-Oleum Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer

Rust-Oleum Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer can be used in both interior and exterior applications. The primer ranks as the most popular on the craftsman, and it sells in a one-quart size.

It works well on most surfaces, inside or outside, and both oil-based and latex paints.

Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 sticks to all surfaces, and no sanding is necessary to make it stick. The convenient aerosol spray can for priming hard-to-reach areas.

You can choose between white or gray primer, and the gray is excellent if you plan to paint your cabinets dark color. You should allow the primer to dry between coats of primer and before applying paint. You should thoroughly clean and dry cabinet surfaces before applying the primer.

2. Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Quart Latex

Rust-Oleum Painters Touch primer comes in gray and white latex formulas, but there are also glossy and satin versions in various colors that include almond, black, clear, deep blue, Kona Brown, Claret wine, espresso, and nutmeg.

You can match your primer to the paint that you plan to use. The gray latex primer can be used for glossy and satin oil-based paints, but you should choose one of the colored satin and glossy versions that match your paint for the best results.

The primer has a good consistency for priming multiple surfaces, and it can be used alone for white or gray cabinets, but you should apply two or more coats.

The primer dries quickly in about 30 minutes, but you should wait two hours between priming and painting. Spraying the primer always requires two coats, which is always the best practice when priming cabinets. You should thoroughly clean and dry cabinet surfaces before applying any primer.

3. KILZ Adhesion High-Bonding Interior Latex Primer/Sealer

KILZ Adhesion Latex Primer come in one-quart and one-gallon sizes for tough bonding efficiency when priming cabinets with difficult surfaces. This primer dries in 30 minutes, but you should wait at least an hour between coats.

You can choose Kilz High-Bonding Primer for cabinets made of fresh or painted wood, those with glossy finishes, tiled cabinets, and metal any surface where you might have trouble getting the paint to adhere properly.

You should prepare the surface of your cabinets to make sure that they’re free of chalk, grease, dust, mold, rust, and peeling paint. You can use the primer on oil-based or latex paint and even epoxies, lacquers, and coating products with strong solvents like Xylene. You can apply the primer with brushes or rollers.

4. KILZ Restoration Interior Latex Primer/Sealer

KILZ Restoration Maximum (formerly KILZ MAX) Primer provides heavy-duty stain blocking, and it’s a good choice for homes with vintage cabinets that have received lots of stains and use over the years.

This is a water-based primer that works to prime your cabinets for oil-based and latex paints. The primer can save money on sanding and refinishing wood, and it effectively blocks tough, such as smoke, nicotine, grease, tannin, felt marker scribbling, pets stains a d even heavy water damage. The product comes in one- and five-gallon sizes.

You should make sure that your cabinet surfaces are free of dust, surface imperfections, grease, chalk, rust, mold, and peeling paint. You can apply the timer with a roller, paintbrush, or airless sprayer on ceramic tile, wood, plaster, painted metal, particleboard, and masonry.

5. Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer

Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer can be used interchangeably in exterior and exterior applications. Shellac-based primers cover stains better than latex or oil-based primers and eliminate pet, smoke and musty odors. Zinsser

This product works especially well if you need to paint or topcoat cabinets that have been previously stained.

Priming wood surfaces is always recommended, and shellac primer works on other surfaces as well – especially those that you plan to topcoat with opaque lacquers, stains, or paint.

Before priming with shellac-based primer, open the windows or ventilate the work area because the alcohol fumes can be strong. Spraying the primer can increase the amount of gas in the air. You can get drunk if you work for hours, so you might want to wear protective respirators. There is also the risk of fire or an explosion, so don’t use open flames in the area.

6. Zinsser Cover Stain Interior/Exterior Oil Primer Sealer

Zinsser Cover Stain is a favorite primer for painting and refinishing professionals. If you need to paint dark cabinets, block severe stains, penetrate and seal exterior shelves and cabinets and prevent tannin seepage from wood, Sinsser Cover Stain primer might be the right choice for your needs.

The primer blocks cedar and rosewood bleed, sticks to any surface without sanding, dries in one hour, and seals Nicotine, smoke, and water stains.

An oil-based primer like Zinsser Cover Stain takes at least eight hours to dry for each coat. You also spend more time on preparation than you do on painting the cabinets.

The process starts with cleaning, sanding, and removing peeling paint. Next comes the first coat of primer. After eight hours of drying time, it’s time for the second coat. After the second layer dries, there may be imperfections caused by primer buildup, so this should be sanded away, cleaned, and dried. At this point, you’re ready to paint or topcoat your cabinets.

The extra preparation work ensures a bright finish and a long-lasting refurbish job that resists stains, bleeding, smells, and water damage.

7. INSL-X Stix Acrylic Waterborne Bonding Primer

INSL-X Stix Acrylic Primer works almost as well as oil-based and shellac-based primers for adhering to glossy surfaces such as gloss and satin paint, and you won’t have the problems of dealing with oil-based and shellac-based primers and their smell.

Stix Acrylic creates a hard film on the most challenging material surfaces, but it’s not recommended for polyethylene or polypropylene surfaces or exterior use without a strong unless used with a strong topcoat.

Primer covers most cabinet surfaces well and offers the stain and smell blocking the power of oil-based and shellac-based primers.

You should sand surfaces lightly before priming, and a ¾-inch nap or foam roller is the best way to apply the primer. You can touch up hard-to-reach areas with a brush. If you have vintage metal cabinets or modern stainless steel cabinetry, use a brush or scrubbing pad to clean the surface of grease, dust, chalk, etc. Dry the cabinet surfaces before you apply the primer.

Primer for Cabinets – Buyer’s Guide

According to an article in Forbes Magazine, the best way to increase your home’s value is to remodel your kitchen and bathroom. That can be expensive, though, and you can add value by refurbishing your cabinets. Some of the information to help you choose a primer and a strategy for refurbishing your cabinets is included below.

Latex Primer

When you’re priming your cabinets, you’re conditioning them for the paint, so your choice of latex or oil-based primer depends on the paint you plan to use.

Latex primers and paint are also called water-based primers. They are usually cheaper and easier to apply. Professional painters usually choose oil-based primers, but latex can do the job well with a faster turnaround.

If waiting three or four days to use an oil-based primer and paint seems excessive, you can prime with latex primer and paint on the same day or wait overnight for an oil-based primer to dry.

Latex primer is easy to clean, and you can use it with brushes, rollers, and spray painters in most cases. The primer creates a bond between the cabinets and the paint or topcoat. Latex is the choice of many DIY enthusiasts, and working with latex primers and paints is easier for beginners.

Oil-Based Primer

Oil-based primer is the most commonly used type for cabinets because you’re more likely to choose glossy or satin paint for cabinets. You can wash cabinets with oil-based paint, and the paint lasts longer.

Primers of this type work on multiple cabinet surfaces that include wood, metal, and previously painted surfaces. These primers also prevent stains from bleeding through the paint better than other types of primers.

Oil-based primers take longer to dry – especially when you use two coats as recommended – but the results of painting and top coating improve substantially. It’s easier if you have other remodeling work to do while you wait for the primer coats to dry.

Oil-based primers generate strong odors for a few days, so it’s best to work in ventilated areas and move somewhere else while waiting.

Shellac Primer

Shellac primer seals the wood and other surfaces of cabinets while providing the best stain blocking. If staining is a big problem around your house, shellac primer might be a good choice. Shellac primer also seals in the smells of smoke-damaged wood.

Shellac works well on wood, metal, plastic, and plaster to prime for oil-based and latex paint. The primer dries fast and sticks to surfaces well with little or no bleed-through.

The biggest problem with shellac primers is that the primer is difficult to use because you must use denatured alcohol to thin it and to clean brushes, applicators, spills, etc.

Primer Vs. Paint-and-Primer In-One

It would be wonderful if you never had to use a primer before painting. If that were true, primer companies would quickly go out of business in competitive real-world marketing. Paint-and-primer-in-one formulas usually consist of thicker paint, but there is no primer among the ingredients.

The extra work you do priming your cabinets seems pointless because you can’t see the changes immediately. However, most people prefer the final appearance of primed and painted or top-coated cabinets over a paint job using paint-and-primer-in-one.

The primer keeps your cabinets from peeling, bleeding, and fading for a longer time. Paint-and-primer-in-one builds up during the curing process, which makes it more subject to peeling. It’s probably best to stick to processes that have worked for centuries instead of gambling on unproven products.

Painting Different Types of Cabinet Materials

The materials used to make your cabinets are important things to consider before you begin any paint or refinishing job. The cheaper the materials of the cabinet, the frailer they grow with age. Some cabinets might not be worth repairing if the material is flimsy and made of particleboard or cheap laminates or covered with vinyl paper.

Most primers can work with any paint – except for epoxy, lacquers, and other coatings that require a shellac-based primer. Unfinished, painted and fresh wood works well with most primers, and you can get better adhesion by scuffing the surface with sandpaper. Stained wood and glossy paint finishes need to be deglossed before you prime and paint.

Preparation work is more important than the actual job of painting or applying a topcoat. You should clean and dry the cabinets thoroughly before you begin. All grease and dirt must be removed for proper adhesion. Before beginning, you should remove drawers, knobs and handles, and any visible hinges. If you like, you can replace these items with new hardware to get a more dramatic remodeling appearance.

Conclusion

Choosing the right primer, and paint or topcoat to refurnish your bathroom and kitchen cabinets add value to your home and improve livability. You don”t have to spend a fortune to make simple but dramatic changes in your home’s appearance. Using the right primer for the job delivers satisfying results for most people at a fraction of the cost of using a contractor.