Can You Paint Laminate Cabinets

If you have laminate cabinets in your house, then you’re probably wondering just what you can do with them. You want to turn them from boring and drab into something exciting.

You may be wondering if you can paint laminate cabinets, and the short answer is yes! I’ll help you through the whole process right here, so you can go from dull cabinets to something really special in no time.

What You Will Need

• A screwdriver to remove any hardware and doors. Typically, you will only need a standard screwdriver, but depending on how your cabinets are installed, you may need a Phillips screwdriver.
• Sandpaper to scuff up the surface of the cabinets (both the doors and the boxes or frames) so that they hold the paint more easily.
• A tack cloth to clean the cabinets before you start, as well as after you’ve sanded them to keep dust from getting in the paint.
• Primer to help the paint stick to the surface. Because laminate has a smooth finish, primer is necessary to make the paint hold.
• A paintbrush to paint the frame and box. A quality paintbrush won’t leave streaks behind as you paint.
• A paint roller to paint the doors. A roller eliminates streaks from the most visible section.
• Specialty Paint to paint the laminate cabinets. Paint that’s designed to work on laminate is the most important part of the process. It will dry quickly and is easy to clean, as well as chip resistant.

Step by Step Instructions

Let’s dive into the process of painting the cabinets. We’ll go all the way from taking them apart to painting them and putting them back up.

Step 1: Remove the Doors

The first step is to remove the doors from your cabinets. This step will require a standard screwdriver in most cases, but possibly a Phillips screwdriver depending on the type of screws used in your cabinets. Remove each of the doors and set them aside.

Step 2: Clean Everything

Start by emptying o your cabinets of anything stored inside. Put these items away somewhere so that they’re not in your way while you’re working. Use your tack cloth and wipe down the doors and frames, both inside and out. You want everything to be free of dirt, debris, and dust.

Pro Tip: Use a white tack cloth so you can easily see any dirt or debris that you’re removing. This cloth will make sure you know when you’ve gotten everything off.

Step 3: Sand Everything

Next, take your sandpaper and lightly sand everything that you’re going to paint. You need to scuff up the surface slightly so that the paint will stick to the surface. If you try to paint directly on the laminate without scuffing it, you’ll have trouble getting the paint and primer to stick.

Step 4: Clean Everything (Again)

After you’ve sanded the pieces, you’ll need to wipe them down lightly with a damp tack cloth. This step will ensure that there are no dust particles leftover from sanding. You want to remove all of these particles so that there are no bumps or marks in your paint when you’re finished.

Step 5: Prime Your Doors and Frames

Get out the primer and use your brush and roller to coat the doors, frames, and boxes. Make sure you get a good, even coat, but don’t lay it on too thick. If it is too thick, you’ll have trouble getting it to dry. If it is too thin, then you won’t have a good surface for the paint to stick to. Make sure you get all of the edges and corners as you go along.

Step 6: Sand it All

Wait for the primer to dry completely. If you made a thicker coat, then this process could take a little longer, but don’t want to move on until you’re sure everything is dry. Once it’s dry, lightly sand the primer. This step will get rid of any rough edges. Make sure you don’t sand too hard or too deep because you still want to have that layer of primer left on the cabinets.

Pro Tip: Use fine-grit sandpaper to make sure you sand off only a light amount of the bumps from the top and not the primer itself.

Step 7: Clean Everything (Yes, Again)

Now that you’ve sanded again, it’s time to clean everything again. Wipe down the doors and boxes to make sure you remove all the loose primer particles. You don’t want anything left on the surface that’s going to get caught in the paint when you start painting (which is your next step). Also, make sure you clean your brush and roller so that they’re ready for that next step.

Step 8: Paint

Now you’re finally going to get your paint out. Using the brush or roller that you used for priming, paint the entire surface of your cabinets. Even though you used a primer, make sure you choose a paint that’s designed to work with laminate because it will stick better. Let it dry completely before reattaching the doors to your cabinets.

Conclusion

That’s it. In eight steps, you’re done with your cabinets and ready to start using them again. Three of those eight steps were just cleaning things, so you certainly won’t have a problem making your cabinets looks better than ever.

Can you paint laminate cabinets? Absolutely! And now you know how.