Kitchen Cabinet Painting

Painting your kitchen cabinets is one of the most cost effective ways to upgrade your kitchen and increase your home value in 2022. When painting your kitchen cabinets it is important you follow a few guidelines to ensure that they last as long as possible. Here are the Top 3 DIY Cabinet Painting Mistakes to avoid when painting your kitchen cabinets. 

Mistake #1: Using The Wrong Primer

The first DIY cabinet painting mistake to avoid is using the incorrect primer for the job. This is one of the most common mistake DIYers make when painting their kitchen cabinets. Primer is a binding coat that plays two main roles when painting cabinets:

• Adherence: The correct primer will help the paint better adhere to the surface of the cabinets. This is important because your kitchen cabinets will have higher traffic than other areas in your home, meaning they must stand up to the future wear and tear they will face.
• Hide: Using the right primer will block the wood tannins from bleeding through the paint, which causes. 

How To Avoid This DIY Cabinet Painting Mistake

Most oil based primers will do well when painting cabinets. Use any of the great primers from the list below and you will be in good shape! (grab from last blog)

• ProBlock Interior Oil Based Primer by Sherwin-Williams
• Kilz Original by Kilz
• White Pigmented Shallac by Sherwin-Williams

Mistake #2: Forgetting To Scuff Sand Cabinets

Number two on the list of “DIY Cabinet Painting Mistakes To Avoid” is forgetting to sand the cabinets prior to applying the primer. This step is important to promote adherence of the prime coat. How?

Well, the rule of thumb when painting anything is… Clean, Dull & Dry.

A scuff sand is used to dull the finish, allowing the primer to grab better. If this step is missed, the primer/paint will not hold and will most definitely peel up prematurely, leaving your cabinets looking worse than before painting. 

How To Avoid This DIY Cabinet Painting Mistake

Scuff sand the cabinets with 140 grit sand paper prior to applying prime coat. You may ask, what a “scuff” sand is. Scuff Sanding is just a quick sand to make it dull. Keep in mind, you need not remove the finish entirely, only make it dull. 

Mistake #3: Not Letting Cabinet Paint Fully Cure

The final DIY Cabinet Painting Mistake To Avoid is not letting the cabinet paint fully cure before starting to use the freshly painted cabinets. It may be a surprise to you, but cabinet paint needs to cure for 7 to 14 days before being used. If you start using your cabinets prior to letting them fully cure you run the risk of damaging the fresh coat of paint.

How To Avoid This DIY Cabinet Painting Mistake

If you remove your cabinet doors and drawers before you paint them, leave them in another room for a minimum of 14 days before you reinstall them. If you are painting your cabinets with out removing the doors, leave them open for the entire 14 day cure time. Doing this will allow the cabinet paint to fully harden before you start handling them. 

Bonus Cabinet Painting DIY Tip:

Best Way To Guarantee the Cabinet Paint Will Adhere

Test your entire cabinet painting process on the back of only one cabinet door. Let it dry for a couple days and then attempt to scratch the paint off with a fingernail. Even though it hasn’t fully cured, the paint should not scrape up easily. If it does, adjust your process and try again.

DIY Cabinet Painting Kit

Before you paint your cabinets you should double check that you have all of the tools and equipment required to complete the job. Extra trips to the store will not only make your DIY project more frustrating, but also dramatically extend the project completion. Save time on your DIY cabinet painting project by checking that you have all of the items on our DIY Cabinet Painting Kit list below!

• Quality Paint Brush
• Foam Mini Roller
• Blue Painter’s Tape
• Drop Cloth
• Screw Driver
• Marker
• Primer
• Paint
• Ziplock Bag (to hold hardware)
• 220 Grit Sandpaper by 3M
• Wet-Dry Vacuum
• Rags 

Are you wondering what it would cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis, MN? Don’t worry, this is a common inquiry for us! Many people are seeking to upgrade the look of their kitchens by transforming their old oak cabinets into sleek looking white cabinets. 

Let’s start by looking at how painters come up with the cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis. 

Minneapolis Kitchen Cabinet Cost – Per Cabinet Door

Painters in Minneapolis, Minnesota usually use a per door/drawer rate. This is the most common way to get the cost to paint kitchen cabinets in 2022. Using this method actually makes it quite easy for you to get an idea for what it is going to cost you. Just count the number of drawers + doors in your kitchen cabinet set and multiply it by the rate. Don’t worry about the cabinet boxes, they are calculated into this rate.

The cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis will be anywhere from $100 to $150 per door or drawer. 

Minneapolis Kitchen Cabinet Cost – Per Square Foot

Another way painters will come up with the cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis is by square footage. They will measure the size of the kitchen cabinet set to get the square foot measurement, keeping in mind that the door measurement will be doubled to account for the both sides.

The cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis can be anywhere from $16 per sqft to $24 per sqft. 

Average Cost To Paint Medium Kitchen Cabinets In Minneapolis

The cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis can range quite a bit depending on the size of the kitchen cabinet set. We would consider a cabinet set with 25 to 35 door or drawers to be a medium sized kitchen cabinet project.

The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis, when speaking of a medium sized kitchen, would be anywhere between $2,500 to $5,250. 

Average Cost To Paint Large Kitchen Cabinets In Minneapolis

One thing to keep in mind is that you will get a volume discount when painting a larger kitchen cabinet set. This will bring the cost to paint your kitchen cabinets down by at least 5-10%. We would consider anything between 40 and 55 doors to be a large kitchen cabinet set.

On average the cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis, when speaking of a large sized kitchen, would be between $3,850 to $7,900.

Cost Of Replacing Vs Painting Kitchen Cabinets in Minneapolis

Why paint them if you could just replace them? This is a common question that homeowners living in Minneapolis might ask themselves(before researching the cost to paint their kitchen cabinets).

Though the cost of replacing your cabinets depends on the type and complexity of design, Northstar Kitchen and Bath Remodel put the average cost of replacement at $11,100. While the average cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Minneapolis is $3,875… That means hiring someone to paint your kitchen cabinets will save you 65%! 

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Kitchen Cabinet Paint Products

When painting kitchen cabinets, it is important that the correct products are being used. This is because the kitchen is a common area and the cabinets will get used often. If you use the wrong product you run the risk of the paint peeling off and it costing you a lot more money to fix them.

Find our favorite cabinet primers and paints listed below!

Best Kitchen Cabinet Primers

• ProBlock Interior Oil-Based Primer by Sherwin-Williams
• Killz Original by Killz
• White Pigmented Shellac by Sherwin-Williams

Best Kitchen Cabinet Paints

• Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel by Sherwin-Williams
• Advance Interior Paint by Benjamin Moore
• ProClassic Alkyd Interior Enamel by Sherwin-Williams

FYI: These primers are mainly oil based primers – if you would like to learn more about the difference between oil and latex paint, check out our article: House Painting 101: Oil vs Latex.

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How To Select Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors

Selecting colors is tricky no matter the project, but given that the kitchen is where the family comes together, it is especially so. Probably the best way to select kitchen cabinet colors, with out the help of a professional, is by browsing Pinterest boards for inspiration. If you are determined to select colors yourself but still need some help check out an article we wrote on selecting the perfect paint colors. If selecting colors just isn’t your jam, rest assured because we offer FREE Color Consultations with a Color Expert on every job!

Other Kitchen Cabinet FAQ

Are you thinking about hiring a painter to paint your kitchen cabinets. You will find answers to some of the most common questions when beginning to think about painting your kitchen cabinets.

How long will it take to paint my kitchen cabinets?

The time it would take to paint kitchen cabinets largely depends on the size. Most average sized kitchen cabinet sets can be painted within a 5 day window. If it is larger or has more than one color it could be slightly longer than this. 

How long should I let the paint dry before I use my kitchen cabinets?

It is important that you let the paint on your kitchen cabinets fully cure before you begin using them. This could take up to 10 days depending on the type of paint used. 

What do I need to do to prep for kitchen cabinet painting? 

When hiring someone to paint your kitchen cabinets there is not much you need to do to prepare. Really the only thing you should do is remove items from your drawers and countertops. Anything inside the cabinet doors will be protected by masking plastic. Also, if you need access to anything make sure you remove it from your kitchen because it will be inaccessible throughout the project.