Updating your kitchen doesn’t on a regular basis must suggest gutting it. Sometimes, in all probability essentially the most stunning transformations come from one factor as simple as painting your kitchen cabinets. It’s a high-ROI dwelling enchancment enterprise that’s budget-friendly and would possibly totally refresh your space.
To curate this guidelines, I reached out to my Instagram neighborhood of dwelling DIY fanatics – people who’ve effectively reworked their very personal kitchens. Their real-life recommendations and mannequin insights current smart suggestions on choosing the easiest paint for kitchen cabinets. Whether or not or not you’re looking out for a quick short-term substitute or a additional sturdy, expert finish, these community-tested picks and concepts will help info you through the tactic.

Tips about find out how to paint kitchen cabinets for a factory-smooth finish
Choosing the easiest paint for kitchen cabinets isn’t almost shade, although shade does make an enormous affect on the kitchen’s whole look. Kitchen cabinets take a wide range of day-to-day placed on – greasy fingers, spills and limitless opening and shutting. With parts like sturdiness, VOC ranges, drying time and ease of utility to consider, the suitable paint will look good and stand as much as the day-to-day requires of your kitchen with out the need for frequent touch-ups.
1. Start with a strong top quality primer
Making use of a superb primer will set the stage for a flawless, sturdy finish. Take into account it as making a powerful foundation sooner than you add the colour.
Zinsser BIN Primer: Recognized for great adhesion, Zinsser BIN is a shellac-based primer that’s splendid for blocking stains and sealing in any grease or odors from the kitchen.
Zinsser 123 Primer: This water-based varied is user-friendly and quick-drying, which makes it good do you have to’re making an attempt to knock out your enterprise shortly. Plenty of people talked about that it adheres properly and provides a {{smooth}} base.
2. Choose the suitable paint
V33 Cupboard Paint
V33 Cupboard and Cabinet Paint is broadly praised for its sturdiness, standing as a lot as stains and scratches whereas staying modern.
Standout Qualities: Notably designed for cabinets, providing a sturdy, washable finish that resists regularly placed on.
Why It’s Worth considering: For lasting outcomes, V33 is an efficient alternative. Some clients report it appears to be merely almost pretty much as good years later.
French Fashionable Alfresco Paint
Frenchic’s Alfresco range is all about ease and outcomes. This paint normally doesn’t require a primer, so it’s a superb alternative do you have to’re making an attempt to offer your kitchen a quick short-term makeover and hoping to cut out a step inside the course of.
Standout Qualities: Frenchic Alfresco presents a sturdy, chalky finish that cures to be pretty strong as quickly because it’s completely dry. It’s a incredible select if you would like a matte, mild look.
Why It’s Worth Considering: Frenchic provides a {{smooth}}, velvety finish and is sweet for indoor initiatives, significantly in smaller areas.
Rust-oleum Kitchen Cupboard Paint
Rust-oleum Kitchen Cupboard Paint is one different favourite, significantly for these looking for a professional-quality finish with out the skilled price tag. It has great safety, and a little bit of goes an amazing distance, making it budget-friendly.
Standout Qualities: Instagram DIYers rave about Rust-oleum’s {{smooth}} utility and high-quality finish. Its parts is sweet for kitchen cabinets, and it’s out there in numerous shades to go well with any design.
Why It’s Worth Considering: Rust-Oleum delivers a cultured, premium look with out the premium worth, making it an ideal choice for budget-conscious renovators.

Annie Sloan
Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint is a popular choice for kitchen cabinets, acknowledged for its ease of utility and its matte, chalky finish that gives a rustic, traditional contact to any kitchen.
Standout Qualities: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is versatile, adhering properly to quite a few surfaces without having primer or sanding in numerous circumstances. Its ultra-matte finish creates a singular, textured look that will add character to kitchen cabinets, and it’s on the market in a wide range of warmth, earthy colors. The paint will be low in VOCs, making it safer to utilize indoors.
Why It’s Worth Considering: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is sweet do you have to’re looking out for a quick, ingenious substitute to your cabinets with out in depth prep. Nonetheless, it would require a topcoat or wax finish for added sturdiness in high-traffic areas, as a result of the matte finish could also be susceptible to stains and scratches in busy kitchens.

Little Greene Intelligent Satin
Little Greene is renowned for its high-quality paints. Their Intelligent Satin finish is particularly favoured for kitchen cabinets, as a consequence of its sturdiness and aesthetic enchantment. I’ve used it in my very own residence on the doorways and panelling in our utility room and I prefer it’s delicate low-sheen finish.
Standout Qualities: It provides a difficult, washable finish, that’s splendid for furnishings and kitchen cabinets. It’s designed to face up to stains and scratches, guaranteeing longevity. It’s low VOC too, making it an environmentally nice choice.
Why It’s Worth Considering: It presents great safety and a {{smooth}} finish. Its sturdiness makes it a reliable alternative for kitchen cabinets, sustaining its look over time.

Benjamin Moore Advance
Benjamin Moore Advance is extraordinarily regarded for its sturdiness and {{smooth}}, expert finish, making it a most suitable option for kitchen cabinets.
Standout Qualities: This waterborne inside alkyd paint provides the durability of oil-based paint with the easy cleanup of water-based paint. It presents great levelling, resulting in a {{smooth}}, brushstroke-free finish. Plus, it’s low in VOCs, making it safer for indoor use.
Why It’s Worth Considering: Recognized for its long-lasting, hard-wearing finish, Benjamin Moore Advance is praised by DIYers and professionals alike. Whereas it would require longer drying events between coats, the result is a resilient, polished look that’s properly undoubtedly definitely worth the wait.

Farrow and Ball Modern Eggshell
Farrow & Ball is famous for its luxurious, high-quality colours, but it surely absolutely’s a bit little bit of a blended bag for kitchen cabinets. Some people I spoke to felt it wasn’t pretty sturdy ample for high-traffic use. Others talked about that they found it tough to make use of with out brush marks, so cautious prep is essential for attaining educated look.
Standout Qualities: Modern Eggshell provides a {{smooth}}, low-sheen finish that resists scuffs and is easy to clean. It’s low in VOCs, making it safer for indoor use.
Why It’s Worth Considering: Farrow & Ball’s rich colours add sophistication to any kitchen.
Preparation
Even with the easiest paint, your outcomes depend on good prep. Listed below are the steps you don’t must skip:
- Clear: First, clear your cabinets utterly with sugar cleansing cleaning soap or a grease-cutting cleaner. Nothing kills a paint job prior to grime beneath the paint.
- Sand Evenly: For optimum adhesion, give your cabinets a lightweight sanding. You don’t need to go too laborious – merely ample to robust up the ground a little bit of.
- Prime (If Needed): For many who’re using Zinsser BIN or 123, that’s the time to make use of it. Even when the paint you choose says “no primer needed,” priming can nonetheless add extra sturdiness.
Utility concepts
Utility points merely as quite a bit as paint top quality. Proper right here’s recommendations on find out how to get the easiest outcomes:
- Use Foam Rollers: A small foam roller helps stay away from brush strokes and presents a {{smooth}}, even finish.
- Brush for Particulars: For cabinet edges and corners, use a high-quality brush to stay away from streaks.
- Take Your Time Between Coats: Allow each coat to dry utterly sooner than making use of the next. Some paints moreover need curing time to reach full sturdiness. Confirm the instructions in your paint for specifics.

Errors to stay away from when you paint kitchen cupboards
When painting kitchen cabinets, numerous frequent errors may end up in a less-than-perfect finish. Listed below are some pitfalls to watch out for:
- Skipping the Prep Work: Grease, mud, and outdated gloss can forestall paint from sticking. Clear and sand your cupboards utterly sooner than you start.
- Choosing the Fallacious Paint: Not all paints are suited to cabinets. Seek for sturdy, cabinet-specific paints like Benjamin Moore Advance or Rustoleum Kitchen Cupboard Paint for a long-lasting finish.
- Ignoring Primer: A primer helps paint adhere larger and provides a {{smooth}} ground. Use a top quality primer like Zinsser 123 to stay away from peeling and chipping.
- Dashing Dry Time: Allow each coat to dry completely sooner than making use of the next. Dashing by the use of dry events can result in streaks and smudges.
- Skipping the Topcoat: A clear topcoat on high-traffic cabinets offers extra sturdiness and shine, significantly do you have to’ve chosen a matt or satin paint finish.
With consideration to these steps, your kitchen cupboards could have a {{smooth}}, expert look that lasts!