Ready to give your kitchen a much-needed facelift? The secret to a successful kitchen cabinet transformation lies in choosing the right paint. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the best paints for kitchen cabinets, sharing expert insights and showcasing 11 incredible before-and-after projects to inspire your next DIY endeavor.
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Painting kitchen cabinets often feels like a monumental task, one that many homeowners approach with apprehension. The fear of brush marks, peeling paint, and disappointing results is very real. I understand this hesitation – cabinets are a central feature of any kitchen, and a poor paint job can severely detract from your home’s aesthetic.
Hiring professional painters can be incredibly expensive, and even then, quality isn’t always guaranteed. DIY cabinet painting, while budget-friendly, often comes with cautionary tales of extensive sanding, endless priming, and finishes that yellow or flake over time. It’s a significant investment of time and effort, making the leap of faith feel quite daunting.
But here’s the good news: achieving gorgeous, durable results is absolutely possible! I’ve personally painted kitchen cabinets three times, each project yielding stunning and long-lasting finishes. With the right paint and approach, you can transform your kitchen without the stress or exorbitant cost.
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Let’s delve into the two types of kitchen cabinet paints I have personally used and highly recommend, followed by several other popular and successful options.
Paints That Minimize Brush Marks & Don’t Require Primer
Before we dive into specific products, a quick tip: I generally recommend painting only the exterior of your cabinet doors and the cabinet frames. Painting the inside of cabinets is a time-consuming step that often isn’t necessary for a dramatic visual impact. Also, while many of the paints listed below are suitable for spray application, I find the extensive prep required for spraying inside a home often outweighs the benefits of a perfectly smooth finish. For most DIYers, a good quality brush and roller will suffice.
It’s also important to manage expectations regarding wood grain. No paint will completely eliminate visible wood grain. You can minimize its prominence by choosing a flatter sheen, which reflects less light, but the grain itself is an inherent characteristic of wood that paint cannot simply erase.
With those considerations in mind, let’s explore some of the best paints for kitchen cabinets!
General Finishes Milk Paint (Low VOC, Self-Sealing Interior Mineral-Based Paint)
My first foray into cabinet painting in 2014 was a revelation, largely thanks to painting my kitchen cabinets with NO SANDING OR PRIMING. The hero of that story was undoubtedly the paint: General Finishes Milk Paint. Despite its name, it’s a high-quality, water-based acrylic paint known for its very low VOCs and minimal odor, making it a pleasant product to work with indoors.
This paint applies smoothly, almost like a dream. Paired with the General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat (available in various sheens from flat to high-gloss), it created an incredibly durable finish. For a matte look, I opted for the flat sheen, and the results were flawless.
The beauty of this system is the minimal prep work. After a thorough cleaning to remove grease and grime, I simply wiped the cabinets down with a liquid deglosser. No priming or sanding was necessary! I used a roller for large flat surfaces and a paintbrush for intricate details. This simplified process saved an enormous amount of stress and time.
Our kitchen cabinets maintained their perfect, durable finish for over five years, until we eventually undertook a complete gut renovation of that kitchen. I even documented how well our kitchen cabinets held up in a dedicated post. The before and after photos speak volumes about the transformative power of General Finishes Milk Paint:
Fusion Mineral Paint (100% Acrylic, Water-Based Paint with Natural Pigments)
In 2019, I embarked on another cabinet transformation project, helping my friend Thea update her dark and dated kitchen for less than $1,000. Always seeking new and improved DIY methods, I decided to experiment with Fusion Mineral Paint, a product that had garnered significant buzz in the DIY community.
Fusion Mineral Paint is a 100% acrylic, water-based paint, free of added latex or vinyl, and boasts very low VOCs and minimal odor. Its exceptional adhesion properties mean that, in most cases, a primer isn’t required (unless you’re dealing with laminate cabinets, which may benefit from Fusion Mineral Paint Ultra Grip or a shellac-based primer). Furthermore, its industrial-grade resin provides a water-resistant, highly durable finish.
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While I haven’t been sponsored by Fusion Mineral Paint, they’ve graciously extended a 10% discount to my readers. This discount is automatically applied when you click and orderhere.
A little goes a long way with Fusion Mineral Paint. For Thea’s kitchen, we used only four pints to paint the entire surface of her kitchen cabinets as part of our budget-friendly kitchen makeover. The prep was minimal: a clean surface and a light hand-sanding, which took no more than 30 minutes for all her cabinets. The results were beautiful, and her cabinets remain in perfect condition with no peeling or chips, even after years of use. Observe this amazing transformation:
While Fusion Mineral Paint is self-sealing for furniture, I highly recommend using a topcoat for high-traffic areas like kitchen cabinets. For light colors (like Thea’s upper cabinets), I suggest Fusion Mineral Paint Tough Coat. For darker shades, Fusion Mineral Paint Natural Stain and Finishing Oil works wonderfully.
You can find the full tutorial on how to paint cabinets with Fusion Mineral Paint in this post.
I was so impressed with Fusion Mineral Paint in Thea’s kitchen that I chose it again for the cabinets in our new house. The process was identical, and I’m equally thrilled with the outcomes. A short video recap of my kitchen cabinet painting is available here. The transformation of my current kitchen is showcased below. It only took 4 pints to paint my entire kitchen, achieving full coverage with just one coat (and minimal touch-ups) in the color Seaside.
While I confidently recommend Fusion Mineral Paint and General Finishes Milk Paint based on extensive personal experience, many other fantastic options exist for painting kitchen cabinets. To provide a broader perspective, I’ve researched several other successful kitchen makeovers, exploring which paints were used and recommended by other DIY enthusiasts. The goal is to help you discover the perfect paint for your kitchen and join the ranks of successful cabinet transformers!
6 More Kitchen Cabinet Paint Options
I’m certainly not the only blogger who has tackled and triumphed over kitchen cabinet painting. Let’s explore more inspiring cabinet transformations and the different paint types used by others in the DIY community.
Benjamin Moore Advance Paint (Premium Quality, Waterborne Alkyd Paint)
A recurring favorite among DIYers is Benjamin Moore Advance Paint. Its widespread success makes it a strong contender if you’re exploring alternatives. This premium waterborne alkyd paint is lauded for its durability and smooth, furniture-like finish.
Lauren at Lauren McBride Blog used Benjamin Moore Advance in a Satin Finish, applied with a sprayer, to achieve her dream white kitchen. Despite initial uncertainty, she reported that once the paint dried and self-leveled, the brush strokes on the trim were undetectable, resulting in a stunning finish. Click here for Lauren’s full tutorial and specific details on her paint and color choices.
Laura at Inspiration for Moms tackled the ubiquitous “orange oak” cabinets from the 80s and 90s, transforming them into a gorgeous grey as part of her kitchen makeover. She also chose Benjamin Moore Advance Interior Paint, appreciating its self-leveling properties and its ability to “act like an oil-based paint” while being water-based for easier cleanup.
Like Lauren, Laura used a sprayer to achieve a super smooth surface, highly recommending her specific model. You can find her comprehensive tutorial and all the details on the paint and sprayer she used here. Her finished results, complemented by subway tile and cabinet extenders, represent a truly show-stopping transformation.
Kass at Little Dekonings provides an excellent step-by-step tutorial for cabinet upgrades. After thorough cleaning and priming, she used Benjamin Moore Advance Paint in a Pearl Finish, achieving stunning results. Her full tutorial, including details on the beautiful color she chose, is available here. The pearl finish, combined with stainless-steel appliances, creates a truly sophisticated and gorgeous kitchen!
Insl-X Cabinet Coat (Acrylic Satin Enamel Paint)
Nina Hendrick achieved remarkable results using Insl-X Cabinet Coat, an acrylic satin enamel paint. What truly sets her project apart is her success in completely covering the wood grain, yielding a gorgeous, factory-level professional finish that makes her cabinets absolute stunners.
Nina is transparent about her process: it’s not for beginners and is quite involved. However, if you’re committed to achieving ultra-smooth cabinets with a high-end, custom look, her tutorial is invaluable. Click here to explore her detailed step-by-step guide. If you’re weighing the cost of new high-end cabinets against transforming your existing ones to perfection, this tutorial demonstrates how it’s possible!
Her transformation from dated 80s-style laminate bathroom cabinets to absolutely beautiful dark grey is truly inspiring and a testament to what dedicated effort and the right paint can achieve.
Valspar Cabinet Enamel Paint (Oil-Enriched Enamel)
Kari at U-Create Crafts shares a candid account of her cabinet painting journey, including a traumatizing first attempt that resulted in yellowed, terrible cabinets. Fortunately, her second attempt was a resounding success thanks to Valspar Cabinet Enamel paint, a product specifically formulated for cabinets.
Kari reported excellent coverage with just one coat but opted for two to achieve a more polished look. She is now very happy with her results! Head over to Kari’s blog to learn more about her paint and process.
Specialized cabinet paints like Valspar’s often eliminate the need for extensive sanding or priming, as they are designed to adhere well to common cabinet finishes. These options are definitely worth considering for a smoother DIY process.
Sherwin Williams ProClassic Waterborne Interior Paint (Acrylic Enamel)
Kelly at Practically Spoiled transformed her “classic” oak cabinets from an eyesore to a Pinterest-worthy feature using primer and Sherwin Williams ProClassic Waterborne Interior paint. She sealed her cabinets with the same top coat we used on our cabinets. While she acknowledges the painting process was labor-intensive, she is ultimately satisfied with her durable results.
To elevate the look further, Kelly removed beadboard and added trim and wainscoting to her cabinetry, creating an incredible overall transformation.
Basic Latex Paint
Surprisingly, Christy’s cabinets at Confessions of a Serial DIYer turned out beautifully using basic latex paint. This is notable because my past experiences with basic latex paint on furniture and laundry room cabinets often resulted in immediate chipping and peeling. Christy’s method is more intensive, recommending deglossing AND sanding, in addition to using a paint with a built-in primer PLUS priming separately for superior coverage and longevity. While it’s an option, achieving lasting results with basic latex paint seems to require significant preparation. You can see how her cabinets held up after 3 years in this post.
Christy’s blog offers a comprehensive tutorial that, despite differing from my methods, clearly proves effective. Click here for her full guide and details on the exact paint she used!
The Penny Drawer Blog also offers a must-include laminate cabinet tutorial, primarily because the transformation is SO SHOCKING! It’s compelling proof that you should never dismiss a house solely based on outdated cabinets or cosmetic flaws. Many easy DIY projects can completely transform your home.
This blogger used Behr Marquee Interior Collection paint. You can click here for her full tutorial.
Talk about a budget-friendly solution! One of the most impressive aspects of this tutorial is how she managed to paint an entire bathroom vanity using just a SAMPLE size paint—for a mere $5! That’s a trick that truly speaks to the heart of any budget-conscious DIYer.
I hope these incredible cabinet transformations have left you as inspired as I am. As you’ve seen, countless homeowners have achieved fantastic results painting their kitchen cabinets, and there are several excellent paint options available. You absolutely can paint your kitchen cabinets and love the outcome! These tutorials are living proof that the best paint for kitchen cabinets exists, waiting for you to discover it and embrace your beautifully refreshed kitchen.
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