We finished painting the cabinet doors a few days ago and are now in the waiting phase while the paint cures. We couldn’t wait to share photos of the process and the glossy finished results, so here’s a recap of what we used, how we did it, and what we learned along the way.
For the paint, we chose Benjamin Moore Advance in Cloud Cover with a satin finish. It’s a soft taupe-gray that adds a subtle layer against our bright white counters. We’ve used Advance before on our office cabinets and have been very happy with its durability—especially important when little hands and wooden toys are involved. The paint is low-VOC, self-leveling, and very durable, which makes it a great choice for cabinets.
Application was straightforward: a high-quality 2″ angled brush for cracks and detailed areas, plus a small foam roller for smooth, thin, even coats. Professionals typically recommend a good stain-blocking primer followed by two or three thin coats of a high-quality cabinet paint, allowing ample drying time between coats. Benjamin Moore Advance is designed to be used without a separate topcoat, which avoids issues like yellowing, drips, or tackiness that can occur when sealers thicken the finish. We’ll share a full how-to post with video and step-by-step application tips soon.
Using quality primer and self-leveling paint helps minimize visible wood grain but doesn’t always eliminate it—oak cabinets with more pronounced grain can still show a hint under paint. We don’t mind a little texture; painted wood that still reads as wood can be attractive so long as the finish is smooth and even.
We also retrofitted a few cabinet doors to fit different openings. Some of those doors turned out seamlessly, while a few have barely noticeable seams that are nearly impossible to spot unless you study them closely. Two of the five custom doors are flawless, which suggests that with some extra sanding, buildable primer, and additional coats we could likely get the rest to match. For now we’re happy with the results and will decide whether more work is worth it once the doors are rehung.
Choosing to refinish the existing cabinets instead of replacing them saved a significant amount of money. For about $40 in paint (we used a coupon) and $22 in primer, plus a week of prep work—puttying, sanding, deglossing, priming, painting, and curing—we transformed the look of the kitchen. That budget-friendly update frees funds for other upgrades like new appliances, cork flooring, countertops, backsplash tile, and opening up the wall to the dining room.
We primed and painted the cabinet exteriors and the front and back of the doors, while leaving the cabinet interiors in their natural oak. That protects the painted surfaces from frequent contact and wear, and we like the surprise of natural wood when you open the doors. This two-tone approach has worked well for us in previous projects.
The room still reads quite light at the moment because the cork floors haven’t been installed yet, but that’s next on the list. Once we hang the cabinet doors, add hardware, install the backsplash tile, and fit the new appliances, the space will feel much more finished. Small details like floating shelves and a range hood will help balance features like the sink window and complete the overall composition.
We’ll post a comprehensive cabinet-painting tutorial with a detailed video and plenty of after photos as soon as the paint has fully cured and the doors are back in place. In the meantime, we’re enjoying the lighter, fresher look and the prospect of the remaining updates. The project has been a great reminder that modest investments and some elbow grease can dramatically improve a space.
P.S. If you missed recent posts over the holiday break, here’s a quick roundup of topics we covered: our holiday card, cabinet puttying and sanding, 2012 resolutions, priming in progress, and a December recap.
- Holiday card
- Cabinet puttying and sanding
- 2012 resolutions
- Priming in progress
- December recap
Glad to have you back!