We made good progress updating our $6 cabinets with primer and glossy white paint until a hurricane knocked out our power for three days. Fortunately the power came back on, but the outage delayed the final steps: John needs to finish some carpentry that requires electric tools before we can paint and reassemble everything in the office.
Before the outage we completed all the prep work and priming, and we photographed the process thoroughly. Since we refinished solid wood cabinets (note: this method does not work for laminate cabinets), we thought a detailed, clear explanation would be useful for anyone tackling a similar project—whether you’re creating a wall-to-wall built-in desk or refreshing kitchen cabinets.
First, we removed all hardware: door handles, screws, doors, and hinges. We separated the handle screws from the hinge screws by putting each set into its own labeled plastic bag. Keeping parts grouped prevents confusion during reassembly and avoids the inevitable mystery extra screw problem.
To protect the sunroom floor and walls from primer drips, paint splatter, and sanding dust, we hung two plastic drop cloths and worked inside that enclosure. Then I sanded each door. I started by hand with low-grit sandpaper (around 50) to remove the glossy finish, followed by higher-grit paper (about 200) to smooth things out so primer and paint would adhere properly.
After a few rounds of hand sanding I switched to an electric sheet sander to speed the work. Sanding each door with both grits took roughly an hour per door total. For the cabinet exteriors I used the sander as well, relying on the dust collection bag and the drop-cloth setup to keep mess contained. Sanding the cabinet frames was important because the door edges would rub against them, so roughing the surface helps the finish hold up long-term.
We decided to paint only the cabinet fronts and exteriors white while leaving the backs of the doors and the cabinet interiors in their natural wood tone. We liked how wood interiors held up in previous projects and appreciated the contrast of crisp white fronts with natural wood inside. To ensure clean edges where paint meets wood, we used Frog Tape on the backs of the doors and carefully rolled paint on the frames to create a neat line.
When priming, we used a low-VOC primer applied with a small foam roller for a thin, even coat that minimizes brush marks. Primer often looks uneven when first applied—this is normal, since primer’s job is to create a good surface for paint to bond to rather than to look finished. For tight areas and frames I used a small brush, wiping it firmly on the can edge to avoid drips, then smoothed the surface with the roller.
Work one door at a time: sand, roll the sides, brush the frame, and then roll the front again while the paint is still wet. That sequence keeps the paint workable and prevents the roller from lifting partially dried paint.
For the cabinet frames, we considered taping off the interior edges but opted to roll lightly and carefully to save time and tape. The first coat of primer looked uneven in places where I had sanded more aggressively to remove scratches, which made those spots read slightly whiter. That’s fine—once multiple thin, even coats of paint are applied, everything will blend into a seamless bright white finish.
Next steps: John will cut and build up the cabinet bases by about three inches, and then we’ll assemble them into three paired bases in the office. Because the assembled bases will be heavy and awkward to move, we’ll bolt them together in the room where they’ll stay. After assembly we’ll apply the final 2–3 thin coats of glossy paint to avoid scuffs or dings from moving and fastening. We’ll install the doors and hardware only after the final paint has fully cured.
Finally, we’re still deciding on a countertop material—options include assembled planks, a single large wood slab, or an alternative like an Ikea countertop. Once we choose and install the top, the built-in desk will be ready for use. We’ll share updates as we finish each step.
P.S. We left the original image below showing three doors sanded and ready for primer and three with tape applied along the edges to protect the wood backs.
