Find out how to prime cabinets for a smooth finish with this simple five-step method!
Yes, you can get a silky, smooth finish on all your cabinets without spraying them. I've done it twice now, although I've found some paints work better than others. But the bottom line is, you won't get a smooth finish if the foundation isn't smooth. And that all starts with primer!
As you may already know, I recently painted my kitchen cabinets white. It isn't the first time I've painted cabinets, but it was the first time I'd done so many at once. I'll share all the details and steps soon, but there's a lot to cover, so I wanted to split it into smaller posts. So let's talk primer and how to make it super smooth!
How to Get a Smooth Finish on Your Cabinets with Primer
1. Choose a high-quality primer
First things first, pick a high-quality primer. I always, always, always use Zinsser Cover Stain Primer. It works wonders and covers beautifully. I only need one coat.
2. Fill holes or cracks
Fill any cracks, crevices or old hardware holes with wood filler. (This is my favorite filler.)
3. Sand before priming
As the can says, it "sticks to all surfaces without sanding." Well, I don't like to push my luck, so I always sand my cabinet doors before priming. That removes any dirt or grime that could be hiding there. (This is my favorite sander.) I don't sand down to raw wood, just rough the surface up enough for the primer to grip.
Letting the primer grip gives your paint a much better chance of not chipping. (Mama would cry if her pretty cabinets chipped already.) So put in the time, sand your doors first, and then wipe them all down with a lint-free cloth.
Note: If you're painting kitchen cabinets, wipe them down with a degreaser before sanding. Trust me. I thought mine were fairly clean. Wrong! They were nasty, you just couldn't tell.
4. Paint the cabinets
Now it's time to paint! I use a cheap, throwaway brush for this step, because primer is oil-based. So I toss the brush when I'm done. Quickly brush primer onto the back of the door. (Always paint the backs first, then flip the doors over once they're dry to paint the fronts. That way if anything goes wrong, it's on the back!)
5. Go over the paint with a foam roller
OK, here's the secret to a smooth finish: As soon as you finish brushing on the primer, go over it with a foam roller. Boom! Instant smoothness. You have to work fast, though, because primer dries super quickly.
This cabinet has just been primed with a brush. Rough and dirty and full of brush strokes. Blech!
And this beauty has been rolled after brushing, and now it's smooth and ready for paint!
I made a quick video showing how it works in case you need a visual. No judgment. I was trying to multitask.
This method means I don't have to sand between priming and painting. Woohoo!
That's it, folks. The full Paint-Your-Kitchen-Cabinets tutorial is right here!
If you have any priming tips of your own, please share them! We're all about working smarter, not harder around here.
