How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Without Sanding or Priming (and get LONG-LASTING results)!
Have you been thinking of painting your kitchen cabinets, but are nervous about how to do it and/or that your results won't last or look professional? Then I have good news for you! You can paint kitchen cabinets without sanding or priming. The results are professional and durable.
There are so many detailed tutorials about how to paint your cabinets like the professionals. They involve primer and loads of prep work. Some even require a paint sprayer. That is not what I am going to give you. I am going to tell you how to paint your kitchen cabinets without losing your mind but WITH professional results. You don't even have to pack up your cabinets.
I painted our kitchen cabinets without sanding or priming back in 2014. But I still get soooooo many questions about this project that I make sure to regularly update this post to make sure it is as thorough and complete as possible so that you know everything you've ever wanted to know about painting kitchen cabinets after you've read it.
The short version of this post is that absolutely can paint your kitchen cabinets without priming or sanding. And the results will be gorgeous and durable. I know it's hard to believe. But I have proof! And if you still have questions after reading the tutorial, fear not! I address the most common questions I get about painting kitchen cabinets after the tutorial.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here for my full disclosure policy.
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Without Sanding or Priming
Materials Needed
- TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) Cleaner
- Liquid deglosser or liquid sandpaper– This is the exact deglosser we used.
- General Finishes Milk Paint– We used 3 quarts of Seagull Gray for the perimeter cabinets and 2 pints of Driftwood Gray for the island.
- General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat– We chose the flat finish because the less light a finish reflects, the less the wood grain in our cabinets would show. We applied 3 coats of the topcoat on all cabinets and only used about 1/2 a gallon.
- 6 inch paint foam roller
- Angled paint brush
- Tack cloth
- Painter's tape
- OPTIONAL: Spray paint if you want to remove your hinges and change the color of them.
- OPTIONAL BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: these painter's pyramids (I discovered them recently and so wish we had them when we painted these cabinets–they are awesome for any double-sided project)
You can watch a short video where I walk through all the supplies you need below. This video is part of my Total Cabinet Transformation FREE training series. If you prefer to watch it ad-free and get access to all the other videos, click here to subscribe and get access.
Painting Kitchen Cabinets: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
Before you can really get started, you need to test paint colors and choose your favorite.
Unfortunately, General Finishes doesn't sell small samples, but you can order pints here. It's worth ordering a few and actually painting test swatches on your cabinets since colors can look so different depending on the lighting and surroundings of your home.
I also test 6 different colors in my Total Cabinet Transformation videos series which you can get FREE when you subscribe here.
Time needed: 4 days
Follow the steps below to paint your kitchen cabinets without sanding or priming.
- Remove your hardware, doors and drawers.
Remove all of your hardware. You will also need to remove your doors and drawers if you want to update your hinges (we spray painted our hinges). But you can leave everything inside of your cabinets since you don't need to paint the insides of your cabinets. You only need to paint the doors (front and back) and the frame of the cabinets. You can leave your drawer boxes in place and just remove the drawer fronts, but I personally feel like it's easier to keep the drawers in-tact.
- Clean your cabinets
Clean all of your cabinets, doors and drawers with a good cleaner like TSP. You want to be sure any grease and grime is off of them so that your paint adheres correctly. - Fill any holes.
Patch any holes that you will not be reusing with spackle or wood filler and sand appropriately. Be sure to remove any dust after sanding with a tack cloth.
- Degloss all cabinet surfaces.
Lastly, wipe down your cabinet boxes, cabinet doors and drawers with a liquid deglosser or liquid sandpaper (this is the exact deglosser we used).
This is a quick wipe-down. You do not need to scrub the old finish off and get down to bare wood. In fact, your cabinets may not look any different after you wipe them down—that is okay.
I have included a video demonstration of deglossing as part of my Total Cabinet Transformation FREE training series–click here to subscribe and get access.
- Paint your cabinets.
If you are using General Finishes Milk Paint, you do not need to sand or prime! You are ready to start painting! We used the built-in benches on our deck to lay out our doors, which worked well. If you don't have a large space to work with, just work in batches.
I highly recommend using these painter's pyramids that I discovered recently. I wish we had them when we painted these cabinets–they are awesome!
We applied two coats of the General Finishes Milk Paint. We used a paintbrush for detail work and a dense foam roller for the flat areas. We used 3 quarts of the Seagull Gray and 2 pints of the Driftwood. We also used about 1/2 gallon of the topcoat. This paint gives excellent coverage and goes a long way. I did NOT sand between coats of paint because my finish was nice and smooth. But you could opt to lightly sand with 220-grit sandpaper before applying your second coat. Remember to wipe them down with a tack cloth after sanding if you do decide to sand.
I am a pretty confident/experienced painter, so I didn't use painter's tape to tape off the walls around our cabinet boxes–I simply cut it with an angled brush. But if you are worried about getting paint on your walls, just use some painter's tape along the edges of the cabinets.
- Apply a protective top coat.
After your paint has dried for the correct amount of time (see details on the General Finishes can, but I can tell you this paint dries faster than any other paint I have ever used), you are ready to apply the General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat. We applied the recommended 3 (yes THREE) coats of the topcoat. Rest assured this step moves fairly quickly. But this topcoat is what gives the already durable paint an unbelievably durable finish.
We chose a flat finish because our cabinets had so much wood grain. A flat finish reflects less light than a semi-gloss or gloss finish, so it makes the wood grain less visible. Please do keep in mind that paint alone is NOT going to eliminate wood grain. But you can make it less noticeable by choosing the flat finish topcoat.
You want to apply thin coats. I used a brush and would recommend it over a roller. If the topcoat is applied too thickly or pools in any areas, those spots will dry with a yellow tinge. Three very thin, even coats is what you need!
I have also heard from many people who have followed this tutorial to paint their cabinets with the Snow White color that the topcoat left a slight yellow cast on them. This is going to be true for pretty much ANY poly topcoat. This is something I talk about more in my Total Cabinet Transformation videos series which you can get FREE when you subscribe here. (Spoiler alert, I don't recommend that anyone use Snow White straight out the can–I recommend mixing it with another color). - Optional: Paint your hinges.
If you don’t like the color of your hinges, you can spray paint them! It's way more economical than buying new ones and you can avoid having to make new holes in your cabinets and/or doors if new hinges are a different size. Our old hinges and screws were brass–not a good look with gray cabinets. So, we spray painted our hinges AND the screws with Valspar Brushed Nickel Spray Paint and topped them with Valspar Satin Clear Coat. - Rehang doors, replace drawers & attach hardware.
Once your top coat is dry, you can rehang your doors, replace your drawers and reattach your old hardware or replace it with new hardware! We ditched our old hardware (not my style) and replaced it with new handles and drawer pulls. We have a lot of cabinets and doors, so we spent just over $300 on hardware, but I think it was well worth it.
We couldn't have been happier with the transformation of our old, outdated oak cabinets! This is one of the most worthwhile DIY projects I have ever tackled and it's doable no matter your skill level. It can also be used on bathroom cabinets or for any type of cabinet makeover.
The photo below was taken FIVE YEARS after we painted our kitchen cabinets while it was decorated for Christmas. They held up so, so well! Even the contractor who installed our formica backsplash was shocked and impressed by our results.
You can also watch the short video below for a better look at how they were holding up 5 years later! This video is part of my Total Cabinet Transformation FREE training series. If you prefer to watch it ad-free and get access to all the other videos, click here to subscribe and get access.
Frequently Asked Questions About Painting Kitchen Cabinets
It took us around 4 days to complete this project, split up over two weekends. Because we didn't have to pack our cabinets up, the disruption was minimal. We were still able to cook and use our kitchen as we worked on painting our cabinets, which was nice!
You can read this post to see how they were holding up 22 months later and you can check out my free video series to see how they were holding up 4 years later. The short version is that they looked beautiful even 5 years later when we finally gutted and renovated the entire kitchen. You can even watch the video above where I walk you through the kitchen to show you how the cabinets were holding up 5 years later!
General Finishes Milk Paint goes a long way and covers beautifully, so you don't need a ton of it. We used 3 quarts of Seagull Gray for the perimeter cabinets and 2 pints of Driftwood Gray for the island.
Renovating a kitchen is one of the most expensive remodeling projects that you can take on, and replacing the cabinets can account for nearly 40 percent of that cost.
Mediocre-quality cabinets for a 10-by 12-foot kitchen would generally cost at least $5,000. If you have outdated solid wood cabinets now, there's a very good chance that you would be replacing them with cabinets of a lower quality.
Painting your kitchen cabinets should cost no more than $500 if you do-it-yourself. We spent around $250 for our paint and top coat. If you hire the job out to professional painters, it's much more expensive.
Based on my research, the average cost of painting kitchen cabinets is $100 per drawer face and $175 per cabinet door. This averages out to a cost of $5,000 for a medium-sized kitchen, but can range a lot depending on the painter quoting the job.
I originally thought DIY cabinet painting was not a good idea and was researching how to update them using gel stain (which would require a DARKER color) and I reached out to General Finishes with some questions about their gel stain products.
In the course of explaining what I wanted to do, they mentioned their paint and explained that when you use General Finishes Milk Paint in conjunction with General Finishes High-Performance Top Coat, our kitchen cabinets would be EXTREMELY durable.
GF Milk Paint is incredibly high-quality acrylic paint with EXCELLENT adhesion (so good that you can even paint laminate cabinets with it). It has low VOCs and is incredibly durable, so it is a great choice for painting kitchen cabinets without sanding or priming. It also really minimizes brush strokes!
So I ordered a few different colors in pint sizes to test them. When the pints arrived, I could not wait to see what they looked like on our cabinets. I quickly, and rather sloppily, painted the three different gray colors on one of our upper cabinets. I spent no more than 2 minutes doing it, and did not even try to use good technique, etc.
I was completely amazed by how well one quick coat completely covered our outdated oak cabinet. But what most impressed me about this paint is that I COULD NOT SEE PAINT BRUSH MARKS. Seriously. There was not a brush mark to be seen on our cabinets. It’s amazing. AND it dried so quickly and smoothly. I was sold. There was no question that I wanted to paint our cabinets with General Finishes Milk Paint.
There are lots of different paints you can use, but there are only 2 that I personally recommend (ironically, neither of them are specially formulated kitchen cabinet paint). You can read all about the best paint for kitchen cabinets in this post. In that post, I share my personal experience along with 8 other successful kitchen makeovers that used different paint options.
I get this question so often that I wrote an entire post with the questions you should ask before deciding whether to paint your kitchen cabinets. It depends on the condition and material of your cabinets, as well as how much of a change you want and whether you are happy with the layout of your cabinets. But my super short answer is that If you have cabinets that are sturdy and you just want an updated look, go for it.
Yes, you can read about the other method I have used to paint kitchen cabinets that is faster and easier here. But I find that this method is more durable.
I know there are LOTS of you out there that will read every word of this post and still think it sounds too good to be true and/or have a zillion other questions that I can't possibly answer in one blog post. We still get questions about this post almost every single day (in fact, it’s the reason I finally had to turn my blog comments off a while back). Because though I detailed exactly how we transformed our oak cabinets with gray paint, people wonder how the process will work on different cabinets with different colors. So we get questions like…
Can I use this to paint my laminate kitchen cabinets?
How do you think the white paint color would work on my very dark cabinets?
Can I use this paint over existing painted kitchen cabinets?
Did you REALLY not sand in between coats?
How much pressure do I need to apply when I use the deglosser?
Can you see the brush strokes?
So after seeing the need to address all these questions and after countless requests, I finally decided to create a video training series for those of you that have questions and concerns that just can’t be answered in a single blog post. And when you subscribe, you can get it (and a bunch of other stuff) for FREE!
I answer every possible question AND give video demonstrations. And yes, it's free to all of my subscribers. So if you have additional questions, I highly recommend you check it out. You can watch an overview of what the video series includes in the short video below.
What do you think? Have you thought about painting kitchen cabinets using DIY methods? What’s stopping you? And if you love this project, be sure to pin it for later!
More CABINET POSTS
You may also enjoy these budget-friendly kitchen idea posts:
- How to Paint Countertops to Look Like Marble
- Budget-Friendly DIY Backsplash Ideas
- Affordable DIY Countertops That Will Blow Your Mind
- How to Paint Your Tile Backsplash in 5 Simple Steps
- How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets the Easy Way (2 days, No Packing)
Wondering how I approach transforming rooms and spaces in our home? Check out Designer in a Binder®.
And if you want exclusive content and behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, be sure to subscribe before you head out!
I was wondering if I could buy the same colors you used in gallons, and if so, where do I order? Love your work.
Hi Sandra! If you click the pink link for the paint in the source list and you will see what is available to buy. Thanks for reading!
Im trying out your technique on our cabinets. Using the Seagull Gray color. After putting on 2 coats the brush strokes are still visible on the drawer. What do you recommend to get rid of them? First coat i used a foam brush, second coat i tried a bristle brush
It goes on smoothly, but there may be some brush strokes. If they were already painted under your paint, the underlying stroke marks will always be there. We did use a foam roller, so maybe that is the difference?
We painted our cabinets this way about 1 month ago! The cabinets are still beautiful! We painted then white and on our peninsula, we replaced the laminate with wainscoting! As for the laminate on the side of some of the cabinets, we applied deglosser and painted the same way. Because our cabinets were a little darker, we used primer as well. We ran out of deglosser and had to sand some. The deglosser actually worked BETTER than the sanding! Finally, we had 23 cabinet doors and 13 drawers. It took about 1.5 gallons of milk paint. On another note, we ordered paint from amazon. The paint busted during shipment. It was a hot mess. We still had enough paint for the project and it didn’t seem to mess anything up!!
Thank you so much for this recommendation!! We love our results!
Is there any way I can post a picture? I’d love to share our results!
Hi Hannah! I would LOVE to see them! Do you subscribe to my newsletter? I am starting a new series to give readers a chance to share certain projects every month. January will be cabinets! Details will be in the next newsletter, so hurry and sign up if you haven’t already!
Oh my. That shipping situation made me sweat for real. I am SO glad it all worked out. Great job on your cabinet makeover!
Hello I have been wanting to paint my cabinets for two years.. but I have two small children. This seems to good to be true! How did you get a sample to try? I would love to try before I buy the whole gallon of paint.. and not like it
General Finishes sent me pint size cans to try out—it’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples I referred to were just their pint size paints. You can order the same pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8.
Hi Tasha! After much research we chose to follow your simple and well- written instructions. We followed all instructions to the letter. I LOVE the look of my cabinets! However, after two months after the paint job they are a little “peely ” around the knobs. The paint is kind of flaking off. I’m so sad after all that work. Any tips?? We did the two coats of paint followed by three coats of top coat. We also used the defroster. Same oak cabinets. and purchased all the same brands that were recommended. Please help!
Whoops! Deglosser. :)
Oh no Julie! I have no idea–we still aren’t having any peeling or chipping. My only thought is that maybe since you have knobs instead of handles like us that your hands/skin actually come into contact with the paint more and have worn it down in those areas? I would think you could touch up just those areas with the paint and then top coat again. Keep me posted!
Thanks for sharing your experience and tips…very helpful! I’m experimenting with a bathroom vanity and hoping to get brave enough to tackle my kitchen of 43 cabinets…yikes…now wishing I had a smaller kitchen ;-) I see that you initially used a liquid sandpaper/deglosser. GF recommends light sanding between each coat of paint and also between each coat of top coat. Did you do that? Thanks again for sharing!
No sanding for me!
According to your blog you didn’t have to sand your cabinets before applying. But according to the manufacture website you are to sand them first. So now I am very confused. I really want to redo my cabinets, but don’t want to do the work of sanding that is why your blog caught my eye. I don’t want to sand or have the chip like my bathroom did. Any suggestions on what is right LOL
Hi Malissa. That’s correct, I didn’t sand and mine are still holding up beautifully. I DID use liquid sandpaper/deglosser, which is much faster and easier than sanding.
Thanks for your post. I am currently in the middle of using the GF gel to refinish my balcony and stairs, very pleased so far. My question about the milk paint…..an you use it on cabinets that have already been painted? My next project is to update my kitchen and would love to use the milk paint however our kitchen was painted black by the previous owner. Any idea if the GF milk paint would work? Thanks so much!
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
I followed directions exactly as specified. I am using Snow White on our Oak cabinets that look almost exactly like yours. I cleaned them, applied the liquid sandpaper, then applied one coat. It looked awful. I applied a second coat, it looks slightly better. Just applied the 3rd coat, and can see that I need one more. I am using a dense foam roller like the one you used. I don’t see how you got away with two coats of the paint. I have also tried applying paint with a brush and the brush marks are very visible.
I think the big difference is the color or the paint. I have heard from a few readers that their experience with the Snow White is different than ours.
I signed up for emails – how long will it take to be able to access the printable instructions?
It should have come within 30 min. Check your Spam and Promotions tabs if you have those.
Hi Tasha,
I’m looking at using this approach for my own kitchen cabinets and was so encouraged to find your blog and see that our cabinets are so similar in style! Mine also have vertical grooves. I was wondering — how did you handle those? Did you worry about getting down in there with the paint? If so, what tool did you use?
I was considering purchasing a paint sprayer and applying that way for this very reason. Any insight you can give me about how you handled the grooves would be so very appreciated.
Thanks!
-Jenna
Mine has vertical grooves and the brush worked fine!
Hello- Just checking to see how your cabinets have held up now that it’s been about 2 years. Would you still use this paint on your cabinets? We are about to paint our cabinets and want to use this paint, thanks to your tutorial! Happy Monday
Check out this post– https://designertrapped.com/diy-painted-kitchen-cabinets/ It should answer all of your questions!
Hello-
I’m glad I found this article on Pinterest to help me find the General Finishes paint and top coat, It is wonderful. BUT- we chose to use Snow White on 1990’s honey oak cabinets, and you MUST sand and prime those. Even the General Finishes website says that. When I started on my island’s two doors, yellow kept coming up through the primer. Folks at Lowe’s said that it was the old finish that hadn’t been sanded off. We sanded the rest of the doors much more thoroughly, and used two coats of Kilz premium primer, and they look great.
We didn’t have any issues with the grays we used. It must be a problem with the white. Thanks!
Thank you for your great advice, everything looks beautiful. I applied your steps to refinishing an ugly oak table and it turned out amazing!! More than I ever expected it to look! Thank you
Fantastic Chrissy! I LOVE when y’all share your success stories with me. Thanks for reading!
Did you roll or use a brush to apply top coat? Staring my Renovation tomorrow!
We brushed the top coat!
Been thinking about painting oak cabinets…but don’t want the grain to show through. ..how did you keep it from showing thru the paint?
Hi Deb! I don’t know of any paint that totally prevents the grain from showing.
Tasha if you ever decide to keep the original finish on any wood try a product I have used for years to clean and repair the finish and keep it original it was invented for antiques and used for any wood that doesn’t look perfect. Just thought you might like my go to product. I resell furniture and this stuff is wonderful. Its called The Victorian House Finish Rejuvenator. FYI http://www.thevictorianhouseproducts.com
Click here for instructions but nothing happens when I click here!
Hi Mona! When you click for the printable instructions, you have to signup for emails and they will be emailed to you. Thanks!
I’m just curious as to which top coat you used. there a few to choose from. Thanks
The one I used is in the source list with a link right to it! Good luck!
When I click on that link I get a couple of different options.
Tasha, you did a wonderful job and that is indeed an amazing transformation. I recently redid my laundry room in a similar fashion and I love it.
Awesome Catherine! Thanks for reading!
You did an amazing job! Loved reading all about it.
I was just wondering what the paint deglosser does exactly? is it necessary, or just personal taste?
It is absolutely necessary. It takes the place of sandpaper and roughs up the surface. Good luck!
Hi! I’m in the middle of painting our cabinets with this milk paint thanks to your post. So thank you! Question, I just read the directions on the top coat and it says to sand the top coat in between each coat. Did you do this step?
I skipped all sanding! Good luck!
I am in the middle of painting my bathroom cabinets as well & was just going to ask the same question – yay! I am in love with the milk paint- may do the kitchen next. Also, how long did you wait between top coat finishes to re-apply?
I would follow the instructions for the top coat! Good luck
Wow ! Really great result !
Thanks Richard!
Amazing job! Did you use the same paint on your backsplash? Is it the same color as the island?
Hi Cory! The full tutorial for painting the backsplash, including the color, is here–> https://designertrapped.com/paint-a-tile-backsplash/ Thanks for reading!
Can’t find that brand of paint. Is there another brand of the same quality that I can search for?
It is available through Amazon! It is the brand I prefer. Thanks for reading!
Hi I’m wondering how your painted cabinets are holding up? Would you use this product again if you had to chose? Thinking of painting mine, but wanted to see how yours have been holding up! Thanks
They are still great. If you want to read about how they are holding up, check out this follow up post: https://designertrapped.com/diy-painted-kitchen-cabinets/ Thanks for reading!
Great blog, I’m going to follow you from now on. Thanks for the detailed description, I’m going to give it a shot. Quick question…..you used grey paint yet your finished pictures look white….what am I missing?
Thanks Stuart! It is a really light gray. May look more like white on your monitor? Thanks for reading!
whee did you find the Zinsser paint deglosser? I have looked everywhere1 Is there a comparable prduct that you can recommend Thanks!
Oh gosh! Please ignore those horrible typos! There is something wrong with my screen and I couldn’t see the words. I appreciate your advice!
In the post is a link to the product on Amazon. That is the one I used! Thanks
How do you paint wood paneling without it still lookin like paneling? Can you cover the stripes?
I don’t know of anyway to get rid of the stripes. Sorry!
Gorgeous results!! Where did you buy your pendant lights over your counter? They’re such a fun addition!
Thanks!
Hi Maria! I got them at Target…the full info is in this post: https://designertrapped.com/budget-kitchen-remodel-1/
Thanks for reading!
Hello
I love your cabinets, I do have a question some of my cabinets are dirty with grease do I used a regular greaser remover or what do you vex omens?
I guess I am lucky–mine are not particularly greasy! You could try a degreaser or maybe start gentler and work up to it. Good luck!
would this work on laminated cabinets?
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
I really enjoy your blog and I love the bar pulls you’ve chosen. I want to put them in my kitchen, but the longest I can find from Amazon, Ikea and Lowes is 9 3/4. Where did you find the really long ones? Yours look to be about 16-17 inches. I need 5 different lengths. Thanks. I
These are all from IKEA. Maybe they quit carrying them?
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60138759/
Here’s a link for the handle pulls:
Will this product work on a ceiling with vanished rafters and tung-n-groove?
It should! Good luck!
Great tips Tasha! Thanks. And the new hardware you chose totally finishes the look so beautifully. I’ve never heard of General milk paint, but i am going to check it out for sure!
Hi! Your cabinets look great! I’ve been thinking about painting my builder grade ugly oak cabinets for years but never have done it because it’s such a huge job. After you painted your cabinets, does the wood grain show through, or does it look smooth with no grain showing? Thanks!
Hi Wendy! It does show some grain. Thanks for reading!
Just wondering if you used the milk paint that comes as a powder that you add water to, or the premixed?
No it is a premixed high quality acrylic paint. Thanks for reading!
Where can I get the milk pain? Is it available at the larger hardware stores?
The post includes a link for amazon. You would need to dod some research to see which stores carry which paint!Good luck and thanks for reading!
For the top coat did you use the water base top coat or the polyurethane base top coat?
Thanks for the post. We are buying an older home and don’t have money to replace the cabinets… they will look brand new with this stuff :)
It is actually a water based polyurethane :) hope that helps!
Did you use the Satin finish or the Flat finish for the top coat?
We used the flat finish. The link to the exact product is in the post source list!
Did the milk paint on the kitchen cabinets cover the grain of the oak?
.
There is still some grain visible.
Tasha…you are totally awesome!!! I love your blog, all of your projects and all the work you have done and I can’t wait to get started on my kitchen but could you please tell me what size the handles on your cabinets are…my hubby says about 20″ but I think he’s wrong (don’t tell him)!
Well every handle is different depending on the size of the door it is on. The big ones are probably around 20″ but you would need to measure your cabinets!
Did you paint your backsplash as well? If so, what did you use? Thanks!
The tutorial for the painted backsplash can be found here: https://designertrapped.com/paint-a-tile-backsplash/ Good luck!
Tasha can you tell me the size of your cabinet doors and what size handles you purchased please.
Tasha how many cabinet door and drawers did you do with 3 quarts of paint? I understand you used 2 pints on your Island.
I believe we used 2 or 3 quarts of the light grey and 2 pints of the dark gray and about 1/2 gallon of the top coat. I hope that helps!
how many cabinets will a gallon cover?
We used 3 quarts for all of our cabinets.Hope that helps!
Gorgeous! I’m planning on going with gray as well, what is your wall color? I’m having trouble trying to coordinate that. My kitchen, dining and living room areas are all open to each other.
Thanks for the awesome tutorial as well~I’m gonna need it, lol.
It is Babbling Brook by Olympic. Good luck and thanks for reading!
What made you choose a flat finish top coat? I’m going to attempt my cabinets after being inspired by you! However, I’m using the Snow White on the cabinets. When something has splattered, there has been busy little fingers on your cabinets,, have you been able to wipe them off easily without the finish being compromised?
They flat topcoat adds just enough sheen that they are wipeable. Also, I feel like that we don’t get a ton of fingerprints because of the style pulls we used! (happy accident!!!)
But can my Thermofoil kitchen cabinets be painted with this product?
I am sorry I don’t know what that is? If you clarify I can try and answer!
Will general finishes milk paint work on melamine cabinets without priming or sanding? I need to know before purchasing any paint.
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
This looks amazing! I believe I may attempt this project. What is the name of the gray color in the middle? Thank you for sharing the instructions, we’re on a budget and this could be our answer to out kitchen remodel.
The island is Driftwood Grey. Good luck!
I am getting ready to use your method on my small vanity in the guest bathroom; just to see how well it works and if I like the look.
As far as the top coat goes, did you sand between the 3 coats on that?
Thanks
No sanding at all!!! Good luck!
Did you paint the inside of your doors, even though you didn’t paint the inside of the cabinets?
We did paint the inside of the doors!
Where can I get sample colors to try before buying full size? Your cabinets look great & i’m trying to get up the nerve to paint mine this way! Thanks for all the good instructions!
General Finishes sent me pint size cans to try out—it’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples I referred to were just their pint size paints. You can order the same pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8. Thanks for reading and good luck!
Your cabinets look beautiful! Thank you for this awesome page, which my husband and I will be using to refinish our cabinets. How much of the deglosser did use?
I did a quick wipe down, not a “scrub.” The amount would depend how many cabinets you have to do. Hope that helps!
How can I get samples of the different colors to try? I like the way you used the darker shade on your island.
General Finishes sent me pint size cans to try out—it’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples I referred to were just their pint size paints. You can order the same pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8. Thanks for reading!
Oh I am so excited! Thanks for your post! We are planning to try this on a our new home kitchen cabinets we just purchased. My only concern is with yellowing. We have icky yellow oak cabinets too. I plan to paint them white. The GF milk paint product pages advises priming on surfaces known to bleed yellow like oak. Did you have any yellowing issues with the light gray?
I didn’t have any bleeding so I can’t say. If you are really worried I would prime! Good luck!
Did you only use one coat of milk paint? Thanks for clarifying…my cabinets are getting ready for a new look….took the rest of the hardware off today!
I used two coats of the milk paint and three of top coat. Hope that helps!
How is the odor for this milk-based paint? I want to try it on our bathroom vanity but we do not have windows in that room, but do have a vent. Thanks!
We used it in our powder room and it doesn’t have any windows and we didn’t have a problem! Good luck!
Does it cover already painted crappy cabinets?
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
I’ve been staring at outdated cabinets for a while now, and reading up on all the ways to paint them. Many approaches sound fine, but your post was the one that got me moving to do it. Sanding and prep were keeps this project out of reach for me. I’ve used the deglosser on other projects and know it works very well. But KITCHEN cabinets have to look beetle than “good enough.” Thank you for your time and info!
Thanks for reading Debbie! Good luck on your cabinets.
Have you by chance tried this on any floors? Laminate or vinyl? I’ve done our cabinets and I’m really tempted to do the floors….we are moving and don’t really want to pay for new….but this might be the perfect time( plan to do gray with white dry brush) to do what seems to be on trend in flooring.
I highly recommend you ONLY use porch and floor paint for floors! It can stand up to the wear and tear. Thanks!
Hi, I wanted to get the printable instructions for this project, but for some reason the link does not seem to work.
It is actually a link to subscribe to my newsletter and then you will receive a link after you do that. If that link is not working you need to install adobe acrobat. You can find instructions for that by googling! THanks and hope that helps.
Is that paint safe to paint my kitchen counter? thanks
I have no idea since our counters are a different material. I would contact the company! Thanks for reading.
Sound like a project for me to save time and money ! I was thinking of painting my kitchen cabinets without removing them. Am I being too lazy or you could do that ?
I did not remove mine! Just took the doors off. Good luck!
Hi Tasha,
Great tutorial! I have one quick question, do you remember, did you wait the full 2-3 hours between top coats?
Thanks,
Elisabeth
I honestly don’t remember but I would say go ahead if that is what the directions say. Thanks for reading and good luck!
Thank you for this blog post and the update on how it’s holding up after all this time. I’m curious…we have wood cabinets in the kitchen, but the recessed inserts are made of a laminate or something like that. Do you happen to know if the milk paint would adhere as nicely to that as it does real wood? It seems like to would, if you made sure the surface was clean and prepped like the wood. Any thoughts or suggestions?
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Hello! Amazing job! We would like to paint our cabinets but I wanted to ask you a question… Did your cabinets have a gloss coat before you painted them? My cabinets have this gloss coat to them and I don’t know if I should use a de-glosser on them or not.
Hi Erika! We used a de-glosser. The link to the exact one is in the post! Thanks for reading!
Hello, (Not sure if I sent this the other day or not, so forgive me if I did.) I am about to apply the top coat to my cabinets and I am curious if you used a sponge brush as it says on the can or a regular paint brush. Also, did if you sand between coats? I have been following your step by step instructions and so far so good, but I was curious about how you applied that top coat. Thanks! I am loving it so far!! This Milk Paint is AMAZING!
I used a regular paint brush and did not sand! Hope that helps.
How many cabinets did you paint? Just trying to figure out about how much we will need. I am really wanting to paint our cabinets. It’s one of the last steps to redoing our kitchen. Before reading this, I was really loathing painting my cabinets. This gives me hope :)
If you look at the pictures closely on the post (there is a good before and after that shows one side of my kitchen) and the pictures closer to the beginning show the other half) that is all of the them! Hope that helps and good luck!
Did you sand between each top coat and did you use a foam brush for the top coat?
I am in the process of painting my kitchen cabinets now, after reading your post! I have to say the General Finishes Milk paint is awesome! I am about half way through and am loving the way they are looking! A couple of questions for you….I read that you chose the flat finish rather than the satin finish for the top coat….does the flat have any sheen or shine to it? I was thinking of using the Satin and wanted your opinion. And also, what kind of prep did you do to your hardware before you sprayed them? And what brand of spray paint did you use? Thank you for inspiring me!!
I chose the flat because the less sheen the less imperfections you see. The flat does still have plenty of sheen for me! I think I used Valspar spary paint and I didn’t do anything before I sprayed the hardware! Good luck and thanks for reading!
HI, I love the kitchen Reno! I was wondering how you contacted the company for the samples. I have looked all over the website and have not been able to find the info. I would like to do the same colours with my kitchen but am looking for more info on wether to do the regular gel stain or try the milk stains what is the better option for coverage and durability?
General Finishes sent me pint size cans to try out—it’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples I referred to were just their pint size paints. You can order the same pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8.
I was wondering how well the paint job has held up to the daily abuse your cabinets take. And chipping or bleeding of the original wood color through the paint?
It has held up beautifully!
These cabinet are wonderful. I’d like to copy the look but with a darker color. I’m thinking water based milk paint in Dark Chocolate- will this work also? . I have a question about the high gloss finish do you think a satin or semi gloss finish would be work? Why did you choose the flat finish?
It’s this the same product you got General Finishes water based high performance polyurethane top coat in satin (just a diff finish) or is the polyurethane a different product? Thanks for your help and your inspiration !
Tracey
I use flat because it still has plenty of sheen for my taste and the lower the sheen the less imperfections you can see. The one I used is a link in the post! Thanks
What a beautiful transformation! I am inspired now to paint the golden oak woodwork throughout my house. Did the milk paint cover the grain in the oak? I painted the oak cabinet in our bathroom, but the grain showed through the latex paint I used, even after 2 coats, which was not the look I wanted. Thank you!
It will still show through. I have never been successful using paint to mask the grain. Good luck!
You have really inspired me to try this out. I have never done a painting project before so I am going to start small with my ugly oak cabinets in my bathroom. I am going to follow your steps, thank you. Is it true that you need to paint as soon as the deglosser dries (approx 1 hour) or you have to do this step again? Curious what your timing was.
I did not time it, but I think it was more than an hour. Thanks!
Did you paint the underside of the cabinets?
Yes we did!
Are your cabinets wood veneer or raw natural wood? I bought the General Finishes milk paint recommended by a friend so I’m very happy that I found your post recommending the same paint! My cabinets are wood but they are finished with a smooth wood veneer in a dated maple color so I wonder if I need to prime them first to make sure that the milk paint adheres to the surface. I appreciate your help!
Our cabinets are wood with a finish that was damaged and chipping. I have never tried it on a veneer cabinet, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
I am using this product right now and it is working great! I ordered from Amazon because they seemed to have the best price and free shipping. I ended up paying about $90 for two quarts of antique white and one quart of top coat. Expensive but ok if it does the job. The supplier on my order was West Michigan Finishes and they send a card with my order. I went to their website and found out I could have ordered the exact same thing directly through them for $60 with shipping. So, this is a public service announcement if you are considering using this product – save yourself over 30% and go to http://www.wmfinishes.com. I think I need another quart and will be headed there soon!
Thank you so much for posting this! We will be painting our cabinets next weekend using General Finishes. I have some questions about how you applied the top coat. Did you roll it on or apply with a brush? Also did you sand between each of the three coats? You mentioned this step went quickly so I was weary of the instructions from General Finishes.
I used a brush and did not sand in between coats!
Did you put the topcoat on with a brush or roller? Thanks for the tutorial, I think I’m going to tackle mine!
I used a brush and did not sand between coats!
So my cabinets have a deep wood grain, do you think only 2 coats of paint will be enough to hide the wood grain? Should I use a primer to only need 2 coats?
I don’t know of any paint that will cover the wood grain, no matter how many coats you use. Good luck!
Beautiful! Could you tell me what you used to apply the topcoat.
I’d like to know this too. Thanks!
We used a paint brush!
What does the finish feel like? We did our dining room table with chalk paint and it feels, well, chalky even with the wax. I’d like a smoother finish and hoping milk paint can deliver. Thoughts?
Milk paint feels chalky but the topcoat gives it a nice smooth finish. Good luck!
I just starting painting my cabinets 2 days ago, and like you, I could not wait!!! I am amazed by this paint! It goes on super easy and dries so fast. I’m so pleased with the results so far and pumped I found your blog!
Awesome Karen! I know you are going to love the finished product!
Oh my gosh this is an amazing discovery! My husband probably won’t be too thrilled that I want to add yet another project to our list, but this looks too easy to pass up. Thank you!!
Thanks Andi! This one really is pretty easy, LOL. Good luck!
What if a person wanted to use some glaze to give the cabinets a rustic look. Would you just do the glazing before the three coats of topcoat?
I have never experimented with glazes so I truly don’t know!
Will this paint work on outdoor, porch railings, where I can NOT get the old white paint all off? I wanted to put a stain on instead, but not having much luck so far, after several tries with heavy duty stripper. I was ready to tear down the porch rails till I realized building code requires them. Thanks – your cabinets look great!
I have never used it outside. I would contact General Finishes and ask. I do know it would be super expensive if you have a lot of railings! Good luck!
Hi! Beautiful job! I am getting ready to paint my kitchen cabinets and am excited to try the products you used. I was curious about the tiles in the pictures. Did you paint them or just do them over? Have a great day!
Thanks so much Laura! We have actually done both… read this one for info on painting them https://designertrapped.com/paint-a-tile-backsplash/ and this one for the information on the formica we did later
Beautiful! Do you happen to know if this will work on laminate cabinets? We’re in the long, tedious process of refinishing ours . I was wiping one off the other day and the paint came off on the cloth! We are using Kilz and regular paint.
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
So I had already started sanding my bathroom cabinets when I seen this on Pinterest. I only did the first part of the Sanding. Will I still be able to use the the General Finishes Milk Paint?
Absolutely!
Your kitchen looks amazing. We’re going to do all our bathroom and kitchen cabinets with this paint.
Our cans arrived this afternoon, I’m excited for the transformation.
The top coat says to sand in between coats, did you guys sand yours or just recoat after 2-4 hours?
We did not sand between top coats. We did three coats, not sure how long we waited in between, but probably 2-4 hours is accurate. Good luck and happy painting.
This paint is the best! I’m doing my laundry room cabinets and absolutely love it! And I only have the first coat of topcoat on. Hands down its the best paint I have ever used! I did let the guy at the hardware store talk me into a primer called stix. I couldn’t find the deglosser recommended here. After the first coat of paint, I was a little worried, but 2 coats of paint did the trick! Best and easiest paint project in years. Highly recommnded! Next project will be the bathroom cabinets.
are there people i can hire to do this for me? thanks
I am not sure Jane, but I would call local painting companies and ask! Thanks for reading.
What a fantastic DIY post, Tasha — thank you! I’ve taken notes, and my husband and I are going to tackle the cabinets in our upstairs loft, then the ones in our laundry room. You are an inspiration! :)
Thanks Allison! Good luck–I am sure they will be fantastic! Thanks for reading.
WOW! Your kitchen is fabulous! Thanks for the great instructions, but, how about you come do mine for me?? Please? LOL! I don’t know if I have enough patience to even start! GREAT JOB!
Thanks Gia!!! I think I am going to take a kitchen break after all the work we did on ours, LOL. Good luck–you can do it!!!
Were all of your cabinets oak? The doors and faces of our are solid wood, but the end caps are all pressed wood with a laminate over it. Just wondering how that will cover.
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
HI, I’m purchasing a new home and already prepping for the projects…kitchen is number one. What I am wondering is if this paint would work and hold up on a kitchen table. Mine is in desperate need of being refinished and I think I’d prefer a bright fun color over sanding and staining, and quite frankly this process sounds WAY easier :) What are your thoughts?
It should hold up! This paint is awesome!
What was the ‘cure’ time? How long from the final coat till you could put dishes back in the cabinets without it sticking?
We did not paint the insides so this was not an issue.
HI. So we painted our cabinets a few years ago and they chipped like you said your laundry room did. Have you tried repainting them with this product and if so did you have to sand them down or did you paint over the chips?
I have not but I plan to in the near future. And I am not planning on sanding anything!
How many coats of paint did it take to cover the oak?
Did you use the water based or the polyurethane top coat?
Hi Virginia. I opted for the water-based High Performance Top Coat. It is also available in oil-based, but I used the water based version.
HaHa. Nevermind. I just re-read and see that it was 2 coats!
Hahaha! Glad you found it! Thanks for reading.
i did my laundry room cabinets after reading this
they look great!!!!
Awesome Mary! So glad you are enjoying it. Thanks for reading!
I am starting this project this weekend! How many coats of the seagull grey did you use? Sorry if I missed this information.
We used two coats. Good luck!
Would this paint work on a wooden floor?
I would not recommend it, but check out this post about how to paint wood floors https://designertrapped.com/2015/01/diy-stenciled-floors.html It talks about why you need porch and floor paint!
i’m so happy i found your site! i love this post, its exactly what i’ve been searching for. our kitchen looks very similar to yours BEFORE your update. i’ve haaaaated my oak cabinets since we moved in, and its always been a “to-do” but i’ve never wanted to put up with the sanding and priming, blah blah blah. you’ve totally given me hope that i can do this! thank you so so much!
question: can you see the grain of the wood through the paint at all? or did the paint completely cover it? just curious!
Thanks for reading! Check out this post and it will cover that question and more: https://designertrapped.com/2016/02/diy-painted-kitchen-cabinets.html Good luck!
What length cabinet handles did you use? Love the look!
They are varying lengths depending on the size of the door. I got them from IKEA. Thanks for reading!
Did you sand between eac top coat application like the paint says? I’m trying this now and it’s a lot of work! Do I really have to sand in between top coats?
I did not sand between the topcoats! Good luck and thanks for reading.
I am doing this right now and feel disappointed with the results I am getting. After the first coat I was really happy with it, but now after the second coat has dried, I can see every brush stroke from the second coat. It isnt a nice smooth look at all. I am using foam rollers and a brush for the nooks and crannies where the roller cant reach, and it is also very obvious where I have used the brush. I’m not sure how to remedy this except to try a third coat. Did you have a problem with the second coat? I was hoping I would be on my way to the top coat by now! Also I am doing this on top of previously painted cabinets, but I used the deglosser and it is adhering just fine. I was hoping this would be as simple as you said it was, but now I feel like this is going to be a long stressful project. Any tips would be appreciated! Thank you!
Hi Kathy! No, we did not have that issue. My guess is you are probably seeing brush marks from the previous painting, but it’s hard to say. I would recommend doing a QUICK third coat with a foam roller only. The nooks and crannies probably don’t need a third coat. If the brush strokes are from the current paint job, that should help. We only had to do two coats, but we didn’t have any issue with brush marks. Hope that helps!
I love your cabinet transformation!! You have turned me on to this paint and my husband and I will be painting our cabinets soon. Question:
Did you apply the top coat to the back of the cabinet doors too?
Hi Mo! Yes, we did apply the top coat to the back of the cabinet doors also. Good luck!
I used your tutorial to update our bathroom cabinets a couple months ago and it turned out amazing! Today I am starting the kitchen. I cannot wait to see it finished! Thanks for all the tips :)
Awesome Kelley! Good luck on your kitchen! Thanks for reading.
I love what you did with the cabinets and plan on doing the same with mine!!! What is the color of the blue/gray wall behind the cabinets? Thanks!
Nostalgia by Valspar. Thanks for reading!
Looks great! Would this paint combination work well on a bathroom vanity? Given the moisture in the bathroom I was not sure.
There is no reason this should not work in a bathroom. Good luck!
Love the cabinets! What top coat did you use? There is High Performance and Waterbased and a High Performance Waterbased Polyurethane. Ready to get started thanks to your blog!
General Finishes high performance topcoat in flat finish (the water based version). Good luck and thanks for reading!
Love the new look and color.
I have metal cabinets. What kind of paint would you recommend. No sanding and priming WOW.
Could the info be sent to my e-mail as well as here. I don’t want to miss your response.
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps! Good luck!
So happy to have you join our team, Tasha! Your canniest look fab!! I painted over my hinges. Shame on me!! You did good!!! XO
*cabinets, lol
We have a Keebler Elf kitchen, very small. There are 15 cabinet doors and 6 drawers in honey oak that makes the kitchen look even smaller. I love the color choices you made and I’m excited to try to duplicate your efforts! I do have one question, did you also paint the back of the doors?
Melinda K.
We painted the whole door, but not the inside of the cabinet boxes. Thanks for reading and good luck!
Hello! My husband and I are looking to redo our kitchen on a small budget. We saw your post and absolutely love the color that you used and the fact that we wouldn’t have to sand and prime, as we have 34 cabinets and 17 drawers! We were trying to find how we could obtain some samples before we bought a large amount of paint. In your post you stated that you contacted General Finishes directly. I checked their website and cannot find any contact information. Is there any chance that you might still have their contact information?
Thank you so much for your time and your inspiration. We can only hope that our kitchen turns out as nice as yours!
General Finishes sent me pint size cans to try out—it’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples I referred to were just their pint size paints. You can order the same pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8.
Hello! My husband and I are looking at redoing our kitchen and came across your post. We absolutely love the color you used and the fact that I don’t have to spend the time to sand and prime as we have 34 cabinets and 17 drawers! I noticed in your blog that you said you contacted General Finishes directly. I have checked their website and cannot find any contact information so that we may obtain samples before we purchase a large amount of paint. Do you still happen to have their contact info?
Thank you so much for your help and inspiration. We can only hope our kitchen turns out as nice as yours!
General Finishes sent me pint size cans to try out—it’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples I referred to were just their pint-size paints. You can order the same pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8. Good luck!
Thanks so much!
I’m going to visit a local this next week to see the actual colors, but it looks by the website not too many to choose from. Keeping my fingers crossed that there’s one that goes with my color scheme of the house.
Good luck! Hope you find one you like that works for your color scheme. Thanks for reading!
I need to do this. My cabinets are a similar tone, in my 1930 bungalow, the result of a late 60’s remodel. :/ The veneer is peeling in areas & there’s built up grease around the handles. (Barf.)
My guy paints but has run into the issue of not letting latex paint dry long enough, feeling dry but once the doors are hung, they stick to the other painted surface & takes a piece off.
Hi Molly! I used latex paint on the cabinets in our laundry room and even though I allowed plenty of drying time, they still chipped and peeled within the first week :( The combination of this milk paint and top coat is the way to go!
I have a question!! We are closing on our home within the next few weeks! The kitchen is our first project before we even move in! I love the idea of not having to sand!!! Just curious, would the milk paint look good on the cabinets that are already existing? I have always wanted grey cabinets with black hardware (which I found incredibly cheap and great quality on 99centknobs.com) to match the black appliances we have. The oven and venthood are GREEN right now, YIKES! I found a black high gloss, high heat appliance paint that I am going to use for them! What are your thoughts?
Sounds great! I used the milk paint on my existing cabinets. Good luck on your redo! Thanks for reading.
Hi, I love love love your kitchen. These are the exact colors I am slowly redoing my kitchen in. But, I have a question. I originally was going to go with white cabinets and gray walls. Since you went with gray cabinets (which I am thinking of changing to now), what color did you paint your walls? I can’t really tell in the pictures if it is also a gray, or if its a blue-ish
It is a blue called Babbling Brook by Olympic and is sold at Lowes. Good luck and thanks for reading.
Do you think the general finishes paint would be good for a wood dining set, without sanding?
Yes! I would still follow the same steps outlined in the post. Good luck and thanks for reading!
Hi , just curious how was the top coat applied ? Roller ? brush ? Did you have any issues? I’m on the hunt for a good top coat ! Thanks!
As best I recall I used a regular bristle brush. I have not noticed brush marks, but there could be some. This top coat is amazing! I recommend it.
Will this work on my bathroom vanity too?
Yes! We did it on our powder room. Details here: https://designertrapped.com/2014/08/powder-room-ideas.html Good luck!
What top coat finish did you choose? Satin? Semi-Gloss?
I chose flat. There is a link to the exact product in this post if you want to check out exactly what I chose: https://designertrapped.com/2016/02/diy-painted-kitchen-cabinets.html Thanks for reading!
I have cupboards that gave this cheap plastic looking overlay. Can this milk paint be used directly over this finish?
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
I’ve read/seen on home improvement shows & in magazines that as long as the laminate is sanded, like on wood composite book shelves for example, it can be painted over.
Spray paint has solvents in it that help it adhere better but it’d need to be done outside as particles fly everywhere like dust.
Hi, was wondering if the milk paint was water or oil based?
It is water based acrylic paint. Please note this is very different from water based latex paint. Happy painting!
Hello so I just received the milk paint to start this project but as I was reading the ins, it says it needs to be sanded? I have the seagull gray milk paint water based could I have gotten a different one than the one you mentioned? TIA…
Hi Adah! The instructions on the paint do say to sand it, but I didn’t sand at all. I DID use a liquid deglosser before painting, which serves the same purpose as sanding. I did not sand in between coats. You definitely have the correct paint! I hope that helps!
Amazing!!!! I will be ordering the milk paints etc tmrw morning and am so looking forward to updating my cabinets. (Same color as yours) so dated!!! Can’t afford new ones and I have definitely been inspired by your project. Thanks so much for sharing. I look forward to this project and like you I will be doing it on weekends. I will post before and after pics on Pinterest. I’m ready for the journey! Amazing job. Thank you again.
Good luck Jazmin! I can’t wait to see how yours turn out!
Do I have to degrease the cabinets before I use milk paint. Were could I but this pain
I did wipe the cabinets down with Lysol wipes before using the deglosser. I hope that helps!
I want to paint my Cabinets, but, the have already been painted……..about four time (before my time). Do you think that this milk paint will work for them? Do I need to sand them down first?
Hi Shawn! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Hello I love the cabinets! I have a ? Do you think this will work on top of gel stain I stained my oak cabinets about 2 mths ago :-) thanks in advance.
Hi Ada! I have never tried that, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
we are considering painting our oak cabinets, as they really an update and would like a very light gray. We have white appliances and don’t want to try and match, so thinking the light gray would be super. I love the finished look of your cabinets. Can you tell me why you choose the flat finish? does it have something to do with how the top coat looks? We are considering trying General Finishes milk paint. I’m not sure what the difference is between milk paint and regular latex.
Hi Mary Ann! I chose a flat top coat because I don’t like a lot of sheen AND because a flat coat minimizes the grain showing through because less light catches on it. If you want a shiny top coat, you would want to pick the satin or gloss top coat. The difference in the milk paint is that it is a very high quality acrylic paint, which is MUCH more durable than latex paint. I painted my laundry room cabinets with latex paint and they chipped almost immediately. I hope that helps!
thank you for answering my questions. I did forget to ask if there is any nice sheen on your flat top coat? I do like a little sheen, also what do you use to wipe spills from the cabinets and/or for maintenance. I dislike really shiny finishes but a nice sheen would be great.
Did the milk paint you used come in a particular sheen, if so what did you choose? I am excited to do this project, also very leery as this is going to be a very large project for us. Since I am the painter in the family most of the work will be done by me. than you, Mary Ann
Hi Mary Anne! We opted to use the flat finish top coat. It does add a tiny bit of sheen, but not much. If you want more of a sheen you could opt for the satin or semi-gloss top coat.
I forgot to ask a couple of things, I am wondering if your milk paint itself has a specific sheen or you don’t need to pick a sheen for the gray paint, it just comes one way. Also wondering what you use on the cabinets for cleaning spills, regular maintenance?
Hi Mary Ann. The milk paint only comes in one finish and it’s flat. I use Lysol wipes and/or cleaning spray (Mrs. Meyer’s) to clean the cabinets. I hope that helps!
Hi there, after seeing your blog 6 (or more)months ago and falling in love with your kitchen, I took the plunge and started painting my cabinets :) So far, all is going very well. Just wanted to ask, how did you apply the top coat? Foam brush and roller just like the paint? Thank you for your inspiration and follow up post about how the cabinets are holding up. My son’s bathroom is next and he is thrilled about the concrete countertop.
Thank you Melissa! As I recall, we used a regular bristle brush to apply the top coat. I hope that helps :) Did you see my post about how our concrete vanity is holding up? If not, you may want to check that out, too: https://designertrapped.com/2016/02/diy-concrete-vanity-update.html Thanks so much for reading my blog and good luck with your projects!
My cabinets currently have a textured finish. I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t need to sand them first. Will this be a problem?
Hi Elizabeth! You will just have to paint a test patch and see. I’m not sure what you mean by textured. I can tell you that this is what General Finishes says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
These look great! Do you think it would work on fake wood?
Hi Linda! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
This is a great post! I saw it on Pinterest. I have the same orangey ugly cabinets and have been going back and forth on painting vs gel stain. I will definitely contact this company and chat with them. I really appreciate you including the list of products you used, but mostly the update on how they have held up. That was also my biggest fear in painting mine.
So glad to hear it. Thank you Jackie!
Those cabinets look amazing! We bought our first home about a year ago and I have been putting off painting the kitchen cabinets because there are a zillion of them, but man oh man they are ugly. This might be the motivation I need to make it happen! How many coats of paint did you use before the top coat?
Thank you Hayley! We used two coats of paint before the top coat. I hope that helps!
Any idea if this would work for bathroom cabinets? Just thinking of the extra moisture…. thanks!
Absolutely Josie! We used it on the cabinet in our powder room and it looks beautiful. You can see that here: https://designertrapped.com/2014/08/powder-room-ideas.html
Hi! Can I use this on my oak staircase?
Absolutely Diana!
I’m redoing my kitchen and love the outcome of your remodel! ! Can you tell me what color you used on the wall? I have already remodeled 2 bathrooms using the General Finishes and absolutely love it. Thank you for the pin
Thanks so much Chasity! The walls are Babbling Brook by Olympic, which is sold at Lowes. I hope that helps! And so happy to hear you love the General Finishes paint as much as I do!
saw your post through Kennary… This is coming at the perfect time for me because we’re closing on our first house on Friday, and I want to bring the dingy kitchen cabinets back from the ’70s before we move in. I’d love to not have to sand them. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure Bradleigh! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Whats the name of the darkest color on the right?
I believe it is Queenstown Gray, Lori. I hope that helps!
Where did you get those awesome hanging lights?!!
Hi Mandy! Those awesome lights are from Target! You can find the complete list of sources for our budget kitchen remodel here: https://designertrapped.com/2014/08/shop-budget-kitchen-makeover.html
Ok, i saw this post several months ago and i still come back to it all the time! I think once it warms up a bit outside I am going to tackle this! I am curious to see or know how it has held up to everyday use! Any chips, or scratches on it yet!?!
Hi Kacey! I just posted about how the kitchen cabinets are holding up. I think you may have already seen it on Facebook, but just in case I am thinking of the wrong person, you can find the post here: https://designertrapped.com/2016/02/diy-painted-kitchen-cabinets.html Thanks so much for reading my blog!
Your kitchen looks amazing! One question – did you do only one coat of the milk paint before applying 3 coats of the top finish? If so, I would like to know if you see any of the oak grain? It doesn’t look like you do and if that’s so, this paint is truly amazing.
Thank you Darlene! We applied 2 coats of paint and 3 coats of top coat. The oak grain is still somewhat visible. You can see a video that shows the grain in this post: https://designertrapped.com/2016/02/diy-painted-kitchen-cabinets.html I hope that helps!
Hello. Did you use: General Finishes Water Based High Performance Polyurethane Top Coat Flat Finish Quart or General Finishes QTHM High Performance Water Based Topcoat, 1 quart, Flat ?
Thanks!
Hi Yael! Here is a link to the exact top coat we used: http://amzn.to/1KZTZxN I hope that helps!
I am wondering if you used the water based or the polyurethane top coat. And, what the benefits of each are? Thank you!
Hi Lara! Here is a link to the exact top coat we used: http://amzn.to/1KZTZxN The oil-based and water-based are both polyurethanes, but the water based dries more quickly. I hope that helps!
I just painted my laundry room cabinets with general finishes. It worked great. I am wondering if you sanded between the top coat paint coats. On the can t says to sand between layers. I loved your kitchen and info on how to do it.
Hi Margaret! Nope, I didn’t sand between coats. I hope that helps!
Can u use this paint in bathrooms & where can I buy it. Not on line
Hi Sherry! If you don’t want to order it online from Amazon, you’ll have to call around local woodworking shops to see if they carry it. Lowe’s and Home Depot do not carry it. I hope that helps!
Can you buy this paint at Lowes or Home Depot ?
Not that I know of Beverly, but you can purchase it on Amazon and at some woodworking stores!
I am so glad I found your page, I have been thinking of grey. We moved into our home a couple months ago, original owners from the 50’s. Vintage. The cupboards are in nice shape so to commit to painting is a hard choice. My husband has thought of leaving the cupboards and painting the framework. I haven’t found any good examples and not sure I like the idea. I love this paint. We just picked out a dining room set from Ikea that is antique white and grey. Definitely showing this to my husband. Love how you did it too, just thinking about starting a project like this makes me tired and we have a long list. Thanks so much for sharing.
My pleasure Jo Anna!
My husband seems to think that three quarts will not be enough for my kitchen … I have 32 average size cabinet doors and then 15 drawers. I have been wanting to paint my cabinets white for quite some time and your tutorial is very simple. Thoughts? This would be first time ever trying to DIY.
Hi KLG! It’s possible you will need more, but this paint goes a long way–much better coverage than latex paint. Good luck with your project!
Tasha, are your walls grey too? It looks amazing! I have knotty alder cabinets, do you have any tips for filling the knots?
Hi Janice! No, the walls are Babbling Brook by Olympic, which is a light aqua color. You could probably fill the knots with spackle–that’s what I would try!
How well does this paint hide the oak grain? I have great cabinets with crown moldings but that ugly gold oak . I would love to try this in the summer when I’m off of work.
Hi Angela! The grain shows through a bit, but with a flat top coat is not as noticeable as you may think!
Hi! Great tutorial! Thanks! We’re gonna tackle some tests this week. I see you mention a top coat, but I didn’t see what kind of topcoat you used (or maybe it’s the Advil for this head cold that keeps me from reading all the words ;)
Thanks!!
Jenn
LOL, Jenn! There’s a link to the top coat we used in the post. It’s General Finishes High Performace Top Coat :)
I have a 1978 house. Our kitchen originally have the dark brown cabinets that were “the thing” of the 70’s. Somewhere along the way someone painted them white, but they didn’t do a good job. I’ve been researching ways to paint them and make them look good. I’m really excited to learn about the general finishes milk paints and gel stains. Do you think they would work on my cabinets that already have a pretty lousy coat of paint on them? Thanks in advance for your help and advice.
Hi Stephanie! You should be able to paint right over the old paint! This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Your kitchen transformation is beautiful. My boyfriend is hesitant about doing this without sanding or priming though. How long ago did you do this and have you see significant chipping/peeling?
Hi MaryBeth! The cabinets are holding up perfectly! We completed the project in April, 2014. I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
Wow, I occasionally flip a house. I ONCE painted the cabinets. They chipped easily. I also have an antique booth and paint furniture. No brush strokes sounds great!!!! I use Annie Sloan paint so I already do not sand or prime. I intend to try this product soon because of your post. I’ve never heard of this product. Many thanks!
My pleasure Anita!
After seeing this I can’t wait to try the milk paint and paint my kitchen cabinets! Thank you for the tutorial, your kitchen looks amazing!
You’re welcome Shaonda. Thanks as well :).
Thanks for the information. I have been wanting to redo my kitchen cabinets this looks like something I can do.
That’s great to hear Jan. You’re welcome!
Did the paint cover up the oak grain or did it show through?
Thank you,
Anna
Hi Anna! The grain still shows through a bit.
How is the fumes on all the products you had to use? I have an 11 month old and it’s winter here in Maine….
Hi Miranda! The fumes from the paint and top coat are not bad AT ALL!
Recently redid my kitchen cabinets and found I didn’t need to empty the drawers….the fronts of my drawers are just screwed onto the drawer boxes. Saved me the headache of emptying everything out and door fronts are easier to work with than the whole drawer. :)
Great idea Betsy!
How many coats of paint did you use?
Hi Rose! We used two coats of the paint.
Hi Tasha!
Coming across your blog was like a Godsend! I recently took on the project of painting my kitchen cabinets–only a small section that was meant to be a focal point area (black), and it turned out to be a rather tedious ordeal. I did the traditional sanding, priming, ect…–and now, I realize that I’ve taken on more than I could chew–because the other cabinets will probably have to be painted as well! To make a long story a bit shorter (too late :-) I will be ordering the General Finishes Milk Paint to finish the project! I will also forgo sanding and use the deglosser, Can you tell me if you used only the foam roller for the face of the cabinets–or did you use a brush (other than in the nooks and crannies)? I cannot tell you how much of a pain the brush strokes were–I re-sanded a couple of times. Also, is the top coat applied by brush, and why did you use the flat versus satin? Thanks!
Aww, thank you Krista! We used a foam roller for all the flat surfaces and a brush to get in the nooks and crannies :) We applied the top coat with a regular paint brush. We chose the flat finish top coat to help minimize the light catching the grain so it’s less noticeable. I hope that helps!
Hi Tasha,
Thanks for the great information. I will be taking on our kitchen soon. I already ordered all of your recommended products. One question…if we don’t want grain to show through do you think we should use a primer after the deglosser? Thanks for your help. We are using the snow white on like oak cabinets.
Thanks,
Kayleen
Hi Kayleen! Unfortunately, I don’t think that a primer will prevent the grain from showing through. The grain is more of a texture issue. You would have to use spackle or drywall mud to make the cabinets totally smooth. That said, the flat finish I used helps to minimize the light catching the grain so it’s not as noticable. I hope that helps!
Hi! You inspired me to do my kitchen! I started with the vanity….I’m having a little trouble (I see brush strokes until I get to the second / third coat). Also, did you sand in between the High Performance sealer after painting? Or did you just seal 3 times?
Thank you!
Hi Nita! We did not sand at all!
Would this work to paint over formica cabinets?
Hi Luis! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for the tutorial! How has the paint held up so far? I’m very concerned about durability with 3 small kids but I really want to try this!
You’r welcome Jessica. Appreciate it. We completed painting our cabinets in April, 2014 and they are still holding up perfectly!
Your cabinets look great! How have they been holding up? I definitely want to look into using milk paint for my cabinets!
Thank you Melaine! We completed painting our cabinets in April, 2014 and they are still holding up perfectly!
I’m curious, what type of cabinets do you have? Real wood? Or laminate particle board cabinets?
Hi Cody–they are solid oak.
How did you calculate how much paint to buy?
What top coat do u prefer? General finishes satin or flat? The satin seems to be stronger when I read the info on it. But the flat is recommended for cabinets. Do you know the differences. I can’t figure out what would be best for kitchen cabinets and I have 3 kids 4 and under I really want it to last. Thank you!
I prefer the flat finish–that’s what we used. Our cabinets are holding up perfectly! We completed the project in April, 2014. I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
You just saved me almost $4000! No lie. We have been working with two cabinet designers to create a new master bathroom vanity. I’m bagging both of those designs and refinishing the existing vanity with this milk paint, new hardware, etc. This was key! I tested it out today and loved the results, I’m so inspired to tackle a mess of projects around the house, armed with this milk paint. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Wow! That’s great to hear Kristie. Hope you can upload a picture of your new master bathroom. I’m excited to see it :)
Nice love the makeover. I too did a huge kitchen paint job and new hardware that was going to coast 300. As I have 33 handles I found my hardware way cheaper than any where else at doorcorner.com for 130. Very nice site to work with. Then they refunded 50 due to a sale so my total was 80 bucks score.
Thank you Nadine. Great to hear that you found this blog post helpful in your kitchen’s makeover.
The instructions on the can say you should sand before you paint and between coats. Does using the deglosser replace these steps?
Hi LC. Yes, the deglosser serves the same purpose as sanding. We ONLY used it prior to painting–we did not use it between coats (we didn’t sand between coats either).
What paint did you use for the back splash?
The same paint we used on the cabinets. You can read all about the painted back splash here: https://designertrapped.com/2014/05/paint-a-tile-backsplash.html
Great job! I love how your kitchen turned out! How have your hinges held up? We are considering spray painting ours. Thank you for your time!
How did you calculate how much paint and top coat you needed?
We totally guess Sue! I don’t know if there is a specific formula. Sorry!
I want to paint my bathroom cabinets. Do you think this paint would work on them also? They are oak and look similar to the ones in your kitchen.
Sue
Absolutely, Sue!
Would the milk paint work on laminated cabinets also?
Hi Holly! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Our cabinets are already painted white but are dingy and chipping in areas. If we used milk paint to repaint them, should we sand them because they’re already painted? Yours look amazing!
Thank you Kristi! I would paint right over the existing paint! This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
We painted our cabinets about 6 years ago with regular high gloss latex paint. It looked good for a while, but is definitely showing wear around the hardware and where we handle them most. Just wondering if you can use the milk paint directly over the latex paint without sanding, or would we have to sand the old paint off?
Hi Nicole! I would paint right over it! This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
How did you get Genreal finishes to send you samples?
Hi Annie! It’s just a perk of being a DIY blogger. The samples are really just pint sized cans, which you can purchase here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8
How can I purchase samples? Also, with the seagull gray is it more on the white side or does it have a pretty gray tint to it? I’m on the fence between antique white, Snow White, and I love your seagull gray-this is why I would like to buy samples before I buy the quarts. I would like to do a white kitchen. I love the way yours turned out!! How has it held up to heat and normal wear?
Hi Sharisa! The samples are just pint size cans, which you can purchase here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8 The seagull gray is a light gray–definitely not white. The cabinets are holding up perfectly! We completed the project in April, 2014. I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
So my brother-in-law, who is a cabinet rep, says his concern is that the grain would show through the paint, which would be fine if painted a dark color, but my be a negative if painting a light color as you chose, and as I am considering.
My question is, and there aren’t any pictures here that really show it (very close-up after pictures) does this milk paint lay on thickly and flatly enough that the wood grain is obliterated and the surface ends up flat?
Hi Bob! The grain does show through. The paint is not thick enough to flatten the surface, but it still looks great in my opinion. Hope that helps!
I just did a trial run today using seagull gray ( the light gray in the photos)… I did two coats and there is a touch of wood grain showing through, but nothing noticeable in my opinion. Looks great!
Oh wow, your photos and tutorial actually made my husband say yes to painting our oak cabinets!! It looks like this is a recent post (I’m new to your blog), so how long ago did you paint them? My husband is worried about chipping, as most men are. Your home looks lovely. I also know a little bit about life with twins…never a dull moment, lol.
Hi Marcia, We completed painting our cabinets in April, 2014 and they are still holding up perfectly!
My cabinets are currently painted white but aren’t in good shape and are chipping. I assume i’ll have to sand. What do you think – can milk paint be used over other paint?
Hi Kristi! This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Can you use this on the laminate type wood? I am pretty sure the faces of my cabinets are t real wood.
I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
With other milk paint I tried, it came in powder, and had to be mixed with water. Is this the same with General and if so can you give me the ratio of water to powder.
Thanks Julie
Hi Julie! General Finishes milk paint is a high quality acrylic paint that comes premixed. Sorry!
Your kitchen looks great! I’m in the middle of doing the same thing, but started with chalk paint and was recommended to use poly urethane as the top coat. The poly is really difficult to get a smooth coverage and needs sanding between top coats. 2 questions: first, is your top coat the same as a poly and/or difficult to get smooth coverage?; second, since I’ve already used chalk paint of a different brand, do you think the top coat you used would be an option for me?
Hi Megan! I do think the top coat I used would be an option for you over chalk paint. The General Finishes topcoat is a poly, but it is one of the most durable polys available to consumers, so it’s much better than most others.
Tasha your kitchen looks fantastic!! I also have oak cabinets in my kitchen that, after seeing your pictures, and reading your post, I am considering painting with milk paint. Who knew cabinet painting could be this easy or have such beautiful results. My cabinets are the same color oak as yours, however, a different style (recessed panels). My big question that’s making my pause on this project (ok, other than trying to convince my hubby that we should do this), is what about the grain?? Does the milk paint cover the grain, or can you still see the grain grove through the paint? It does not look like you can. Thanks for your help!
Hi Marie! The grain does show through, but it doesn’t bother me at all! Using the flat top coat helps minimize it. I hope that helps!
Where did you find this paint? Interested in doing some cabinets but the only places we have close to buy paint are Lowes and a Home Depot not far away.
Hi Sherry! You can order the paint from Amazon or you can check with some local woodworking stores–they sometimes carry it. Here is the link to find it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1S5Dmn5 I hope that helps :)
You can order directly from General Finishes. I used the Gel Stain to refinish my kitchen cabinets. It is truly more than FANTASTIC! The milk paint is as easy as this.
Use General Finishes, you won’t be disappointed.
Will Olympic one milk paint work the same? It can be purchased at lowes?
I don’t know, since I haven’t used it. But I can tell you that General Finishes is the ONLY milk paint I have found thus far that I would recommend for this project.
Could you do this treatment to other high use wood surfaces? Kitchen table and chairs? Dressers?
Absolutely!
The side of my end cabinets are a veneer. Can they also be painted?
Hi Dawn! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Did you need to wash cabinets free of any greasy accumulation ?
We did wipe them down with Lysol wipes before deglossing them. I hope that helps Nancy!
How did you use the deglosser without the fumes impacting your children? I have a one year old and I am concerned about that.
Hi Jason! We did most of the deglossing outside. For the cabinet boxes, we made sure to do it at night after they went to bed and were far away from the fumes :) The fumes were gone by morning. I hope that helps!
Did you sand I between the top coats?
Nope, I didn’t. Hope that helps, Kelly!
Can milk paint be used on Formica cabinets?
Hi Lisa! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Can one or two of you send a photo? We are painting over dark doors.
Thank you
Shirley
love the kitchen, looks great! where are those awesome pendant lights over the island from?
thanks! chantal :)
Thank you Tallie! I got them at Target. They are meant to be plugged in but we easily hard-wired them. Hope that helps!
I have some paint chipping off of my cabinets and have been dreading/ putting off painting them for years. Do you think I will have to sand that down or can I go over it?
Hi Susan! Without seeing your cabinets, it’s hard to say. But, my guess is that if you remove any loose paint, you shouldn’t have to sand off the paint that is still well-adhered. This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Love it gorgeous I’ve been looking for the right paint to do my cabinets to and I love how great you describe this paint but I have one down fall. I recently moved into my child hood home and a long time ago my mom and I stain them a dark brown so my question is will this paint cover the stain with out bleed through I have only found one paint that don’t so if you can help with my problem that would be great thanks
The coverage with this paint is excellent, but the only way to know is to paint some samples on your cabinets. Good luck!
Thank you! It will be doing mi e too!
Your welcome Gette.
Well this paint work on cabinets that has about 5 layers of plyothune on them? Without sanding and priming?
Hi Cris! I think it would, thought I haven’t tried it. This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Kitchen looks beautiful! Question about your black splash….did you redo or just repaint it?
We painted it. You can see that post here: https://designertrapped.com/2014/05/paint-a-tile-backsplash.html
The ends of my cabinets are laminate, along with the sides of my island. Will this work on that?
Hi Barb! I have never tried it, but this is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
We are getting ready to paint our cabinets . Did you sand in between each coat of the top sealer?
Thanks in advance,
Jaimie
Hi Jaimie! Nope, we didn’t sand in between coats. I hope that helps!
Your cabinets look great! Why did you choose the flat finish poly? Just curious.
I just prefer a very low sheen on cabinets. Personal preference :)
Hi there! Your post had me on a mission! How many cabinets did you paint all together? I’m looking at your pictures and thinking my kitchen is about 1/2 the project or more. I know you said you used 3 quarts on the cabinets so I’m trying to get a feel. I have 4 smaller squares (above the fridge), 6 longer cabinet doors, 3 drawers, and 4 medium cabinet doors. I’m thinking to buy one quart of seagull and one quart of whitish and mix them?
Can’t wait to hear back! THANKS!
Thank you Molly! I don’t know exactly how many cabinets and drawers we have, but it sounds like you should be able to get the job done with two quarts. Good luck!
Beautifully done! Have you found this method to be very durable? How long have you been using the newly painted cabinets and have you had any wear/chipping problems? Thank you!
The cabinets are holding up perfectly! We completed the project in April, 2014. I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
I LOVE IT! I’m going to go to the site for the paint now & look at doing my kitchen this spring. Just one update to consider adding your post: in case you’re not near an IKEA like we are, they do have shipping for all that that really cool hardware!
Thank you!
I’m redoing our cabinets…but with Rustoleum Transformation kit…did you coat the inside of your cabinet doors with the top coat? I’m debating whether to do mine or not – I’ve painted them though.
I’m also redoing our stair bannister and using General Finished Java Gel! Thanks!
Hi Carie! We did use the top coat inside the cabinet doors also. I hope that helps!
Is there a way to get samples or color swatches? Having a hard time finding a contact number for the company.
Thanks for the great post! Going to try this.
Hi Rachel! You can order the pint size cans on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/20sCPe8
I had a “professional” paint my white cabinets, which are the pressed particle board type material, not oak like yours. He painted a base color, did a little glazing, and then slapped on, literally, pure polyurethane… and left drips and unpainted places all along the way with that last step. I have tons of nicks and dings on my cabinets, and could honestly cry every time I look at them – especially considering that we actually paid this man to do this. ANYHOO, do you know what the process would be for redoing these cabinets with the type paint you used? I think I’d def have to sand off this junk. Will that be a problem, do you think? I know I’ll have to wipe them down after sanding. I just have a LOT of cabinet doors, and my own set of twins plus one more, lol! Thankfully, my girls are in kindergarten this year and their brother is older, so maybe I stand a chance?! Hubs will not be helping, at all – NOT his thing… Thanks!
Hi Amy! Oh no! That sounds like a nightmare! I bet you could just sand off the drips and then use this paint :) This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
Did you only have to do one coat of the milk paint? I painted my son’s dressers with the lamp black milk paint and it took 4 coats!! I’m wondering if I did something wrong.
Hi Michelle! We used two coats. I think coverage with any black paint can be tricky!
How are they holding up? Do they scratch easily or chip at all now? Do they wipe clean easily? Thanks in advance!
Hi Megan! The cabinets are holding up perfectly! I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
I was wondering how your cabinets have held up since you painted them.
Hi Stacie! The cabinets are holding up perfectly! I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
Do you know if the milk paint will act the same way over already painted cabinets?
Hi Debbie! It should. This is what General Finishes’ website says about its milk paint: “General Finishes milk paints will adhere to a variety of surfaces including wood, fiberglass, PVC, vinyl, and most composite materials. Additionally, these paints can be applied over existing finishes, stains and other paints so long as the existing finish is fully dry. However, when painting over other finishes, it’s important to always test a small area first to make sure the paint adheres well to the original surface.” I hope that helps!
I’m very interested in using general finishes milk paint on my cabinets and your blog post inspired me. How are your cabinets holding up after a year? Are you still happy with them?
Also, I noticed you did no sanding at all. Other sites tell you to sand so I’m just wondering which way to go. My cabinets are about 13 yrs old and are kraftmaid so they’re pretty good quality. Any feedback from you would be appreciated!
Hi Ruth! The cabinets are holding up perfectly! I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
Hi Tasha,
Since some time has passed since you painted your cabinets, I was wondering how the paint has held up? I am planning on painting my cabinets soon and they have a very similar oak color and finish that yours did. I would love to not have to worry about sanding and priming, but I get nervous when I see other tutorials tell you that it is absolutely necessary in order for the paint to be durable over time.
Hi Jessica! The cabinets are holding up perfectly! I will actually be posting a specific post about how they are holding up, complete with a video, later this week!
I’m just wondering if you left the inner parts of the cabinets the original wood or whatever finish they were. I was thinking about redoing our light colored wood cabinets in white, and that’s what I planned to do. Also, I was thinking about using fine line tape, the same width of my grout to mask it, then paint my tile, then use grout paint afterwards. Thoughts.
Hi Aaron! We painted the inside of the doors, but not the inside of the cabinet boxes. I hope that helps! And GREAT idea about how to paint the grout lines.
How long has paint been on cabinets? Holding up well? Great job..same color I am considering!
Hi Linda, We completed painting our cabinets in April, 2014 and they are still holding up perfectly!
where can you purchase General Finishes Milk Paint?
You can purchase it on Amazon or some woodworking stores :)
Thinking of painting my cabinets i have been looking at different paints have you ever tried the chalk paint i think its pretty close to the milk paint but i haven’t tried either but seen both on cabinets wondering if you have what the difference was.
Hi Amy! I do love chalk based paints for furniture. The milk paint is a high-quality acrylic paint and with the top coat is more durable than chalk paint with wax in my opinion. I hope that helps!
I noticed in the beginning, you tried three colors (in small sections) to determine the color you wanted. How did you cover that?
I’m debating over the Snow White and Antique White but would love to test out the colors first.
Thanks!
Hi Nancy! We just went right over the sample patches with the final paint color. The coverage with this paint is outstanding! I hope that helps :)
Hi Tasha, I started my cupboards and it’s looking great but I too have the same question as above. I know you said a top coat that’s water based but I was wondering if you were aware there are two types of top coats? I wanted to be sure it was the the polyacrylic and not the polyurethane.
Hi Kara! So happy to hear your cabinets are looking great. This is a link to the exact General Finishes High Performance Top Coat that I used: https://generalfinishes.com/retail-products/water-base-top-coats-sanding-sealers/high-performance-polyurethane-topcoat#.VoUlZJMrJ-U I hope that helps!
How can I paint them ezzpresso?
You could try using a gel stain like I describe in this post: https://designertrapped.com/2015/08/how-to-use-gel-stain-to-update-cabinets.html
did you paint the inside of your doors or just the part people can see when they are closed?
thanks!
emily