ORC Week 6: How to Paint Cabinets for a Smooth Finish

Week 6 of the One Room Challenge is here and I cannot be more excited about it. This week was all about the cabinets and repainting the original wood cabinets in the laundry room. These cabinets are solid wood and still had the old knobs and hardware. We had updated this room a little bit when we moved in with paint and the wainscotting that was painted white but that was about it. But these cabinets still had old hooks on them where towels would get hung. And they were well overdue for a dramatic makeover. So I will share how to paint cabinets for a smooth finish how to paint cabinets with in order to get a smooth finish with no brush lines.

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Supply List for How to Paint Cabinets for a Smooth Finish

• Orbital Sander
• Course Sanding Pads
• Kilz Primer
• Behr Paint of Choice
• Polycrylic Sealer (I use water-based)
• Foam Roller
• Foam Brush

The first step was to sand the cabinet fronts and the base. I did this same technique when I painted the kitchen cabinets. I used my orbital sander with a coarse grit sanding pad.

The next step was to apply a coat of Kilz primer which is my favorite primer. I like to use primer because the cabinets had been previously stained and I didn’t want any stain to leak through.

I had ordered four paint samples from Behr to test to see which color I wanted to use. I ended up choosing Nocturne Blue from Behr using their Scuff Defense paint. And looking back I could have bought their cabinet and trim paint, and I’m not sure why I didn’t, but they’re scuff defense is great too. I used the scuff defense in the kitchen and I’ve already found out that it was good to be able to just wipe off any stains that are left.

After sanding it and priming I started with painting. In order to get a smooth finish when you’re applying the paint to cabinets you will want to use a high density foam roller. I have found that this type of roller does not leave marks. However I did have to use a paintbrush on the cabinet base just because the roller wouldn’t be able to reach the tighter areas. I use a natural bristle brush instead of the synthetic brush, which can tend to leave more brush marks in my experience.

I ended up applying three coats of the paint because after two coats I could see streaks and it wasn’t as saturated in areas. Once the three coats were on and had dried for over 24 hours, I then used a water-based Polycrylic to seal the entire cabinet base and doors. When applying the polycrylic I use a foam brush so that I can get a smooth finish. Once the polycrylic had dried Justin installed all of the new hinges and brand new knobs. For the bottom cabinets I decided to change up the look and did handles instead of knobs.

Here you can see the before and after and I think it’s such a dramatic look. I love the gold and the blue together. And now it’s time to finish the rest of the room, including trim, new light, and adding the closet doors back.

Other Posts You May Like:

• ORC Week 5: Luxury Vinyl Plank Installation
• How to Apply Peel and Stick Wallpaper: Week 3 One Room Challenge
• Laundry Room Inspiration for the One Room Challenge