A new kitchen costs thousands, but a tired one can be transformed for the price of a few tins of paint. Painting the cabinet doors is a weekend project that takes years off a dated kitchen, as long as you do not rush the preparation.
Take the doors off
You can paint them in place, but the result is always neater if you unscrew the doors and remove the handles, then paint them flat on a bench or trestles. Number each door and its hinges so they go back exactly where they came from.
Clean and key the surface
Kitchen doors are coated in an invisible film of cooking grease that paint simply will not stick to. This is the step that decides whether the job lasts.
- Wash every surface thoroughly with sugar soap.
- Sand the doors to take the shine off the old finish.
- Wipe away all dust with a tack cloth.
Prime, then topcoat
Use a proper primer made for melamine or laminate if your doors are not bare wood, or nothing will grip. Then apply two thin coats of a hardwearing cabinet or eggshell paint, sanding lightly between coats for a smooth, durable finish.
Let it cure
The paint may feel dry within hours but takes days, sometimes weeks, to fully harden. Rehang the doors carefully, but treat them gently at first and avoid scrubbing them, so the finish has time to toughen into a surface that shrugs off daily kitchen life.