How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro (Without Sanding)

If your kitchen still has those dated oak or honey-colored cabinets from the early 2000s, you don’t need to rip them out. You don’t even need to sand them. With the right primer and a weekend of patience, you can completely transform your kitchen for under $200.

We’ve done this project twice now, and the results genuinely shocked us both times. Here’s exactly how to do it.

What You’ll Need

Materials (estimated $150-200 total):

• Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer ($25/gallon at Home Depot) – this is the secret weapon that eliminates sanding
• Benjamin Moore Advance paint in your chosen color ($55/gallon) – or Behr Cabinet & Trim ($38/gallon at Home Depot)
• TSP cleaner or Krud Kutter ($8 at Lowe’s)
• 2-inch Purdy angled brush ($12)
• 4-inch foam rollers ($8 for a 6-pack)
• Painter’s tape – FrogTape ($7)
• Drop cloths ($5)
• Ziplock bags for hardware ($3)

Step 1: Remove Everything

Take off all cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware. Label each door with a piece of painter’s tape and a number so you know where it goes back. Put all screws and hinges in labeled ziplock bags.

Pro tip: Take a photo of your kitchen before you start. You’ll want the before/after comparison later.

Step 2: Clean Like You Mean It

This is the step most people skip, and it’s why most DIY cabinet paint jobs fail. Kitchen cabinets are coated in years of grease, cooking oil, and grime. If you paint over that, the paint will peel within months.

Mix TSP cleaner according to the directions and scrub every surface you plan to paint. Use a green Scotch-Brite pad for stubborn spots. Rinse with clean water and let everything dry completely – at least 2 hours.

Step 3: Prime (This Is Why You Don’t Need to Sand)

Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is a bonding primer that sticks to glossy surfaces without sanding. It’s the entire reason this project works without a power sander.

Apply one coat of primer to all surfaces with a foam roller for flat areas and your Purdy brush for edges and details. Don’t go too thick – two thin coats beat one thick coat every time.

Let the primer dry for at least 2 hours (overnight is better).

Step 4: Paint – The Right Way

Here’s where patience matters. You need two coats minimum, with proper dry time between each.

1. Use the foam roller for door fronts and large flat surfaces – it gives a smooth, factory-like finish
2. Use the angled brush for recessed panel details, edges, and inside corners
3. Paint in thin, even coats. Thick coats cause drips and take forever to cure
4. Wait 4-6 hours between coats (check the can for specific times)
5. After the final coat, wait at least 3 days before reattaching doors

The Best Colors Right Now

If you’re going white (the most popular choice by far), try Benjamin Moore White Dove or Simply White. For something moodier, try Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (almost black) or Benjamin Moore Hale Navy for a dramatic two-tone look.

Two-tone trick: Paint upper cabinets white and lowers in a darker color. It’s a designer look that costs zero extra dollars.

Step 5: Reinstall and Upgrade

While your cabinets are drying, this is the perfect time to upgrade your hardware. New pulls and knobs can completely change the look:

• Budget pick: Amazer 25-pack matte black pulls ($28 on Amazon)
• Mid-range: Amerock Blackrock pulls ($5 each at Home Depot)
• Splurge: Rejuvenation Massey pulls ($12 each)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Rushing dry times – this is the #1 reason DIY cabinet jobs fail. Paint that isn’t fully cured will stick to itself when you close the doors
• Skipping primer – no matter what the paint can says about “paint and primer in one,” use a separate bonding primer
• Using cheap brushes – a $12 Purdy brush leaves a noticeably smoother finish than a $3 brush. Worth it
• Not removing doors – painting cabinets in place always looks amateur. Take them down

The Bottom Line

Total cost: $150-200. Total time: one weekend plus a few days of drying. Total impact: your kitchen will look like it cost $15,000 to renovate. This is genuinely one of the highest-ROI projects you can do as a homeowner.