How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Without Visible Brush Strokes

It's easier said than done to paint kitchen cabinets, and definitely a trickier job than most DIY paint projects. You'll want to do it perfectly the first time to avoid leaving brush traces. This is why it's crucial to understand how to paint kitchen cabinets with a smooth finish.

So how do you paint a kitchen cabinet without making any brush marks? The easiest approach to avoid brush marks when painting kitchen cabinets is to follow a specific process such as painting in a single direction, applying numerous layers, and using high-quality materials.

Steps on How To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets Without Getting Brush Strokes

1. Sand The Cabinets

To prevent giving your floors and walls a surprise makeover, make sure you adequately prepare the area before you begin. This entails laying down your drop cloths and, ideally, taping them to the area you're working on so they don't shift. If you have to lay them on the floor, that'll suffice.

Before starting on priming and painting, sand the doors lightly. This is to produce a smooth, clean, and ready-to-paint surface. Take your sanding sponge or other preferred sanding methods, and lightly sand all of the doors you're going to paint. Make sure to clean any remaining dust or fibers from the surface. Before going on to the next stage, use an air compressor to completely blast out all of the dust.

For the best results, natural cabinet doors may need to be caulked and sanded before painting. Otherwise, the paint will not properly cover the minor holes and corner portions. Fill up any tiny holes with wood filler, then softly smooth them with a sanding sponge when the spackle has dried.

2. Remove Hardware from the Cabinets

Before you continue, make sure you remove all hardware like handles and hinges. Typically, all you have to do is take a screwdriver and unscrew any hardware connected to the cabinet. If you want to reuse the same hardware, make sure you keep all of the door hardware in a bag or container so you don't lose any screws or parts, this also keeps them clean and clear of paint.

You can also choose to keep the hardware connected but it can be difficult to prevent brush strokes around the edges of the hardware and to achieve complete coverage around those components.

3. Use a Primer

Using a high-quality primer is extremely necessary whether you're painting previously painted doors or working on bare wood. Don't miss this step if you want the cleanest finish and have already invested in excellent paint.

Find a primer that's simple to use and provides excellent paint adhesion, and if you use a top-quality primer and apply it correctly then sand it down, your kitchen cabinets will likely have a much smoother surface.

4. Second Sanding

After you've applied the primer, make sure to let it dry completely before lightly sanding the surface. Although some primers claim that no sanding is necessary, giving it a light sanding ensures maximum adhesion.

5. Apply the First Coat of Paint

To get the greatest quality finish on your cabinets, choose high-grade semi-gloss paint. Before you start painting, use a paintbrush to fill in the borders of the cabinet door, and then use a paint roller to cover the bigger areas. Cutting in those edges first should make it simpler to get the roller as near to those edges as possible, removing any brush marks left behind by cutting in.

Avoiding roller markings is much simpler than avoiding paint brush marks, but the best method is to apply enough paint on the roller cover and overlap each line of paint you begin. After you've applied the first coat of paint, double-check your work for any paint drips or conspicuous brush marks.

6. Dry the Paint

It would be nice if you had a clothes rack or a rod where you could hang your doors to dry. No matter how you dry your doors, make sure there's very little airflow. By allowing air to pass through the doors, it helps avoid dust collecting on it. Do not stay in the area where it's being dried since the paint fumes can be toxic.

This is a far better approach than simply letting them dry on a workbench or on your counters to get that smooth finish. If you don't have any other alternatives, a table or bench will do but keep other people and pets away from the area to avoid marks or fingerprints.

7. Sand The Cabinet Again After the Second Coat of Paint

Always use two coats of paint, especially when painting your kitchen cabinetry. Why? Applying the topcoat will give it a much smoother, shinier finish, even if the first coat provided good coverage of the cabinet door. Always sand down before applying any layer of paint. Sanding can remove any stray brush marks and smooth the surface so that your next layer of paint coats smoothly.

8. Apply the Final Coat of Paint

Apply a second layer or topcoat of paint, and pay special attention to any brush or roller markings that may remain. This is the simplest step, but it's also the most crucial for achieving a perfect, professional finish with no visible brush traces, so take your time and try to be meticulous with the painting. Lastly, hang or lay your doors out to dry completely, replace the hardware, hang them up, and admire your perfect paint job.

Painting Techniques

To achieve the cleanest results when painting cabinet doors with a paintbrush, there are a few crucial techniques you should use. First and foremost, double-check that you're correctly dipping your paintbrush. You'll need to get to know your brush and determine how much paint to use for each stroke.

Dip the brush into the paint can or paint tray, then tap or wipe the excess paint off the paint container's edges. That excess paint is what causes brush marks, so avoid ugly drips, drabs, and brush marks by just using the right amount of paint.

Double-check that your paintbrush isn't totally submerged in the paint. Ideally, just half of the paint bristle should be immersed in the paint, leaving plenty of space between the paint's top and the ferrule's bottom or the metal bracket of the paintbrush.

Supplies You’ll Need To Avoid Brush Strokes or Marks

1. Sandpaper or a sanding sponge

A sanding sponge is an obvious choice for this job because it's much simpler to get a smoother, even sand with the proper amount of pressure, 220 grit paper will suffice. However, use sandpaper with caution because it's easier to apply too much pressure and generate uneven sanding spots. You could also use a sander, although it might be too much for a small project like this. To avoid breathing sanding dust, wear a mask or respirator.

2. A Good Paintbrush

Choosing the appropriate paintbrush for the job is very important. As with other DIY projects, the equipment you choose may make or break your final output. For this project, go with a well-known brand to guarantee that you get the best paintbrush for the task, such as a Wooster Brush or a Purdy to avoid bristles shedding all over your kitchen cabinets paint job.

3. Paint or Foam Roller For Bigger Areas

It's best to use rollers for the majority of the job as this will offer an even amount of paint coverage for the whole cabinet. Brushes are used for the edges and to ensure that certain areas are completely coated with paint.

When you reach the edges, use a paint brush and continue in the same manner until you have complete coverage. It's a simple approach to ensure that your kitchen cabinets are painted without brush marks.

Any missteps here will result in subpar results, which is why having clean paint rollers is essential. This not only saves time and energy, but it's also a lot easier to avoid leaving roller markings on a bigger surface like a cabinet door than it is to avoid brush marks.

4. Paint for Kitchen Cabinets

Invest in high-gloss paint that is appropriate paint for your kitchen cabinets. A lot of DIY-ers have encountered problems from applying the incorrect paint. When you apply the incorrect sort of paint, it does not adhere to the surface well and this might result in subpar outcomes that are choppy, marked, and lack the visual appeal you're looking for as a homeowner.

High-gloss paint is an excellent choice since it's stylish, easy to apply, and suitable for a variety of kitchen cabinets. To obtain the greatest quality finish, use Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore for paint and Zinsser for primer.

5. Cloths to Drop

Drop cloths are a must because they won’t only cover your cabinet doors from any dust or fibers in the room but will also protect your floors and walls from paint.

Get Quality Cabinets and Installation Services with Zothex Flooring

If you want to avoid the trouble of having a painting project at home that could possibly lead to roller marks and rough surfaces on your kitchen cabinets, contact the experts. At Zothex Flooring, we have beautiful stock cabinets and also have customizable options for the perfect kitchen cabinets for your home. Find the perfect cabinets for your kitchen at Zothex Flooring, including installation.

Call us now at 916-925-1958.

Read More: How Much Does It Cost To Get Kitchen Cabinets Installed