How to Paint the Inside of Your Cabinets

No doors, no problem. Lose your cabinet doors and open up your kitchen with colorful access to your dishware by painting the inside of your cabinets. Interior cabinet painting is an easy way to give your kitchen a quick decorative facelift and make it feel like a finished design space.

Supplies for This Project

2" Purdy^® Clearcut^® Glide
3M™ Pro Grade Precision™ FASTER SANDING Sanding Sheets
ScotchBlue™ Sharp Lines Multi-Surface Painter's Tape
Small bucket with cleaner ⁄ degreaser
Sponge
Screwdriver or electric drill

STEP 1

Prepare

Begin by removing screws from cabinet doors with either a hand screwdriver, or a drill.

Then, carefully remove the inside shelves. If using an electric drill, work slowly.

Tip: To protect your countertops and floors from paint, cover surfaces with sheets of plastic or paper.

STEP 2

Clean

Clean inside the cabinet doors with a sponge and soapy water to remove any dirt or oil before sanding.

STEP 3

Sand

After the cabinet has dried, use 220-grit sandpaper to sand the back panels of the cabinet.

Wipe off excess dust when finished.

A man taping the inside of cabinets using painters tape

STEP 4

Mask Off

Next, use painter's tape to surround the inside walls of the cabinet to protect from paint and dust.

A man prepping to paint cabinets. SW color featured: SW 9178

STEP 5

Apply Paint

Use a 2" brush and Emerald^® Urethane Trim Enamel (we used In the Navy SW 9178) to carefully edge around the cabinets.

Then use a 4" mini roller with ¾ nap to paint the rest of the cabinets, ensuring that the paint is applied as evenly as possible.

When working inside the cabinet, have the windows opened to keep the area well ventilated.

Remove tape before paint is totally dry.

A modern kitchen and freshly painted cabinets SW colors featured: SW 9178

STEP 6

Allow To Dry

Let dry and enjoy!

A before and after of kitchen cabinets being painted. SW color featured: SW 9178

The BEFORE and AFTER…

WARNING! Removal of old paint by sanding, scraping or other means may generate dust or fumes that contain lead. Exposure to lead dust or fumes may cause brain damage or other adverse health effects, especially in children or pregnant women. Controlling exposure to lead or other hazardous substances requires the use of proper protective equipment, such as a properly fitted respirator (NIOSH approved) and proper containment and cleanup. For more information, call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (in US) or contact your local health authority.

A color fan deck with yellows, reds, and blues

In the Navy SW 9178

Colors We Used

Check out our most popular colors for your most important projects to develop your color palette and create like a pro. See the colors we used for this design below.

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