Do You Paint Both Sides Of Kitchen Cabinet Doors?

Painting kitchen cabinets without having to resort to cabinet doors replacement is a low-cost alternative to revamp them. Newbies and DIYers however, have a lingering question. It is commonly asked if one should paint both sides of kitchen cabinet doors during revamping. In this post, we shall tackle that and more so read on. 

Do Both Sides Of The Kitchen Cabinet Doors Need To Be Painted? 

Since this is the major question which needs to addressed, let us answer this right away with a yes. One of the most common mistakes done during repainting cabinets is that the surface of the cabinets was not painted in the right order. 

As per rule of thumb, the exterior or back side of the cabinet door should be painted first before the interior side or the front-facing side. In between, both sides have to be fully dry in between coats. It is said that each side must be left to dry for 24hrs before putting in the second coat of paint. 

How Do You Paint Both Sides Of The Kitchen Cabinet Doors? 

This task is as simple as you can imagine it to be. Here are the easy steps in painting both sides of the cabinet doors. 

  1. First, prepare the area. Get a standoff if you want to paint each side by detaching them from the hinge. 
  2. Next, mix the paint to be used. A good old roller brush is fine but you might want to consider using spray guns for convenience. 
  3. Start painting the back side of the kitchen cabinet door. Leave the edges unpainted so that you would have a surface to put your finger on when you flip it over for the other side to be painted. 
  4. Leave each side to fully dry after the first coating. Repeat the process for the second coating. 
  5. Put back the cabinet doors by the hinge. 
  6. Lastly, paint the edges. 

FAQs

Can You Paint Both Sides At The Same Time? 

Although we have already mentioned that the rule is back side before front-facing side, others argue that you can paint both sides at the same time. To do this, you have to remove the cabinet doors from the hinges. You can make them stand and just start spray painting the whole surface. Just make sure that each side is fully dried before giving it a second coat of paint. 

Do You Paint The Underside Of The Kitchen Cabinet? 

This is a valid question to ask since we are talking about kitchen cabinet painting. The answer to this is a solid yes. To give the kitchen cabinet a fresh and revamped look on all angles, you should also paint the underside of the kitchen cabinet. 

What Is The Best Paint To Use For Kitchen Cabinets? 

There are a lot of paints to choose from when it comes to finishing jobs but not all are perfect for kitchen cabinets. Alkyd enamel paint is considered as the best paint to use for kitchen cabinets. Basically, it is a water-based paint but with all the commendable qualities of oil-based ones.

It is easy to dry and easy to clean up. It also fares well with the moist and moldy environment of kitchen cabinets. Most importantly, it does not need a top coat but would give you a solid, smooth finish. If you do not want frequent cabinet door replacements, you should use the right paint for your kitchen cabinets. 

Can You Reface The Interior Side Of A Kitchen Cabinet Door? 

If you do not want to resort to painting or total cabinet door replacement, you can always reface the interior side of your kitchen cabinet door. To do this, you can cover the cabinet door’s frame with self-sticking wood veneers. For the end panels, you can use plywood. For the final touches, replace the old drawers. 

Why Do You Need To Clean The Kitchen Cabinet Door Before Painting?

Regardless of how clean you thing your kitchen cabinet is, cleaning it off is an essential first step before painting. The reason for this is simple. The kitchen cabinet door already has oil because it is made of wood. Adding a water-based paint like alkyd would make the latter not stick. 

If you want a thorough clean for the kitchen cabinet door before painting, you may use a paint prep degreaser and a non-scratch scrub. Note that aside from cleaning the kitchen cabinet door before painting, you need to sand the surface too. 

Why Do Painted Kitchen Cabinets Chip? 

The main reason as to why painted kitchen cabinets chip is because they were not primed or they were not sanded properly. Also, you did not allow it both sides of the kitchen cabinet door to fully dry. 

Final thoughts

To end, yes, you can paint both sides of the kitchen cabinet door. You just have to adhere to the standard steps so that you get the right result. Resorting immediately to cabinet door replacement is not advisable. There are more cost-effective ways to revamp your kitchen cabinet doors and painting is one of them.

Author

  • Emma Clark

    Hi there! My name is Emma Clark, a part-time interior designer, house flipper, and full-time mom. This blog is the fruit of my extensive experiences as an interior designer and home improvement enthusiast. More so, I'm here to share with you a lot of great ideas on what you can do to make your home into a masterpiece: all cost-effective and amazingly creative.