This is part of the kitchen. There are twice as many cabinets as this.

This is a before shot. The fridge is relocated now. The uppers over it are gone and that area will house the stove and vent hood.

The desk and wall ovens have been removed and replaced with a large refrigerator, and the uppers and soffit over the peninsula are gone. Lots of cabinets remain and need painted.

Beth H. is the expert on this.

No TSP. Use the Dirtex. TSP needs to be rinsed well and if it's not, this could affect the adhesion of the paint. I like the Fresh Start from Benjamin Moore primer 046. You could also use BIN which is good for stain killing. You should also sand with medium grit sanding blocks. I think when it comes to grain filling, you should fill it all or none of it.

Fine Paints of Europe has a complete system to prime fill and finish. Cleaning and sanding is necessary.

Here is how I would expect a pro to spray paint kitchen cabinets. An amateur job should follow the same path. A brush painted job would differ slightly in that you wouldn't hang the doors to paint. You'd place them on a work table or easel instead. It's time intensive work, and should take 7-14 days to accomplish completely and cost between 7K-9K depending on kitchen size and amount of detail in cabinets. You have WAY more cabinets than average, so double that figure for a professional job.

Remove doors and drawer fronts.

Remove hinges and hardware.

Clean with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate)

Rinse and let dry.

Scrape any loose finish.

Fill any damaged spots or hardware holes that won't be reused.

Sand fill smooth.

Scuff sand the rest.

Tack off dust.

Hang in dust free paint booth with wires through hardware points.

Tack off dust again.

Spray with shellac based primer.

Scuff sand again.

Tack off dust.

Spray with second coat of primer.

Spray with first finish coat of a polyurethane enamel Or conversion varnish. Conversion varnish is what an actual cabinet finishing professional would use. It's what they use at the factory to achieve that factory tough finish. .

Spray with second coat.

If glazing is to occur, that is next.

Spray with matching system clear over glaze

Add more molding or decorative details to boxes, filling nail holes and sanding smooth.

Repeat prep process with face frames and exposed cabinet sides using plastic to create a spray booth on site. If interiors are to be done, they are done before face frames and sides. Interiors are difficult, and add both time and expense to the job. Most interiors are laminate and don't accept paint well.

Allow everything to fully cure. That's 7-14 days.

Clean hinges and hardware and clear coat if you're keeping the old hardware.

Install new (or old) hinges and hardware.

Re-install doors and drawers and adjust for proper clearances.

If you are receiving or doing a job without this amount of effort, then you are not getting a quality job.. Plus it requires expensive materials and a huge amount of labor. This is why this is not a cheap project to do, or have done correctly. There are a dime a dozen slap dash Craigslist painters who will do it for 4K and ensure that you need to replace everything they touch. Choose wisely.

Oak cabinets are coming back in style. Strongly.

I'd consider replacing some of the inserts with glass. Also, I have painted cabinets with BM Advance and insane prep. They look great, but it was a LOT of work.

I also used General Finishes milk paint, which required a lot less prep and dries to an enamel like finish. It works like a charm.

Nosoccermom, I've not heard about the General Finishes milk paint. I'm curious about this.

I'm not looking forward to the prep but there are numerous areas where the finish is missing as I've removed connected cabinets. Also, some cabinets have lost the finish that was on them due to 40 years of use. Leaving them as is isn't an option.

I agree with no TSP.

Really don't know why it's such common advice. Not rinsing enough is the reason many DIY cabinet projects end up chipping.

I just saw an HGTV video on Facebook where they painted and stenciled a vinyl floor and they said to use TSP. I blame HGTV for the spreading of bad information.

Because my kitchen appliances are being replaced I've been cooking a lot with crock pots. I've gotten great recipes from bloggers. And then some have been disasters. I can survive that with a recipe as I just order take out and we're fine. But I'd lose my mind to have to redo the cupboards again to fix an error!

I'll switch from using TSP. That's why I'm here. To learn.

Has anyone else ever used the 'milk paint' that was mentioned? I've looked into it more and see many bloggers mention it but not a lot of pros.

Go to Lowes and get a quote for new cabinets from their line of ready made. Get a good installer. My daughter redid her kitchen and it turned out great and was budget friendly. She used every sale they had and planned it out very thoroughly. It cost less than the path you are on. Donate existing cabinets to ReStore Habitat and they can recycle those that have life. Redoing cabinets is the worst DIY project in the whole wide world.

Advance requires 16 hours of dry time between coats. SW's ProClassic requires 8.

Look into to PPG's Break Through - only 2 hours between coats. BT is like nail polish, the open time is short. You have to apply it and stay out of it. Don't brush or roll back in to it. Buy a good brush and experiment with different rollers. For example, I like the Whizz 4-in-one rollers.

Satin is rather matte looking so you may want to check out the semi gloss option.

I will not be replacing them. I came here several months ago discussing my kitchen and was planning on buying new cabinets but was talked into keeping these. I had new granite installed last week and tiled the backsplash after that. I've been doing most all of the work myself to keep costs down and plan to do that this time too. I have more time than I have money. I'm willing to work hard and do what it takes to get these done right and am trying to research to see what I need to do.

God Bless!! I will reach out to Beth for you. Lori’s advice is terrific. Between the two of them you will be in good hands.

Lori, I looked into the PPG and it sounds great, except there isn't a single retailer in my state. :( I'm in Des Moines, Iowa.

I am anxious to get started. I don't want to move my stove into place until I paint the cabinet side that it's next to. The stove is 250lbs and I can not easily move it. I don't need to rush the rest of the process but would love to have a stove again soon.

ProClassic's satin finish is lovely.

Following this post as I am also hoping to paint my cabinets in the near future

Check out this link where someone describes using GF milk paint in detail --- with a follow-up on how it held up:

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/cabinet-paint-rave-dsvw-vd~3485219[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/cabinet-paint-rave-dsvw-vd~3485219)

Then, google General Finishes milk paint. They have a design center with projects and advice, e.g. how to mix the various shades.

I have no clue why they call it milk paint, since it isn't.

Oddly enough, I drove by a PPG paint store today. Their website lists zero stores in Iowa. There are 3 in Des Moines. Go figure. That puts Breakthrough back as a possibility! I really appreciate all of the feedback this forum provides.

I usually mention that you have to wipe up drips, spills, splatters before BT dries. Because if you let it dry and go back you'll need a blade and you'll be lucky if it comes off.

And it stinks. Dissipates quickly but you need air. Which makes it dry even faster. Seems fussy to work with but it's worth it. Also, it's not cheap. I think retail is $85 a gallon.

It was formulated by a small, independent manufacturer specifically for paint store shelves. It had to wear like iron and dry fast.

Big brands tried for years to duplicate the formula. No one could figure it out. PPG finally just bought them out.

I'm reading a lot on BT and a lot of people are saying the newer low VOC isn't as good. Goodness it's tiring just trying to find the right products and weed through the multitude of opinions!

midwest,,,i've painted 3 separate kitchen cabs. prep is 70% of the work. The best instructions I've found online is from this lady. she does it for a living. All of her advice is spot on and the same way I would do it. She is very detailed, so make sure you read all of it.

ProClassic is nice. I like Advance. BM has a pro-cabinet paint you may want to try.

https://www.evolutionofstyleblog.com/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-like

Make sure you mark your doors/drawers so they go back in the same spot.

she also has this one if you're interested in minimizing the oak grain

https://www.evolutionofstyleblog.com/tips-tricks-for-painting-oak-cabinets

Thanks Beth, appreciate you hopping over here.

Thanks Beth. I've read that blog. It's nice to know it's a good one to trust!

yes it is. I would follow her directions to a tee. In fact, when I did two of my friends kitchens, I did exactly what she does to prep. After 10 years, she still has not had any peeling or chipping.

Another paint to try is General Finishes Milk paint. (it's actually an acrylic). The paint is very user friendly (you may have tried it since you do furniture. I've been painting vintage stuff for 8 years and have used it quite a bit). the only downside to that paint is it will require a their topcoat. A friend of mine painted oak cabs w/their Linen shade but had to topcoat it with GF dead flat topcoat. Looks great though!

she also added glass to a few of the uppers

That's good to hear. Other than the post Nosoccermom shared I hadn't found a lot of good info on it. Thanks for the help!

The only thing I'd add is don't bother with filling in the grain. I actually find the grain showing through painted oak attractive. And if you're brushing, it masks brush marks.

Some cabinet manufacturers (Candlelight & Mouser) actually offer painted oak cabinets and they don't fill in the grain. Mouser offers painted hickory as well which is quite rustic looking.

Anyway people get obsessed with trying to fill in the grain while living in homes with masonite doors deeply embossed with fake wood grain. Or they have fiberglass entry doors or garage doors with deeply embossed graining.

Sudsy ammonia mixed with water according to the label on the bottle is a great solution for cleaning grease and grime prior to painting. In fact, if you look at Zinsser's Technical Data Sheets, that's all they recommend. Many states have banned TSP (high concentrations of phosphates cause freshwater algal blooms) so it's tough to find. Back in the day powdered Spic and Span was pretty much TSP with a nice scent.

Beth, you mentioned General Finishes requires a top coat. I haven't seen that mentioned before and their site says "so durable it does not require a topcoat unless you want to increase the sheen." What is the reason you feel the top coat is needed with it?

I'm finally to the point of painting some and am ready to buy. I am deciding between General Finishes and Benjamin Moore Advance.

midwest, I just think kitchen cabs get a lot of abuse. You could not use a topcoat and see how it holds up.

a friend of mine who painted oak cabs used 2 coats of the GF milk paint in Linen, and then went over that with GF Flat top coat.

If you use Advance, you won't need a top coat.

I've used both GF milk paint and BM Advance, both for bathroom vanities. GF was sooo much less prep, and has held up well. I used a topcoat but am not sure that was necessary.

I bought BM Advance today and painted one coat on the end where my stove goes. I've been waiting to put my stove in for so long.

Advanced is a gorgeous final finish and worth it if you have the time to plan out your process and time to wait between coats.

I am a big fan of Breakthrough but we normally spray it for kitchen cabinets. As far as I know, Breakthrough is only available in two finishes, satin and gloss. The paint store here has a high gloss sample they poured out and let dry in the pan, super bright yellow and very glossy and a real eye catcher. Breakthrough is only available in gallons but I don't pay anywhere near $85 as my local paint store offers a good discount to us and also sells to casual customers below list. The local BM dealer does not offer discounts until you buy a lot of paint from them so Advance is not a product we use but that store is my closest source for GF products.