Between finishing our 260+ page book manuscript (due January 4th—eek!) and hosting family for the holidays (and enjoying far too much delicious food), we managed to prime our kitchen cabinets. Can I get a “holla!”? Or, more realistically, a chorus of “you’re crazy.”
Thankfully, our guests were very understanding and patient while the kitchen was a temporary work zone. It’s such a satisfying moment to see visible progress—walls that were once tired now look fresh and ready for paint.
Primer does a lot of the heavy lifting when you’re painting cabinets. Unlike finish coats, primer is meant to look a bit rough—that’s normal and helpful. Its main job is to create a sticky underlayer that grips the paint and ensures long-lasting adhesion. The key to a clean result is applying primer thinly and evenly; avoid drips and heavy buildup, allow the recommended drying time, then move on to your topcoat.
For wood cabinets—especially ones that have been stained and exposed to kitchen grease—a stain-blocking primer is essential. We used Zinsser Smart Prime, a high-quality, low-VOC option that our local Benjamin Moore store recommended and two professional cabinet painters endorsed. One useful characteristic of this primer is that it stays workable a bit longer than some formulas, giving you time to smooth it into cracks and ensure a consistent finish without it setting too quickly. It’s also formulated for durability, which should help the new finish hold up well over time.
Our tools for the job were simple: a small foam roller for smooth, even coverage across flat surfaces, and a 2″ angled brush to cut in around edges, corners, and trim. Those two tools together give a professional-looking application without a huge learning curve. We’ll share more detailed steps and a how-to video soon, including sanding between coats, recommended dry times, and tips to avoid common mistakes—our arms are just too tired to type all of that tonight!
Until the painting is complete and the guests have left, the house feels like a lively mix of painting, editing, and hospitality. We’ve been ferrying snacks and drinks to the living and dining rooms since the kitchen is partly out of commission. It’s a juggling act, but a good one—there’s something energizing about working on a project while life carries on around it.
One of the small but real joys will be adding new hardware once the paint has fully cured. We’re unusually excited about drawer pulls and hinges—call us odd, but new hardware gives a room a polished, brand-new feeling. The transformation from what the room used to look like to what it’s becoming has been so motivating.
We’re thrilled with the progress so far—Wahooo! Painting cabinets can feel intimidating, but with the right primer, the right tools, and a little patience, the results are absolutely worth it.
Psst—check out our kitchen post about how we prepped our cabinets for paint and another post about how we picked hinges and a cabinet color.
Psssssst—We picked this week’s giveaway winner. See our announcement to find out if it’s you!