# Painting Oak Kitchen Cabinets



## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Looking to paint the oak kitchen cabinets at my own home white. Looking for a little advise. I know I need to remove all doors and drawer fronts; sand everything, prime and paint. I also know I will need to do multiple coats to help best hide the oak grain and I'm well aware that I may not be able to totally mask it.. The main advise I'm looking for is; should I use an airless sprayer (I own a grayco), or should I use an HVLP? I have a little experience with airless, and no experience with the HVLP. Although I do have access to borrowing one from my brother who owns a couple. 

I'm also looking for advice on the primer and paint to use? I've read about every thread on here regarding painting cabinets and it seems like everyone has a different product they like. I do plan to use this paint for my new paint grade baseboards, wainscoting, and interior doors as well.

Looking for something durable, that will help hide the wood grain, and something that's fairly easy for a non-pro to use.. Any advise will be appreciated. Thanks!


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

I've always thought I read you can't really get rid of the grain. 

Good luck with your project. :thumbsup:


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

I would suggest SW Problock oil primer and finish with multiple coats of Promar 200 Alkyd modified paint, very durable and easy to spray. As far as airless or help I say whatever makes you comfortable, put a small tip in the airless mind you. 
I think no matter how many coats of paint the oak grain will show through.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

You can get a smooth finish with oak, but takes a lot of effort...

1. Scuff-sand with 60 grit and then 220.

2. Apply grain filler with the grain and against the grain. Wipe with a damp (not wet) rag. Let it completely dry (overnight) and check for smoothness. Buff with cheese cloth, cotton towel or burlap until completely smooth. Fill anything that still may need to be filled.

3. Spray the primer. Any areas that may need to be hit again will become apparent with the primer. 

4. Spray the first coat of paint... after completely drying, buff it. Paint the next coat. Now here is a step many leave out... Let it sit for a week then give it a final coat. Remember same amount of coats for frame and fronts...

You don't want water-based paints on this one...

Best of luck and don't forget pics... :thumbsup:


P.S. - while I don't recommend it, if you want to cheat, if your doors are not raised panel, but flat panel centers, you could always glue 1/8" MDF to the centers which will reduce a lot of the sanding. It will give a very smooth surface but will reduce your profile.


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Ohio painter said:


> I would suggest SW Problock oil primer and finish with multiple coats of Promar 200 Alkyd modified paint, very durable and easy to spray. As far as airless or help I say whatever makes you comfortable, put a small tip in the airless mind you.
> I think no matter how many coats of paint the oak grain will show through.


Thanks for the advise. Much appreciated. Ya I understand the grain will likely show a bit. I'm actually getting new paint grade doors, and I'm also going to do a new birch veneer on my island to help minimize the amount of grain to hide. So the main areas I will be trying to hide the grain are just on the bases and on a couple (not so visible) sides of the cabinets. Guess I should have mentioned this too. Is the pro mar product also sold at Sherwin Williams? Also, I'm not too familiar with the different tips for the sprayers. On the few projects I have done I've used the tip that came with the sprayer. When you say smaller tip is their a specific size you'd recommend for the products you suggested? Thanks again!


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

KAP said:


> You can get a smooth finish with oak, but takes a lot of effort...
> 
> 1. Scuff-sand with 60 grit and then 220.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your reply. Ya I planned to use an oil based product of some sort unless I got lots of replies saying something else was just as good. When you say fill the grain is their a specific product you recommend for this? Or is a standard wood filler ok to use? As for the rest of the steps you suggested, this seems to be pretty much what I was thinking.. Thanks again!


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

RhodesHardwood said:


> Thanks for the advise. Much appreciated. Ya I understand the grain will likely show a bit. I'm actually getting new paint grade doors, and I'm also going to do a new birch veneer on my island to help minimize the amount of grain to hide. So the main areas I will be trying to hide the grain are just on the bases and on a couple (not so visible) sides of the cabinets. Guess I should have mentioned this too. Is the pro mar product also sold at Sherwin Williams? Also, I'm not too familiar with the different tips for the sprayers. On the few projects I have done I've used the tip that came with the sprayer. When you say smaller tip is their a specific size you'd recommend for the products you suggested? Thanks again!


 The pro mar is a SW product. If you go with the airless I would use a 210 fine finish tip personally.

I would strongly recommend you look into Kem Aqua Plus. It is much more durable finish than a latex or oil based paint. It's a SW product as well. I've sprayed it out of an airless with good results although an HVLP gun would be much better. I just don't own one yet.


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## Mark122 (Sep 27, 2014)

*Hvlp*

I painted our oak cabinets an off white a while back. You are aware you are in for a tedious process so hopefully that will help with your patience.

I used an airlesco sprayer. 

Since then I have purchased a minimite and in my opinion, the HVLP is not only easier to use in this kind of application but I like the finish look better. if you have access to one, i would use the hvlp.

good luck.


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Mark122 said:


> I painted our oak cabinets an off white a while back. You are aware you are in for a tedious process so hopefully that will help with your patience.
> 
> I used an airlesco sprayer.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. Ya I've done this before, so I know it's a hassle. Looking for a little advise this time because I rolled them the last time and I didn't get as good of results as I would have hoped for.. Thanks again


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> The pro mar is a SW product. If you go with the airless I would use a 210 fine finish tip personally.
> 
> I would strongly recommend you look into Kem Aqua Plus. It is much more durable finish than a latex or oil based paint. It's a SW product as well. I've sprayed it out of an airless with good results although an HVLP gun would be much better. I just don't own one yet.


Ok sounds good. Thanks for the help. I was hoping I could find some good quality stuff and SW as I have one about 2 blocks away.. Thanks again!


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

RhodesHardwood said:


> Ok sounds good. Thanks for the help. I was hoping I could find some good quality stuff and SW as I have one about 2 blocks away.. Thanks again!


They probably won't carry the KA+ at your regular retail store. Since it is a cabinet finish it is at their commercial location where I am located.


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

If you want a flat surface fill grain with lightweight spackle or twenty minute before first sand. Sand 80, sand 120. Oil prime, let sit 24 hours for the coating to powder when sanding (just like floors). Reprime, wait sand 150, tack coat, recoat, sand 220, final coat.


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## carzie (May 21, 2013)

Wash them with a fairly strong solution of water and TSP and rinse before you sand. A wet rag with the solution and another to rinse works with buckets with for both steps. I've never used an airless on cabinets always a turbine HVLP, I find the my spray system does not push the paint into the grain so usually the primer coat and 1st finish I put on with a brush and micro fiber roller to push the color into the grain. If you sand between coats and use a lite touch it looks sprayed, takes practice and skill and the right products too.


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> They probably won't carry the KA+ at your regular retail store. Since it is a cabinet finish it is at their commercial location where I am located.


Thanks for mentioning this. Will they normally bring it over to the retail store upon request or would I need to hunt down a commercial store? I'm sure their is a commercial store around here somewhere..


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Since we (wife) opted to keep our current hovel until its paid for in 4 years, I will be remodeling the kitchen and guest bath in January. I have some salvaged white oak cabinets I will incorporate with new white cabinets. I will have to paint. Plan to have my sub paint them with Pro Classic. I have no problem with the grain showing, I like it.


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## RhodesHardwood (Jun 28, 2010)

Metro M & L said:


> If you want a flat surface fill grain with lightweight spackle or twenty minute before first sand. Sand 80, sand 120. Oil prime, let sit 24 hours for the coating to powder when sanding (just like floors). Reprime, wait sand 150, tack coat, recoat, sand 220, final coat.


Got it. Thanks for the reply.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

RhodesHardwood said:


> Thanks for mentioning this. Will they normally bring it over to the retail store upon request or would I need to hunt down a commercial store? I'm sure their is a commercial store around here somewhere..


All I did was call my regular store and they gave me the number of the store to call to get the product. I'm right outside of a city though so I have like 5 SW stores within 30 minutes plus the commercial one. Not sure how frequent they might be else where.

As Jaws mentioned, Pro Classic is a great product. We just started spraying trim when we can and I love the way Pro Classic lays down. First attempt spraying trim and it looked great. I use the fine finish tips. Haven't tried it with a regular tip.


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