How To Paint Kitchen Cupboard Doors

Painting your kitchen cupboard doors is one of the smartest ways to refresh your kitchen without the cost and disruption of a full renovation. If your cabinets are structurally sound but look dated, worn or a little worse for wear, a quality paint job can completely transform the space without breaking the bank.

While kitchen cupboard doors do require a bit more care than standard walls, the results are well worth the effort. With the right preparation and the Dulux Renovation Range, you can achieve a smooth, durable finish that stands up to everyday use and looks professionally done.

Here's what you need:

• Dulux Renovation Range Primer
• Dulux Renovation Range Cabinet Doors (in your chosen colour)
• Selleys Spakfilla Rapid
• Drop sheets
• Masking tape
• Dulux Mini Roller Kit
• Brush

Here’s how you paint kitchen cupboard doors:

Step 1: Remove cupboard doors

Start by removing all the cupboard doors and drawers from the kitchen. Lay them out flat on a clean surface. Then, remove the handles. This is much easier than attempting to mask them with masking tape.

Expert Tip – Take 2 small pieces of masking tape, sticking one piece to the inside of the cupboard door and the other to the inside of the cupboard. Write the number “1” on both pieces of masking tape. Continue numbering all the cupboard doors so that when it comes time to reattach the doors, you simply have to match the numbers. 

Step 2: Repair damage and fill holes

Next, check all the surfaces for dents, scratches and holes. If you’re replacing the hardware, you’ll need to fill the holes left behind by the old handles on the cupboards and drawers. Use Selleys Spakfilla Rapid to patch up these, then sand everything smooth once it dried. 

Step 3: Prime

With the surfaces prepped, it is now time to prime. This is the most important step in transforming your kitchen. A kitchen is a high traffic zone and can be subject to a lot of wear over time. If you don’t get the prep work right, you risk your paint finish chipping, peeling or flaking due to the frequent use. Nobody wants this.

Thoroughly mix the additive into the Dulux Renovation Range Primer and apply 1x coat to the cupboard doors and exposed cabinetry. The Dulux Renovation Range has much longer recoat times than standard wall paints. For the primer coat, 4 hours dry time is needed before moving on to the next step.

Step 4: Paint

After waiting 4 hours for the primer to dry,  apply our first coat of Dulux Renovation Range Cabinet Doors in your chosen colour. Begin by cutting in with a brush, before rolling. Like the primer, Dulux Renovation Range Cabinet Doors has a much longer recoat time than regular wall paint. 8 hours drying time is needed before applying the next coat.

Expert tip - Work in sections to try and limit the impact that this drying time has on your project. However, don’t rush to get painting again. For the best finish, you’re going to need to have some patience.

After the first coat is dry, apply the second coat. The Dulux Renovation Range requires a minimum of 2 topcoats. However, you can opt for a third topcoat if the coverage doesn’t meet your expectations. Allow your final coat to dry fully.

Step 5: Reattach the cupboard doors

After the final coat was dry, reattach the cupboard doors and handles. If you used the masking tape trick, this process will be simple.