Hello! Today I’m here to teach you how to paint a bathroom cabinet/vanity like a pro! I just completed my kid’s bathroom vanity and I am so happy with how it turned out. This was my 5th bathroom vanity that I have painted and I have finally found a product and system that completely rocks!
This was by far the best experience and since practice makes perfect better I want to save you the trouble of doing it the less effective ways and allow you opportunity to get the outcome you desire the first time you try! For years I have been trying to find a paint product that gives the look, feel, and durability of being professionally done. I’ve wanted a smooth, glossy, no brush mark look and a smooth, hard enameled feel.
I have experimented with lots and lots of paints products and methods but I never felt any of them were “the one”. So, guys, I have found “the ONE” (and no this post is not sponsored in any shape or form) and I’m so excited to share it with you! I mentioned in this post that I have a new found love for Behr’s Premium Plus Ultra Paint for painting walls.
Well, I decided to go to Home Depot and ask them if they had any Behr products for painting furniture and cabinetry. After some discussion the worker introduced me to a product called Alkyd Semi-Gloss Enamel. It basically performs like an oil-based paint but without the horrible smell and difficult clean up. I LOVE this product! It is so easy to work with and has fabulous results.
After getting home with my gallon of paint I realized they had given me the wrong color! I had asked for Behr “Pesto Green” but they had given me a darker green color called “Seaweed Salad” which I can assure you is as disgusting looking as it’s name suggests (as shown above).
Because these days time is not on my side I decided to take the chance and mix in some white semi-gloss paint I had on hand instead of going back and demanding nicely asking for the right color.
Thankfully it worked! Phew! So once you have your alkyd Semi-gloss enamel in the color you desire you will need these other important supplies listed below.
I have painted cabinets with the doors on and also with taking them off. This time I kept them on and had no problems. I just kept the door open as you can see below and I kept the door knobs on until I was all done so that I could use them as I handled the doors during the painting process.
Sorry for the bad quality Ipad picture
I used the foam roller for basically 90% of the job. However there are certain areas the foam roller won’t work well like when working around the hinges and along the edges of the cabinets.
For these areas I used a quality foam brush. This is also where the painters tape comes in handy. You will likely want to tape along the wall where the cabinetry meets the wall so that you have a nice clean line.
You may have noticed from the photos above that I didn’t use any primer! In the painting world that’s equivalent to going out and about without your underwear on!
Instead of using a primer I used a liquid deglosser. The liquid deglosser prepares the surface for painting. I just applied it with old rag. In this situation I had absolutely no negative consequences of not using a primer first. However, most people do use a primer so if you want to play it safe put on a good primer (such as Zinsser) and your underwear while your at it.:-)
Warning: If you choose to use a primer (again I never have) then be sure to use an oil based primer and NOT a water based one. This paint is a ‘man-made’ oil based paint and will only adhere well to a primer that is oil based!
I ended only having to do 2 coats even without priming first. The first coat wont look pretty but don’t let that scare you. Take time (about 4 hours) between coats and when you are completed let the cabinets remain untouched for at least 24 to 48 hours (leave the cabinet doors open during this time).
This product can take up to 7 days to harden completely depending on the humidity and temperatures. But harden it does! I tested a spot on the inside of the door with my fingernails. I tried to leave a mark but it didn’t.
Lastly, whenever I have painted cabinets a lighter color than they were before there is often a dark piece of vinyl trim at the base of the cabinetry (as shown below). It really shows up a lot more after the cabinetry has been painted and takes away from the desired professional, custom appearance
The solution that has worked great for me is using an approx. 3 inch piece of trim such as a baseboard, painting it the same color of the cabinetry, and then securing it over the existing vinyl one.
Makes a big difference, doesn’t it??
So that is how you paint a bathroom vanity like a pro! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask!
Next week I hope to be able to reveal the kids/guest bathroom makeover. Today you got a sneak peak of the painted cabinets and new flooring.:-) The new floors are vinyl by the way! More details later!:-)
UPDATE: The makeover is done! You can check it out HERE. I think you will love it!:-)
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Did you sand or prepare the piece before painting it? It really looks great.
Thanks, Mariann! Nope, the liquid deglosser does the same thing as sanding does so no need to sand with it. If you don’t use a deglosser than I would lightly sand the surface beforehand. Thanks for your question!:-)
Hi Tamara,
Would we be able to use the same technique on kitchen cabinets in order to avoid sanding?
Jane
Hi, Jane! Yep, you can. I used a deglosser instead of sanding before painting my kitchen cabinets. If your cabinets have a lot of wood grain though you may want to do a couple thin coats of primer after you degloss.
Beautiful job! I really want to give this a try, but I have never painted cabinetry before! Thanks for the inspiration and tips.
You can do it, Tamara! Let me know how it goes!! And if any questions or concerns come up I’m here!:-)
Was your original cabinet wood? What kind? It obviously was NOT the dreaded oak!
Hi Nancy! You are right it was not the dreaded oak! :-). It was cherry and already a smooth surface. I have dealt a lot with oak in the past and I am confident that you would get the same great results by first lightly sanding or deglossing it, then doing one or 2 coats of a primer (ZINSSER is a reliable brand), and then 2 coats of the Behr alkyd semigloss enamel!
I will have to try this. I love the look of oil based paint but it is such a pain and I always get so sad when I find brushstrokes! Your boys are lucky to have such a nice bathroom 🙂
Hey, Jennifer! Try the foam roller trick, after two coats there were no brush strokes! Ha, I don’t think my boys have cared much about the makeover. I enjoy being in there a lot more though!:-)
The cabinets look fantastic! We picked up some All Surface Enamel from Sherwin-Williams a couple of weeks ago. We plan to use it on a bookshelf. Seeing pictures of your great looking cabinets makes me want get out my paint roller. 🙂 I look forward to seeing pictures of the rest of your bathroom!
Hi, Amy! Your bookshelf project sounds fun! What color are you painting it and for which room?
Oh my! This is lovely and inspires me to tackle my bathroom cabinets. I’ve pinned your steps so I can go back to them when my bravery level increases a notch. I honestly have the painting skills of a three-year-old. My brush stroke fear is right up there with my arachnophobia.
Dee, then this method and product is totally for you because I wasn’t being super careful and it still turned out great (and 0 brushstrokes)! Go for it!
This is great! I am definitely going to refer back when I redo my bathroom!
Thanks for coming by, Sharon!
I have never used an alkyd paint so thanks for sharing your experience. I hope this paint is available in CA.
I hope so too, Traci! I think you will like it a lot.:-)
I did my bathroom vanity and used Tamara advice and mine came out great too. I had to order the paint from Home depot because the Home Depot in my town didn’t carry it. Also, Tamara said she liked the “Ultra White” color if you were going to use white and H.D. doesn’t make it any more. I got “Polar Bear” white and it came out just fine. I loved the convenience of cleaning my rollers with soap and water and the smell wasn’t bad either. I did use the deglosser and oil based primer. On my final two coats of the Behr paint I had to watch for the paint running . Tamara had told me all of this in her directions and it made it much easier. Thanks Tamara. Now I am about ready to tackle my kitchen cabinets in the shaker style. Have you every done this Tamara? I’d love any advice if you have. Jean
Hi, Jean, so happy you love your bathroom vanity!! I painted my kitchen cabinets before I tried this method and I think I would do the Behr Alkyd Enamel route if I were to do it again. Here is my post on painting my kitchen cabinets, http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/02/07/rustoleum-kitchen-cabinets-transformations-review/.
I love this project! I’ve been wanting to paint the vanity in our guest bath. It is a builder-grade cabinet with the vinyl covering on the side panel. Am I able to use this paint to cover this part or would you recommend replacing this panel with a nice piece of plywood? Thanks for the inspiration and help!
Hi Katie! I haven’t had a good experience painting on vinyl. My recommendation would be to replace it. A nice piece of plywood sounds like a good option. Also, using beadboard could look really cute! If you go that avenue you could probably use paintable beadboard wallpaper over the vinyl side. Here is a link to a blogger who has done this on her cabinets, http://southernhospitalityblog.com/beadboard-wallpaper-project/. I would love to hear how it turns out!:-)
Hi. You didn’t mention it but did you wax or polyurethane after the paint dried?
Hi Kevin! Nope, no wax or polyurethane is necessary. That’s one of the beauties of this paint–it dries as hard as a rock.
After using this product in the bathroom, would you use it in the kitchen as well? In lieu of the Rustoleum kit?
Margaret, that is an excellent question!! I will try to answer it the best I can. I am so happy with how the rustoleum transformation kit turned out on my kitchen cabinets that I probably would use that system again in the kitchen even though it requires more steps. The paint I used on the vanity is super durable and would hold up well in the kitchen BUT it has such a glossy finish and I don’t think I would like my kitchen cabinets to look lacquered. With the rustoleum kit I was able to choose how much sheen/gloss the kitchen cabinets Got. I chose to give the kitchen cabinets only 1 coat of the protective gloss. If I wanted it glossier I could have done more coats. I love the lacquered/ high gloss look for certain things like vanities and islands but for some reason not as much for kitchen cabinets. If someone preferred a lacquered look for their kitchen cabinets then I think the Behr alkyd paint work fabulously for it! One could always paint the inside of one of their kitchen cabinet doors to see if they mind the glossiness of the behr alkyd in the kitchen. They would just open the door all the way to see how the lights in the room bounce off of it. I hope this makes sense!:-). Thanks for the great question, Margaret!
So glad to read this as I just bought Behr Alkyd Semi Gloss for my kitchen cabinets. In the UK we always used oil based paints for cabinetry so to come to Canada and find everything is water based/acrylic I was a little sceptical about how it would hold up. Thanks for this post!
You are welcome, Rona!:-) I’d love to hear your experience with the paint when you’re done!!
Can I use this on my bathroom cabinet that I already painted but would like to repainted a different color.
That is a great question, Carolyn! I don’t have a definite answer because I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I would lightly sand it first and make sure the surface is clean before painting. Then I would start with an inside cabinet to make sure you liked how it went on. I can imagine it would wrk well but don’t know for sure. If you end up trying it out I would LOVE to hear how it goes!! Thanks, Carolyn!
Thanks for sharing your info. Your cabinet looks beautiful. My husband is not thrilled that I want to paint our vanity. We are in process of repainting the entire bathroom and want to give the vanity a new look, it currently has just a natural finish.
Lol, my husband is never thrilled about it either but warms up to it after it”s done. Go for it!:-)
It’ s beautiful! Tell me, please, why don’t you use Annie Sloan’ s ChalkPaint?
I love the look of chalk paint but for this project I wanted a sprayed on, lacquered look. I have heard really good things about Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint but to cut down on cost I usually make my own chalk paint. Thanks for coming by today, Filio!
Thank you for your post. We are looking to do this exact project as an affordable way to spruce up our bathroom. Can I ask what color your bathroom walls are? I really like your color and would like to paint the walls as well. Would you recommend a neutral color on the walls with a colored piece like this? We’ll paint a similar size vanity (oak) and a set of upper cabinets and so there will be quite a bit of color in these two pieces.
Hi, Andrea! The blue color on the wall is Benjamin Moore Buxton Blue (but you can ask Lowes or Home Depot to make it for less). I think if your floors, towels, and other decor accents are neutral you could get away with blue walls and green cabinets. OR you could go with a neutral wall and add more color with through the decor accents.
Love your vanity. I’m planning on doing this real soon In my daughter’s bathroom. One question I have is how did you secure the baseboard to the vanity?
Great question, Karen! I secured it with a nail gun but Liquid Nails adhesive would be an equally effective option!
Can they tint the enamel paint to any color you want? When I look it up it comes in certain colors and I don’t see a base color.
Hi Kayla! Yes, you can ask for this enamel paint to be in any color you want! For example, if there is a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Willams color you really like you can go to Home Depot and ask to get that color in the Behr enamel and they will be able to do it because they have a computer that knows all the formulas for each paint color, even others brands. Cool, isn’t it!?:-)
Just a side note seaweed salad at our Japanese restaurant is delicious!
Lol, Susan, I didn’t know it was a real dish. Good to know!!:-)
I bought some of the deglosser but i’m not sure if it’s doing it’s job. what does the cabinet look like when you use it? can you tell that you’ve used it? i was expecting a drastic difference and the cabinet looks basically the same so i’m worried it didn’t work!
Jamie, it sounds like you did it right. It’s not a drastic difference look wise but it does what it needs to. It sounds like you are ready to move on to th the next step!:-)
okay! fingers crossed – i’m going to start the painting!!
Yay, I’m excited for you! Let me know how it turns out!
I am alone; don’t have any way to replace the non-wood end of cabinet with plywood….so I’m considering painting it using your advice — unless the pros at Home Depot advise otherwise. No money for a carpenter….but would love to update my bland guest bathroom.
I REALLY want to know about your bathroom floor!! It is lovely!
Hey Tamara. I am planning to do this in a week or so. Silly question: with the drawers. Do you paint the sides and insides of the drawers? Do you paint the inside of the cabinets? I have seen it different ways. Thanks so much!
Hey Laurin! Not a silly question at all. My cabinets were cherry on the outside and a light pine color on the inside. I didn’t mind the light wood tone so I didn’t paint over the insides or drawer sides. If it was a dark color on the inside of the vanity and drawers I would probably have painted the insides too. It’s just whatever you prefer to do. Let me know if you have any more questions!:-)
I plan on painting my bathroom vanity a turquoise color and then using a tinted glaze( never done this before) Do you think the glaze will work with this product you used?
Hi Bobbie. Yes, I think the glaze should work fine on the alkyd Enamel. You may want to add a coat of polyeutherane after you glaze.
You said you mixed in some semi gloss you had lying around the house to change the color of the mistinted dark green paint but was that alkyd paint as well I hope? I would hate to imagine what might happen if you mixed latex with an alkyd (oil ) based paint or even worse if you mixed some paint from another company such as Benjamin Moore with the Behr paint and had a strange chemical reaction as the chemicals in the 2 brands are different.
Hi Aaron, thanks for your concern. I mixed some white Behr Semi-gloss latex with the seaweed salad Behr alkyd paint to lighten up the paint color. Behr’s alkyd paint is not oil-based so I had absolutely no problems with mixing the two paints. I’m SO happy with how it turned out!!:-)
Hi Tamara,
I am going to give this a try. Where can I find the liquid deglosser? And any particular brand?
Hi Allison! I’m so glad you are going to try this!! Home Depot or Lowes or any home improvement store should have liquid deglosser. I don’t have a particular brand to recommend but thought this one looks good, http://t.homedepot.com/p/Ready-Strip-32-oz-Safe-Deglosser-68832/202208229/. Let me know if you have any other questions come up! Excited for you!:-)
Thank you. I am excited to get started.
Nice! Thanks for posting.
What was the de glosser you used? I have a small Cabnet in my bathroom this would be perfect for..
Hi there! I don’t have a particular brand to recommend but this one from Home Depot looks good, http://t.homedepot.com/p/Ready-Strip-32-oz-Safe-Deglosser-68832/202208229/. The deglosser I used was left over from a Rustoleum kit I used on my kitchen cabinets. Home Depot or Lowes should have some good deglosser options for you!
Your cabinet looks beautiful!
My previous owner painted the white master bath with a brown paint before i bought the house. So it’s not a “wood” cabinet, and it already has “1” coat of paint.
Do you think I can follow the same steps?
Deglosser and Behr paint?
I’m anxious to work on a master bath facelift!
Hi Sue! I don’t think the deglosser is for deglossing paint so this is what I would do–if the painted cabinets are super glossy I would lightly sand with sandpaper before painting the Behr enamel. If the cabinet paint is not glossy at all or just mildly glossy then I would just go straight to the Behr enamel without deglosser or sanding. It MAY require an extra coat or two. Let me know how it turns out! Excited for you!!
Hi Tamara. Your cabinets look beautiful! Do you think it would work on cabinets that are pressboard? The edges are a bit frayed but I can’t afford to change out the cabinet. I would also like to know about the clean up. Is it the same as oil paint?
Hi Dana! To be honest I’ve never heard of pressboard. Is it similar to particle board? If so yes this product will work. The paint cleaned up just like latex. It is not an oil enamel so no bad smells or clean up!:-)
Hi Tamera I think it is called particle board. In case you haven’t guessed I am brand new to this DIY thing! I did my bathroom cabinet and love the way it came out. I used two coats of primer and two coats of Sherwin Williams alkyd paint. Love the way it came out?
I’m so happy for you, Dana! Congrats! I appreciate you taking the time to share!!:-)
I love your vanity! You inspired me to paint my boys bathroom vanity too (I had been thinking about doing it for a long time). I used the info you posted and it turned out great! No brush marks! I had read a lot about painting cabinets and most recommend Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore, so I was skeptical using Behr. I’m so glad I did! I even got by using the small sample size of paint instead of the quart or gallon. It was enough for 2 coats (it’s a small vanity 1 door, 4 drawers). An added benefit is the sample sized paint at Home Depot costs less than $3.00, total project less than $20. I opted for the satin instead of semigloss because I didnt want it too shiny. Thanks for the info.
That is awesome, Brandy!! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your results! I didn’t realize you could get the enamel in Satin. That is helpful to know!!:-)
I have been waiting for more information on the beautiful flooring. Did I miss it? Please give complete information on the material, brand and pattern. I love this — and am also considering painting my bathroom vanity. Thanks!
Hi, Gail, I’m sorry to hear you missed it! All the info on the floors is located at the end of this post, http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/10/23/kidsguest-bathroom-reveal/. We are still really happy with the floors and the vanity.:-)
Thank for the inormation….I just reviewed it. Are there any instructions or cautionary tales with regard to installation? Did you install yourself? Can it be applied over that awful, shiny sheet linoleum, or should the original floor be removed first? Thanks for any advice….I am seriously considering this neutral floor. Thanks again!
Yep I did it myself. It can be installed right over sheet linoleum. Here is a post I did about vinyl flooring, number 3 in the post will be helpful for you to read, http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/06/21/5-myths-vinyl-flooring/. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I have oak cabinets. Do I need to sand them first? Also, the panel on th end of the cabinet is not wood like the rest of the cabinet. It might be laminate covered particle board. Can I paint over this?
Hi Jeanette! I haven’t tried this product on oak cabinets yet. I would suggest lightly sanding or deglossing and then trying the paint out on an inside cabinet to see how well the paint hides the grain of the wood. IF it isn’t hiding it enough you could use a coat of primer first on the whole cabinetry before painting! Let me know if you have any other ?’s!
Hi Tamara,
I have a question, what kind of wood did you work on? Usually the cabinets that are in most homes as cabinetry and vanity are that of compressed wood. Is this what you have?
Hi Ivan, I’m pretty sure that we have compressed wood too. Our home was built 13 years ago and is a pretty standard home.
Wow! I love the color and I love how well you explained it all! You have me all but heading out right now to buy some to do my kitchen 🙂 My one question is have you heard or have personal experience with this paint versus Rustoleum for cabinets? I was leaning in that direction for my cabinets but now you have me rethinking it. 🙂 Thanks!
Hi, Cristy! I used the rustolleum kit for my kitchen cabinets. You can find my review here, http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/02/07/rustoleum-kitchen-cabinets-transformations-review/. I am happy with how my kitchen cabinets turned out but I am ever more happy with how the bathroom vanity turned out plus I had to only do one coat! Happy cabinet painting!:-)
So happy I found your advice on painting the bathroom cabinets since I have three of them that I wanted to paint but was afraid of messing them up. My cabinets appear to be composit material. Will it work on them. Yours are really beautiful!
Hi, Dana, yep it should still work well on a composite material!
Hi there! I saw your post after I already bought behr paint and primer in semi gloss. Not enamel. Have you ever tried that type of paint on a vanity in a bathroom and did it hold up ok? Scared to start. Lol
Hi, Sam! I haven’t tried that type of paint on cabinetry. If you haven’t opened it they might let you return it if you tell them you got the wrong type of paint? If you go ahead and use what you have just be gentle with it for the first few weeks as latex paints take longer to cure. Best of luck!
The current cabinet is peeling. Should I sand it in that area first?
Yep, that would be a good idea to sand the peeling area.
I love your makeover! I am getting ready to paint some furniture that has already been painted white. I love the smooth look of the cabinets. Do you or have you ever tried the Behr Alkyd paint on furniture? One of the pieces I’m doing is a cabinet that will hold a TV so I’m afraid regular satin paint may scratch off.
Hi Genna, I haven’t used this on furniture yet but I can only imagine it would work the same. If you want a smooth, glossy, tough as nails paint on it I think this would work great! I would love to hear how it goes!!
I went to Home Depot today to buy the Alkyd paint. The lady in the paint department said the only alkyd paint they carry is the oil base. What is the specific name of the paint you used?
Hi Peggy, the paint container says Behr Interior/Exterior Alkyd Semi-Gloss Enamel. Hmmm, I would be very surprised if it’s an oil base paint–it cleans up easily and doesn’t have the bad odor. Let me know if you want me to email you a pic of the paint can so you could show it to the Home Depot person.
Peggy I learned from another reader that it is a ‘man-made’ oil based paint. I guess that’s why it is so easy to clean and doesn’t have the bad odor!
I found that paint at Sherwin Williams. Painted three laminate vanities with it. Love that paint!
What do you think about the Valspar + Primer Semi Gloss for kitchen cabinets? I heard they are fantastic. Any thoughts ?
I haven’t heard of it or tried it. If you end up trying it let us know how it goes!:-)
What prep would you recommend if the cabinets are painted and if the doors have a plastic like coating? Because the paint drys so hard would it suitable for stairrails?
Hi, Brooks, I would suggest doing a light sanding on the cabinets before you paint them. Yep, this paint does well for railings…I wrote about here, http://providenthomedesign.com/2015/07/17/how-to-paint-stair-railings-like-a-boss/.:-)
Hi Tamera. Have you any thoughts on the old 1980’s melamine cabinets? I loved them but ow they are so dated! I got an estimate for replacing just the doors but it was way out of my budget. The cabinets are almond color with wood trim : (
great job! I have a bathroom vanity that has bubbled and peeled off at the end from water damage. Should I just sand it? I am sure it is not wood, just particle board. I also wonder what color would be a good neutral color? Thanks so much!
Hi Diane! Yes, I would give the bubbled part a good sanding. Some good neutral options would be white, espresso, or french gray.:-)
Beautiful job, I am about to embark on same task. Very glad to have read your piece. Have you ever had brown stained cabs you painted glossy white?
I haven’t, Chip, I’ve mostly painted oak and cherry cabinets! If you are concerned with the stain coming through you may want to go ahead and apply a thin coat of an oil-based primer first just to be on the safe side. Or you could test it out without the primer on the inside of a cabinet door.:-)
If you leave the doors on to paint, how do you get in the space on the cabinet frame that is overlapped by the door? I’ve painted cabinets before and have always removed the doors but if you have a trick to getting to that narrow strip that seems untraceable, I’d love to hear it! I’m getting ready to do my kids’ bathroom vanity and I’m so excited to try this alkyd paint. Thanks for the tutorial!
I want to paint my vanity black. It may not be real wood but laminate instead. Will your method still work for my vanity? Thank you.
Hi Myra! Yep it will work for laminate too!
Do you sand the caninet at all before painting?
Hi Veronica!:-) You can lightly sand OR you can use a deglosser before painting. Either one works equally well!
Hello I will be paining bathroom cabinets for our new home kind of scared never done this before what exact products do I need from Home Depot 🙂 i don’t plan on taking the cabinets out though.
Hi Sheena! I’m excited for you to paint your cabinets. You can totally do it! You will need a foam roller (for cabinets), a foam brush, Behr’s Alkyd Semi-gloss enamel paint (in the color of your choice), painters tape, a painter’s pan to pour the paint into and roll the roller. Sand paper to lightly sand OR a liquid deglosser to prep the cabinets before painting. I think that’s it! The third photo in the post shows most of the supplies incase you want to see what the supplies look like, http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/10/18/paint-bathroom-vanity-like-professional/. You’ve totally got this!
It looks beautiful. I am inspired to tackle my bathroom. The doors are stained a dark brown but I would love to paint it to give it a fresh look. Would your instructions work on surface that is stained and has I think a finish over the stain. Thanks
Nalenee
Yes, Nalenee, it should work just fine!! Happy painting!:-)
Hi Tamara,
Thanks for you reply. As I mentioned my cupboards are a really dark stain. I was wondering if it will be too much to do these steps: use a de glosser, sand, then do a coat of the oil based zinzer. I am concerned because it is dark will I have to do more prep before the paint goes on. What do you think?
What steps should I take and in what order do you recommend I proceed
Thanks and have a great day
Nalenee
Hi Nalenee. If you are wanting to take extra precautions you can but I don’t think it is necessary. The extra steps you mentioned above would work great. The deglosser and light sanding does the same thing but if you want to do them both you can. You can degloss, then lightly sand, then add a thin coat of oil based primer and then you should be good to go!:-) Let me know if any other questions arise!
Hi again Tamara and thanks for your feedback. It is very much appreciated.
Please let me know if it will be okay if I do all the prep work on my cupboards example the de glossing, sanding weeks before I prime and paint. The reason I ask is that we are having new floors installed and also having my bathtub reglazed. I want to get all of the messy work like sanding etc done before the glazing is done. After the floors and bathtub is done I dont want to do any messy work. The last project I want to do is just the painting of the walls and the cupboards.
Will this be okay.
Sorry to bother you. I truly appreciate your help.
Have a great day.
Nalenee
I just finished painting my guest room vanity and this technique worked great! Thank you.
So glad to hear it, Susan!! Thanks for the feedback!
There are so many projects I could use this for, but I think the first one would be the chair rail for my daughter’s bedroom.
Yep, it’s a great product! I just installed a chair rail in our upstairs hallway and used it for the chair rail and for painting the wall under the chair rail white.
Dear Tamara
After wiping vanity with liquid sand paper how long do I have to wait to apply the oil based primer.
Thanks
Nalenee
As long as the cabinets are dry you can go right ahead and apply the primer. It seems I only waited a couple of minutes before I went right into painting them!:-0
Hi Tamara
Done with both vanities and they turned out beautifully. Thanks for your help. I am super happy with it and it really does look like a pro did it. I cannot believe I did it. Haven’t stopped smiling!
Thanks again
Yay, Nalenee, I’m SO happy to hear it!:-) Thanks for sharing!!
Hello, I heard the foam rollers that are high density do not work well. What do you think ? Thank you in advance.
Hi, Rhonda, thanks for your question. I think I’ve only used the high density kind of foam rollers. The benefit to them is that they apply a very thin coat resulting in a smoother finish. The bad side is that a thin coat means more coats are needed. It’s worth the smoother finish to me!:-) Hope this helps!
Hello Tamara! My husband and I are buying our very first home! I’ve been burning up Pinterest looking for painting ideas. I am very intrigued at this post, and excitedly planning painting one of the bathroom vanities, and considering the kitchen cabinets also. My question is, now after two years of use, how is your vanity paint job holding up? Would 3 coats be better than two? Thoughts??
Hi, Charlene, the cabinets have held up perfectly (and the kids aren’t easy on them)!:-) For the color I painted them 2 coats was the perfect amount of coverage! If you are painting a dark wood white you may need 3 coats but for me 2 coats has done the job. Thanks for your questions!
I love the green cabinets! I never would have thought to make cabinets green but it really works well against the white walls. Thanks for the idea.
You’re welcome, Ruby!:-) Happy they inspired you!
I’m going to paint my vanity as well. I have painted a dresser before. I loved how it turned out but it didn’t take long and there was a couple places that started chipping. I used a deglosser before i painted. I’m concerned that when the vanity doors get opened and closed the areas around the hinges will chip. What are your thoughts?
Hi Robin I can understand your concern as I’ve had chipping with other products. I haven’t had any chipping with the furniture or cabinets I’ve painted with this product though. I’d give it a try!:-)
I followed your directions exactly and my master bathroom vanity is beautiful!!! I never thought I could paint the enamel vanity with such perfect results. I have now painted the woodwork and doors in the master bedroom which also look just as perfect. Thank you so much!
That makes me so happy to hear!:-) Thank you for taking the time to let me know. It is a fantastic product.
Well I am on my way to get the paint you recommended. I plan on accomplishing my mission tomorrow. I am excited. I will get back to you eventually, hopefully with good news. Thank you for sharing all your tips. You vanity looks amazing. Wish me luck.
I wish you luck, Arlene! Looking forward to hearing how it goes!:-)
Well I followed your directions to a T and the results are stunning. One question though, I thought I saw a statement where you said the paint would be even more durable in a week or two after drying. Am I correct? Also I had to purchase a gallon since this type of paint did not come in quart size. I have a lovely blue green color and I am sure I will find something else to use it on. Even if I don’t, the results were well worth the price of a gallon of paint. I want to thank you and recommend your paint project directions to everyone who is not happy with their vanity. It sure gave by bathroom the pizzazz I was looking for with spending the big bucks. Soooo happy!!!
Yep, Arlene, I found that it took about a week til the paint cured all the way. I wish they sold that particular paint in a quart size too! I had a ton left over as well. So happy to hear you are loving your “new” vanity!:-)
Hi, just wanted to comment here since this post convinced me to try this paint. I panicked though when I saw your warning about the oil based primer as I had already primed in water based (killz). I checked the website and the can at the store before purchasing and the recommended primer per Behr is their water based primer. I’m going to give a shot, fingers crossed.
How did it turn out, Steve?
How do you prevent brush marks or the line the roller makes on each end? What is your favorite paint for a white gloss?
Hi Diane! That’s the beauty of a foam roller is that it doesn’t create roller lines. It may look like there are line when you first roll it on but as you add more coats of paint the lines disappear. For a bright white I love Behr’s Ultra Pure White color. If you are looking for more of a creamy white I like Sherwin William’s Alabaster color. Let me know if you have any other questions!:-)
How did you paint the area around the door knob without taking them off?
I usually put painters tape around the knobs but I’ve also developed a steady hand over the years.:-)
Hi! So I just painted my small guest bathroom cabinets last night with deco art satin enamel paint in black. I saw another tutorial that used this with the high density foam roller and it turned out HORRIBLE! The foam roller created lots of little bubbles and texture all over the cabinets. Do you think I could do a sanding on them and then try the behr alkyd paint to fix them? I really would like them to look professionally done but at this point is that possible? Are there any special tricks to using the foam roller correctly? Maybe I just didn’t roll the right way? At this point I’m sick to my stomach thinking i totally screwed up my cabinets.
Hi Rebekah! I wouldn’t do any heavy sanding on the cabinets just a light sanding, then apply the Behr alkyd enamel. I didn’t sand between coats but I think you can if you need to just make sure first that they are completely dry and that you just do a very light sanding. I’m surprised that the high density foam roller left texture..it makes me think that it was possibly the paint causing the texture. If you are going in for the Behr alkyd enamel you might as ask the paint desk helper what he/she recommends for getting a smooth texture on cabinets. Let me know how it goes…no worries I’m confident that it will work out!
So I went and got the alkyd enamel in the satin finish and used that to paint the cabinets…there is still a little texture to it but not as much as the first paint I tried. Could it be because I used the satin finish instead of the semi gloss finish? Also, it’s been 3 days since I finished and the paint still feels soft. Not sticky, but soft…like it doesn’t have that rock hard feel so I’m worried that my 4 year old will easily be able to scratch it off. ? did it take a while for your cabinets to get that super hard feel?
One more question, did you sand in between quotes?
Followed your instructions on painting my bathroom cabinets (they are 12 yrs. old~look like new) but wanted a grey. Used deglosser and the Behr Alkyd Semi Gloss paint. It is so sticky, I’m afraid I will have to buy a new cabinet. Dont know how to remedy this situation. Any advise?
Hi Linda! How strange! How long has it been since you finished painting them? What brand of deglosser did you use? Did you wipe the deglosser off and let dry before painting? Just trying to figure out what may have happened. If you are able could you send me a picture of the cabinets to providenthomedesign@gmail.com. I really want to help you figure this out.
I did exactly what you said here and my cabinets turned out fabulous and gorgeous! I wish I could upload a picture for you. Thanks so much! You rock!
smokin and the cabinets turned out nice to
Can you paint inside the vanity drawers as well we bought a house and the vanity drawers inside a terrible
Hi, Elaina, yes you should be able the paint the insides of the cabinets with the same method as well!
Have you painted over already painted cabinets? Is the prep basically the same as you’ve detailed with your painting of the green bathroom cabinets? If there are some small chips it would require light sanding (husband took tile out and flying pieces have chipped areas of cabinets?).
Thanks.
Hi Debbie! Yes since there are chips I would lightly sand the whole thing and then since you have lightly sanded then you don’t need to de-gloss. Then you should be good to go to following the rest of the tutorial as stated.:-)
Thank you for such a great post and easy instructions! Can’t wait to try this on all my bathrooms then maybe my outdated kitchen ?
You are so welcome, Renee! Excited for you to breathe some new life into your cabinetry! It makes such a difference!:-)
Did you just paint the drawer fronts, or did you paint the whole drawer? We are building our own vanity and we are not sure if we should paint just the drawer front or the whole thing…
This is a great question, Amy! So the inside of all my cabinetry in my house is a pine veneer type material which I actually don’t mind so I didn’t paint the inside of the drawers. I did paint the inside of the door fronts though which only stuck out about a couple of inches on each side from where the actual drawer attaches. What color are you painting the outside of the vanity? If it’s white or black then I think you could paint the insides the same color. However if it’s a more colorful color then I would stain the drawers a light color or paint them white or light gray or something light and neutral. Hope this helps!!
I have a corner bathroom vanity & cabinet that I want to paint white. It is part wood & part “veneer” do you think this will hold the paint properly?
Yes I do think that it should work great on your cabinet & vanity!
Love the bath vanity. What size foam roller did you use? And foam brush size? I have never painted a bathroom vanity but have two to do. Thank you!!
Hi, Kim! I am excited for you to do this project! The foam roller was just the standard size they have at Home Depot or lowes. The foam brush was about an inch and a half wide. I want to say it was kind of in the middle option (not the smallest they had and not the biggest they had). I hope this helps! Super excited for you it will be so worth it!
I just completed my cabinet following your advise and it turned out PERFECT! I wish I could upload a pic here to see what you inspired! The only things I did differently were 1. I took my cabinet doors off because I didn’t trust the foam brush to get in there without leaving brush marks and 2. I had to buy the same paint only the one marked “deep base” because according to the pain guy at home depot, the black color I chose wouldn’t have mixed right with the normal one. Thank you so much for this tutorial 🙂
That’s awesome!! I’m so glad to hear it!!:-)
Tried this and works like a charm!!! Thanks for the info!
So happy to hear!! Thanks for the feedback!:-)
Thank you for this inspiration. Just painted my bathroom and have been contimplating doing the vanity. After reading your blog I am definetly going to give this a try. I read on another blog that the high density foam roller from Home Depot is not good to use as it leaves brush marks(not sure why he said that being your cabinets turned out beautiful) and also, do I wipe the deglosser off after I put it on? I am a little confused on that part. Thanks! Beautiful job!
Hi Connie! Yes, you put the deglosser on and then after a few minutes wipe it off with a rag. It won’t seem like you are doing much but it is.:-) I didn’t have any problems with the foam rollers leaving streaks…maybe on the first coat but that’s just because I hadn’t done enough coats yet. I hope this helps and I am very excited for you!! It is so worth it!
Quick question–what brand liquid deglosser did you use? I just came across your blog and want to paint my bathroom cabinets using your method.
Hi Michele! My deglosser was left over from a Rustoleum painting kit I had used years back. But Krud Kutter has a good deglosser. Here’s a link to it, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Krud-Kutter-32-oz-Gloss-Off-Prepaint-Surface-Preparation-GO326/203396842. So excited for you to paint your cabinets! It makes such a big difference!:-)
How has this project stood up to use? Just curious, since it’s so different than most, especially lacking primer and poly top coat.
Hi, Colleen! It’s still as good as new! No wear and tear at all which is surprising since all 4 of my children use this bathroom and are not easy of it.
I’ve been wanting to paint all the cabinets in my house. My biggest fear is the grain will show through and there will not be a smooth finish. Can you see your roller/brushstrokes at all?
I would also love to know how they’ve held up to wear over time!
Hey, can I use this on a MDF vanity? It looks like yours was actually wood.
Hi Katha, yes, you definitely can!:-)
Hi we just finished painting a bathroom vanity with Behr and I was curious does the paint need a sealer or wax applied over it for added protection or is just the Behr paint good?
Hi Donna! If it was the Behr Alkyd Enamel paint that you used then nope you don’t need any kind of sealer or wax or poly finish!:-)
If I want to change my hardware and need to putty in the holes…between which steps would I do this?
Hi Lesa! I would put the putty in the holes after the deglosser. Then install the new hardware at the very end.
I was researching articles about painting my bathroom vanity and knew before I started reading there was going to be a variety of ways to go about it and just as many varieties of materials and paint to use. I figured I’d blend together all I read and do/use what worked best for me. I including many of your ideas here and am more than happy with my finished vanity. My vanity is one of those “builders special” that I’m sure they get a good deal on, as it hardly seems like a custom cabinet to me. I find that the most important step of all is to take your time and don’t cut corners. My family dealt with an unfinished vanity for over a month while I refinished the entire piece, inside and out. Now complete, it looks like the expensive cabinet that we wanted, but just couldn’t afford. Granted, it took time, money, and making sure I took care of every detail, but it was worth it. My closest friends are convinced I bought it and had it installed when they weren’t looking. Would love to add pics to my comment to show you by following the advice here, and a little bit of elbow grease, this project is more than possible.
Hi! How did you attached the baseboard trim to the vanity?
Hi Jenna! I use liquid nails to attach the baseboard trim to the vanity.
What if I happened to use Kilz as a primer which is water based and realized before painting that I should have critically read to use an oil based primer? Can I use the liquid de-glossr over the Kilz and then use the Alkyd paint?
If the alkyd paint is not oil based why did you say to use Zinnser oil based primer?
After googling for DIY painting of vanity cabinets yours came up. I am very interested in your method as well as the color. Good choice! Then I realized the post is almost 6 years old. Do you have any lessons learned? Did the paint hold up? Is there anything you wish you had done differently?