If you’re considering painting the cabinets in your home, you likely have lots of questions before you take the plunge to DIY (or hire someone else to do it for you). Among the many questions, the biggest, the most burning one you might have is, how long do painted cabinets last? And rightfully so!
How painted cabinets hold up over time should be one of the biggest deciding factors in whether or not you choose to paint your cabinets. So, to help your decision-making process, and answer some questions, I’ll tell you the following:
- How (and with what) I painted my cabinets
- How they look after 3+ years
- What I would do differently today.
First Things First…Here’s What You Need To Know!
Before I go into all the details and show nitty-gritty close-up photos of how my painted cabinets look today, I want to take a minute to lay out some necessary info.
In case this is your first time visiting my blog, Hi 👋🏼 I’m Kayla, and I’m a professional cabinet painter.
My business, Painted by Kayla Payne LLC, was created ten years ago due to my love for painting and seeing the before & after photos when a job was completed!
So you can trust that the info you read here is not from the first or only time I painted a set of cabinets.
Also, know that not all paint jobs are created equally – which I’m sure you’re aware of but I have to include that.
I’ll lay out the process I use for painting that yielded the results you’ll see, but of course, I cannot attest to the results from anything where the process and products deviate from what I list here.
Okay, let’s go!
What Color I Used
What Kind of Paint I Used
I used shellac based primer and PPG Breakthrough VOC 250 paint in a satin finish for my cabinets.
Pro Tip: I had the paint store custom color match the Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter into PPG Breakthrough paint. Nearly all paint stores will color match colors from other brands.
Also, if you’d like to download a full supply list (for free!) of everything I use to paint cabinets, you can do so by clicking HERE! It includes all the cleaners, sandpapers, tools and everything else we use everyday!
My Painting Process
Our home was new construction, so the cabinets were raw wood. The doors, drawer fronts, and face frames are solid maple (with MDF panels in the doors).
The side panels/island sides are made of maple veneer plywood.
So, here’s the process I followed for painting my cabinets.
- Finish sanded the wood (I started at 120 and stepped up the grit increments until I arrived at 220
- Vacuumed Dust
- Masked area
- Sprayed BIN shellac base primer (I used a Titan 440 Impact airless sprayer with a 310 FFLP tip)
- Sanded primer with 180 grit
- Vacuumed Dust
- Wiped with tack cloth
- Sprayed 2nd coat of BIN
- Sanded with 220
- Vacuumed Dust
- Wiped with tack cloth
- Caulked
- Sprayed first coat Breakthrough (I used same sprayer but changed to a 312 FFLP tip)
- Sanded with 220
- Vacuumed Dust
- Wiped with tack cloth
- Sprayed 2nd coat Breakthrough
- Hang doors/attach drawer fronts
- DONE!
If you want an IN-DEPTH, step-by-step tutorial on exactly how to paint wood cabinets, click here.
How My Painted Cabinets Look 3+ Years Later…
Let’s get down to the real reason you’re here…
The close-up, in-your-face photos of how my cabinets look today!
I’ve noted what doors and drawers are wherein the caption portion of the pictures.
Except for the small chipping under the sink area next to the dishwasher, and the scrape that my son did with a bar stool, the paint looks exactly like it did the day I painted it!
I only clean the cabinets with warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap) and a microfiber rag.
Spills, fingerprints, and cooking grease splatters wipe right off.
I’m super pleased with the way they’re holding up.
What I Would Do Differently Today
Honestly, the only thing I would do differently is use oil base primer instead of shellac.
The reason?
Because oil has more build where BIN shellac is much thinner.
Especially since my cabinets were raw wood to start with, oil base primer would’ve given me more material on the surface in which to cover and seal the wood texture.
Which would’ve in turn made my paint coats look thicker and “deeper”.
Also, I believe that using oil-based primer would’ve offered better resistance to the one water-damaged area under my sink.
Other than that, I wouldn’t have done anything differently:)
Hopefully, this answers any questions you might have when it comes to painting your cabinets!
Remember, download this free supply list that has everything I used in my kitchen (and the hundreds of kitchens we’ve painted over the years!). Click here to download that list:)
And if you’d like my help showing you exactly every step of the painting process, I have the Cabinet Painting 101 tutorial course where I show homeowners and DIYers exactly how to achieve professional painting results in their own homes.
You can save thousands of dollars AND get the quality results you really want! Click here to learn more about it!
Until next time, happy painting! xo Kayla
They still look great! Love the color, too!! I took your course before tackling my cabinets. It’s only been 4 months, and they still look as fresh as the day we reinstalled them 🙂
Thank you!! And that is awesome:) thanks for sharing! xo
Great info Kayla! We had our old oak-stained cabinets painted white (Greek Villa) last summer and I wish we’d either had someone else do it or been more assertive about the process he used. I do love how the wood grain peeks through though. My question: if we elect to have them repainted, is it best to remove the current finish down to the bare wood, or is there another prep method that will still result in a smoother finish (than what we have)?
I would love to know also!!!
That mostly depends on the paint finish that’s on your cabinets currently. Do you know what paint and what primer were used? What shape is the paint job in now?
Beesly looks so precious asleep on the kitchen floor. I miss my girl so much!
Thank you for the great painting tips. I’m still working up the courage to paint my with all the steps.
Thank you:) you can do it!!! Xo
Isn’t 3 years too short a time to do a review on painted cabinets? How about another review on the 10-year mark?
Of course it is, Jeffery….but time is something I have no control over…set your alarm to come back in seven more years and I’ll do a follow up just for you!
I think it’s a great bench mark. thank you Kayla!
Could you tell me what the white paint color you used on your walls?
PPG Silver Feather
Hi, we have Oak cabinets and are about to paint them. We don’t want anything to show through. Will the primer/paint you recommend cover them completely? Your Kitchen looks beautiful! Thank you!
Thanks:) yes the products I recommend will work well. For thorough step by step instructions of how to do the best DIY job possible, you should look into my cabinet painting course! Best of luck to you, you can do it xo
Hi! I have been researching a ton as we prepare to paint our cabinets in a few weeks! At first, I had planned to use lacquer then Benjamin Moore Advance, but now have finally landed on Breakthrough. I have called all the different paint stores in my area. They only source the V50 version and say the 250 version is no longer available. In fact, even on the PPG website, when you click the 250 version, it shows a picture with a V50 label. I have been told multiple times now that this is the current “meshed” version of the two. I just want to make sure that it is going to be a good choice for our upcoming cabinet renovation! Do you have any insight into this? Thanks so much!
Hi Katrina! So glad you commented…DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOTTTTT use VOC 50 breakthrough on your cabinets. Please heed this advice. VOC 50 Breakthrough is garbage, it will turn to a gummy goo around your knobs and where the paint is touched by your hands and wiped. It. Is. Garbage.
I’m speaking from experience.
Since you can’t get VOC 250, Go with Advance, you’ll be FAR better off!
xo Kayla
Thank you for your response! Do you mind if I ask where you source your V250? I am in Fayetteville, AR, so not too far from where you live…
I have done tons of research and would really much prefer to go with Breakthrough. I was not at all impressed with cabinets done in Advance and I do not have 30 days to allow Advance to cure fully. I like the fast drying time of Breakthrough and the the 7-10 day curing time because it lines up with our timeline for when we can paint and then we move in. I also like the promised high durability of it.
So I would REALLY like to find out where I can source the 250. Most of my local paint stores can supply the V50, one can supply the V-71 (I want to do gloss), but none of them can even find 250 online to order it??? What do you suggest?
I really do NOT want to use Advance. Thanks!
I ran a search online for Breakthrough V250. Here is an example of one website: https://specialtycoatingsinc.com/ppg-v50-410-01.html It looks like the 250 product wears a V50 label?
Also this: https://sweets.construction.com/swts_content_files/22834/632228.pdf
Hello, I love your cabinet color. Can you give me any information about your countertops?
When I search Breakthrough 250 the picture has 50. I want to make sure I get the right thing as I am nervous about this project. Is there another brand/type of paint that you recommend that is not so confusing? Thank you so much. BTW – all of the walls in my house are Revere Pewter – I LOVE IT!
Hi Jan, yes you can use Ben Moore Advance. Also, if you haven’t downloaded my cabinet paint supply list, I have everything linked for easiest access! Best of luck! xo Kayla
I’ve painted my cabinets revere pewter and absolutely loved it. We’ve moved since, but our new home is going to have revere pewter cabinets as well! I’m wondering if you’re willing to share where the knobs and pulls you have are from? They’re beautiful!
Hi! I know I’m about 3 years late…but would you use Advanced for the interior of a steel door?