How to Paint Stained Cabinet Doors by The Hacienda Collection, Inc.

Painting over stained cabinet doors can be done fairly easily with a bit of good prep work. A little effort and the right materials can go a long way.

Instructions

1. Take your stained cabinet doors completely off their hinges, remove handles or knobs and bring them all to a good work bench area. Start with the electric sander, and go over all flat areas to take the edge off the stain. You don't have to take all the stain off, just enough so the color fades and the primer can actually penetrate the wood. Use your sanding sponges or individual sheets of sandpaper to get the detailed areas of the cabinet doors that you can't get with the electric sander.
2. Thoroughly dust the cabinet doors off and clean them with a wet rag. Let the doors dry out, and then apply an even coat of primer to all surfaces. A primer/sealer will work best and will provide the best surface for finish paint to completely cover the stain. After the primer dries, sand all the cabinets again with a fine-grit sanding sponge. Use very little pressure, and try not to leave any grain marks in the primer coat. Wait for the primer to dry completely before sanding. Drying should take at least an hour for most primer/sealers. Clean the cabinets again with a damp rag before applying any finish paint.
3. It is very important to get your finish coat right the first time, but you can always use two coats if you have to. If your cabinet doors have lots of detail, use a 2-inch brush, and feather the paint with each stroke. Coat each surface evenly and thoroughly. Do detailed and textured areas first and flat surfaces last. Work from the outside edges in. After the paint dries, you will know whether or not you need two coats. Do not leave any deep brush marks, and remember that most subtle brush marks will dry out with the right paint. If you do decide on two coats, sand between coats and dust off each door before applying your second coat of finish.
4. Wait at least one full day for the finish to dry before reattaching the hardware and hinges. Re-hang your doors, being careful not to scratch the new paint.