Kitchen Painting Ideas

Want to change the look of your outdated or dingy kitchen surfaces, but don't want to take on a full kitchen remodel? Then consider one of the easiest and least expensive kitchen do-overs: a paint job.

Visit your local True Value hardware store for all the kitchen painting tools, products and expert advice you need to makeover your kitchen without taking on a major overhaul.

You can complete one, two or all three of these kitchen painting ideas to give your kitchen a great new look. Each project should only take a weekend to accomplish.

• Paint walls 
• Paint ceramic tiles 
• Paint kitchen cabinets 

Paint Walls

Step 1. Choose a New Kitchen Color Scheme
Choosing a new color scheme for your kitchen is possible with just a little bit of paint. Not sure where to start with your color selection? Visit TrueValuePaint.com for a wide variety of color ideas and painting color schemes, as well as our color selection tool. Once you’ve settled on a color scheme, simply add a few pops of color here and there with accessories such as vases, bowls, wall hangings or colorful kitchen gadgets set around the room.

Step 2. Prep and Prime
Now that you’ve settled on your kitchen color, it’s time to prep and prime. If you can’t move your furniture to another room, cover it with tarps and protect the floor with drop cloths. Using a damp cloth, wash the wall’s surface with mild detergent and water. Patch any holes and wall damage with spackling compound. Scrape off flaky areas of old paint using a putty knife. Remove switch and outlet plates, ceiling fixtures, cover plates and other hardware with a screwdriver. Cover edges and trim with painter’s tape.

Even though it’s not necessary to apply a coat of primer before you paint, it’s a good idea. Doing so will give you better coverage and help the paint withstand wear. If your walls are stained, be sure to use a stain-killing primer prior to painting. When painting a light color over a dark color, you will get better results with fewer coats by applying a primer first. Also, if you are planning on painting a very dark color you will get truer color by using a tinted primer coat first.

Priming doesn’t require as much care as painting, but you’ll use the same technique. Apply EasyCare® Ultra Premium latex primer, moving in 6'-square sections, use a series of overlapping “W” strokes from right to left, then back from left to right. Spread the primer evenly using horizontal strokes. Continue in 6'-square sections until the entire surface is primed.

• Put a window fan (set to “exhaust”) in your work area and open a nearby window. This helps to minimize dust and fumes in your house by exhausting much of it outdoors.

Step 3. Apply Ceiling Brushwork
Mask the perimeter of the ceiling with painter's tape. Next, "cut in" – or outline – the entire room with a brush to reach the areas a roller can't. An angled sash brush or edging pad works well for cutting into corners. Get as close to the area as you can and apply the paint about a ¼" away from the edge of the surface. On the second pass, apply more pressure to carefully push the paint into place.

• To roll closer to edges without making a smeary mess, put your hand inside a plastic bag and slide the paint-soaked roller so it extends about 1" past the end of the roller handle cage. This allows you to roll right up to edges and cover any brush stroke messes.
• When doing ceiling brushwork, it's easier to pour paint into a smaller container, like a coffee can. That way you don't have to lug a heavy paint can up the ladder with you.

Step 4. Paint the Ceiling and Walls
Start with the ceiling before painting your walls. Always use a quality latex paint such as True Value EasyCare® brand paint. Use the same technique as priming your ceiling and walls, moving in 6'-square sections across the ceiling and walls. Be sure to feather the edges of the squares, using less pressure when applying paint at the edges of the square. This will keep the finish even and prevent any lines where the paint overlaps from another section. Keep working with the squares until the surface is completely painted. Without adding paint to the roller, use light strokes to re-roll from the bottom of the wall to the top (or across the ceiling) to ensure everything is even.

If your paint is any finish other than flat, you should go over the entire surface (for very large areas, do two square sections at a time) once again with one-directional, overlapping, non-diagonal strokes to blend the paint.

• Be sure to choose a roller cover that suits the surface texture. If you have a "popcorn" or textured ceiling, use a roller with thicker pile. Your True Value associate can help you find the right roller cover for your paint project.

Step 5. Apply Wall Brushwork
Use the brush wherever your roller can't reach. Dip the bristles no more than an inch into the paint and go over areas in the corners, next to the doors, windows and molding.

Step 6. Paint a Second Coat
The first coat doesn't have to be totally dry, but the longer you let the paint dry the better the coverage will be. Paint the second coat the same way you painted the first.

Step 7. Clean Up
Good brushes will last for many years if you treat them well. Use a brush comb to separate bristles that stick together near the heel of the brush. Rinse the brush out in either water or paint thinner. When the water runs clear, put the brush in a spinner if you have one or thoroughly shake out excess liquid. Put the brush back in its protective sleeve or hang it on a nail or hook.

• Don't throw used paint thinner down the drain. Some states don't even allow it. Find out where and how you can dispose of it.

Paint Ceramic Tile

If you’re tired of the color of your ceramic tile or you’re changing your décor or kitchen color scheme, painting kitchen tile can save you the expense of re-tiling. The key is very careful preparation, as well as using the right primer and the proper paint.

Step 1. Clean Tile and Grout
Use a good commercial bathroom tile-and-grout cleaner to remove all grease, dirt and grime. If there is any mildew, be sure to use a product designed to kill the mildew and remove any stains. Use a non-metallic abrasive pad to clean. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of cleaner.

• Wear rubber gloves and goggles to protect skin and eyes from harsh cleaning chemicals.

• If grout repairs are required, they have to be done at least 48 hours prior to painting so the new grout will have adequate time to cure.

Step 2. Sand the Tile
For the primer and paint to bond properly, you have to sand the tile adequately. Use a very fine, 220-grit sandpaper to remove the gloss without scratching the surface of the tile. Any scratches on the tiles will show through the new finish, so take care when sanding the tiles.

• Wear goggles, a dust mask and other protective clothing when sanding.

Step 3. Remove Dust and Debris
Clean the tile thoroughly with a vacuum, soft brush and a slightly damp, lint-free cloth. This will remove all sanding dust, but it will also reveal any areas that you missed – those will look like glossy patches. If necessary, re-sand the glossy patches.

Step 4. Apply True Value EasyCare® Primer
Use True Value EasyCare® primer. Because the primer is critical to a successful paint job, you may want to apply two coats. Cut in around windows, doors, corners, ceilings and floors with a brush or pad applicator, and apply primer to the remaining area with a small roller.

Step 5. Apply True Value EasyCare® Paint
Using the same technique as with the primer, apply True Value EasyCare® brand latex semi-gloss or gloss paint over the primer. Paint the second coat after the drying time specified on the label. Latex primers and paints may take a full 14 days to become resistant to scratches and abrasions.

• Put a window fan (set to "exhaust") in your work area and open a nearby window. This helps to minimize dust and fumes in your house by exhausting much of it outdoors.

Step 6. Clean Up
Good brushes will last for many years if you treat them well. Use a brush comb to separate bristles that stick together near the heel of the brush. Rinse the brush out in either water or paint thinner. When the water runs clear, put the brush in a spinner if you have one or thoroughly shake out excess liquid. Put the brush back in its protective sleeve or hang it on a nail or hook until you're ready to paint again.

• Don't throw used paint thinner down the drain. Some states don't even allow it. Find out where and how you can dispose of it.

Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Painting kitchen cabinets is a simple weekend project with results that speak for themselves. Kitchen cabinets see a lot of use, so you'll want to use True Value EasyCare® brand paint to withstand the daily wear-and-tear.

When painting your cabinets, you don't have to paint the interior of the cabinets themselves. The interior is only visible when the cabinet is open and leaving the inside of the cabinet as is won't have any effect on the final result. However, you will want to paint both sides of the cabinet doors.

• Put a window fan (set to "exhaust") in your work area and open a nearby window. This helps to minimize dust and fumes in your house by exhausting much of it outdoors.

Step 1. Remove Cabinet Hardware and Clean Surfaces
Remove the door handles, knobs and closures using a screwdriver. If you're going to paint with the doors on, you don't have to remove the hinges. You can paint the hinges so they match the cabinets, or cover them with blue painter's tape. If you aren't planning on painting the hinges, you may want to remove the doors to avoid the hinges altogether.

Be sure to protect your floor and/or countertops with drop cloths. If you choose to remove your cabinet doors, it might be easier (and safer) to paint them in the garage.

Clean the cabinets with trisodium phosphate (TSP) – a heavy-duty cleaning powder. Dilute the TSP with water according to manufacturer's specifications. Use a sponge and the TSP solution to wash the doors and the cabinet exteriors, letting them dry completely.

• Use TSP as directed by the manufacturer. TSP can corrode metal and damage finished wood. Be sure to wear protective eyewear, clothing and rubber gloves.

Sand any shiny surfaces with coarse-grit sandpaper until they are dull. This will give the surface a rough texture for the primer to bond to.

• Wear goggles, a dust mask and other protective clothing when sanding.

Step 2. Prime the Cabinets
Using a roller, apply True Value EasyCare® brand primer to the front and back of the cabinet doors. Then prime the cabinet façade. When you're done with the roller, go back over the primed surfaces with a paint brush and prime any areas the roller couldn't reach. Make sure the cabinet doors don't close during this process — your cabinets might stick shut. Leave the cabinet doors open and let dry overnight.

Step 3. Paint First Coat
After the primer has dried, apply the first coat of True Value EasyCare® brand paint. Follow the same pattern you used for priming the cabinet. Again, leave the cabinet doors open and let the paint dry for 24 hours.

Step 4. Apply Final Coat
Using a fine-grit sandpaper, lightly sand away any bubbles that formed with the first coat of paint. Now it's time to apply the final coat. Do the brushwork first in the areas you know the roller can't reach. Then finish up with the roller. When done, let the cabinet doors dry for 24 hours before hanging them. It takes a couple of weeks for the paint to harden, so take care with your freshly painted cabinets because they will be susceptible to scratching.

Step 5. Clean Up
Good brushes will last for many years if you treat them well. Use a brush comb to separate bristles that stick together near the heel of the brush. Rinse the brush out in either water or paint thinner. When the water runs clear, put the brush in a spinner if you have one or thoroughly shake out excess liquid. Put the brush back in its protective sleeve or hang it on a nail or hook until you're ready to paint again.

• Don't throw used paint thinner down the drain. Some states don't even allow it. Find out where and how you can dispose of it.

Congratulations! Your kitchen has been updated without the cost of a complete remodel. Turn to the experts at your local True Value hardware store for all the painting tools, products and expert advice you need to start right.

For more project ideas, visit the Project Library >