I’ve painted a lot of cabinets in my day (most recently I painted oak kitchen cabinets), and I’ve used many different paints and processes.  No matter these differences, the supplies needed to paint cabinets are the same.  And with the right cabinet painting tools, you’ll achieve beautifully painted cabinetry that looks professionally done!

Before you start reading through this list of cabinet painting supplies, understand that it may seem like a lot.  Don’t be overwhelmed!  You may already have some of these cabinet painting supplies and tools, and if you don’t, many of these things are inexpensive and can be used again in the future.

Also, I have broken the supplies into sections of the job to help you prioritize what you might need to prep your cabinets for painting and to actually paint the cabinets.

Now that you know all of those important details, let me answer your question of “what supplies do I need to paint my cabinets?”

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here. 

Supplies Needed to Prepare Cabinets for Painting

Prep work is arguably the most important step in the cabinet painting process.  It’s the foundation of the whole job, so you want to do it right! 

These cabinet painting prep materials will get the job done right, no matter which type of paint you use:

1. Screwdriver or drill:  you’ll need one of these tools to remove the cabinet doors and drawers, to remove the hinges, and also to remove the hardware from the doors and drawers.
2. Ziploc bags: use Ziploc bags to store the hardware and hinges.
3. Permanent marker: use a permanent marker to label the Ziploc bags and/or the doors and drawers so you know what hardware goes with what drawer when it’s time to put things back together.

Materials Needed to Clean Cabinets Before Painting

Think about the grease and grime that accumulates in the kitchen, and then you’ll understand why proper cabinet cleaning is essential prior to painting!  If you paint over grease, for example, the paint will not stick and your hard work will wipe right off.  Don’t make that mistake!

Here are the supplies you need to clean your cabinets prior to painting:

1. Dropcloths or plastic sheeting: use these to cover areas surrounding cabinet boxes and to set the doors and drawers that you’re going to clean on top of.
2. Rubber gloves: to protect your hands while cleaning cabinets, obviously.
3. Krud Kutter Concentrated Cleaner / Degreaser: this cleaning solution is the best! It’s non-toxic and it removes all that nasty grease and grime from cabinets.  Also, it works with no issues whether you’re using oil-based primers and paints or latex.
4. Scotch Brite Heavy Duty Scour Pads: cut these scour pads into smaller pieces and use them to scrub off the grease and grime.  They have a little grit to them so they help loosen stuck-on food, but they’re not so rough as to scratch surfaces.
5. Scissors: to cut the Scotch Brite Heavy Duty Scour Pads
6. Denatured Alcohol: this is amazing for cutting through really tough grease, and it doesn’t leave any residue.  I follow up cleaning with Krud Kutter with a spray of 50% denatured alcohol and 50% water, and then wipe it off.
7. Spray Bottle: use a spray bottle to apply the denatured alcohol and water mix.
8. Water: mix with denatured alcohol to clean cabinets.
9. Towel (clean and soft): use clean towels (like shop towels – not bath towels), to dry off cabinets so that Krud Kutter and/or denatured alcohol doesn’t sit too long and ruin the finish.  They don’t have to be bone dry, but they need to be wiped down.
10. Mask: you absolutely need to wear a mask when working with denatured alcohol.

Supplies for Repairing Cabinets Before Painting

Because cabinets get used daily, they tend to show signs of wear and tear over time.  Those dents and dings and other imperfections will show up if you paint over them without repairing first.  Because of that, it’s worth it to spend a little extra time repairing cabinets before painting them.

Here are the repair supplies needed to paint cabinets:

1. Painters tape: if you plan to fill holes in cabinet doors or drawers (like to move hardware), place a piece of painters tape on the back side of the hole before filling it.
2. Paintable wood filler: acrylic wood filler works on all types of cabinets (wood and laminate), so use it to fill in gouges, dents, and dings on cabinet surfaces.  Once dry, lightly sand any excess wood filler.
3. Putty knife: use a putty knife to get a smooth application of wood filler.
4. Sandpaper: use this in connection with the wood filler just discussed.
5. Caulk: use this to fill gaps between molding and the ceiling, the cabinet boxes and the walls, and more!
6. Caulk gun
7. Aqua Coat Grain Filler or Spackle:  optional!  Use these products to fill in undesired wood grain.

Materials Needed to Sand Cabinets Prior to Painting (and During the Painting Process)

OK . . . I don’t care if you bought paint that says you don’t need to sand your cabinets before priming or painting – you should still do it.  Sanding really is the best way to scuff up the surface a bit and get the primer or paint to stick better! 

A lot of people seem to be intimidated by sanding, but there’s nothing to be scared of.  You don’t need to sand down to bare wood or anything – you’re just sanding to remove topcoat and make a better surface for the paint and primer to come!

With that said, here are the materials you need to sand cabinets before painting them:

1. Small electric sander: you could get by without one of these, but they’re inexpensive and will make the job much easier and more even.  If you don’t already have an electric sander, you should consider getting one.
2. Sandpaper: I recommend several different sandpaper grits for the various steps in the cabinet painting process: 100-150 for sanding after cleaning, 220 grit in between primer and paint, and 400 for in between coats of paint (if necessary).  If you are using an electric sander, make sure to get sandpaper sheets that work with your particular sander.
3. Vacuum with brush attachment:  use a vacuum to remove as much of the dust from the surfaces.
4. Tack cloth: use tack cloth to get up the fine particles of dust that are left after vacuuming.

Cabinet Painting Workspace Prep Supplies

For the area where you’ll be painting the cabinet doors and drawers, as well as the cabinet boxes, you need certain materials to protect the surfaces and make it easy to paint.

1. Dropcloths
2. Rosin paper: this is also known as contractor paper.  It’s perfect for taping down on floors to protect them from drips or overspray.
3. Painters tape: use painters tape to hold down rosin paper or plastic drop cloths.
4. Tables or 5 gallon paint buckets:  set up folding tables or 5 gallon paint buckets to paint cabinet doors and drawers on.  This will be easier than painting them on the ground.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER KITCHEN MAKEOVER POSTS

• DIY Painted Oak Kitchen Cabinets
• DIY Kitchen Soffit Makeover
• DIY Painted Kitchen Tile Backsplash
• How to Convert a Kitchen Desk to Pull-Out Trash
• Wireless Under Cabinet Lighting

Supplies Needed to Prime and Paint Cabinets

And finally, when you’re ready to get started painting cabinets, you’ll have a host of other supplies you need, too!

1. Primer: choose the right type of primer for your cabinet surface.  Speak with a professional at the paint store to help you decide which primer is right for you, based on cabinet type and paint being used.
2. Shellac-based primer: If you’re not using a shellac-based primer to prime all of your cabinets, you may want to purchase some as a backup in case you experience bleed through.  Check out my post on how to fix paint bleed through for more information! 
3. Paint:  there are many paints on the market.  Do you research and choose one that’s formulated to withstand the wear and tear of daily kitchen or bathroom use.  I like Benjamin. Moore Advance for painting cabinets.
4. Door risers or Painters Pyramids: these are a must!  You do not want cabinet doors and drawers to lie flat on the table or painting surface.  Make sure to elevate them on these pyramids to decrease the points of contact with the table or painting surface.  Use four pyramids per door.
5. Stir sticks:  I never remember to ask for paint stir sticks when I buy paint!  If you’re like me, maybe a reusable one is a good idea!
6. Paint pour spout:  take it from me – using one of these pour spouts is so much better than trying to pour paint from a gallon into a smaller working container or spray painter, and then getting it all over the gallon.  This keeps the paint can and the rim clean.
7. Working paint container: Instead of painting from the can and potentially contaminating the paint inside with dust and debris, transfer some paint to a working container and paint from that.
8. Paint can opener:  some paint stores will give you one for free.  If you don’t have one, you can use a flat head screwdriver instead.
9. Face mask:  safety first! Wear a mask when working with oil-based paints and/or spray painting!
10. Paint roller:  A small roller is helpful for cabinet boxes; a larger roller is helpful for sides of cabinets and flat cabinet doors.  Check the paint can to see which nap is best to use for your project.
11. Roller paint tray
12. High-quality paint brushes:  Don’t skimp on the brushes you use!  Consider using a different brush for the final coat of paint – this may give you an even better finish.
13. Paint brush cleaner:  I love paint brush cleaner to get a really clean brush.  If you’re in a pinch and your paint brush has hardened, check out my post on how to soften hard paint brushes without chemicals.
14. Paint sprayer: If you can afford to buy a paint sprayer for your cabinet painting project, DO IT! I would not have survived painting my kitchen cabinets if it weren’t for my paint sprayer.  I love my affordable sprayer and recommend it to everyone.  Sprayed cabinets generally look much better than those painted with brushes or rollers.

Phew! It takes a lot of materials to paint cabinets!  But again, many of these supplies are things you have or that you’ll use again in the future.  Comment below and let me know if any of these supplies surprised you, or if you have anything to add to the list!

I am obsessed with inexpensive DIY projects that completely upgrade the look and feel of a space.  This easy DIY flat panel door makeover totally fits the bill!  You won’t believe how simple it is to update a flat panel door in just one weekend.

Look at what I started with.  Ohmygosh.  

This flat panel door leads out of the mudroom and into the garage.  It was so brown.  And so boring.

It is a fire door, and those are pricey to replace, so I decided to keep it and give it a fresh new look.

Supplies Needed for a Flat Panel Door Makeover

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.  Also, thank you to Brinks for gifting me the new deadbolt and lever you see on my door.

I’m breaking the supply list into sections for every part of the door makeover.  Don’t be intimidated!

Supplies used to trim out the flat panel door

• 3/4″ pine screen trim (see instructions below for measurement information)
• Miter box and hand saw
• Wood glue
• Ryobi brad nailer
• Level
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Permanent marker

Supplies used to paint the door

• Krud Kutter
• Sandpaper
• Caulk
• Stain blocking primer
• Sherwin-Williams SnapDry paint
• Painters tape
• Paint brush
• Roller

New door hardware

• Brinks Push Pull Rotate lever and deadbolt

How to Do an Easy Flat Panel Door Makeover

This door makeover process will add a gorgeous new look to your space.  I am sure you will not believe how this door makeover will breathe new life into your home!

How to Update the Flat Panel Door with Trim

First things first, update the flat panel door with inexpensive trim.  I used 3/4″ screen trim, but you can use fancier trim if you like!

Step One: Determine the Trim Lengths

First up, decide how long you want the trim pieces to be.

When closed, my door measures 31″ wide x 80″ high.

I cut my screen trim pieces as follows:  TOP rectangle = 23″ wide x 36″ long on top; BOTTOM rectangle = 23″ wide x 24″ long on bottom.  In all I cut 8 pieces of screen trim: 4 measuring 23″ long, 2 measuring 36″ long, and 2 measuring 24″ long.

You may want to adjust these measurements depending on your door’s overall dimensions.

Step Two: Cut the Trim

I cut the screen trim by hand, using a hand saw and miter box.  The screen trim is quite thin, so it’s very easy to cut this way. A miter saw would totally work.  I was too lazy to drag it out of the basement and set it up.

On the back of each piece you cut, write the placement for that piece.  For example, “top left” for the piece that goes on the left side of the top rectangle.

Step Three: Determine Trim Placement on the Door

Mark off the center of the door, both vertically and horizontally.

Then, roughly decide where you want the trim rectangles to go, and lightly mark those spots on the door.

Using the level, draw the exact placement line of the bottom of the rectangle that goes on top.   

Step Four: Attach the First Piece of Trim

Run a thin line of glue on the trim piece meant for the bottom of the top rectangle, and press that onto the line you’ve drawn on the door.  

Follow up with a few brad nails.

Step Five: Attach a Side Piece of Trim, and Repeat the Process

Now that the first piece is in place, use the level to draw a plumb line on the side.  Then repeat the glue and brad nail process to attach that piece.  

Work your way around the rectangle until it’s complete.

Then repeat steps 3-5 on the bottom rectangle.

With this, the flat panel door will no longer be flat!  It will look a little strange at this point, but once it’s painted, it will be beautiful!

How to Paint the Door After Adding Trim

To make your flat panel door makeover look its best, make sure to give it a good paint job.  That includes careful prep work!

Doors get a lot of use, so make sure to clean prior to doing anything else.  I use Krud Kutter to get rid of all of the gunk.

Caulk the seams of the newly-added trim, as well as the gaps between the trim and the door.  You can also fill in any dents or gouges in the door with wood filler.

Then, prime with a primer that’s formulated for your type of door.  Since I was painting a wood door, I used a stain blocking primer.  I chose to use a water-based primer because I can’t stand the smell of oil-based primers!

After the primer dries, paint the door!  I used a fast-drying door paint from Sherwin Williams called SnapDry.  I painted in January, so I didn’t want to leave the door open longer than I absolutely had to! 

This paint dried quickly and covered well with two coats.  I had it tinted to Benjamin Moore Waller Green – the same color used on my Dated Oak China Cabinet Makeover.

Update the Door Hardware For a Modern Touch

Finally, consider updating your flat panel door with new hardware!  The hardware on my door was definitely from the 1970s, so I was glad to streamline the deadbolt and lever with new ones.

The Brinks Push Pull Rotate lever I installed is super cool because it opens three different ways: push it, pull it, or rotate it like a traditional handle or lever.  I love how easy it is to open the door when my hands are full now!

I also love how modern this door looks now.  This flat panel door makeover added a lot of style to my mudroom for a very low price!  I’d love to hear what you think of it; drop me a comment in the box below!

My “new” house has a lot of trees and no streetlights.  It’s really dark here – especially in the winter!  We needed to brighten things up ASAP, so we installed wireless solar LED landscape lights: both solar path lights and solar uplights.  They have made such a difference, and I’m excited to tell you all about this easy landscape lighting solution!

This post is sponsored by Brightology, but all content and opinions are my own.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Upgrading our landscaping is on the list of projects for 2021, and that included adding path lights and uplighting to the trees and around the house.  We figured we would need to wait until late spring or early summer to install landscape lighting, because traditional landscape lights are wired, which requires trench digging and the ability to bury wires.

That can’t happen during a Wisconsin winter!

When I found out about Brightology, a solar LED landscape lighting company, I knew their products could solve our outdoor lighting problem immediately – even in the winter! 

Brightology sells a wide variety of solar LED landscape lights in different styles and colors.  Amazingly, they’re all wireless, they’re all recharged by the sun, and they’re all very bright lights.

For my yard, I chose the Solarscape solar spotlights for uplighting and the Brightright solar path lights to illuminate my front walkway.  These are NOT your dollar store solar lights, folks!  As a previous purchaser of junky solar lights, I can attest to that.

Solarscape Solar Spotlight

For uplighting trees and dark portions of our home, I installed four Brightology Solarscape Solar Spotlights throughout my yard.  Installation of these solar LED landscape lights is incredibly simple: just flip the switch to the “on” position and stick the light in the ground.

The light portion of the spotlight has an easy-to-turn dial to tighten the spotlight in place, and the solar panel is easily adjusted to any angle so that it can collect the most sun for recharging.

My favorite spot where I installed a Solarscape spotlight is at the foot of the driveway, to illuminate the house numbers on a tree.  They were previously not visible at night!  Now you can finally see the address, and food delivery people are very happy.

I installed two others to illuminate dark spots on the house, and one to uplight a tree near the front of the yard.  My husband and I are amazed at the boost these solar lights have given the house.

Brightright Solar LED Path Lights

In addition to adding wireless uplighting around the property, I also added Brightology Brightright solar LED path lights at the edge of the walkway to the front door.

As with the Solarscape lights, these were incredibly simple to install in just minutes!  I just popped the stake into each light, and switched them to “on” so they could charge. 

These are low-profile LED path lights, so they take up hardly any space, but still provide amazingly bright light so nobody will stumble on their walk to my door.  (Again, happy food delivery people!)

If you prefer a more decorative style of pathway light, Brightology has those, too!  They even have solar LED pathway lights available in every color of the rainbow.

In the summer months, I plan to relocate these path lights to the back walkway to my patio, since that’s where the good times will be happening!  Since these solar LED landscape lights have no wires and install so easily, this will be no problem at all.

Solar LED Landscape Lights – Your Questions Answered

Now, if you’re like me before I installed these Brightology landscape lights, I’m sure you have a lot of questions about solar landscape lighting!

How long do Brightology solar LED lights last?

These solar LED landscape lights last up to eight hours a night!  

The lights soak up sunlight during the day to charge the batteries, and then turn on automatically when it gets dark.  At the time of writing this post (January), my lights are turning on around 5:30 pm and are still on when I go to bed at 10:00 pm.  And this is with multiple days in a row of NO sunlight at all – just gray, cloudy skies.

How bright are Brightology solar LED lights?

On nights following a sunny day, these solar LED landscape lights are extremely bright!  To me they appear as bright as regular LED lights – I would not guess that they are powered by the sun.

On nights following a cloudy day, the landscape lights are still bright and visible, though not as bright as when they’ve had a full day of charging in the sunshine.

Can you leave Brightology solar lights out all winter?

According to Brightology, these weather-resistant solar LED landscape lights can be left out in the winter.  If the temperature is expected to drop below 32 degrees, they suggest that you move the lights to a frost-free location until it warms up.  Since installation is so easy, this really is not an issue.

Are Brightology solar LED lights worth it?

The convenience and light output of these lights makes me believe that they are definitely “worth it.”  In under ten minutes I set up eight new landscape lights in my yard and illuminated areas that had previously been pitch black.

Plus, purchase Brightology solar lights through this link and automatically save 15%!

The fact that Brightology solar LED landscape lights provide good lighting, and that I can replace the batteries in the future, makes them a smart investment, in my opinion. 

If you’re looking to add lighting to your yard but don’t want the hassle of running wires and hooking up electrical, these lights are the perfect solution.

-Bre

As I’ve been talking about non-stop, I painted my oak kitchen cabinets and freshened up the space! Part of the kitchen makeover was enhancing the lighting, and I’m pumped to show you the EASIEST DIY under cabinet lighting that absolutely anybody can add to his or her kitchen for a little mood lighting and general fancy-pantsness.

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Now, being totally honest with you, I’d like to have hardwired under cabinet lighting that was installed by an electrician.  

But, I had to pick and choose where I spent my budget for this project, and I decided that this luxury had to go.  Never one to let a dream die easily, however, I figured out a way to add under cabinet lighting all by myself- and at a fraction of the price!

Because technology is amazing nowadays, I was able to purchase these remote controlled wireless under cabinet lights and install them myself – in about ten minutes!

And I am obsessed!

Let me tell you a little bit about the benefits of these wireless LED under cabinet lights.

How Do You Install Wireless Under Cabinet Lights?

You mount them to the underside of your cabinets with a self-adhesive magnet.  So the sticky part of the magnet goes on the underside of the cabinet, and the light attaches to the magnet.  

This makes the under cabinet lights super easy to remove for charging.

Are Wireless Under Cabinet Lights Rechargeable?

Yes! These lights are rechargeable!  No swapping batteries.

You just plug in each of the under cabinet lights to recharge them.  I find that each light lasts between 8-10 hours before needing charging.

I purchased this 6-port USB charger so that I can charge all of my wireless under cabinet lights at one time.  This is SUPER convenient.  It would be annoying to have to charge each one individually, or to find different outlets for each of the lights to charge at.

How Do You Turn On the Under Cabinet Lights?

Did I mention that these wireless under cabinet lights come with a remote control?  It’s awesome! When I stumble into the kitchen each morning, I just grab the remote from the drawer and turn them all on at once! 

This means you do not need to turn on each under cabinet light individually, though you could do that if you lose the remote.

The remote also allows you to set a timer so that the lights turn off after a set period of time.  I love this feature because I never have to think about turning off the lights or wasting the charge.

How Bright is This DIY Under Cabinet Lighting?

You can choose the color of the lighting (bright white light, warm white light, or a mix of the two for a hybrid look) on each of the individual wireless lights.  I usually have mine set to warm white light. 

You can also set the intensity of light, from 50% power to 100% intensity.

What are the Negatives of Wireless Under Cabinet Lights?

Well, the biggest negative of these under cabinet lights is that you have to recharge them.  It’s not a huge deal to me, but it would be nice to never have to do that!  

That being said, I’m totally happy that I was able to add under cabinet lighting to my kitchen without hiring an electrician or blowing my budget in here! 

If you’d like to add lights under your kitchen cabinets but don’t want to spend a lot of money to do so, consider adding wireless under cabinet lights.  I give them my stamp of approval!

Also, I recently added solar LED landscape lighting to my yard, and am so pleased with those wireless landscape lights! If you need to brighten up your yard, I suggest you read my post all about it!

-Bre

Check Out the Other Kitchen Makeover Posts in This Series!

• How to Paint a Kitchen Tile Backsplash
• How to Disguise a Kitchen Soffit With Trim
• DIY Painted Oak Cabinets
• How to Convert a Kitchen Desk to Pull-Out Trash