DEAR TIM: I would like to have a fresh look in my kitchen. However, my scrooge husband has indicated that we can only spend $1,000. Do you think I can get superior performance from painting my existing cabinetry? If so, what type of paint will deliver top performance? Are there any pitfalls to avoid while attempting this job? What other things can I do to breathe new life into my dull kitchen? I am very handy and will do the work myself.

DEAR B. E.: Painting your existing cabinets is a wonderful alternative to purchasing new cabinetry. What's more, this will give us nearly $950 to spend on other goodies. I firmly believe that you will be delighted with the results.

You have three main options with respect to the final paint finish that you can apply to your cabinets. As you might imagine, all have their advantages and disadvantages. Your primary concern should be the hardness of the final finish. Kitchen cabinets require a hard finish that will resist scratches and chips.

The hardest paint that is available to most homeowners is an epoxy modified alkyd paint. These are most commonly found in aerosol spray cans. After these paints cure, they typically have a harder finish than you could obtain with an oil or water based paint that is brushed on. Spraying paint is an art. Sags and runs are possible if you are not careful. Areas adjacent to the cabinets must be meticulously protected from paint overspray. Fumes can be a problem as well.

Alkyd or oil based paints will produce exceptional high gloss finishes and rapid cure times. This is important if you need to get your kitchen up and running again. Many oil based paints will dry to a superior hardness within 48 hours. This allow you to cook and move about without fear of damaging the new finish. However, alkyd/oil paints often produce strong fumes while drying. They require the use of mineral spirits or thinner to clean your tools.

Acrylic water based paints offer acceptable hardness, low odor, and ease of clean up. However, acrylic paints tend not to be as glossy as oil based paints. In addition, it takes considerably longer for acrylic finishes to reach acceptable hardness levels. You may have to wait 5 - 7 days before the finish with withstand significant abuse. Furthermore, you must use an oil based primer over your previously painted or urethaned cabinetry. The oil primers tend to grip the old surface much better than water based primers.

Wash the surfaces to be painted with a strong solution of soap and water. Don't be afraid to scrub. After the cabinets dry, remove all doors and empty the drawers. We will paint these in the basement or garage. Remove all hinges, knobs, and other hardware. Sand all surfaces that will receive new paint. Eliminate all sources of dust. Apply the primer with a small roller to speed application. Immediately brush the paint to give it a smoother finished look. Allow the primer to dry for one day. Apply the finish coat as soon as possible using the roller and brush method. Do not reassemble the cabinets until the paint finish has hardened.

The remainder of your cash can be spent on new countertops, a faucet, and possibly some affordable wallpaper. If you do some smart shopping, you will have money left over to buy that delightful sweater you saw in the mail order catalog.

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Author's Note: If you want to save thousands of dollars, you should read my Painting Cabinetry eBook. It has step-by-step photos and instructions that show you how to paint cabinets. I guarantee that you will be satisfied.

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Comments: Welcome! I, Tim Carter, don't answer questions here. If you post a question here in the Comments Area, perhaps another visitor will help you. You need to go to the Ask Tim page if you want a question answered. Once there, look closely at how many weeks behind we are. Please be patient as you use this free service. If you have an emergency and need to talk to me, there is an option there for you. Doug Hall 16 Dec 2007, 01:50 Dear Tim: I just Took over several bank forclosed homes and in 2 of them when they were painting the trim about a year ago they got heavy overspray on the custom cherry cabinets.I have used goof-off with a scotch-bright pad but was unable to remove the overspray. any sugestions? AsktheBuilder 16 Dec 2007, 07:50 Doug, STOP all amateur chemistry experiments now. Locate an expert furniture repair pro in your area. These wizards will fix the damage in no time. You should see the magical kits they have that includes this amazing alcohol burner that melts the colored sticks of lacquer. Kate Bartel 15 Apr 2008, 17:28 We are looking a buying a home with cherry floors and cherry kitchen cabinets. I really like white cabinets and wonder if I can have the cherry cabinets painted white? Is this something I need to hire a professional for? These are new cabinets, does that make a difference? thanks. Rachel 15 Jul 2008, 10:31 My husband and I just bought a home with dark stained trim and dark hard wood floors. The cabinets in our home are old and very dated. We were thinking about painting them white, but if I do this, would all of the trim, doors, etc, need to be painted white also? Or should I paint the cabintes another color, where I can get away with not having to paint every square inch of trim in our house? Thanks you! Carolyn 16 Oct 2008, 15:43 Just want to read about painting cherry cabinets white . . . Teresa 04 Dec 2008, 13:23 I would like to paint my oak cabinets to look like dark antiqued cherry. What products should I use and what would the process be? Dana 21 Dec 2008, 10:46 I want to update my kitchen cabinents that are a light pickle wood. They are wood but not a high grade.. What type of paint or stain would give me the most professional look. I do not want streaks. I was also considering trying to just age them and bring them into this century. Any comments are greatly appreciated.. Susan Walker 11 Feb 2009, 10:11 You recommended epoxy modified alkyd paint for painting cabinets. Where can I buy it? Ken V 02 Mar 2009, 18:43 What would be your opinion on getting new cabinet doors and draw fronts made of natural hickory, and possibly painting all the cabinet framing to have a contrasting match and still look nice? I know I could reface the framing with a veneer, but I was looking at reducing cost Martha 07 Mar 2009, 00:04 We are painting our kitchen cabinets. They are old and I don't want to spend a lot of money on them. I would like to give them a clean look until I can replace them perhaps in a couple of years. We are painting a lite color over a lite color. It looks as if they were painted once before with a semi gloss water based paint. Can I just clean them good and paint over the old paint without sanding or priming?      View all comments *Name: Email: Notify me about new comments on this page Hide my email *Text: Security Image: Security Image Text:   Remember, Tim Carter doesn't answer questions here in the comments. You need to go to the Ask Tim page.