Last Updated on June 4, 2024 by lindseymahoney
The best kitchen cabinet paint brand is the Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations kit. It is incredibly easy to use and it is budget-friendly! While the name of the product highlights that the paint kit is perfect for kitchen cabinets, I have used the Cabinet Transformations kits on multiple pieces of furniture, too!
Here is what the paint kit includes:
- Krud Kutter degreaser/deglosser
- 1 quart Bond Coat Paint
- 1 quart Protective Top Coat
Each paint kit covers 100 square feet and it can be purchased at Home Depot and other hardware stores. Today I am going to share how to use this specialized paint on your own kitchen cabinets.
Let’s go!
Table of Contents
- How to Use Rust-Oleum’s Kitchen Cabinet Paint Kit
- 1 | Clean the Cabinet Surfaces
- 2 | Apply the Bond Coat
- 3 | Apply the Protective Top Coat
- 4 | Attach Cabinet Doors and Drawers
- Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Reveal
- Pros and Cons of the Kitchen Cabinet Paint Kit
- Painted Furniture Using the Paint Kits
- Alternative Brands to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
- More Content You Will Love
How to Use Rust-Oleum’s Kitchen Cabinet Paint Kit
When I tackled my brother’s kitchen renovation for just $200, the Cabinet Transformations Kit was key to giving the outdated cabinets a fresh new look. I found the light tint paint kit option on sale for $50 and I had just enough to paint all of the cabinets.
I chose the Greige color from the midtone tint paint kit and had it mixed at the hardware store before bringing it home.
Kitchen Cabinets Before and After
Lower kitchen cabinets before:
And after:
Kitchen area before:
And after:
Here is the process:
1 | Clean the Cabinet Surfaces
For the best results, you want to make sure the cabinet frame and cabinet doors are thoroughly cleaned. This will ensure a smooth finish and maximum paint adhesion.
Remove cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware to clean all of the surfaces. For particularly dirty cabinets, wipe them down with soapy water first. The kit recommends that you apply the degreaser to the surfaces, let it sit for a few minutes, and then wipe it away with a lint free rag.
It is very important to apply this cleaning agent to every square inch of the cabinets. This is what removes the waxy finish and allows us to skip sanding the surfaces.
2 | Apply the Bond Coat
Cabinet Frame
This paint is formulated to adhere to painted or raw wood, laminate, and melamine surfaces. The bond coat is the tinted paint color that you will apply with a paint brush. With this type of paint, I don’t prefer a roll-on application, but a paint roller can be used if that is your preference.
Start with the cabinet frame and apply the first coat of paint with a paintbrush or roller. The dry time between each coat of paint is 2 hours. When the first coat is dry, apply the second coat of paint.
Cabinet Doors and Drawers
Find a place to set up a paint station for the cabinet doors and drawers. I like to set up a table and elevate the doors to easily paint the sides. First, paint the back side of each door and allow 2 hours to dry. Flip the doors over and paint the front of the cabinets and allow 2 hours to dry.
Repeat this process again to apply the second coat of paint to each side of the door.
3 | Apply the Protective Top Coat
The top coat is formulated to be scratch resistant and strong enough to stand up to the wear and tear of everyday use. The top coat liquid looks milky but dries as a clear, satin finish.
Apply a single coat of the protective top coat to the cabinet frame using a paintbrush. When the top coat begins to dry, inspect the painted areas and reapply to any areas that need more of the top coat.
The top coat will have a slight sheen when it dries, so any area that looks more chalky or flat like the bond paint should get more top coat applied.
Follow the same paint process to apply the protective top coat to the doors and drawers. Allow 2 hours of dry time before painting the other side of the doors.
It takes the top coat 7 days to completely cure and Rust-Oleum recommends you avoid using cleaning agents on the cabinets within that time.
4 | Attach Cabinet Doors and Drawers
When the paint is dry, reattach the doors and drawers to the cabinet frame. Attach new hardware to the doors and drawers to complete the look.
Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Reveal
These old wood cabinets look completely different with a fresh coat of paint! Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations products are really the best choice if you are on a tight budget.
This is the best cabinet paint to use if it is your first time painting cabinets and want a professional look without hiring professional painters.
This entire process can be completed over a single weekend, perfect for all of the weekend warriors out there.
Pros and Cons of the Kitchen Cabinet Paint Kit
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- No strong odor (like oil-based paints)
- Durable finish – great for high-traffic areas
- No paint stripping or sanding required
Cons:
- Limited paint colors – Light, dark and midtone kit options each have select colors to choose from
When I want different colors than the paint kit has to offer, I prefer to use Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel paint.
This is the type of paint I used for our 1960s bathroom vanity.
Painted Furniture Using the Paint Kits
I have had a lot of personal experience with this paint brand and have used it numerous times. It is my go-to paint that I recommend to do-it-yourselfers all the time!
Dining Room Buffet
I first used this paint kit to update an old buffet in our dining room. I used the black tinted kitchen transformations kit to give the dated furniture piece a modern and fresh look.
After this furniture makeover I was hooked! The best part is that I still had so much paint left over and was able to reuse it on multiple pieces of furniture before running out.
IKEA Hemnes Dresser
While renovating our primary bedroom, I decided to update our IKEA Hemnes dresser.
First, I attached trim around each drawer and then I painted it light gray. I was a little worried about using the Kitchen Cabinet Transformations kit on the laminate surface, but it turned out great! The paint finish has held up perfectly with no chipping or scratches.
Kitchen Console
Using leftover black paint from the dining room buffet, we did a quick paint job on an old console to use in my brothers kitchen renovation.
Alternative Brands to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
If I haven’t convinced you that the Cabinet Transformations kit is the best option for you, check out the options below. These paint products are formulated for durability and stain-resistance making them perfect for kitchen cabinets.
- Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel paint
- Nuvo Cabinet Paint Kit
- Benjamin Moore Advance – hybrid alkyd enamel paint
- HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Ovation Plus – Zero VOC latex paint option
Paint is so powerful and my favorite way to breathe new life into kitchen cabinets or an old piece of furniture! I hope sharing my experience using the paint kits has given you the information you need to try it out.