Do you paint the inside of kitchen drawers? (2024)

Do you paint the inside of kitchen drawers? We will help you find out! Painting kitchen cabinets are a popular trend in home renovation. Back in 1950, this trend had made many homeowners’ lives easier. Restoring the cupboards and painting the drawers gives life to worn-out material. It saves you around $13,000 for brand new high-end kitchen drawers.

In the meantime, painting the inside of your kitchen drawers is a matter of preference. You tend to miss the interior drawers as they only serve as storage for all our kitchen wares. It is something ordinary but surprisingly has a big impact on your kitchen’s style.

Key Insights for Painting the Inside of Your Kitchen Drawers

1. Painting the inside of kitchen drawers is a matter of preference, but it can add style and an extra layer of protection to your kitchen.
2. The type of paint you choose for your drawers can greatly influence the final look and durability. Options include enamel, lacquer-based, latex, emulsion, acrylic, and chalk paint.
3. The color you choose for the inside of your drawers can have a significant impact on your kitchen’s overall aesthetic. Consider coordinating with your kitchen’s color theme.
4. Painting both sides of the kitchen door ensures a balanced and uniform look from all angles.
5. There are two methods of painting kitchen cabinets: spray painting and brush painting. Each has its pros and cons.
6. If you decide to paint the interior of your kitchen drawers yourself, there are several steps to follow, including cleaning, sanding, applying a primer, painting in several coats, and using a finish.
7. Remember, painting the inside of your drawers requires time and dedication. If not done correctly, it can lead to scratching, fading, bubbling, and chipping

If you are planning a kitchen remodel, you can add painting the inside of the cabinets to your list. Good thing you read on this blog. Here are ways to paint your cabinets and how they can be transformed without costing you too much.

Types of Paint Suitable for Kitchen Drawers

Is it Worth Paint the Inside of Cabinets and Drawers?

Painting the insides of kitchen drawers may be unnecessary, but if you have a bit of a budget, there’s nothing wrong with doing it. Besides, painting its interior has some benefits. Painted drawers add style and an extra layer of protection. That is also true when you have old and worn material.

Depending on your time and budget, you can transform your kitchen drawers into a piece of elegant and polished furniture. There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to this. Below, we’ll break down all the things you need to know if you want to paint the inside of your kitchen drawers and cabinet.

What paint should I use inside drawers?

Choosing the paint to use in the inside drawers is an exciting task. There are a lot of choices you can make. The kinds of paint vary depending on the type of kitchen drawer you have. Putting a paint coat inside may be a wise decision if it is a glass compartment. An exposed interior will ruin the elegance of your kitchen. Here are some kinds of paint you can choose to use for your kitchen’s inside drawers:

Enamel paint

Applying enamel is a practical choice, enabling the paint to last longer with a glossy and durable finish. Enamels have many uses. You can paint the kitchen drawer’s inside with this, giving a neat and vibrant look to the enclosed space.

Acrylic paint

Acrylic is a great choice for a wood drawer. Acrylic also ensures a super shiny and smooth surface. You don’t need to worry about cracks or shrink in the wood’s surface. Acrylic paints are usually odorless and easy to use paint. Acrylic paints are best for painting inside a kitchen drawer. This paint is typically applied using a brush.

Lacquer-based paint

Lacquer-based produces a durable and solid finish on drawers. It is waterproof, breathable, and chip-resistant. It is flexible on wood surfaces and is usually applied using a spray brush instead of a roller. Lacquer dries quickly and absorbs moisture in the wood.

Emulsion paint

Emulsion paint is suitable for wood interior drawers, and it is durable and weather resistant. A good choice for cabinet paint and if you want to paint inside your drawers. Emulsion paint is a swell undercoat, and you can seal it with a varnish to create that glossy look surface in the wood.

Latex paint

It is cheaper than other kinds of paint, and it is easier to work with latex than oil-based. You can clean it with soap and water, and latex is less durable than other paints.

Chalk paint

Chalk paint gives an almost matte finish to the wood. Chalk paint also adheres to nearly all types, so you do not need extra preparation. It is the most resilient paint you can use on wood but usually requires protective coats to last.

Choosing the right color for the inside drawers is also an amusing task. A different color can transform your kitchen drawers. It can depend on the owner’s personal preference as well. You can choose a paint color that correlates with the color theme of your kitchen. The color inside the drawer needs to leave an impact. Below are some tips you need to know when choosing the right color for the drawer interior:

• white paint makes the drawer look spacious
• contrasting colors can highlight the cabinetry
• coordinate colors for consistency
• light color like bright yellow shows dirt and dust easily
• choose in the same color theme

Unlike cabinet doors, the interior of the kitchen drawer is not shown most of the time. Still, it needs a delicate choice of which paint finishes to use.

The kind of paint finish also matters. High gloss paint is the easiest to clean and more durable finish for drawer interiors, kitchen cabinets, and dresser drawers. Semi-gloss paint is great for kitchen cabinets and walls with grease stains. Matte and flat finishes are best for cabinets. Satin provides a smooth, pearl-like finish perfect for a table, bathroom, and kitchen.

Do you paint both sides of the kitchen door?

The choice of not painting both sides will not affect the functionality of the kitchen drawers. Though it may seem unnecessary, do you need to paint both sides of the kitchen door? The short answer is yes.

One reason is that both sides of the kitchen door are what you see when you open it. Painting both sides of the kitchen door ensures the drawers look balanced and uniform at all angles. Painting one side of the kitchen door will also make the doors look odd when opened. Painting both sides will also add an extra layer of protection against termites eating up wood kitchen doors.

Painted Drawers are optional extras

Most kitchen drawers are usually not painted, especially new cabinets and drawers. Some furniture found in the kitchen, like cabinets, chairs, tables, and racks, is typically painted.

A painted drawer is not necessary but a great option. If you finally decide to paint the interior of your kitchen drawers, here are some disadvantages you need to note about it:

• tedious process
• time-consuming
• expensive

After knowing these things and you are still interested is good to know. If you are willing to pay extra and dedicate some time, you can do the painting yourself instead of hiring someone to do it.

Is it better to spray or brush paint kitchen cabinets?

There are two methods of painting kitchen cabinets: spray painting and brush painting. Spray painting involves a paint sprayer applying the fresh coat evenly. Brush painting, on the other hand, consists of using a brush or a roller to apply the paint.

Both methods, when used on kitchen cabinets, have pros and cons. Spray painting is more expensive but more durable to use as paint inside kitchen cabinets. Spray painting is ideal for large areas such as a kitchen cabinet wall and a cabinet door, where you can paint an entire surface all at once.

Brush painting applies to old wooden kitchen cabinets and drawers. It is more delicate and requires a more even brush stroke. Brush painting is ideal for a paint cabinet frame. It is also great to use and paint inside kitchen cabinets and cabinet doors.

Tips for Painting Your Drawers Like a Professional

Most people think that painting drawers and cabinets are not easy. If you are a newbie to painting drawers, below are some top tips for painting your drawers to do it like a pro:

1: Start with a plan

Identify all the things you need to do and account for every material you need to use.

2: Use good quality paintbrushes

A drawer made from traditional timber needs a good-quality paintbrush. Bad paint brushes will lead to paint chips.

3: Rollers can help

Paint rollers can cover a larger surface area than the usual paint brushes. Rolled paint provides a smooth finish when you paint a cabinet frame. A high-density foam roller is ideal for molding drawer, cabinet, and cabinet doors when you have a budget.

4: Cover the countertops

The last thing you want to do is splash paint all over your countertops. Painting drawers is a messy job. Make sure to protect your countertops by covering them with plastic wraps. Make room to maximize your painting space and remove all debris.

5: Sand the drawer

Lightly sand the drawer before applying any paint. The sanding of the drawer will make painting the surface of the drawer easy. Light sanding makes the paint stick to slick surfaces of the kitchen drawer. It removes imperfections on the surface of the drawer. At the same time, when you sand the drawers clean it helps the adhesion of the paint.

6: Test out your colors

Test a sample swatch before you start painting. Testing the color will allow you to see how the paint will look on the drawer and cabinet. This process will also help you save time in redoing the paint. Just in case you make a mistake choosing the color you want to apply.

7: Paint without distractions

Clear out some space where you can concentrate on painting. When you are out of focus, the tendency is that you do a sloppy job of painting your drawers.

8: Wait for the paint to dry out before applying again

The secret to painting like a pro is waiting for the wood to dry before applying more paint. Do a few coats of paint one at a time. It will make the paint applied to the cabinets correctly.

9: Use a paint that dries fast

It is necessary to buy paint that dries fast when painting a big set of kitchen drawers. Use a paint that dries fast and is ready for a second coating to save time.

10: Protect yourself

Use gloves and masks to protect yourself from paint materials that have chemicals. Use eye protection and wear a suit if necessary.

How to paint drawer interiors

Here’s how to paint the interior of your kitchen drawers. You need the following materials:

• brushes
• masking tape
• sandpaper
• undercoat or primer
• top coat
• self-leveling paint

After you have prepared all the things you need, you might want to check out these step-by-step guide to painting your drawer interiors:

Step 1: Clean the drawer

Make sure the drawers are clean. Empty everything that is inside the drawer. Remove utensils and kitchen stuff that should not get painted and contaminated.

Step 2: Dismantle the drawer door, if necessary

Remove hardware and drawer doors. Dismantle the knobs, pulls, and latches of the drawer to avoid damage to the paint. Painting hinges and handles affects how the drawer door works.

Step 3: Sand the drawer and its interiors

Sanding the interiors and the drawer will help the paint stick to the surface. It will also soften and cover any holes and dents in the drawer and its interiors.

Step 4: Apply a primer

Primer is to ensure the paint stays for a long time. This process will help you save money and effort in the long run.

Step 5: Applying paint in several coats one at a time

Start the paint on the interior. Then move to the exterior part of the drawers. Wait for the paint to dry before applying more paint for the second coating. Light color choices may need three to four coats.

Step 6: Use a finishing

Use a finishing that will cancel the after-paint odor of your drawers and cabinets. Make sure to choose a finish suitable to the material used in your drawers. The right finishing laminates and gives your cabinetry a glossy look.

Paint the inside of the drawers correctly or not!

Make sure to have the right resources before you start. It can make a difference and your personality in your kitchen. You should note that redoing your drawers requires time and dedication; otherwise, your efforts will go to waste.

Uneven and unpolished inside of the drawers will result in scratching, fading, bubbling, and chirping drawers. Your goal of having aesthetic-looking drawers will not be successful. Instead, you will have faulty ones that will need another renovation.