Size the paint before you open a can
Cabinets and trim are piece counts, not room walls. Use the cabinet & trim paint calculator for door/drawer counts and linear feet of baseboard — then buy gallons (or quarts) with waste built in.
Prep that makes paint stick
Skip primer and you fight peeling edges around knobs and door edges. Primer choice guide: how to choose primer.
- Remove doors/drawers and hardware; label everything
- Degrease kitchen cabinets (TSP substitute) — dust alone is not enough
- Light sand glossy surfaces; wipe dust
- Test oil vs latex on old trim — see oil vs latex ID
- Bonding primer on glossy or oil-based trim and cabinets
Sheen and coats
Satin or semi-gloss is standard for trim and cabinets — wipeable and tougher than flat. Most kitchen cabinets need two thin finish coats after primer. Recoat timing: how long between coats.
Sheen comparison: flat vs eggshell vs satin.
When to stop DIY
Factory-finished cabinets with peeling laminate, water-damaged boxes, or sprayed finishes you cannot sand safely are often better replaced or left to a cabinet refinisher. Softwood trim with failing oil layers may need painting over oil steps or stripping.