Do you have a cheap laminate storage cabinet someplace in your home? They are super functional, but not very attractive! However, you can do something about that! I’m going to show you how to paint laminate cabinets to look expensive!
Please tell me I’m not the only person that has cheap, mismatched laminate storage cabinets in their home!
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
This brown cube storage cabinet was in my son’s dorm room in college!
Oh the stories that piece of furniture could tell, lol!!
Somehow, it found its way to my office and is storing craft supplies!
You can see it here, on the left side of my office, it’s very functional but not very pretty!
But look what a little paint, Rub-n-Buff, new storage cubes, and a different furniture arrangement can do!!
Is that not amazing?? Can you believe the difference??
At first, I wasn’t sure if I could pull this off!
Can you paint laminate cabinets?
When we lived in Kentucky, I painted a tan laminate cabinet white with chalk paint.
It had removable shelves and some of them fit a bit tight.
The paint easily scratched off when I switched the shelves around, so I didn’t think it was a good idea to paint the laminate storage cabinet in my office.
Thank goodness I decided to do a little research on the matter because I found out that you can indeed paint laminate cabinets successfully!
BUT, (don’t you hate when there’s a but, lol) you have to do the proper prep and use products made for premium adhesion.
With that in mind, let’s get this DIY started!
Steps to paint laminate cabinets
Gather
Gather or purchase the following products to complete this DIY project:
- Laminate cabinets
- Krud Kutter
- Zinsser B-I-N Primer
- Emerald Paint by Sherwin Williams in Pure White
- 4inch paint roller
- Paintbrush
- Sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Screwdriver
- Run-n-Buff in Antique Gold
- Metal File cube storage bins- purchased at Walmart
Prep
The first step is to clean the cabinet thoroughly with a heavy-duty cleaner!
I use Krud Kutter, it does a fabulous job of removing dirt and grime!
Prime
Second, and most importantly, you have to prime the cabinet.
You can not use just any primer, it needs to be one specifically made to stick to slick surfaces!
My favorite primer to use in this situation is Zinsser B-I-N Primer.
I always wipe the furniture with a tack cloth before priming or painting to remove any dust particles.
Then, I applied the primer with a brush and this is the result after it dried for 45 minutes.
I applied a second coat of primer and this is the result after 45 minutes of drying time.
I had a few drips of primer in a couple of places, so I lightly sanded those areas and vacuumed up the dust.
*TIP- The next time I use this primer, I’m going to apply it with a roller, that I can throw away because you have to use denatured alcohol to clean the paintbrush!
Paint
It’s important to use good paint on a laminate cabinet!
When we painted our bathroom cabinets we spoke to people that work at our local paint store to make sure we were using the best product possible for high adhesion!
I’m using the paint that was leftover from that project!
I used a 4-inch roller to apply the paint and allowed it to dry overnight.
It still needed one more coat to get full coverage!
How to make Laminate Cabinets look expensive
The paint made my cabinet look brand new, but I want it to have a more expensive, high-end look! I have three simple tips to make your cabinets look more expensive!
Update storage cubes
The first thing I did was purchase new storage cubes to go inside the cabinet!
I found these black file storage cubes at Walmart and they fit perfectly!
I loved the gold metal accents on the cubes!
Change the cabinet arrangement
Next, I rearranged my storage cabinets into a better configuration.
These storage cubes were on the back wall of my office beside my bookshelves.
I moved them to the left side of the room and placed them on either side of the newly painted cabinet. I love how it looked but the silver handles did not match the gold accents on the cubes!
Paint hardware
So I grabbed the only color of Rub-n-Buff I had at home, antique gold, and applied it to the hardware.
It’s a bit brassy looking but I didn’t want to buy more Rub’n Buff so I’m going with it for now!
And here is the final look!! What a difference!
Here are the before and after pics, side by side, to show the major transformation!
Now I have craft storage that is functional, but looks amazing too!
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Blessings, Donna and Rich
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More amazing transformations with paint
I love to completely change the look of items in my home with paint! Here are a few of my favorites!
- How to Upcycle an Old Picnic Basket
- Table Set Makeover with Paint & Stencil
- How to Age Terra Cotta Pots
- Transform Ceramic Items with Spray Paint
- Four Beautiful Living Room Table Makeovers
Get The Look
Click on the picture for the item that you are interested in purchasing.
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
This is such a beautiful upgrade, Donna! Several years ago I painted a laminate cabinet and goodness, it is not for the faint of heart that’s for sure. Love the way the came together. It’s such a great storage piece. Hugs, CoCo
Thanks, CoCo! I am so thrilled with how it turned out! All the work is worth it since it won’t scratch up as my last one did! Take care, Donna
Love it! Thanks for sharing with us, I’ll be featuring you this week when the next To Grandma’s house we go Wednesday link party starts!
That’s such great news! Thank you! I appreciate you sharing the post! I hope you have a wonderful week! Blessings, Donna
Wow! Looks great Donna. I love that Zisser primer too. I used it on our garage door. These cabinets look high end, and I am loving it. Don’t you just love when a project turns out how you see it in your head?
Yes, Cara, I’m thrilled this turned out so good! That primer is the best!