How to Paint Varnished Cabinets?

If you ask me, I can say that one excellent technique to update your room without having to replace your cabinets is to paint over ones that have already been varnished. As I myself painted my varnished cabinets, I can help you with your question: “How to paint varnished kitchen cabinets?” TSP as mentioned is a very good degreaser and can be used as the first step to paint the previously varnished cabinets. However, instead of TSP, I have used a mild dish soap. Let me share the detailed steps below.

How to Paint Over Varnished Cabinets?

The steps that I took to paint my previously painted cabinets are as follows, 

1. First, I used a solution of mild soap and warm water to clean the surface and then wipe it dry.

2. After this, I lightly sanded the varnished surface with 120- to 220-grit sandpaper

3. Then I used Asian Paints Truecare, which is one of the high-quality bonding primer designed for glossy cabinet surfaces

4. Once the primer dried, I applied the first coat of paint using a brush or roller.

5. After the first coat was completely dried, I also applied a second coat for a smooth finish.

If you are not sure about handling this painting task, you must hire a professional painter. Hope this helps!

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Last year, my fiance and I decided to paint our kitchen cabinets after moving into a new apartment. The cabinets were coated with translucent satin varnish. So it required a different approach. And, there was a housewarming party planned for the next week and we had no time to prepare. I hence researched how to paint varnished cabinets and came across the easiest process that I shared below.

How to Paint Varnished Kitchen Cabinets?

I found that varnish is a protective layer used to protect the woods from damage and gives it a shiny look. To paint such cabinets, you just require the right materials and a partner who will help you throughout. After you can follow the below process:

1. Cover Surfaces: Firstly cover the floor and other surfaces with towels to avoid any kind of mess in the kitchen.

2. Remove Cabinet Doors: To paint the insides, you need to remove all the hinges, handles, and pulls beforehand. My fiance did all the removing with a screwdriver. 

3. Fill the Dents: Then, you can use a scraper to fill the dents, holes, and other imperfections with the help of a spackling compound. This will make it easier to paint the surface.  

4. Prepare Surface: Before you paint varnished cabinets, you need to remove the gloss finish. It takes more effort to remove the thick layer of grease or dirt, so we used a TSP solution. You can also look for any substitute to clean the surfaces, until the finish is dry. While my partner removed the gloss, I wiped the surfaces with water to remove any remaining traces of TSP.

5. Prime Cabinets: It’s important to prime the cabinet to ensure the paint sticks to the surface. We used Berger Home Shield to prime the surface. You can use any primer that works for you. Choose a colour close to the one you want to paint and use a roller to apply the prime.

6. Paint Cabinets: Use a small roller to paint the insides of the cabinet. My fiance started from the bottom shelf as I wanted to get a picture and visualise the whole thing.. Let it dry for a few minutes before moving on to the top shelf. We did it about 3-4 times until we got the exact results. 

Hope this answers your query, how to paint varnished cabinets. Since I wanted to do it myself, I didn’t take any professional help. 

However, recently, we got our home completely painted through NoBroker and I regret not approaching them sooner. I would recommend you guys take professionals’ help in all these things as they can suggest you better.