Cabinet Painting across Peabody, Massachusetts.

Cabinet boxes outlast the look they were bought for. Two building periods account for nearly two-thirds of Peabody's housing: 7,193 units went up between 1950 and 1969, and another 7,522 between 1980 and 2009. A kitchen in either group may still have its first set of solid-wood or wood-veneer boxes, or a replacement set that is itself decades old, and sound boxes are good candidates for paint.

Painting keeps the layout, the countertops and the plumbing where they are. It changes the color and the hardware, and with careful prep it gives a smooth, factory-style finish over wood that is structurally fine but dated.

Paint or replace: questions to ask first

Open every door and look at the boxes. If the shelves are flat, the face frames are tight and the drawers run straight, paint is a reasonable route. If the sink base has water damage, particleboard is swelling, or you want a different layout, new cabinets may be the better spend. Our article on cabinet painting vs. replacement walks through the decision.

• Solid wood and wood veneer: good candidates
• Previously painted wood: fine once loose paint is removed and tested
• Thermofoil or vinyl-wrapped doors: often a poor base if the wrap is lifting
• Laminate: possible with a specialty bonding primer, on a case-by-case basis

Wood species and grain

Oak has open pores that show through paint as a texture. Whether that texture is welcome is a matter of taste; for a smooth look, the grain gets filled before priming. Maple, cherry and birch have tight grain and take paint smoothly once scuffed and primed. Knots and resinous spots can bleed through light colors, so a shellac-based or other stain-blocking primer goes on first.

How the work is done

Doors and drawer fronts come off and are labeled, so each returns to the same opening. Boxes and face frames stay in place and are masked off from counters, walls and appliances. Kitchen grease is the main enemy of adhesion, so every surface is degreased before it is sanded, and then primed with a bonding primer.

Doors are usually sprayed for an even finish, then given drying and curing time before rehanging. A step-by-step account is in our post on the kitchen cabinet painting process.

Older kitchens and lead

In a house from before 1978, painted cabinets or the trim around them might carry lead paint in an early coat; 64.4% of Peabody units were built in 1979 or earlier. Built-in cupboards and pantry shelving in the 21.8% of units dating to 1939 or before deserve a test in particular, since they may have been painted many times. Testing before sanding answers the question, and positive results mean lead-safe methods. See our lead-safe painting page.

Condos and two-families

Cabinet painting fits units where a full remodel is hard to schedule. Peabody has 6,526 units in buildings with five or more units and 3,190 in two- to four-unit buildings. In a condo, check whether your association limits work hours or the use of sprayers inside units; doors can be sprayed off site to keep overspray and odor out of shared hallways. More on unit work is on our Peabody condo painting page.