Cabinet painting calculator

Every line shows the quantity to buy and how StudSheet got it: the spacing, the waste and the package size, so you can check it before the supply house or the quote.

In Canada (20 doors, 8 drawers)

Set to Canada, the Sheet works the job out again for Ontario: metric sizes, bag sizes, the frost depth and the code notes. It doesn't just convert feet to meters. The first lines:

• 2 bottles, TSP-substitute cleaner: Kitchen grease is the top reason cabinet paint peels: about one bottle per 13.9 m²; 19.4 m² here.
• 4 packs, Fine sanding sponges, 4-pack: A scuff of every surface and a light sand after the primer: a 4-pack per 5.6 m² or so.
• 3 rolls, Painter’s tape 36 mm × 55 m: Walls, ceiling and counters along the cabinets, and the door numbers: a roll per 9.3 m².
• 2, Plastic sheeting 2.7 × 3.7 m: Over the counters, appliances and floor.
• 1, Canvas drop cloth 2.7 × 3.7 m: Under the drying doors.
• 1 × 3.78 L, Bonding primer: 19.4 m² × 1 coat ÷ 32.5 m² per 3.78 L = 2.3 L. Oak can bleed tan through the primer: test a door, and a second coat of primer stops it.

1. Label and remove: number every door and drawer (tape under the hinge), photograph the layout, and take off the doors, drawers and hardware.
2. Degrease: scrub every surface with degreaser, rinse, and let it dry. Grease is the top reason cabinet paint fails.
3. Sand: scuff everything with 220 grit, fill the holes, sand the filler smooth, then vacuum and wipe.
4. Prime: one coat of bonding primer (two over oak that bleeds through), then a light sand with 220 when it’s dry.
5. Coat 1: thin coats; roll the flats and brush the profiles, door backs first, then fronts.
6. Coat 2: after the recoat time on the can; sand lightly first if anything feels rough.
7. Harden: leave the doors flat on the pyramids overnight before they go back; the paint keeps curing for about 2 weeks, so handle them gently.
8. Rehang by number, adjust the hinges, and add the bumpers.

Must-have tools first, then the ones that help and the ones to rent for the day.

Mistakes that cost a callback or a second trip

• Skipping degreaser: Paint over kitchen grease peels in sheets. Degrease first, even if it looks clean.
• No primer over stain: Enamel straight over stained or varnished wood peels and lets tannins bleed through. Bonding primer first.
• Thick coats: Thick coats sag, stay soft and stick. Two or three thin coats.
• Rehanging too soon: Doors rehung on soft paint stick and dent. Overnight at least, and gentle use for 2 weeks.
• Painting thermofoil: Paint doesn’t hold on vinyl-wrapped doors; the wrap also peels on its own.
• Mixing up the doors: Doors are fitted to their openings. Number each one under the hinge.

What the calculator assumes

• A door is about 15″ × 30″: 3.1 sq ft a side, +15% for edges and profiles = 3.6 sq ft, both sides painted.
• A drawer front is about 15″ × 6″: 0.72 sq ft with its edges.
• Face frames and the outside of the boxes: about 2.5 sq ft per foot of cabinet run (uppers and lowers added); an exposed end 4.5 sq ft.
• Primer: one coat; enamel: 2 coats, both at 350 sq ft/gal.

The Sheet sets its code notes for the job's state or province. These are New Jersey's and Ontario's; the code reference has more. Always confirm with your building department.

• Permits: a job like this usually needs none, but towns set their own rules. Ask your building department if you're not sure.

What materials do I need to paint kitchen cabinets?

For the worked example, a 20 doors, 8 drawers, the Sheet counts 8 lines with waste included, starting with tSP-substitute cleaner (2 bottles), fine sanding sponges, 4-pack (4 packs), painter’s tape 1.41″ × 60 yd (3 rolls), plastic sheeting 9×12 (2). Each line's math is in the table above. Put in your own sizes in the cabinet paint calculator and every line is counted again.

How long does it take to paint kitchen cabinets, and can I do it myself?

About 33 to 51 hours for the worked example, in 8 steps. StudSheet stamps it DIY OK: you can do this.

What tools do I need to paint kitchen cabinets?

13 in all. The must-haves start with screwdriver set, cordless drill/driver, shop vac, paint tray, 2″ angled trim brush, sawhorses. On the Sheet you mark each one as owned, to buy or to rent.

Stuck while you paint kitchen cabinets? Ask in the Cabinet painting group of the StudSheet community with this Sheet attached. Homeowners who've done it and verified pros answer, and anyone can read it.

• Painting for contractors: run this takeoff at your own prices, send the estimate, and get it signed and the deposit paid.
• Paint a room (14′ × 12′ room): Prep, primer, paint and supplies — walls, ceiling, trim and doors.
• Paint the outside of a house (40′ × 25′ house, 2 stories): Siding, trim, doors and shutters: gallons, primer, caulk and ladders, with lead-safe rules for older homes.
• Stain or seal a deck or fence (16′ × 12′ deck): Cleaner, brightener or stripper, stain or sealer by the gallon for your deck, railings, stairs and fence — first and second coats counted the way the cans say.
• All 45 Sheets, across 16 trades.
• Code reference: frost depths, guard heights, stairs, retaining walls.