🎨 Cabinet Paint Calculator
Calculate exactly how much paint you need for cabinet doors, frames, and drawers
| Door Type | Width (in) | Height (in) | Area 1 Side (sq ft) | Area Both Sides (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Cabinet (Small) | 12 | 30 | 2.50 | 5.00 |
| Upper Cabinet (Standard) | 15 | 30 | 3.13 | 6.25 |
| Upper Cabinet (Wide) | 18 | 30 | 3.75 | 7.50 |
| Lower Cabinet (Standard) | 15 | 24 | 2.50 | 5.00 |
| Lower Cabinet (Wide) | 18 | 24 | 3.00 | 6.00 |
| Full-Height Pantry Door | 18 | 84 | 10.50 | 21.00 |
| Refrigerator Panel | 24 | 84 | 14.00 | 28.00 |
| Standard Drawer Front | 15 | 6 | 0.63 | 0.63 |
| Kitchen Size | Avg Doors | Total Area (sq ft) | Latex (2 Coats) | With Primer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 70 sq ft) | 6–8 | 40–55 | 1 quart | 1 quart + 1 quart primer |
| Medium (70–150 sq ft) | 10–14 | 60–90 | 1 gallon | 1 gal + 1 quart primer |
| Large (150–250 sq ft) | 15–20 | 90–140 | 1–2 gallons | 1 gal + 1 gal primer |
| Extra Large (250+ sq ft) | 20+ | 140+ | 2+ gallons | 2 gal + 1 gal primer |
| Container | Volume | Latex Coverage | Oil Coverage | Chalk Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample / Tester | 8 oz (0.24 L) | ~22 sq ft | ~25 sq ft | ~9 sq ft |
| Quart | 32 oz (0.95 L) | ~88 sq ft | ~100 sq ft | ~38 sq ft |
| Half Gallon | 64 oz (1.89 L) | ~175 sq ft | ~200 sq ft | ~75 sq ft |
| Gallon | 128 oz (3.79 L) | ~350 sq ft | ~400 sq ft | ~150 sq ft |
| 5-Gallon Bucket | 640 oz (18.93 L) | ~1,750 sq ft | ~2,000 sq ft | ~750 sq ft |
Painting cabinet help to give the room new look without need to change the whole furniture. That works well for those that want to update their home at low cost. Some tools for cabinet painting do not require to remove the old layer or do complex preparation, what makes the process easier for beginners Roller and brush can reach almost professional result.
Choosing the right paint, one must mind the type of gloss. Matte paint offers more flat and dark look. Bright surface reflects light well.
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Satin paints sit between those two ends. It also matters to buy right materials acording to the type of cabinet, whether from solid wood, laminate or metal.
Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel and Benjamin Moore Advance are two popular brands for kitchen cabinet work. They offer paint of good quality, that lasts long. For factory painted cabinet, such prime paints can go directly on without prior preparation.
Enamel paint gives strong covering, that easily cleans without peeling or hardening. It stores more resin than average paints, what helps it resist.
Latex paint is commonly preferred over oil based paint for kitchen surfaces, because it dries more quickly. Like this the room soon returns too usual state. Some paints have long working time, what stops too fast drying during breaks in the application.
This allows the brush to sit flat, without streak traces.
Some water based enamels for cabinet have a low bright finish and come in thousands of shades. Some of them include primer and seal, what results in smooth, self leveling satin covering, that protects against everyday kitchen use and wear.
Preparation is a key step. Well degrease the cabinet before painting makes big difference for the final look. Remove old paint helps, because layers build up over time and can stick during opening and closing of doors.
For stained surfaces the process is extra important. One coat of primer and two of paint work for good covering, but for doors sometimes two primer coats and one paint works more well. At light colored oak cabinet two coats of primer and two of paint gave good result.
Spraying of cabinet forms another method. A good sprayer with good tip can reach great results, especially on doors. Some paints level well after spraying, drying to factory smooth surface with few brush traces.
Roll the bodies of cabinet during spraying of doors is a usual method. Zinsser BIN Primer, that is based on shellac, works best for preparing cabinet, especially IKEA ones with laminate surfaces. Painting of cabinet can be surprisingly lasting, resistingwell in commonly used places like kitchen drawers and humid bathrooms.
