How to Mask Kitchen Cabinets for Painting

How to Mask Kitchen Cabinets for Painting: Supplies and Tools Needed 

Most folks have these supplies lying around their home so there’s no need to spend any extra cash getting your kitchen cabinets masked off.  Once you’ve removed your cabinets doors and hardware you can start masking off your cabinets to be painted.   

Painting cabinets like a Pro means using the same techniques you see being used by professional painters.  If you want results that good, solid prep, a cabinet paint sprayer, and good quality paint are KEY. 

Remember: there is no magic bullet or miracle painters’ tape that will make your cabinet prep any easier or the painting go any faster.  Prep is a time consuming step that, when done right, will make sure your painting job is much easier.  The devil is in the details.   

Supplies and Tools for Masking off Cabinets for Painting 

Here is our quick supply list to grab to make sure you have everything you need to mask of your kitchen right the first time. 

• Plastic sheeting, rosin paper (kraft paper) or newspaper  
• Painters masking tape (Green/Yellow Frog Tape) 
• 3M Masker (tapes and masks at the same time, not a huge necessity, you can just do it by hand yourself) 
• Regular masking tape or Duct tape 

First Things First: Masking Your Floor 

To keep paint overspray off your kitchen floor, it’s essential to cover the entire area with plastic sheeting. Start by measuring your floor and cutting the plastic or newspaper to fit the space exactly. Tape the pieces together securely to create a continuous barrier.

Using a strong tape, like masking tape or duct tape, is key here. This will keep the sheeting firmly in place and prevent it from shifting or lifting, which could leave your floor exposed or create a tripping hazard.

Don’t forget to cover underneath appliances as well. Overspray particles are tiny and can easily drift into any uncovered gaps or corners, so thorough coverage is a must.

For areas where the floor meets your cabinets, skip regular tape and use painter’s tape like green or yellow frog tape. This type of tape adheres well without damaging surfaces and helps prevent paint from bleeding onto your cabinets or baseboards.

Second: Seal Off Your Doorways and Air Vents 

Make sure you’ve turned off your furnace or air conditioning system before you start painting.  Paint droplets are so small they will get into your air system and could land on anything in your house! 

Make sure you mask off the furnace and/or air conditioning vents to keep any particles from making their way into your system. 

Third: Your Appliances, Fixtures, Countertops and Walls 

How to mask off your kitchen cabinets for painting includes covering your appliances and fixtures in plastic sheeting, newspaper or rosin paper.  This includes your stove, fridge, microwave, range hood, sink, faucet and anything else you can think of that’s built in that you don’t want to get any paint on.  

Don’t skimp out on the material that you cover your appliances in, paint WILL find a way in if you do. 

Cover those countertops and any backsplash to protect them from paint too.  Remove your light switch and plug covers and mask off the holes in the walls.  Don’t forget to mask off your walls as well. 

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Last but not least: Masking off Your Cabinets 

Here comes the real work!  Masking off cabinets isn’t hard, but it’s definitely time consuming.  But, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful, professional looking cabinets! 

Start by removing all the hardware from your cabinets — that means handles, knobs, and hinges. If you’re swapping out old hardware for new pieces, you can toss the old ones. But if you plan to reuse them, be sure to label each piece carefully so you can reinstall everything exactly where it was. This helps keep the fit just right once your paint job is done.

When it comes to masking, begin with the upper cabinets and work your way downward. Since the focus is on painting just the cabinet boxes, here’s the best way to do that.

Use painter’s tape in green or yellow to avoid any paint bleed. If you only have masking tape, make sure it’s at least 1.5 inches wide so it sticks well to both the cabinet edges and your protective plastic or paper.

Apply tape along the inside lip of each cabinet box, leaving about an inch or more exposed. This extra length will help you securely attach your plastic sheeting or newsprint.

Repeat this process for all the cabinets you’re painting. For applying the plastic, you can either use a hand masker tool or simply go old-school and do it by hand.

Next, measure the inside dimensions of each cabinet — both width and height. Cut a piece of plastic sheeting or newspaper for each cabinet to perfectly cover the open space from edge to edge.

Attach the cut plastic firmly to the tape inside each cabinet. Double-check that all gaps and openings are fully covered. If you spot any uncovered areas, add extra tape to seal them tight and prevent overspray from escaping.

Should You Paint the Inside of Your Cabinets? 

There are 2 types of people here.  Ones that are thinking about painting the inside of their cabinets and ones that are only painting the boxes and cabinet doors. 

Most folks recommend against painting the inside of your cabinets.  The paint just doesn’t hold up to the type of heavy use seen on the inside of cabinets.   

Unless you have glass cabinet doors, or the color of the cabinets and the inside will clash, skip painting the inside of your cabinets. 

Another idea is to replace your shelving with shelving that matches your new cabinet paint, and just paint the sides of the inside of your cabinets.  Either way, it’s a ton of work that may go unappreciated and we say skip it entirely. 

When Should I remove Painters Tape?

Wait until the paint is dry to the touch. This can take as little as an hour in dry climates, or much longer in humid climates. Read our detailed post on how long paint takes to dry here.

How can I get a clean paint line when masking off my cabinets?

To ensure a clean paint line when masking off your cabinets, apply the tape carefully and press it down firmly with your fingers or a putty knife. Be sure to trim the tape as needed with a sharp utility knife for a precise fit.

Conclusion 

How to mask kitchen cabinets for painting is key to getting those Pro results that you are working hard for. 

Give your kitchen an affordable make over in your spare time and make everyone think you got an expensive renovation!  Don’t renovate: REPAINT!          

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