DIY Kitchen Cabinet Makeover [Best Primers To Paint Cabinets]

DIY Kitchen Cabinet Makeover [Best Primers To Paint Cabinets]

When choosing the best primer for your kitchen cabinets everybody has their preferences. I think the best bonding primer for painting kitchen cabinets is an oil-based primer for various reasons. Although it might not be the best-smelling product to use it makes up for its durability, ability to block stains and tannin bleed, and it is easy to sand. Oil-based primer is the best bonding primer for laminate kitchen cabinets and oak cabinets.

There are many good primers out there from water-based to oil, pigmented shellac, hybrid, and so on.
Here is a little in-depth science behind primers and how they work and what makes them perform at their best.

When you choose to use a certain bonding primer to paint kitchen cabinets you tend to look for a primer that dries instantly. 

But does having a quick-drying primer guarantee adhesion? 

Does it guarantee stain-blocking? 

Is it the best option for the customer or would it be better to use a primer that might take longer to dry but guarantees solid results?

Before applying any primer whether it's oil-based, water-based, hybrid, pigmented shellac, and so on, you will always have to remove any grease that is on your surface. No product will perform well over Grease!

Molecules of oil-based primers can be up to 20 times smaller than water-based primers. 

This makes a huge difference when you are trying to create a mechanical bond between primer and surface.

It is the best choice for priming laminate cabinets and oak cabinets.

The tiny molecules of the oil-based primer dig into the rigid edges and creases of your surface that you created by sanding your surface.

Although it might not be the best option as far as smell, oil-based primers perform tremendously well and provide great adhesion, and can even prevent chipping because they are so durable. 

Oil-based primers are the best bonding primers for oak cabinets because they fill in the grain better than other primers.
The benefit of water-based primer is that a bit quicker and doesn't smell as bad as an oil-based primer or pigmented shellac. 

But those are the only benefits of water-based primers. 

It does not block stains.

Even the ones that say they block stains don't. 

Maybe on some rare occasions, it might but I wouldn't risk it. 

In addition, a lot of them are not sand-able and that makes a big difference when it comes to production.