Michael Sweeney 
Painting kitchen cabinets with chalk paint requires taking precautions during the painting process to protect both food and freshly painted surfaces from falling into them, so be sure to store doors away safely during painting sessions. Doing so will avoid food falling onto them during application of chalk paint.
As part of the preparation for painting, it will also be necessary to remove any hardware and lightly sand the surfaces in order to prepare them for painting.
Primer
Primers serve as glue that secures paint to cabinets, helping it adhere securely. Furthermore, they help prepare surfaces so they will accept base coat paint colors (what you will eventually use for painting your cabinets).
If your cabinets have been heavily stained, consider opting for an oil-based primer to provide optimal adhesion and seal any knots and surface irregularities which might otherwise bleed through to the topcoat of paint. It will also seal knots that could otherwise poke through.
However, for light stain or white paint surfaces, water-based primer should suffice. If painting over dark cabinets instead, tinted primer is recommended in order to match their paint color.
Apply a thin coat of primer with either a brush for tight spots and foam roller for larger areas, before sanding lightly again with 280-grit sandpaper to lightly rough up any spots or any dirt/debris that accumulates from light sanding. Vacuum or wipe off to eliminate dust/debris left behind from this step.
Sanding
Before beginning painting your cabinets, it’s essential that the surface be sanded to remove any blemishes or bumps which will allow better adhesion of paint. Sanding will result in an easier finish that looks smoother while also helping it adhere better.
Once finished sanding, wipe down cabinet doors and drawers with a tack cloth to remove any remaining dust from sanding, followed by applying your first coat of cabinet paint – this should dry for 24-48 hours before reapplying the second. Make sure that you use a latex or water-based paint as this reduces VOC levels in the air while being easier to clean up in case any gets on hands or surfaces.
If your kitchen is particularly oily, using oil-based primer and paint could offer additional resilience. Though this type of paint takes longer to cure than its latex counterpart, oil-based options could potentially offer longer wear resistance in addition to providing some added protection from stains or other wear and tear.
Prepping the Surface
If you’re going through the trouble of painting your cabinets, do it correctly by prepping each door or drawer before beginning painting. This way you’ll ensure a long lasting finish.
Sand the surface to smooth it. Wipe down with a damp cloth or use a vacuum with soft brush attachment for dust or debris removal.
Before installing your cabinet hardware, take time to carefully prepare it as this could save time later and ensure that its position is correct.
Set up a work area where painting cabinet doors and drawers is comfortable. Sawhorses with 2 long pieces of wood may help you to make this happen if necessary; any adjustable shelves can also be removed so they can be painted separately.
Painting
Cabinet painting can give your kitchen an immediate facelift. Before beginning, cover floors and countertops in tarps or paper to protect them from paint splatters and drips.
Select a stain-blocking, oil-based primer to prepare the cabinets for painting, and allow it to dry according to its label before beginning painting.
Crackling glaze is an ideal way to achieve the shabby chic, provincial or rustic aesthetic. To ensure it does not run downhill too much, topcoat it with flat paint perpendicularly to ensure proper adhesion of the crackling glaze.
As soon as you’re ready to begin painting, remove all hinges and hardware from doors and drawers. If possible, mark each door or drawer as you remove it for easy reaffixed later. Additionally, it is advisable to take steps such as taking down adjustable shelves before beginning and vacuuming your surfaces before wiping with a tack cloth in order to eliminate dust accumulations.
