DIY Painted China Cabinet

Hi Everyone! As promised, here is my china cabinet makeover.

I purchased this china cabinet at a store I love called Almost Paris Antiques. I got a really good price on it too! It is solid mahogany, all the doors and the drawer were in great condition. No major flaws except a bubble on the side. When I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I fell in love with the cut outs on the glass doors and the old brass pulls. The pulls were completely blackened by age and time. I wanted to make this a more modern piece but keep the old charm.

So, here is how I did it. A lot of people are scared to paint furniture, but if you use the right tools and technique it is so worth it!

Supplies:

Wood filler, that can be sanded and painted

Exacto knife

Sand paper

Oil-based primer

Deglosser & scrub pads

Paint Bond Coat

Clear Coat

Prepping: The first thing I did was address the bubbling on the side of the cabinet. I cut out the wood that was bubbled and filled it with wood fill. After it set, I sanded it, cleaned the dust and debris off, and primed it.

I removed all the doors and hardware next. Then removed the shelving inside. The inserts I carefully removed from the glass doors. Then I set up my work space.

Getting the Surface Ready:Before I could paint, I had to do a couple of things. The inside of the cabinet was a lot rougher than the nice wood on the outside. It also was a lot redder, so I primed it with my oil-based primer. I used Kilz, but I also recommend Zissner. Either one works great.

Next, I deglossed all the outer wood, doors, and drawer. When you degloss, you have to use a rough scrub pad and make sure you get all the deglosser off after scrubbing or else it will ruin the paint finish and seep through.

Painting: I applied the paint with a really good quality brush using long even strokes. It is really important when brush painting furniture to use a quality brush. I did 3 coats. Then I went back and touched up any areas that needed it.

Protecting: You need to seal painted furniture or else it will not stay nice for long. You don’t want all your hard work to go to waste! I sealed it with a protective top coat 24 hours after the paint had dried. Again, use a good quality synthetic brush and long even strokes. This I also let dry for a full 24 hours before using it or attaching the doors.

**Please note I also cleaned and polished the brass hardware. I am going to do a tips & tricks on how I did it this Friday.

Now the Result:

Please ignore the icky floor! That baby is getting ripped out very very soon! Bwaa-haaa-haa-haa!

xxx Kristin

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This is a blog all about DIY and home design. I also love to feature fashion, beauty, and family life.

46 thoughts on “DIY Painted China Cabinet”

    • I feel like I have to hold all my interior design excitement in forever! There is so much that has to done to make the space finished before I can come in and take it up a notch. Punches of color are a definite :) Kristin

      Reply

  3. I love the redo, it looks fantastic and much more modern! I can’t wait until you post about how you finished it- we have yet to finish our dining room table and we hardcore need to.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Gilit :) It is definitely a process when it comes to painting furniture. Just to get it ready takes patience. That’s why DIY Monday became DIY Tuesday ;) Tables are even tougher because you want that flat top to look flawless. We are going to do our table, so maybe when I post that it will be helpful to you. If you have any questions for me, that weren’t covered in the post today, please ask and I am very happy to elaborate more. Thanks for reading! xxx Kristin

      Reply

      • This is my product list for this project:
        Kilz Original Primer/Sealer (Oil-based)
        Zissner Deglosser
        Rustoleum Pure White Bond Coat
        Rustoleum Transformations Top Coat
        ( The Rustoleum Products I used were left over from our cabinet refinishing and came in the kit Rustoleum Transformations.) I wanted the same white that we used on our cabinets, so I used them. You can use any paint you want and any top coat you want.I have used Minwax Polycrylic (water-based) before and liked it. These products are pretty much full proof. In the description in the post today I go through the steps I took.

      • This is my product list for this project:
        Kilz Original Primer/Sealer (Oil-based)
        Zissner Deglosser
        Rustoleum Pure White Bond Coat
        Rustoleum Transformations Top Coat
        ( The Rustoleum Products I used were left over from our cabinet refinishing and came in the kit Rustoleum Transformations.) I wanted the same white that we used on our cabinets, so I used them. You can use any paint you want and any top coat you want.I have used Minwax Polycrylic (water-based) before and liked it. These products are pretty much full proof. In the description in the post today I go through the steps I took. Hope this helps :) Kristin

  4. Wow, you have been busy. I think the key to that great finish was the time you took to prep and the quality tools. I wonder why my stuff doesn’t turn out when I buy a .99 brush from walmart and slop on two coats with not primer or sealer… Help me!!!

    Reply

  6. Very nice! I never knew about deglosser. I have some french doors that even when primed with an oil based primer, the stain still came through. Now I know for next time, so thank you for all of the details on your projects!

    Reply

    • I’m glad I could help. Deglosser is very messy. So make sure you wear gloves and scrub really hard! Also, make sure you rinse it off well with a wet cloth, repeating as many times as it takes to get rid of suds and then wipe dry. Make sure you wait the full amount of time before priming or painting also. xxx Kristin

      Reply

    • I’d love to see it if you do. There a lot of people that don’t like to paint antique furniture because it looses value. My china cabinet was just old, not really of much value. Show me the finished product if you decide to do it :) Kristin

      Reply

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  22. I was wondering how you did the white on the glass. I have a very similar type cabinet I am about to paint for my screened in porch. The glass door on mine has a gold type design on it. Was your painted on originally? Not sure how to tackle my glass.
    Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Hi Maureen :) The design on the glass doors are wooden inserts. I carefully took apart the frame that holds them in place, painted them, and re-installed them. Hope that helps! xo Kristin

      Reply

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