Sanding is a crucial step that can affect the look of your final project. Whether you’re planning to update your kitchen cabinets or paint the inside of your cabinets for a fun pop of color, this guide will walk you through the sanding process. You’ll learn which sandpaper grit to use during each phase of the sanding process and how to get the most professional looking cabinets without hiring a contractor. 

While you can paint your cabinets without sanding them, you likely won’t like the finished product. Sanding your cabinets give you a smooth surface for painting or staining so the product goes on smoothly and evenly. If you’re going from a dark cabinet color to a lighter one, sanding will also help ensure the darker color won’t peek through the lighter color. Lastly, sanding your cabinets will also ensure the longevity of your project by preventing peeling.

It's true, sanding is a labor-intensive process, but the result is a professional looking project that will last through the years.

Sanding your cabinets will likely require several sandpaper grits. Here is a breakdown of the different sandpaper grits you may need for this project and when you will use them throughout this project.

If you don’t want to work with a paint or finish stripper, coarse grit sandpaper will help you sand down finishes and paint quickly. 

You don’t want to continue using a coarse grid once you’ve hit the raw wood. Switch to a medium grit sandpaper to smooth out your surface from using the course sandpaper. Medium grit sandpaper preps your cabinets for finer sanding. You can also start with 100-125 grit sandpaper if you don’t have any major nicks in your cabinets or have paint or finish you’re trying to remove quickly.

A fine grit sandpaper will smooth out your cabinet surface for painting. This sandpaper will help even everything out before applying paint or stain.

Extra fine grit sandpaper is perfect for sanding between paint coats. You don’t need to use extra fine grit sandpaper, but if you want to elevate your DIY skills and ensure your cabinet project turns out super smooth, this sandpaper grit will gently buff away any bumps between paint or staining coats.

If you’ve recently gotten new kitchen cabinets installed, you will likely have to do some minor sanding. Most new cabinets are raw, unpainted wood so fine grit sandpaper will be enough to smooth out your cabinet surface before painting or staining.

Start by removing all hardware from your cabinets including the hinges. This will eliminate any obstacles that will prevent you from getting everything sanded evenly. Use a drill to complete this process quickly and avoid stripping any nails, otherwise you can use a screwdriver.

It’s not uncommon for kitchen cabinets to have food splatter or oil build up, however this residue needs to be cleaned before you can begin sanding. This will affect which sandpaper grit you use when it’s time to sand.

Create a dish soap and warm water solution and apply to your cabinets with a microfiber rag. If warm water and dish soap isn’t enough, a stronger solution like TSP should break down any grime on your cabinets. Remember to use TSP in a well-ventilated area. 

If your kitchen cabinets are stained, it’s very likely that there is a finish to protect the stain. It’s best use a deglosser rather than sand through your cabinet finish. This will prevent you from over sanding and creating and uneven surface you’ll have to even out. This step is very important if you want to stain your cabinets a different color.

Apply a generous amount of stripper to cabinets with a paint brush. Allow stripper to set on cabinets for up to 24 hours. Once the stripper has broken down the finish on your cabinets, carefully remove it with a plastic putty knife. Keep a bucket nearby to discard the used product. 

Now it’s time to sand! The general technique to sanding cabinets like a professional is to sand in the direction of the wood grain to avoid scratches and work in small areas at a time.

If you’re sanding by hand, sanding sponges are easy to hold and make extensive sanding a breeze. Be sure to keep different sanding grits on hand so you can work your way down to finer grits as you’re sanding. Don’t forget to keep sandpaper sheets in various grits. You’ll need them to sand any cabinet contours and corners. 

Ditch sanding by hand and opt for an orbital sander. Orbital sanders speeds up the sanding process and leaves an even finish which improve the final results of your project. Use the same technique of moving the orbital sander with the grain and working in small areas at a time. Mark sure to keep pressure even to prevent unwanted dips and curves in your cabinets.

Even if you’re using an orbital sander, you’ll still need to use sandpaper sheets to address any contours on your cabinets.

Now that you have everything sanded, you need to wipe down your cabinets for painting or staining. Do this using a tack cloth. Tack cloth doesn’t require water so you won’t have to wait for your cabinets to dry before painting. Be sure to also vacuum your work area to prevent stray particles from getting in your paint or stain while you’re working. 

• Bleached Tack Cloth
• Dish Soap
• TSP-PF Phosphate Free Cleaner (optional)
• Power Sander (optional)
• 3M Pro Grade Precision Faster Sanding Block Sponge
• 3M Pro Grade Precision FASTER SANDING Sanding Sheets
• Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover (optional)