Associated fabrication over the years poplar was the preferred choice of wood for painted cabinets.
What is the best wood to use for painted kitchen cabinets.
Poplar and soft maple are popular for most parts of a cabinet face frames end frames and door panels mostly due to cost and workability.
If you don t know what type of paint is already on your cabinets then water based latex formulas are the safest option since oil based paint won t adhere well over latex paint but latex paint can bind to a surface treated with either type of paint.
Wood cabinets are ideal for painting but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted.
And if your kitchen cabinets are already painted instead of being natural wood then you have an additional reason to use latex paint.
Choose the best color.
Check the paint label on the can for specific instructions.
Purchase the appropriate supplies for your type of cabinets.
Wood compressed wood or any material that can be sanded is preferred over laminate for this reason.
Here are a few types of wood best suited for painted cabinets.
Typically you will not need to use a paint additive as it may cause paint to sag and not settle correctly.
The best paint for cabinets will likely state it on the container.
At the end of the day if you want a rock hard surface that doesn t show brushstrokes or roller marks the professional level paints in particular the alkyds are probably the best way to go for a long lasting result.
It s best to build out of tight grain woods to avoid this.
Solid wood laminate or metal.
When choosing cabinet paint make sure it is recommended for use on cabinets.
The reason for this is that poplar tends to fuzz up during sanding.
Poplar poplar wood image.
Maple is a strong competitor though.
The guide below will help you pick products for solid wood cabinets and also work for plywood panel wood veneer and mdf cabinets with proper sanding.