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Pre-painting prep includes cleaning, sanding, and priming the surfaces to ensure paint adhesion and longevity.

Preparation is the most crucial and, really, the only secret to a lasting paint job on laminate cabinets. Paint will peel off laminate surfaces that aren't clean and grease-free. Paint will also peel off if there isn't proper etching on the cabinet surfaces. Taking time to deep clean and lightly but thoroughly sand before priming and painting will greatly increase your chances of success and help keep the paint from peeling.

If you don't sand your cabinets, the new paint or stain won’t adhere properly, impacting the final finish and leading to peeling, chipping, or a sloppy result that won't stand the test of time. Sanding removes the old finish, smooths imperfections, and gives the new coat something to grip. Without it, you will waste your time, money, and effort.

It’s important to sand your cabinets before you paint them so that your paint job will hold. However, in some cases, you might be able to skip the sanding. For example, you could use certain types of paint, like mineral or chalk paint, that don’t require heavy sanding. You might also be able to use a high quality bonding primer or a liquid deglosser which allows the paint to stick without sanding.