However, we have had great success with latex-based primers and paints and really have not had the need to stink up the whole house! We know people like using oil-based primers with a lot of success.

I have a hard time with fumes from oil-based products that really claim to be stain blockers. Now we like using Zinsser Stainblocking primer (still the water-based one). I accidentally got rid of the primer can before taking a picture so it is not pictured. To prime these oak cabinets we used the SW Multi-Purpose Latex Primer. *When painting kitchen cabinets white using the right primer is one of the most important things. The good news is that the few discolored spots went away when I repainted these cabinets with SW Emerald Urethane Trim Paint. We used Sherwin Williams Latex Primer and had pretty good success, but a few spots did have some tannin bleed through over the years on the doors. Make sure you use a stain-blocking primer on your oak cabinets first.

We still believe that you can do all the above things to modernize your oak kitchen, but freshly painted cabinets can honestly make your kitchen look brand new. Obviously, some of these DIY kitchen projects are more expensive than others. Consider purchasing new appliances to update your kitchen.Add modern accessories to your kitchen decor.Update the paint color around the cabinets.Really clean and degrease your cabinets (especially the lower ones can get really gross).Paint the current backsplash (I honestly can’t believe how awesome our painted glass tile looks).Replace countertops or paint those if you are daring.Just clean the current hardware (hinges, handles, etc.).

However here are a few ways you can modernize oak cabinets without painting the actual cabinets: We know if you are researching ways to cheaply update your kitchen you are seeing all different cabinet painting posts. How to modernize oak cabinets without painting them?

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