Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets go through a lot in a day and need to have a tough exterior coating.

The type of paint you choose is a very important part of this project. The most durable type of paint is epoxy-modified alkyd paint that is mostly available in spray cans. The color variations are limited and it may take some skill to spray the paint evenly. Matveev Aleksandr/Shutterstock

Dear James: My kitchen cabinets are original and solid, but I want something different, hopefully on a budget. Is it possible to just paint old cabinets instead of replacing the fronts?—Ryan M.

Dear Ryan: Any older kitchen could probably use a little updating and a new, modern color is an excellent, budget-minded way to start. Painting the existing cabinetry is a great way to make an old kitchen look and feel new again with the least investment. Another option is just replacing the fronts.