How to touch up kitchen cabinet chips & scuffs without repainting

Kitchen cabinets take a beating. Doors get bumped by pots, edges get chipped by rings and keys, and the area around the handles wears down from hands all day. The good news: you almost never need to repaint the whole cabinet. A small, careful touch-up fixes most of it in minutes.

What you need

• A mild cleaner and a soft cloth
• Fine sandpaper or a sanding sponge (only for rough chips)
• Touch-up paint that matches your cabinet color and sheen
• A small brush, or a bottle with the brush built in

Step 1: Clean the spot

Kitchen cabinets collect grease, especially near the stove and handles. Paint won't stick well to grease. Wipe the chip or scuff with a mild cleaner, rinse with a damp cloth and let it dry completely.

Step 2: Smooth any rough edges

If the chip has raised or flaking edges, lightly sand just that spot so it's smooth. Wipe away the dust. Skip this step for a simple scuff.

Step 3: Match the color and the sheen

Most painted kitchen cabinets are semi-gloss or satin, because a shinier finish is easier to wipe clean. If you touch up a semi-gloss cabinet with flat wall paint, the spot will look dull even when the color is right. Match both the color and the shine.

For white cabinets, the Mr. Brushable™ White Cabinet & Trim Enamel is a white semi-gloss enamel made for this job. Enamel dries harder and smoother than wall paint, so it holds up to daily bumps and wiping. For other colors, you can match your exact color or fill an empty bottle with paint you already have.

Step 4: Apply a thin coat, only on the damage

Put a small amount of paint right on the chip or scuff. Keep it thin and stay inside the damaged area. A thick blob or a wide patch is what makes a touch-up stand out. With a built-in brush bottle, squeeze gently to feed paint into the brush, dab it on the spot and cap it when you're done. There's no brush to wash.

Step 5: Let it dry, then add a second thin coat if needed

Let the first coat dry fully. If the old color still shows through, add a second thin coat. Two thin coats look better than one thick one.

Tips for a fix that blends in

• Test first. Try the paint on the inside of a door or a hidden edge before the front.
• Check in daylight. Kitchen lights can hide a sheen mismatch that daylight shows.
• Don't over-brush. Lay the paint on and leave it. Brushing back and forth as it dries leaves marks.
• Let it cure. Go easy on the spot for a few days before scrubbing it.

When a touch-up isn't enough

If the finish is peeling across a whole door, the wood is swollen from water, or the color has faded unevenly, a touch-up won't hide it. That door needs to be refinished. For chips, scuffs and worn edges, a touch-up is usually all it takes.

Also works on

The same steps work on bathroom vanities, interior doors, door frames, baseboards and trim. For scratches on stained wood instead of painted cabinets, see how to fix scratches on wood furniture.

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