Everybody says to use primer before painting but I skipped it on my kitchen cabinets

I painted my oak cabinets 2 years ago without any primer, just two coats of good quality paint, and they still look perfect with no chipping or peeling... I think if you sand them really well and use a paint with built-in primer it can work fine. Has anyone else gotten away with skipping primer on trim or furniture?

2 comments

2 Comments

gray_patel2d ago

Did you happen to read that article from one of those home improvement blogs about how some oak has a lot of natural oils that mess with paint sticking? I swear I saw something like that after I did my cabinets. It explained why some people get away with no primer and others don't. I think your dresser might have had that problem. The tannins in the wood can bleed through and cause peeling even with decent sanding. So my two year success might be more about the specific wood type than me being some painting genius. Sorry your dresser didn't work out, but it might not have been your fault.

fisher.reese3d ago

You painted your oak cabinets two years ago without primer and they still look perfect." Lucky you. I tried that on a cheap dresser once. Sanded it down real good, used that paint with primer built in. It peeled like crazy within six months. I think you got lucky with the wood and the paint brand. I won't risk it again on anything I actually care about.