painting ideas for old kitchen cabinets

If your cabinets have any holes or gouges you will need to fill them. If you plan on using new hardware that is a different size than the original, you will have to fill the old hardware holes before painting. Apply tape to the back surface of the cabinet doors underneath those holes. Then fill holes with the wood filler. You can paint your metal cabinets, but you would first want to clean them with an industrial cleaner to remove any kitchen grease and particulates. Then sand with 220- or 400-grit sandpaper followed by the application of a metal primer.