DIY How To Prime Grainy Oak Cabinets Before Painting.
Depending on the type of cabinets you paint you have several options when it comes to priming the kitchen cabinets.

If you are painting Oak kitchen cabinets I suggest you use an oil-based primer. Zinsser Coverstain is our go-to in that case.
It is a fast-drying and stain-blocking primer that will fill in the grain of the oak.

I suggest you do 2 coats and sand in between with a 220 grit or a fine sanding sponge.

If you are painting Hickory kitchen cabinets I would suggest using a shellac primer such as Zinsser B-I-N.

It dries within 30 minutes and bonds extremely well. It has a strong odor and is similar to work with as an oil-based product.

In addition, if you have laminate cabinets to paint I suggest you use a primer coat of “INSL-X Stix” which is a urethane acrylic You can find it online or at your local Benjamin Moore Supplier. Check your local Hardware store.

This primer will stick to tiles and even glass. It only needs a light coat but has to dry for at least 16-24 hours before you can apply your topcoat.

With any of these primers, I would always test a small area first and let it dry overnight. Then do a fingernail scratch test. If the primer doesn’t chip or scratch off then you are good to proceed.

There are a few good options when it comes to picking the right primer for painting your kitchen cabinets. A lot of painters will traditionally use an oil-based primer.

Oil-based primers are self-leveling, sand-able, and have great adhesion on difficult surfaces.

They are also great stain blockers, but unfortunately, they have a very strong odor and it is necessary that you wear the proper respirator that is specifically made for blocking out fumes.

These masks are typically higher priced than your regular dust mask.