Cabinet paint brush marks are almost always caused by one of three things: the paint is too thick and does not level before it dries, the surface was not primed and the raw wood is absorbing paint unevenly, or multiple thick coats were applied to cover inadequate preparation rather than thin coats built up over properly primed surfaces.
Prep Is Where the Finish Is Made
Remove all cabinet doors and hardware before painting anything. Number the doors and their corresponding openings with masking tape to make reinstallation easy. Sand all surfaces with 120-grit sandpaper to scuff the existing finish and give the primer something to grip, do not skip this step even if the cabinets look smooth. Wipe all surfaces with a tack cloth or a slightly damp cloth to remove all sanding dust. Dust left under primer is visible in the final finish.
The Primer Step That Changes Everything
Apply a shellac-based primer or a bonding primer to all surfaces before any paint touches the cabinet. Standard latex primer does not bond well to the glossy surfaces of kitchen cabinets, which is why many cabinet painting projects start peeling within a year. Shellac primer bonds to virtually any surface regardless of existing finish and seals the wood grain so paint coats stay on the surface rather than absorbing unevenly. Allow the primer to dry completely, at least 2 hours, before any paint is applied.
The Thin Coat Technique
Load the brush with a moderate amount of paint, less than you think, and apply in the direction of the wood grain using long strokes with light pressure. The coat should be visibly thin enough that you can almost see the primer through it. This is correct. A coat this thin will level itself as it dries and produce a smooth surface. Thick coats do not level and produce the visible brush texture that ruins a cabinet finish.
Sand lightly with 220-grit sandpaper between every coat and wipe with a tack cloth. Three to four thin coats produce a smooth result that one or two thick coats never will. Cabinet-specific paints from Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams in satin or semi-gloss finish hold up best in a kitchen environment. High-quality brushes and cabinet paint are available on Amazon. For the full DIY home project framework, The Broke Mom Home Reset ($17) covers where to start. The room painting guide covers the same principles for walls.
