[Aragorn]

I usually go with: fill and drill for new hardware first, pull the doors and drawers, sand and strip (if painted) the doors and drawer fronts, primer the surfaces, and put a top coat of paint. (Number the doors and drawers with a piece of blue painters tape and make a diagram of where they go. Remove the tape before painting and put it back on after the paint has fully dried.)

The cabinet doors will probably need the most work to get them smooth. This is mostly what you are going to see so spend the time getting the finish smooth and uniform before applying the primer. A 3M sanding pad works well to get rid of the shine and give it some tooth. Usually I prefer the brush-stroke look so I paint with a good quality brush. If the cabinets have a recessed panel, paint around that first and then move to the flat surfaces. For the cabinets themselves, I usually use a small roller and go over that with a brush to get the desired look. Some stores sell a cabinet paint. I usually just use regular latex paint in either semi gloss or gloss finish. Some people say you need a top clear coat on the paint on cabinets. I never have used it and will defer to someone with more expertise to say if it is really needed or not. I have painted roughly 5 kitchens in the last few years and never have used a top clear coat. All of the cabinets still look good. Paint guns will use more paint and will get it everywhere if you are not careful. Brushing takes a little longer but provides a more uniform finish.

If you are going to put in new hardware for the pulls, fill the old holes with putty and drill the new holes before you paint. They have templates for door and drawer pulls for sale, but a homemade one out of some scrap furring strips and luan screwed together will work just as well.

Prep is key. Without a good under surface, the paint will just peel off and gum up in a few years.