Prepping Older Kitchen Cabinets for Painting

One other thought is to take the doors off when doing the painting. Some people don't because it adds step, but you can get to so much more when you do.

Use 'Water Putty'. This is the name of it. Mix it with water as you need it. Follow instructions on the container. Spread it where you need and then you can sand it smooth. It is then stronger than the orginal wood.

Use wood filler to fill in holes. Also use wood glue to fill in the areas where the wood is splitting, and use a small C-clamp to clamp the doors and drawer fronts until the glue is dry.