Painting cabinets is a labor-intensive project that requires extensive cleaning and prep work. Selecting the right paint and stain will ensure a durable, beautiful finish.
Acrylic enamel paints dry to a tough surface that resists wear, but they aren’t as washable as latex paints. Choose a hybrid blend or water-based alkyd if you want a hard-wearing paint with a smooth finish and low odor. Check out Cabinet Refinishing Sacramento to learn more.
Water-Based Paint
The best paint for cabinets, particularly those in high-use areas like kitchens, is a durable, water-based option. Oil-based paints have long been a popular choice for their durability and ability to self-level for a smooth finish, but they have many drawbacks including a strong odor, lengthy drying times, and the need for mineral spirits for cleanup. Modern water-based options, however, have improved significantly and can offer the same durability as an oil-based paint.
Regardless of which type of paint you choose, it is important to prepare the cabinets properly before painting. This includes sanding and priming before proceeding to apply your topcoat. Cabinets should also be cleaned with a degreaser, such as trisodium phosphate (TSP), to ensure a clean surface free of grease and grime.
If you are choosing to do your own cabinet refinishing project, it’s a good idea to invest in some quality tools and materials. You will need sandpaper or a sanding machine, a high-quality primer, and a variety of paintbrushes and rollers. A good quality brush is especially important for getting a smooth, even finish on wood surfaces. Finally, you’ll want to have a roll of plastic wrap on hand to cover anything that isn’t being painted.
Most paints are either latex or oil-based, but water-based options have come a long way in recent years. Today’s premium water-based paints are durable, easy to use, and dry much faster than their oil-based counterparts. They also provide superior color retention and resist yellowing over time.
For those who prefer to skip the oil-based option, hybrid alkyd enamel paints are another great choice for cabinet refinishing projects. Hybrid alkyds, also known as waterborne alkyd paints, combine the durability of an oil-based option with the fast cleanup and low VOCs of a latex product. These options are ideal for homeowners who prioritize ease of use and a quick turn-around.
Sherwin Williams’ Advance cabinet paint is an example of a high-quality water-based cabinet paint that offers excellent durability, self-leveling, and moisture resistance. The product dries to a factory-smooth finish and provides exceptional adhesion, even on glazed surfaces. Another great option is Sherwin Williams’ urethane trim enamel, which is also water-based but dries to a smooth finish and has added toughness that makes it better able to resist scratching. Both products are available in satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss finishes.
Oil-Based Paint
Traditionally, oil-based paint was the best option for cabinet painting. It dries to a smooth, professional-grade finish with exceptional durability, and it hides tough stains and water damage better than most other paints. It also resists moisture, making it ideal for wooden cabinets that can be exposed to temperature fluctuations and dampness, like those around sinks or dishwashers. However, many homeowners don’t choose to work with oil-based paints because they have a strong, unpleasant odor and require mineral spirits for cleanup. This makes them less than DIY-friendly, and it’s one reason why most cabinet refinishing projects are best left to the professionals.
The good news is that modern cabinet paints have improved significantly, and there are now high-quality options that rival oil-based paints in durability. The best of these options use ceramic microspheres and urethane additives to create a hard, resilient surface that can resist scratches and scuffs, and resists heat, fading, or yellowing. Some are even available in semi-gloss or high-gloss finishes.
Another advantage of these advanced cabinet paints is that they dry much faster than traditional oil-based paints, allowing homeowners to complete their project in a shorter period of time and get back into their kitchen sooner. They also have much lower VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which make them safer to work with and easier on the environment than their oil-based counterparts.
Aside from the type of paint, there are several other factors to consider when choosing a product for your cabinet refinishing project. For example, you’ll want to choose a primer that’s tinted to match your chosen cabinet paint shade. In addition to ensuring great adhesion, primers can help you achieve the best possible result by blocking wood tannins that can cause your new coat of paint to peel or chip.
The best oil-based primers for cabinet refinishing will also be formulated to prevent bleed-through of the old stain, which can happen if the primer you use isn’t properly formulated or applied. This means that you’ll need to thoroughly degrease your cabinet surfaces before priming, and you’ll need to follow proper preparation methods when applying the primer and paint. This includes protecting nearby areas with drop cloths, removing appliances from countertops to protect them during the project, and taking steps to ensure adequate ventilation.
Primer
For the best cabinet paint job, you’ll need a good primer. Primer helps fill in imperfections, such as pores or uneven grain, ensuring your new coats of paint look smooth and professional. Plus, it acts as a basecoat that makes sure your chosen color sticks to the surface and lasts. There are several different types of primers, so choose one that suits your cabinet material and the type of finish you want to achieve.
For wood cabinets, oil-based primers are the best choice because they seal surfaces and prevent staining. However, these primers require a longer dry time and a more difficult clean-up with mineral spirits than water-based primers. If you’re sensitive to strong odors or don’t want to deal with the messy cleanup, opt for a water-based primer instead.
Another option is a shellac-based primer, which works well on lacquered wood and provides superior adhesion. It’s also a great choice for dark colors because it has good stain-blocking properties and is less likely to yellow over time like its water-based counterparts.
There are hybrid alkyd enamel primers as well, which combine the durability of oil paint with the quick dry time and easy cleanup of latex. These are ideal for most DIY projects and work well on both wood and melamine surfaces.
One of the most popular cabinet painting trends is to mix and match your finishes, such as using contemporary white or Old Lamppost (an antiqued dark blue-gray) for upper cabinets, and contrasting them with a bolder color for lower cabinets. This is a style that looks sophisticated, and it allows you to personalize your kitchen without going over budget. However, it’s important to use a high-quality, low-VOC primer to ensure the new colors stick to your existing surfaces.
KILZ 3 Premium primer is a great choice for this because it’s a powerful stain blocker that hides stains and previous colors. It’s also moisture-resistant and helps prevent mildew, which is a must for any kitchen.
Stain
The color and sheen of your cabinets can have a big impact on the look of a kitchen. If your cabinets have lost their original sheen or their color is no longer matching your updated kitchen palette, refinishing them can make them look like new again. Refinishing your cabinets can also be a more cost-effective option for updating the look of your kitchen than a full remodel.
Stain is a type of paint that is used to color wood and other materials. It consists of pigments or dyes dissolved or suspended in a vehicle, which may be water, alcohol, an oil solvent, or a polyurethane. Unlike paint, stain does not provide a film-forming coating or cover the entire surface of the substrate. Stains are designed to add color and accentuate the wood’s natural characteristics.
Different types of wood respond differently to stains, and the final color that is achieved depends on how much the stain penetrates the surface. A darker stain will appear more opaque, while a lighter stain will be more translucent. Stains typically contain less binder than paints, so they are not as durable and do not protect the wood as varnishes or top coats.
Before starting a cabinet refinishing project, you should thoroughly clean the surfaces to be coated with a degreasing agent such as trisodium phosphate (TSP). This will help to ensure that the primer and paint adhere properly to the surface. Cabinets often accumulate grease and other grime that can interfere with the adhesion of the coatings. Once the surface has been cleaned, it is important to sand the area with a grit of your choice to create a smooth and even finish.
Once the sanding is completed, it is important to apply a good-quality primer. This helps to ensure that the final product will be durable and long-lasting. Primer should be applied liberally and allowed to dry completely before proceeding with your chosen finish.
Choosing the right paint or stain for your cabinet refinishing project can have a big impact on the outcome of the project. Talk with the professionals at your local paint/stain store to learn more about the options that are available to you.