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Helping DIY Painters Since 2015
I believe that color is Grape Mist SW-6548 from Sherwin Williams.
Hey Lee, Sorry I missed your comment for so long! I fall behind on these quite often. So glad you found my content useful. I’m guessing you’re done with your project now. Hopefully it went well!
Hmmmm… The title says “when painting” not “after painting”, so I beg to differ. ๐
If you want to send over some sprayers, I would be happy to test them out and write up a review on this site. email me: [email protected]
You should be just fine cleaning out in a sink, just make sure to strain out any chunks or dried paint.
Peel stop is amazing, but it is not meant to cover alligatoring (seeing the ridges from the old peeling paint). Peel stop prevents future peeling. Getting rid of alligatoring sadly involves lots of elbow grease. Sand sand sand.
Might I recommend a new site I found called Youtube ๐
Easiest: Rustoleum tub and Tile. Sand the tub down really good. Super clean it. Coat it with Rustoleum tub and tile. Actually holds up really well.
3-4 hours to dry is correct. Curing is different than drying. Cured is when it has reached it’s maximum hardness. I honestly coat over it about as soon as it is dry to the touch.
Oil is fine, but I personally think it’s overkill. You’d be fine with something like Kilz 2 and two top coats. Oil stinks, has high VOCs, and requires paint thinner to clean up. I avoid it whenever possible.
Honestly, I’ve never painted over a damp surface nor do I think I would try. I’d wait for it to dry out. Always better safe than sorry.
Bondo is pretty hard, it’s so hard that I think it’s a paint in the butt to sand. Honestly, it’s probably the best thing you could fill knotty alder with.
Actually, when cabinets have loads of grease from cooking, Dawn Dish Soap has been my best friend (used on hundreds of sets of cabinets personally with no callbacks). It works amazingly. If you used it and didn’t bother to rinse it off thoroughly, sure, bad idea. Use it right, just like any other tool, and you’ll have great results.
Awesome to hear! Thanks Steve
Hi Karen,
I would imagine it’s on par with other semi-gloss finishes. No, I haven’t ever mixed sheens, never even thought of it.
I’ve used the pre-mix dust control, it works great. I wouldn’t use the 20-45-90, I don’t think it offers any benefit and is just harder to sand and you tend to waste mnore.
1 – Yes
2 – Yes
3 – Couple hours to dry, overnight is long enough to wait before going over it.
4 – No it is not necessary. This finish is made to be a top coat, you do not need to apply a top coat over it unless there is a specific reason for it.
Absolutely
Hi Cathy,
I personally wouldn’t want to go with a flatter finish, but everyone has different tastes. I would go to a re-use store or Menards and paint up a couple of sample doors, especially if you do client work. Then you can show them the difference and let them decide.
Hi Bruce,
I don’t use liquid sandpaper solution, so I can’t really comment on if they do or do not work. But I understand why you may want to give it a shot. Foam brushes are good. They still leave brush strokes and are a bit slower, but they get the job done pretty good with pretty minimal brush strokes.
Hi Mindy,
I do not use a sealer on top of my enamels. They are designed to not need clear top coats. In fact, a clear coat makes touch-ups drastically harder and does little to protect the finish. Best of luck on your project.
DAP Acrylic Latex Interior Door and Window Caulking works great!!
Hi Deborah,
Cabinet Coat is wonderful. I highly recommend it. I do go with Advance on all my client projects, but I have used cabinet coat for testing, on clients when they asked for it, and evne in my own home.
A simple tip to buff out minor imperfections is to buff them out with brown construction paper. It works great!
I have not tried out Smart Coat, but it is on my future review list.
Hi Lorraine,
I appreciate the compliments and you returning to the site and videos! You can absolutely spray the paint, that is exactly what I would do. When spraying exterior hardi board, you will likely get the best looking finish if you back roll the siding with either a regular 9″ roller or a 4″ mini roller. This just helps even out the paint since spraying on a ladder can lead to uneven application even for experienced painters. Bets of luck on your project!
Hi Bryan,
HVLP’s under $300 tend to be under-powered, so I can’t imagine finding one where you won’t need to thin the paint. I even thin the paint with my nice HVLP’s that cost $1,500.
I really like Cabinet Coat by Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams Emerald is nice too.
I say do it if it looks better. In theory, that panel is supposed to expand and contract differently than the rest of the door which is why it is floating. In reality, as long as you use a high quality caulk, it looks 10X better and almost never cracks. If it does crack, you could have some touch up years down the road, but that’s easy and worth it in my opinion.
Hi Julia,
This doesn’t sound like an issue with Advance, but rather with the application. Even though you washed them, if they are chipping easily, my guess is the new painter didn’t sand before their primer/top coats. 99/100 that will be the issue when dealing with chipping like you are describing. You can touch up with a brush, which is a really nice feature of Advance. If you do start over, thoroughly sand the cabinets before applying any paint or primer. Good luck!
Really depends on the surface. Are you dealing with mold? Is the surface non-porous and needs additional adhesion?
Hi Jim,
I’ve debated doing a post/video on the 105/115 hvlps, but while they are amazing, not many people actually have them. I actually believe that overspray with an HVLP is deceptive. Because the paint is atomized so much better than an airless sprayer, it tends to stay in the air longer and float further even though there is drastically less actual overspray than an airless sprayer. Try lowering your fluid and air pressure and adjusting your spray fan as small as possible, this should help with overspray. Good luck
Sadly, yes, sanding is really the only way to get those out. I’d start with 150 and work my way up to 220. Good luck.
Yes, as long as you make sure to sand extra thoughly. The only reason to avoid brushing would be if you absolutely want to avoid brush strokes at all costs.
You can absolutely still get a good finish. Valspar is a good brand. Make sure it’s covered well, sand in between coats, and move on to applying the Advance.
Sorry, I am officially retiring from painting. No more painting for me as of January 2022.
It depends on what type of sprayer you are using, but I’m going to assume that you are talking about an airless sprayer. Small fan width and small orifice should be used when spraying cabinets. First number is spray fan width (doulbed), second number is orifice size. So a 3-4 (6″-8″) fan width and a 09-11 orifice size. So a 309, 311, 409, 411 are all great.
Yes. Even removing cost from the equation, I would still choose Behr. Best of luck!
Hi Nicole,
Advance does come in Matte, so my suggestion would be to have your local BM dealer get a quart ordered for you. It might delay the project a couple of days, but if you tell the homeowner that this is the correct product and it’s out of stock locally, they should be understanding. You could always go with Emerald from Sherwin Williams if you need to get it done right away. Hope this helps!
Hi Jo! Thanks for the compliment!
What you need to do to the wall really depends on the condition of the wall after the paper comes off. Often times if the paper comes off really good and doesn’t leave behind a lot of glue, not much is needed. A bit of patching, quick sand and you’re ready to go. If the wall is in poor condition, full skim coating could be required. If a lot of glue residue is left behind, priming the wall with a coat of Kilz 2 Primer is a great idea (and Kilz 2 is cheap).
Hi Bal,
Great to hear that you’re going to tackle this project. I personally avoid products like shellac these days and prefer to use low VOC products. This is why I really like Smart Prime. But there are some other good products like INSLX Stix and Zinsser Extreme Adhesion Primer. Glad the filler worked for you!
At least wait for it to dry to the touch as a bare minimum. Anything more is just better.
Hi Shawn,
I thin with water. Works great. Best of luck on your project!
Hi Bill,
My guess is your stipple is from the sprayer and not how thick you are applying. Make sure that your sprayer is atomizing the paint really well. This could mean thinning your paint down further, decreasing the fluid flow through your sprayer, or upping the air power. I have a video about using the Wagner Flexio 2000 that might help you quite a bit.
Hi Trista,
I’ve got a super detailed post on painting kitchen cabinets here: https://diypaintingtips.com/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets/
I’ve also got a lot of content on filling oak grain, prepping and more.
Quick answers though: Clean the cabinets thoroughly with a wash cloth. Give them a light sand with a medium grit 3M sponge and you’re good to go. No need to sand off the current finish, just rough it up.
I always use and recommend Zinsser Smart Prime. You can read my full review here: https://diypaintingtips.com/zinsser-smart-prime-review/
In my opinion, you shouldn’t have any issue putting water based poly on top. Good luck!
HVLPs are awesome for cabinets, but you absolutely could do them with the X5. Just use a small tip like a 311, do a little practice, and take your time. Beest of luck!
Sorry, I’m in Minneapolis and don’t have any recommendations for you. Good Luck!
Thanks for the info!
Hi Katie,
Sorry that you’re having trouble with the X5. My guess is that you’ve got an air bubble in your fluid line. This is the most common issue. Make sure to flip the release valve and hopefully that will solve your issue. Also, I highly recommend against a .017 for non-experienced painters. It’s too much paint too fast. Paints recommend a 0.017 on the can, but that does not mean that is what you should use.
Exactly.
Hi Erin,
Advance is meant to be a durable top coat. I do not add a polyurethane top coat over it.
Hi Gail,
Yes, you can paint over your alkyd enamel with hybrid. As long as the alkyd is cured, there are no issues.
Hi Mary Beth. Wonderful to hear that it went so well! I’m actually hoping to start a “Reader’s Projects” gallery soon. I’d love to see your before and after! You can send them to [email protected] Thanks!
Hi Marilyn,
I run into cabinets like this every now and then. The most important thing to consider is prep. Make sure to thoroughly clean the cabinets, give them a lite sanding, then use a good primer like Zinnser Smart Prime. Let the primer cure for a day or two, then go ahead with BM Advance for your top coat. You should be just fine. Make sure to check out my article on painting your kitchen cabinets as well, I have tons of info in there.
While I am flattered, I am in the Minneapolis area and am pretty sure that just wouldn’t work out. However, feel free to email me and I would be happy to help connect you with someone in your area. [email protected]
Hi Mary,
Sadly, no, I live in the Minneapolis area, so that’s a bit out of my area. Good luck on your project.
Hi Michael,
Sorry to hear that you are having some issues with your cabinet doors. The drywall compound wouldn’t cause them to warp as there isn’t enough moisture to cause warping from that. My guess is that it was too humid in your garage and having the doors sit in there for an extended period caused the warping. I would bring them inside and make sure that your humidity is low. Give them a week and see if they go back to normal. Good Luck!
Hi Richard,
Honestly, I almost never use Semi-Gloss. For me, it’s probably 99.9% satin. I haven’t even used semi-gloss in years. I just don’t like the look. BUT, a clean surface with INSL-X Stix as a primer is a great starting point for any top coat. I always tell my clients to give their woodwork a good two weeks to fully cure. After that, I never get call backs about chipping or scratching.
Hi Alvaro,
In all honesty, you can’t go wrong with either Advance or INSL-X. Benjamin Moore actually owns both products. I tend to prefer Advance, but instead of the Advance Primer, I like Zinsser Smart Prime or INSL-X Stix.
One recommendation, if you plan on using an HVLP on your top coat, you should absolutely use it on your primer coat as well. This will give you a chance to practice and since primer is easier to sand, it will be more forgiving if you get runs. Also, if your roll your primer, you’ll be putting texture onto the cabinets that doesn’t need to be there. You may be able to sand it out, but if you plan on spraying the top coat, I think that spraying the primer as well only makes sense.
Good Luck!
Absolutely!
Thanks for the compliment David! Good luck on your project!
Hi Jelly,
BM’s White Dove is actually the most popular white that I use on Kitchen cabinets. I probably use it on 40-50% of the cabinet jobs I do. It’s just a perfect white for kitchen. Not too bright or sterile (if you know what I mean), but not too creamy or anything. Color is hard since it is so subjective.
I always paint the toe kicks.
Good Luck!
Absolutely.
Hi Joe,
When spraying things like bookcases or cabinets, a smaller orifice tip is the better way to go. This will cause less paint to come out of the tip and make spraying easier. Bigger tips, when you don’t have experience, usually result in lots of runs.
A 313 is pretty good, still, be cautious for runs though. I actually prefer a 311 or 411 for spraying cabinets and bookcases with airless sprayers.
You shouldn’t need to thin. Airless sprayers don’t need thinning like HVLP sprayers do.
Sorry to hear this JoAnn. I have dealt with issues like this in paint before, my understanding is that it is a manufacturing error. If you notice something like this, stop immediately and return your paint wherever you got it from.
Sherwin is pretty good with warranty work. If you go to your local SW and tell them what happened, at the very least you should get all the free products needed to fix it.
If you hired out a professional, then that is unacceptable. They should have noticed immediately (at the very least after the first coat), stopped, and solved the issue. They should return to sand and refinish the cabinets.
Best of luck!
Hi Div,
Bin Shellac would be a greeat primer and would seal in tannins in oak wonderfully. But here is why I wouldn’t use it, the VOC content of BIN shellac is 550 grams per liter. That is massive! I refuse to use products like this anymore in order to preserve my health and be kind to the environment.
A good solution is to use Zinsser Smart Prime which has 25 grams per liter. Then, once dried, if any tannins do bleed through, then just spot prime them with shellac or Kilz original to seal those spots. Usually when I do this, there will be 4-5 small areas that need spot priming and just using a little bit of oil based Kilz is way better than priming a whole kitchen with it.
Good Luck!
Glad you found this useful Andrew. Yes, I still do check, but usually only on the weekends, so you caught me at a good time today.
TSP – You absolutely do not need it. Usually, the only greasy spots in kitchens are over the stove and under the sink. If those areas are a little grimy in your kitchen, wash them with dish soap, then sand everything. If they weren’t overly greasy, not washing necessary, just sand.
Here’s the thing with content on the internet. 98% of the people writing have never done the thing that they are writing about. TSP, Semi-Gloss and Gloss recommendations were done by someone with little to no experience and then copied by countless writers online. That’s just the way it is.
Actually, trisodium phosphate residue left on cabinets is a major cause of failure on finishes. You are more likely to cause issues than help by cleaning with TSP. NOTE: Dish soap can cause problems too, so only use if necessary then wash and sand thoroughly.
I can assure you that Satin is the way to go. You will regret semi-gloss and really regret gloss. At best it will look like a 1960’s-80s painted kitchen. It will show every imperfection and brush stroke and it will be ugly. I use satin on every single cabinet job and so does every legit painter I know.
If you’re just coating over the old finish, then priming isn’t necessary. I would clean everything, give it a light sanding with an extra fine 3M sponge. Then go ahead with your top coat. Good Luck!
Hi Kelly,
With this type of work, you get what you pay for. Sounds like this painter may have been the cheap bid. Pressure washing, sanding, priming and two coats would likely cost drastically more than this painter is charging is my guess.
Ask him if he is willing to give you a warranty in writing on the project. If he doesn’t, then he likely doesn’t believe in his process and you should stop the project, pay him for power washing and move on.
Good Luck
Hi K,
First, thanks for commenting and reading the post. Your comment assumes that contractors don’t get to see the long-term results of their work. On the contrary, I see my work and care about how long it lasts more than most homeowners (as do most contractors). I offer warranties ranging from 3-5 years on all of my work. If something goes wrong, It literally costs me my income and I would be out there fixing the deck at no cost to the homeowner. So the products I use are vastly important to me and my business. When used Correctly, this stain is wonderful and will provide a long-lasting life. Sorry to assume this, but if you have mildew growing under the finish and you’re experiencing fading already, I can almost guarantee the issue is in your prep work and not the product. I would recommend calling Behr and talking to them on the phone, their warranty department is incredible and at the very least, they will help you identify the issue. Good Luck.
I have used Advance primer and I don’t love it. It’s a fine primer but I prefer Smart Prime or Stix over it.
Yes I do. Typically those raw plywood edges need about 2 extra coats of primer and even an extra top coat. They really suck up the paint. Brushing an extra coat in between spraying on those surfaces works great.
Hi Lew,
Honestly, Advance and Cabinet Coat are both great. They both spray well and both have a great finished look. I lean a little towards Advance, but have no problems with Cabinet Coat.
Same with Smart Prime and Stix. I prefer Smart Prime, but I will use Stix any day of the week.
Basically, you can’t go wrong with your options.
Hi Paul,
The Graco Ultra handheld sprayers are actually mini piston sprayers that use high pressure and no air (HVLP uses high volumes of air at low pressures).
I wouldn’t use the 515 tip as it would spray out a lot of paint and have about a 10″ spray fan. You would likely end up with a lot of runs. It’s just too big of a tip for a beginner (or even experienced painters) to use on cabinets.
The 3 numbers on the tip refer the spray fan size and the orafice size of the hole in the tip. The first number is multiplied by 2 and that will be the width of the spray fan at a distance of 12 inches away. So your 515 tip would have a 10″ spray fan, where the 211 would have a 4″ spray fan (much better for cabinets).
The second number is the size of the orifice in thousandths of an inch. So the 515 has a 15-thousandths of an inch orifice where the 211 has a 11-thousandths of an inch orifice.
The 211 should perfect for spraying cabinets.
Since the hole is smaller in the tip, you will also need less pressure to spray your fluid.
Thinning: Almost every paint says not to thin it, but in order to get it to atomize to the point where you’re going to get a fine finish for your cabinets, you need to thin your paint. Once you thin your paint, you’ll need even less pressure to spray.
My advice, use the 211, use Stix, thin your paint by roughly 10%, and then start with your pressure as low as possible and slowly turn it up until your spray fun looks perfect. You won’t damage the sprayer and should end up with a nice spray fan.
Hi Lisa,
Hinges is more about the look you’re going for and your skill level. If you are comfortable changing your hinges to interior hinges, then before you paint is probably the perfect time to do it. Also, the plus 3 method is for filling grain, if your hinge holes are really big, I would use a harder drying wood filler, especially if you may have to drill into part of it when installing new hinges. Good Luck!
You’d probably be ok doing it over two days, but if you can do it the same day, you’re likely better off.
Hi Julio,
Yes, you can add another coat of primer to help seal the bleed through. If the bleed-through is just in a couple of areas, you can hit those areas with a spray can of kilz as well (this is what I do) rather than re-prime everything. Good Luck!
Hi Russ,
I may not be 100% correct on this, but I believe that 3M medium grit sponges are 80 grit, fine are 120, and extra-fine are 150. Anyone can correct me if I am wrong. I do know that medium work great for sanding before primer, fine are great for sanding primer, and extra-fine are great for sanding in between top coats.
Hi Katie,
I know that you don’t want to invest in a sprayer, but I promise you that a sprayer is the EXACT right tool for your job. If you choose to roll the ceiling, you will have to brush the gaps in between every plank, then roll out the ceiling. At least 2 coats. Your neck and arms will hate you and you will need a ladder and/or scaffolding. Plus it will take a very long time.
With spraying or rolling, you need to prep off your floors and windows, so that is a wash.
With a sprayer, the job will quite literally go 10x quicker. It still may need two coats (but maybe not). A sprayer will get into the groves better as well. You can rent a sprayer for less than $100 or buy a cheap sprayer for roughly $100.
Sorry I don’t have a better solution!
Hi Clair,
There are a couple of different ways you can clean your deck without damaging the finish. First, a garden hose and a push broom work great. I have 7 kids and my deck is always a muddy mess, I use this method quite often. Second, electric power washers have drastically less pressure than gas pressure washers. A cheap $100 pressure washer will make quick work of cleaning your deck without damaging it. I have one I use on my whole house and vehicles without any damage.
The age-old question! I can only say what I prefer. I prefer water. Water-based finishes are better for the environment and for me and that wins the argument for me.
Hi Glen,
Typically, if applied well, only one coat of primer is necessary. BUT, multiple coats of primer can be beneficial. By applying 2 coats of primer, you can get more build-up of the primer which allows you to sand more without going through the primer and ultimately achieve a smoother finish. This is a technique I use when painting oak cabinets (I call it a primer “flood coat”) and helps me achieve an amazingly smooth finish and eliminate graining.
Sanding in between coats of primer is not necessary. I only sand after the last coat of primer.
Hi Sam,
Sorry that your project didn’t turn out perfect. Saying how to fix something without seeing it can be difficult. My best guess would be this: Areas where there are issues need to be re-sprayed. If there is a hand mark or unevenness on a door, that door needs to be re-sprayed. If it’s a side panel, that panel needs to be re-sprayed. I would have the painter come back and fix this, you deserve a job done right and should not have to fix anything after you have paid a professional. If you must fix it yourself and cannot spray, thin the paint out by roughly 20% and try brushing on a light coat. By thinning, the paint won’t cover quite as well, but it should blend in really nice. Good Luck!
Hope it goes well! Good Luck!
Hi Marianne,
Previously painted cabinets need to be cleaned, prepped, and lightly sanded. You don’t necessarily need a primer coat, you can skip right to the new top coat, though priming never hurts.
If your cabinets are distressed, I would make sure any wax is thoroughly cleaned off and make sure to sand down the heavy areas of distressing. I would also make sure to prime over everything in this case.
Affordable sprayers: The Flexio 2000 is about as cheap as you can get and still get a decent finish (I did a video on the Flexio 2000 as well). The Fuji Semi-Pro 2 is a better sprayer but costs a bit more.
Good luck!
Hi Gg,
You are likely correct, they will probably be painted in that person’s garage. There are amazing painters who do not own shops that likely can deliver an amazing product whether they finish them on your property or not. There are also terrible painters who may very well get paint on everything in your garage (I’ve seen it many times!). IF you hire someone who does the finish work on your property, make sure you trust them.
IF they had a shop, they would likely want to bring the cabinets to their shop rather than finish them in your garage. So, I think your hunch is right, they would have to prep off their own garage. I am not saying they are bad painters though, just that your guess is likely right.
If you want someone to take them to a climate-controlled shop, call around to different companies until you find someone with a shop. Ask for photos of the shop, address, anything. I know that here in Minneapolis there are many companies with amazing facilities, you just need to find them. I actually moved to a property that has an 800 square foot shop on site. I installed an air conditioner, dehumidifier, and a heater and it works amazing. It is easier than finishing on site in most cases.
Hi Lilly,
I have never used Cabinet Rescue, but I will put it on my list of products to check out and review.
Hi Nancy,
You can absolutely paint over Impervo with Advance. In my experience, oil-based Impervo looks amazing but their water-based finish leaves a bit to be desired. Advance looks very much like Impervo Oil only without the incredibly high VOC content. Good luck.
Hi Sandra,
My go to set up for low VOC, high performance, great looks, and minimal yellowing is to use Zinsser Smart Prime for the primer and Benjamin Moore Advance for the top coat. I use this on every one of my clients jobs. Hope this helps.
Hi John,
I would recommend sanding before you apply the mud filler. It’s quick and easy and the potential benefits are huge. Hope this helps.
Hi Lisa,
Your comment slipped through the cracks the last couple of weeks while I was busy working! Yes I did get my review of Smart Prime up a while ago: https://diypaintingtips.com/zinsser-smart-prime-review/
Let me know what you think!
Hi Dom,
I love the Fuji Semi-Pro 2. I am hoping to get a review of this sprayer up soon. If you are running an actual refinishing business, I honestly think the that Semi-Pro 2 is your starting point and the Wagner sprayers are simply not an option. I personally use the Titan Capspray HVLP turbine sprayers for portable on site work, they are simply incredible sprayers. Hope this helps.
Hi Randy,
Advance is actually a water-soluble alkyd. I classify it in the “hybrid” category along with the urethane acrylics. These paints are attempts (successful attempts) at achieving the same durability and lushious look as oil based finishes.
In states where oil/solvents are or aren’t an option, I would still choose any of these new enamels. I am no longer willing to submit my body to the high VOCs of oil based finishes and I’m not interested in contributing to our ongoing environmental problems either. These finishes are a great solution.
I personally believe that the quality of Advance does supercede it’s long dry times vs other products. In my opinion, Advance is the best product on the market for the DIY painter looking to refinish their cabinets. I also believe it is the best finish for most contractors depending on the circumstances.
Hope this helps.
Hi Teresa,
Your project sounds like a unique pain in the butt! Honestly, I might be tempted myself to throw some 60 grit discs on a random orbital sander and really shred the wall up, then work my way through 80 grit, 100, and 120. Then look everything over and be very generous with drywall repair. Prime everything, check drywall again, and finally move onto paint. Good Luck!
Hi Linda,
The only time I recommend multiple coats of primer is when you are doing a DIY version of the “flood coat”. The flood coat is to help eliminate oak grain and waviness in the doors. In your case, I would clean the cabinets thoroughly and scuff sand them. After that, a primer may not even be necessary. The main purpose of a primer is to seal the wood, bond to the wood, and bond to the top coat. In your case, your previous paint is likely bonded well already and provides an excellent surface for the new paint to bond to. Priming doesn’t hurt, but it is probably an un-necessary extra step. Good Luck!
Hi Karen,
I think you’re asking if you need to apply a clear coat over the cabinets after you paint them. No you do not. These enamels are designed to be a top coat and are incredibly durable (potentially more durable than clear coats that would be applied over them). Applying a clear coat over the cabinets actually comes with disadvantages such as making it so future touch ups don’t blend in.
Hi Nick,
Plus 3 is a general purpose joint compound that is lighter and cheaper than other types. It is made by USG. Great stuff.
Second question (sorry if I am not understanding the question 100%). I always spot prime any drywall compound on my walls. You could prime the entire wall, couldn’t hurt! Does that answer your question?
Good Eye!
You’ll notice two types of articles on my site. The first are posts where I get technical on the painting and really dig into the how to stuff. I try to use photos from my personal projects for these. The second type are “best” style posts where I make a list of some of my favorite products for recommendations to my readers. For these, I will often grab a stock photo just to help illustrate my posts. It’s not always worth going out and getting a perfect photo for every situation and to be honest, I don’t like worry about photos and stuff while I’m working, I just like to get the job done and go home ๐
Hi Jan,
I ALWAYS use Satin. I never use semi-gloss. It is just too much and looks tacky in my opinion. Good luck on your project!
Hi Carli,
If your new holes are in a completely new location not adjacent to the old holes, then you can fill the old holes with the normal grain filler. Make sure to put on two to three coats as it will shrink a little bit and cause a small dimple if you don’t. If your new holes are right next to the old ones or even touching them, then you will need to fill the old holes with something stronger like bondo or a hard wood filler. These are stronger than the drywall grain filler and will allow you to drill into or next to them without any issues. Hope This Helps!
Hi Gina,
I have never used Peel Stop on flooring in that way before, so I cannot say for certain how it would hold up. If it were me, I would go ahead and use it but then make sure to top coat with a porch and floor paint that is made for foot traffic. Make sure to clean the steps as thoroughly as possible first. Good Luck!
Hi Dawn,
Yes, a bit of the old mineral spirits does creep into the poured off batch, but this is something that can’t really be avoided. Honestly, I don’t think a little sediment getting into the pour off is really a big deal either, it is, after all, just your cleanup mineral spirits. Hope this helps!
Hi WJ, I appreciate the compliment!
I see no reason that you can’t or shouldn’t caulk the seams inside the cabinet. I personally would. I can’t imaging they would crack over time, and even if they did, they are inside the cainbet. Go for it.
HI Barbara,
I approach vinyl cabinets the same way I approach other cabinets. Simply clean them thoroughly (Dawn and warm water), sand them with a medium sanding sponge, prime with Zinsser Smart Prime, then top coat with Benjamin Moore Advance. Good Luck!
Hi Michelle, I recommend Multi-Purpose Water-Based Acrylic Primer from Sherwin Williams.
Hi Dres, Sorry to hear that you’re having problems. Frog Tape is literally the best tape I have found. My guess is that the real issue is a prep issue. This is VERY common on the edges of cabinets where you would likely run tape when painting the adjacent wall. Many times people will sand and clean the cabinet, but they either don’t get all the way to the edge (where the cabinet meets the wall) or they don’t get that area very well. This creates bonding issues right at the edge of the cabinet where it meets the wall. There is good news though, other than the issue of taping causing chipping, that area will likely never take any other abuse and shouldn’t cause future issues. My advice is to get an artist brush and touch up the edges when you’re done painting OR don’t tape the edges and try to paint next to them freehand. Good Luck!
Hi Tia,
I’ve been meaning to test this method on Cathedral doors but have not yet had the chance. So I really cannot say yet. However, I have had a lot of people ask about this. So, I have it on my to-do list to go and get some old cathedral doors at the re-use store and test it out. I will make sure to let you know when I have my results.
I wrote a whole post on this that you can check out here: How To Clean Painted Cabinets.
Goodfilla is a grain filler and would be a good solution on a small project to fill the grain (like a guitar). However, it would get REALLY expensive to use on a bunch of doors. You’d probably spend $10 per door. And this doesn’t really address brush strokes, but rather grain, which I have a much better and cheaper solution for filling grain (when painting) that you can can read about here: Wood Grain Filler For Oak Cabinets (and how to use it).
I personally love Purdy brushes and Wooster. Those are pretty much all I use. I don’t have any experience with a mortar brush, but when I say stiff, I mean in relation to other paint brushes. Most brushes will say if they have a stiff or soft bristle.
Hi Doug,
These questions are a little difficult without seeing your deck, but here are my thoughts.
1 – Bleach will kill the mildew and shouldn’t harm the Behr finish. But, I don’t believe this will clean off the mildew well enough to re-stain the deck. I would still recommend power washing before staining.
2 – I would recommend power washing before applying another coat of Behr semi-transparent stain. But, if the deck looks good and clean after the bleach and wash, then go for it.
3 – This depends on how the original coat looks. If it faded evenly, then I think going over with a darker semi-transparent color will likely work just fine. If it peeled or faded unevenly, it may look a little blotchy. I would recommend trying it out on a small inconspicuous area before doing the whole deck.
Hi Scott,
If you have an air compressor that can deliver a high enough CFM already, they are fantastic. Most cheap air compressors don’t deliver enough cfm for HVLP spray guns. For my profession, and many people who don’t already own air compressors, it makes sense to purchase a sprayer with a built-in turbine. But, like I said, if you already have a nice compressor, than save the money and just buy the gun.
Hi Suzy,
Misses and mistakes are a pain and I don’t think you’re gonna like my answer. In order to spray anything, you have to do a lot of prep work again to make sure that you don’t get overspray where it isn’t supposed to go. If I miss something after de-prepping, I usually take a deep breath, groan a little bit, then start re-prepping the area. Touching up with a brush or roller after spraying just doesn’t look right on larger areas. If the area is small, you can get away with a little bit of brush touch up.
In my opinion, the aresol bottles don’t save much time over just setting up the Flexio 3000 again.
So… My advice is to prep that area, sand, and respray. It’s not fun, but it will look the best and you’ll be happiest in the long run.
You don’t have to, but it might not be a bad idea depending on how the wood looks. I usually do (wood gets dirty at the lumber mills and retail stores).
Hi Miki,
Fur wood doesn’t have the deeply grooved grain that oak does. Filling the grain wouldn’t hurt, but it also isn’t likely necessary. I think you should be fine priming and top coating without using a grain filler. I really like using Smart Prime and Stix to prime cabinets, but those are not SW products. Sherwin Williams sells “Multi-Purpose Water-Based Acrylic-Alkyd Primer” which is a great primer, but a little expensive.
Hi Anna,
The truth is that most all water based primers are not great at blocking tannin bleed throughs (stains). They are just ok. But, I don’t recommend using oil based primers for your cabinets either. I don’t like breathing in the high VOCs that come with oil. What I do is prime everything, then go back and double check everything before the top coat and hit any bleed throughs with a spray can of Kilz Original (oil). This allows me to only use the oil based primer where absolutely necessary. It works great. Usually, there are only a handful of bleed through areas and you can get away with using less than a half of a can of Kilz.
Hi Kristina,
I recommend laying the doors on a flat surface, sanding out as much of the previous texture as you can without going through the finish. Then when applying with a brush or roller, put it on just a little bit thicker. You can put it on thicker without runs when it is laying flat and the finish will self level a bit as it dries. Try thinning by 5-10% as well to get it to level even better.
Absolutely it can. As long as the lacquer is fully cured, you can go over it with any product you would like. Lacquers tend to be more brittle, I think you will love the durability of Advance.
Hi Angie,
Both options will give a slightly different look/texture. A velour roller will give a really fine stipple (like you see on a wall, only less noticeable). A brush, if done right, also looks great. Just make sure to apply with long even strokes. I recommend painting the doors while removed and on a flat surface. This way you can put the paint on a little thicker and it will self level more (reducing stipple and brush strokes).
Hi Elizabeth,
IF you plan on putting in new drywall in a couple of years, I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to paint over the existing wallpaper. If you plan on removing the wallpaper in a couple of years and keeping the existing walls (I’d go with new drywall personally), paint will only make the wallpaper removal harder.
I would dab a little glue under any bad peeling corners, prime everything with Kilz 2 latex, and then go ahead and paint. This option will make the walls look “good enough” for the next couple of years until you are ready for the bigger project of installing new drywall. I would vacuum the corners and any major dirt areas, then wash everything with a rag before beginning as well. Good Luck!
Hi Joanne,
Painting your kitchen cabinets will be drastically easier than re-staining them. In order to restain cabinets and have them look great, you need to strip them down to bare wood which is an incredibly hard job. If you brush a stain over what is already there, it just won’t look good.
I recommend painting your cabinets to the light grey color. You can give them a cleaning, light sand (just to scuff and smooth the current finish), prime and two top coats. This will be your easiest option and give you the best looking results. Good Luck!
Hi Terence,
Funny you should ask, I just wrote up a review on Behr Semi-Transparent deck stain last week. I really like Bher, but Sherwin Williams Super Deck and Benjamin Moore Arborcoat are great tool. Also, I prefer semi-transparent for the look and how easy it is to re-coat.
Hi Marc,
Yes, I’ve used Emerald Urethane from Sherwin Williams. It is a great high quality product that sprays well and looks good. However, If I am comparing it to Benjamin Moore Advance though, I think Advance just has a better finished look. Not sure what it is exactly, but I’ve always thought it looks better than Emerald. Good Luck!
Hi Meredith,
To clean bare wood cabinets, I think I would just sand them down with a fine or medium grit sanding sponge. That should take off any greasy fingerprints. For priming, I really like Zinsser Smart Prime and INSL-X Stix. Either should do great for you. Good Luck!
Hi Shawn,
I always sand sheetrock after it’s been primed. I use a Raidus 360 Sanding Tool and 120 grit pads. Never hurts to prime over the previously painted (and patched) areas, I probably would. Good Luck!
Hi Rick,
I actually have a gallon of Valspar Cabinet & Furniture (Oil Enriched enamel) on my shelf waiting to use it on a project so I can review it, but I actually haven’t used it yet.
However, like other oil-enriched products (hybrids), I would thin it with water (typically between 10-20%). I personally don’t use Flood Floetrol, I don’t think it does any better job than water.
I don’t recommend sanding down to wood. I like to thoroughly clean the cabinets first (warm water and even some dawn dish soap, then rinse), then sand with medium grit 3M sanding sponges. That should be enough to rough up the surface and allow your primer to adhere properly.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Funny timing, I am actually writing up a review post on Behr Ceiling paint right now! You can use any paint on your ceiling that you wish and you will be just fine. But, ceiling paint has a couple of benefits. First, it is going to be very flat. Meaning, it won’t reflect light in a way that shows imperfections in the ceiling. Two, it tends to be thinking and not drip as much as other paints can. Last, it’s cheaper than normal wall paints. That’s about it. So, if you already have a different paint, go ahead, you’ll be fine. But if you haven’t bought paint for your ceiling yet, consider actual ceiling paint.
Hi Wendy,
Sorry to hear about your store experience. Here’s the thing to remember, while they may deal with paint every day, they typically have very little real-world experience. Also, they may have an incentive to push certain products. I have no incentive for you to use Smart Prime (unless you buy it on Amazon, which rarely happens), I could recommend any primer on here, I recommend it because I’ve used it on my projects with complete success.
Tannins are tricky and the one area where oil primers outshine water-based primers. I always keep a spray can of Kilz Original and spot prime any tannin bleed through after the first coat of primer. Works perfectly and I end up with 4-5 small sprays of oil vs shooting the entire kitchen. The harm to the environment, the harm to my body, and the extra paint thinner expense isn’t worth it to use oils on the entire project. I hope this helps!
Sounds like you’re going above and beyond on your cabinets, they should turn out great!
Glad to hear it went well!
Hi Mike,
I think waiting 24 hours should be plenty, but you have to make sure to use a tape specially made for this situation. I love Frog Tape. Normal Frog Tape may work just fine, but they also have another version called Frog Tape Delicate Surface, which might be even better for your situation. Regular “Painter’s Tape” doesn’t always give the best results. Also, make sure to test out a small area. Make sure the tape adheres well and releases well before taping everything. Good Luck.
Hi Leslie,
If I am sanding walls before painting, I like to use 120 grit paper on a round sanding pole. If I am sanding in between top coats, then I’ll go up to 150 – 220 grit. Hope this helps. Good Luck!
Hi Carol,
I’ve done Advance on a lot of bathroom cabinets and haven’t experienced this problem. My guess is that it is a colorant issue. I would take some pictures of the vanity, then some pictures after some water has been splashed on.
A good solution might be to topcoat the vanity with a clear coat. Minwax Satin Water Based Polycrylic would work great and should solve your issues, not to mention that brush strokes won’t show in the clear coat. Good Luck!
Hey Dale,
Spraying verticle pieces isn’t overly complicated. You just need a little practice and remember that it is better to err on the side of being too light rather than too heavy. Set up some cardboard in your garage and practice spraying a bit before doing your large verticle board. Brushing or rolling can work as well (a mini 4″ velour roller would be a great choice) , but I recommend really good sanding in between coats to avoid overly pronounced brush marks. Good Luck!
Nope. Exterior stains are meant to be a stain and top coat in one. No need to top coat. Good luck!
Hi Roberta,
Your primer coat isn’t going to feel smooth or even typically and it doesn’t have to. All you need to do is make sure it bonded correctly and that you don’t have overly light spots or runs. If you do want to do a second coat of primer, go ahead and spray it without sanding the first coat of primer. After you have sprayed the second coat, then sand everything. Good luck!
Hi Jeff,
I probably paint the insides of the cabinets one in every 10-15 jobs. Personally, I hate painting the insides of the cabinets due to over-spray blow back. It all blows back in my face and there isn’t a good way around this. But that’s just a personal thing, there are no issues with painting the insides.
Time estimate per door. Probably 30 minutes on the low end and 60 on the high end. Should be somewhere in that range.
Hi Mike,
I personally don’t strip cabinets. The reason is that it simply isn’t cost-effective for clients to pay me to do this. Another reason is most of the cabinets I paint are not previously painted. I’ve found that on previously painted cabinets, usually sanding them to a smooth finish works great. But if you have the time and don’t mind the extra work, stripping can only help. Good Luck!
Hi Cheryl,
My first choice of primer is Zinnser Smart Prime. I also have used Kilz 2 and INSL-X Stix and like both a lot. Good Luck!
I screw up sometimes! Thanks for pointing that out!
Hi Amy,
That’s a really hard question, but here are my thoughts. Occasionally batches of paint can be bad. It may go bad while in storage or on a vary rare occasion, the manufacturer can make a bad batch. I’m guessing that you’ll spend at least 40 hours painting your cabinets. My guess is the paint is fine, but at the same time, buying a new gallon of paint is probably worth the peace of mind! Good Luck!
Hi Lisa,
I think this will work, but only if your prep is perfect. Clean the floor flawlessly, then sand it to scuff it up and create a good bond. If you do that right, you should be ok. Good luck!
Hey Matt,
Thanks for the compliment! Honestly, I love hearing when one of my articles helps someone.
Painting the bottoms of the cabinets. I always paint the bottoms. I really don’t like the look when people choose to not paint them. I am assuming you mean the bottom of the uppers (or potentially the tow kick under the lowers, either way). I prime them and paint them just like anything else and never have any issues. The hardest part is angling the sprayer to get good spray on the bottoms, it can sometimes take an extra coat. I think you’ll be happier if you paint them.
Good luck!
Appreciate the heads up!
Good luck Mary!
Hey Chris,
I am actually writing a review on INSL-X Stix (finished! click the link for my review) right now and should have it published tomorrow. Here’s a sneak peak though, It’s a good product! I have no issues with it and would use it on my clients projects without a worry. As with most primers, keep a spray can of original Kilz around to hit any tannin bleed throughs and you’ll be fine. Good luck!
Hi Allison,
I painted cabinets with an airless sprayer for years before switching to an HVLP. At first glance, HVLP sprayers are a little harder to learn, but they are actually much easier to use, more forgiving, and produce a better finish. Airless sprayers don’t give as nice of a finish, are more prone to runs, and waste far more paint (they have 300-500% more overspray than HVLP sprayers. You’ve given me an idea for a new post, something along the lines of “How To Use An HVLP Sprayer To Paint Cabinets”. I think I’ll put that in my todo list!
Hey Suzanne,
I have an entire post all about prepping cabinets for paint that should help you with your first question. Basically, scrub them down with Dawn, rinse, then sand (the post has more detail). You can also check out: how to paint cabinets like a pro where I go into detail on every step. If you want cabinets that won’t show dirt, then darker colors are going to be better.
Thanks Stephane, I hope this helps you get an even better finish! Good Luck!
Hey Mike,
I carry a rattle can of Kilz with me on all jobs. Perfect for spot priming anywhere I accidentally sand through or where tannins bleed through. Just make sure to sand the area after spot priming as those cans leave a rough finish. I’ll look for the email with the pics and respond there.
Hi Cathy,
Yes, whether they are painted, clear coated, or unfinished, I always start by cleaning, then sanding. The level of sanding will always depend on the condition of the cabinets, but you need to sand enough to at least de-gloss the surface, rough it up, and remove any previous imperfections. Hope this helps!
Hi Cathy,
Without grain filler, it is hard to get rid of graining on oak cabinets. Most primers, once dry, are only about 1 mil thick, so they aren’t great at filling in primer, especially if you spray them. However, if you brush in your primer, it will fill in your grain a little. So what you could do is brush on one coat of primer, sand, and brush on a second coat of primer. I think it may take 2-3 coats of primer to make a difference and in the end, using a grain filler like I show how in this post: The Best Wood Grain Filler For Oak Cabinets, would be the best route. Good luck either way!
Hi Jon,
I typically don’t caulk panels for clients, but if it were my own cabinets, then yes I would caulk them (since I can fix it myself if they do eventually crack from expansion/contraction).
For sanding you do not need to go to the wood. You just need to rough up the surface, basically de-gloss it, to allow better adhesion of the primer. Hope this helps!
Hi Susan,
Yes, this is tannins bleeding through, but this is nothing to worry about. Smart Prime is a great primer, but some tannin spots will still bleed through. What I do is I keep a can of Kilz Original (in the spray can) and hit and spots that may have bled through after priming with Smart Prime. For me, this is far better than priming everything with Kilz Original, which is oil-based, has high VOCs, and stinks. It keeps using oils to a minimum and only when absolutely necessary. Once you shoot any spots with Kilz, just sand everything like you would and proceed to the topcoat. Hope this helps!
Hey Allen,
Without seeing what is going on, this is my best guess, and sorry, but there aren’t any great solutions for wood expansion and contraction. Wood expands and contracts a lot, especially in places like Minnesota where we have humid summers (expansion) and dry winters (contraction). Elastomeric paint is going to have a bit more elasticity, but likely a lot less than your caulk, meaning it will expand and contract differently, and probably still crack. I don’t think the durability of an elastomeric paint is going to be anywhere near Advance, nor do I think it will look that nice either. One idea might be to install a whole-house humidifier onto your furnace and aim to keep the humidity steady throughout the year. I wish I had a better solution for you.
Hey Andrew,
Hard to say. The only time I have not taken off doors is when I’m doing a flip house for a contractor. It’s quicker, but usually a step down in quality. Also, I’ve heard many painters claim the “car-like finish” yet very few actually achieve it. I guess I’d tell you to get multiple quotes and make sure to check references, not just pictures (any cabinet job looks good in a photo). I’ve gone in and fixed a lot of bad cabinet jobs over the years, so make sure to do due diligence when choosing a contractor.
Hey Michael,
Just got an email from you. I’ll reply in email.
Hey AJ,
I would go about doing everything just as described. I would just pay extra attention to make sure the cainbets are cleaned and sanded well before beginning. Also, give them some extra cure time between coats to make sure everything gets a chance to properly bond. Good luck
Hey Nikki,
It sounds to me like you did everything right. That should not be happening after two weeks of dry time. My first guess would be a pigment issue with the paint color. I would take a door off of your cabinets and bring it into the paint store and show them exactly what is going on. Tell them you sanded the door, used multiple coats of primer and then show them the issue. I’ve gotten paint with bad colorant and it can cause all kinds of weird issues. Good luck and let me know how it turns out.
Hey Michael,
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble. I have used acrylic enamels, though these days I typically use water-based alkyds (or hybrids) such as Benjamin Moore Advance. To get an acrylic enamel to spray and level (flow) well with an hvlp, I’ve found that thinning about 20% is usually required. I don’t use flotrol as I’ve typically had good luck with thinning with just water at 20%. The Wagner sprayers are significantly under-powered compared to professional turbine hvlps or compared to using a compressor. So make sure your air is turned all the way up and dial back the fluid flow rate. I like to start with no fluid and slowly turn it up. If you still aren’t getting good atomization and flow, thin it a bit more. I did write a pretty in depth guide on using the Wagner Flexio 2000 you might want to check out. Let me know how it goes.
Yes I am in the US. Don’t know how to help you up there, but here is Smart Prime on Amazon.
Let me know the sprayer you have or plan on getting and I’ll be happy to share with you my recommendation for tips.
Hey Butch,
You can switch out a cup (siphon) gun for a gravity feed gun on any HVLP sprayer. I just prefer cup guns for cabinets since they hold more and are a bit easier to shoot at different angles.
Thanks Paul, I appreciate the compliment!
Hi Denise,
My personal favorite primer and top coats right now are Zinsser Smart Prime for the primer, and Benjamin Moore Advance for the top coat. If you click on the links you can read my full reviews on both products. Good Luck with your project.
Hi Luigi,
My go to primer for occupied residentail homes right now is Zinsser Smart Prime. I wrote up a whole review on Zinsser Smart Prime that you can check out. I thin it about 20% and spray with an HVLP. My guess is roughly 10% thinning for an airless would be perfect along with a 411 tip. Good luck.
Hi MK,
Sorry to hear about your issue. With anything like this, figuring out the cause can be tricky, so here are a couple of ideas. First, the degreaser may be the issue. Sanding should be your last step before priming. If you used a degreaser after sanding, you may have residue from the degreaser left on your cabinets. Personally, I don’t use degreasers because they can cause issues. I like to wash the cabinets before sanding, I’ll use dawn if they are greasy (with an extra rinse wipe), then I sand everything, vac, and prime.
Second guess, you may have not given the primer enough time to cure. Enamels typically don’t reach their full hardness and bonding strength for 7-30 days. So if you tried scratching the finish off on day 2, you might just be prematurely judging it.
Third guess, better prepping is needed. More sanding likely. Honestly though, I’d go with my first two guesses first.
I haven’t had a bonding issue with Smart Prime and I’ve done a lot of cabinets (for people who wouldn’t let any issues slide).
Keep me up to date on how it turns out. Good luck.
Hi Vicki,
You can absolutely repaint over the old oil finish with Benjamin Moore Advance. I wrote an entire post about painting over oil paint where I go everything in much more detail. Good luck!
Hi Mitchie,
Sorry to hear that the paint on your cabinets is cracking and chipping. Right now I’d just be guessing at what could have happened. If you can share any more info about your project, I might be able to help more. Do you know what prep work was done, primer used, top coat used, anything else?
Sorry about that. These are being updated and will be up soon!
Hi Leah,
Absolutely. Advance should be a great topcoat to go over MDF primed with shellac. The smoothness of the finish will depend more on the method you use for finishing them. I use an HVLP sprayer and thin my Advance by about 20%. I’m able to get a flawlessly smooth finish this way. I’d also recommend spraying them while laying flat on a table, it’s easier. You can read more about painting cabinets here if needed. Good Luck!
I actually don’t fill wood grain on baseboards. The reason is that it is a lot of work for something that would take someone on their hands and knees to really notice. Window and door trim at eye level makes more sense, but graining in baseboards is never noticeable.
Hi Rachel,
It really depends on how you want to tackle the project. If you can handle having a whole floor prepped off and under construction for a few days, then go for it. If you think you can only get a few hours a weekend devoted to painting your trim, then I would pick one room per weekend to work on. One benefit to breaking it into smaller projects is that you learn every time you do a DIY project. Fore example, maybe on the first room, you find that you didn’t do as good of a tape job as you thought. Then in the next room, you can slow down and do it even better. Hope this helps a bit!
Hey Chad,
Once the insides of the cabinets are dry, I think that priming them with Zinsser Mold Killing Primer is a great plan. I would do the same thing. Then, rather than buy a different topcoat for the inside of the cabinets, I would finish them with the SW Emerald that you already have.
If you go with a less expensive paint for the insides, my thought is you may spend more. You may end up with 3/4 of a gallon of Emerald leftover and 3/4 of a gallon of the cheap paint.
Oil vs Zinsser mold killing primer. The Zinsser is specifically made with antimicrobial additives to kill and prevent future mold growth, so I think that is your best bet.
Hi again Penny,
If you have a sprayer and you are comfortable with it, spraying will always give you a smoother finish. I just wrote up a review/guide on the Wagner Flexio 2000 if you want to check out a cheap sprayer.
Finding BM Advance Primer and Zinsser Smart Prime is hard for quite a few people I am finding out. I would recommend ordering online. I recently ordered paint online and was really happy with what I got, but some people’s paint has shown up in bad condition from online retailers. Just make sure the retailer is a good one that will accept returns if the paint shows up in poor condition.
Hi Marian,
I can honestly say that I have never painted a toilet seat. But I don’t see any reason why an Alkyd interior enamel wouldn’t hold up well. Just clean the seat good, sand it down, prime it, and give it a couple of good top coats and I would think it would do just fine.
Hi Lynn,
I have used this method over painted cabinets without any problems. Make sure to go through all the steps I lay out in my How To Paint Cabinets Like A Pro post and you should be fine.
Hi Michael,
I get why you want to fill that gap, it looks so much better if you caulk it. Here is my thoughts, go ahead and caulk it. If you don’t caulk it, you’ll have a gap that doesn’t look pretty. If you do caulk it, it may not crack and it might, but even if it does, you’re just back to having a gap that doesn’t look perfect. If it were my house, I’d go ahead and caulk it. A tip for you though, buy the most expensive high-quality caulk you can get your hands on with lots of flexibility and long life.
Hi Penny,
I actually really like the BM Advance Primer. It is a good product. I would be confident moving forward using that as my primer.
Hi Terry,
Zinsser does make an odorless oil-based primer. I have not used it, so I cannot say if it is good or bad. Two thoughts though, even if it is odorless, that doesn’t mean zero VOC’s. And cleanup will still have to involve thinner rather than water. I looked up the MSDS sheet and it still has 335 grams per liter of VOC’s, which is still pretty darn high. Zinsser Smart Prime has 25 grams per liter, which is my preferred primer. Might be an awesome primer, I just try to stay away from high VOC products. Hope this helps.
Smart Prime should be available at most Home Depot and Lowes stores. Sometimes when you get paint, it can show up chunky/old, this is not usually the manufacturer’s fault. It is usually the store selling it. They may have let it freeze in their trucks, stored it too long, or something else. Smart Prime is great, just make sure to buy it from someone who sells enough and will take a return if anything shows up not on par.
Hi Rhonda,
I haven’t used the ultralight in that link, but I would recommend just ordering some Plus 3 online. That ultralight may work, but I cannot say yes or no.
Hi Chandra,
I do have a few recommendations:
Primer: Zinsser Smart Prime (review)
Paint: BM Advance ๐
Sprayer if you are interested: Wagner Flexio 2000 (review)
Great to hear!
Hi Tasha,
Assuming the Rustoleum finish is in good shape, I would thoroughly sand everything down, prime and paint. I only resort to stripping if there is a major issue and no other solution since stripping a finish is very time consuming. And yes, I do sand between every coat. Medium grit before primer, then fine after primer, extra fine between top coats.
Hi Penny,
I like to buy the premixed Plus 3 in a bucket rather than the powder. Just add water to get the consistency. You could use either, but the powder tends to cure faster and be harder to sand.
I would think that you shouldn’t have a problem filling the ends of your cabinets with compound. Just make sure to clean them and sand them before application.
As far as suggestions, I have a lot of useful posts on here for kitchen cabinet painting (and I’m always working on more!):
How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro – A large guide on painting kitchen cabinets.
Benjamin Moore Advance Review – My favorite cabinet paint.
Zinsser Smart Prime Review – My favorite cabinet primer.
Painting Over Oil Based Finishes
Paint Calculator – Estiamte how long and how much your cabinet project will cost.
How To Prep Cabinets For Painting.
I hope this helps! Good luck with your project.
Hi Paulette,
Honestly Milesi and Renner are super niche products, both are really expensive, and neither are popular in the US. BM Advance on the other hand can be found all over the US and is one my personal favorites. You can read my review on it here: Benjamin Moore Advance: Cabinet Paint Review.
Hi Khristel,
Top coating Advance with clear coats to add extra durability is not required and actually makes touch up more difficult in my opinion. Advance is designed to be a hard and durable top coat. The practice of top coating latex enamels with a clear coat comes from when latex enamels didn’t have the durability or the look of oil based enamels. The only time I clear coat over my enamels is when I have added a glaze or done a distress. If you do clear coat the piece and it chips, your touch up will not blend nearly as well as if you hadn’t clear coated the piece. Hope this helps!
Yes. Thinning the paint will help it atomize better as you spray. Technically you may not have to thin it, but it won’t look good when you spray and will leave more of an orange peel texture rather than a smooth glassy finish. I typically thin 20% with my Titan Capspray 115.
Hi Kelly,
Believe it or not, I have actually been asked this same question 3 times in the last week! So here is what I am going to do, I am going to grab a few of these style doors and a few different wood fillers and see what works best for eliminating that large groove in this style of door.
In the meantime, I recommend thoroughly sanding the groove with a 100 – 120 grit paper, filling it with joint compound, sand and fill again as the compound will likely shrink, repeat until flawlessly smooth. Prime with Smart Prime, and top coat.
I will try to have this new post ready in 2 weeks. Hopefully I can give some concrete advice on the best way to tackle this issue.
Hi Deb,
Way to think Preventative Maintenance! If the paint at the top of door is still in good shape and you just want to seal the split to prevent future damage, I would honestly use just about any clear coat. You could grab a pint of polyurethane at any hardware store, an artist brush and just dab the clear coat over the crack. If it were me, I’d even be fine grabbing some clear fingernail polish and sealing the cracks up. Anything to stop the cracking and prevent water from getting into the wood.
Hi Stephen,
Investing in a sprayer for this project is a great choice. I actually just picked up a Wagner Felxio 3000 last week. I plan on doing a review on it, but so far, yes it is a better sprayer than the control series. In all honesty though, I purchase the Wagner sprayers only to do reviews on this site. In the field, I use contractor grade sprayers like the Titan Capspray 115. But so far, it looks like the Flexio 3000 is a solid option for a budget sprayer. Make sure to test the sprayer out with water to get a feel for it before beginning and also test out different viscosities of paint by thinning it 10%, test, thin 20% test, and 25% and test. This is how I will be testing the sprayer. you will likely need to thin the paint roughly 20%. I will have my review of the Flexio up within the next week or two, so if you haven’t started by then, come back and check it out. I plan on doing more Wagner sprayer reviews in the near future as they are more suited to DIY projects.
Hi Steve,
Sorry you are having issues. I have a couple of guesses as to what is happening and how to fix, but without more information, these are only guesses.
The browny yellow coming through is likely the tannins from the oak wood bleeding through. An oil-based primer like Kilz Original works great at stopping these tannins from bleeding through, but the VOC content is awful and so is the cleanup. I really like Zinsser Smart Prime and have been using it on cabinets for a while now. Occasionally, small tannin spots will still bleed through the primer and I will hit those spots with Kilz Original can spray (rather than priming everything with kilz original).
The second problem (again just guessing), is that the cabinets may not have been prepped well enough. This is likely why they are peeling. They need to be perfectly clean (no kitchen grease) and everything sanded. This helps the primer bond to the cabinets. If you don’t clean/sand them well, the bond won’t be strong.
The third problem may be Zinsser 1-2-3. It is a fine general-purpose water-based primer. It is ok at bonding and ok at blocking, but not great at either. I prefer Zinsser Smart Prime, Kilz Original (high voc), Benjamin Moore Advance Primer, and a few others. They bond better and block tannins better.
Fourth, Berh Cabinet Coat. In the post I state “While I do like Behr products, I do not currently recommend any of their paints for kitchen cabinet finishing” and I still stick to this. I’ve used their cabinet products and I am not impressed. I have had bonding issues and it doesn’t look as good as Benjamin Moore Advance (my preferred cabinet top coat) or other products.
So now a good solution… Stripping them will be a ton of work and I would avoid it if at all possible. Most finishes don’t reach their maximum hardness until roughly 30 days. So, even if you do everything right, you still may be able to peel a good finish with your fingernail during the first week. HD should know this and not be doing that. I’d give the finish some time and see if it hardens, if so, you can then just re-prime and topcoat with a better primer and better topcoat. That would be my first suggestion before scraping/stripping which could take MANY hours.
Let me know how it goes!
Hey Jeffery,
You could use oil based Kilz, but I really wouldn’t recommend it. Oil based Kilz has a very high VOC content, is hard to clean up, and not easy to roll out on walls. Kilz 2 is a great drywall primer, or Kilz PVA Drywall Primer is also a great choice.
Hi Susan,
You can absolutely use joint compound (this method) for filling in the groove on the cabinet. Make sure to sand out the groove good before applying compound though. If the groove is really big/deep, and the cabinets get abused a lot, moving to a harder drying wood filler wouldn’t hurt.
Hey Adam,
Thanks for the kind words. Congrats on finding a good deal on the Titan 115, it is an awesome sprayer!
When I’m spraying cabinets or anything else, I bring multiple cup/gun sets (I have 2 Maxum II’s and 1 Maxum Elite). I have one set up with primer, one with top coat, and a third with an accent color if the client has one. I don’t use a separate airless sprayer. I’ve never had any issues thinning the primers I use. Currently, I am using Zinsser Smart Prime most often and I thin it down 20% with zero issues.
Having one gun set up with a number 4 or 5 would actually be a really good idea and allow you to thin your primer less theoretically. I’d love to hear how that works for you.
Hey Guy,
Personally, if you’re just painting trim and you don’t expect it to get too much abuse, you are probably fine just painting over it with your Behr Premium Plus. I would probably do the same in my own home. I wouldn’t recommend the same for cabinets or a high traffic area, but general trim, sure, save some time and you’ll probably never have an issue.
If you’re referring to the seam between the panel and the frame on a shaker, that’s a bit tricky. The panel on a shaker door is going to expand and contract differently than the frame over the course of a year, that is why the panel is floating inside the frame, to allow for expansion and contraction separately from the frame. I typically tell clients that I don’t fill that seam and it just is what it is. If you’re doing it yourself and want to try filling it, I would recommend caulking it versus filling it with compound. Caulk allows for more expansion and contraction.
Hey Maria,
I recommend satin for almost all kitchen cabinets.
By topcoat I do mean the final coat of BM Advance. I do not topcoat them with a clear coat.
I spray on every coat and sand in between coats. I recommend spraying to anyone who is willing/can spend a little bit more money on their tools.
I typically do 1 coat primer and two top coats, but a third top coat is sometimes needed in different situations.
Hey Maria,
I don’t use glazes too often. Sometimes a client will want them glazed or distressed, but I probably only do a few of those per year.
Hi Brenda,
I just answered a similar question on this post: How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like A Pro.
In short, yes, you shouldn’t have any problems. Just make sure to sand everything with fine sanding sponges and prime with a good bonding primer before starting (something you should do no matter what type of finish is on your trim). I recommend 3M Fine Sanding Sponges and Zinsser Smart Prime.
I actually just wrote a new post addressing this here: Painting Over Oil Based Paint
@John, send them to [email protected]
Sure. This is the Purdy Pro Extra Glide 2.5″ Stiff brush: https://amzn.to/396U8ic
It is my absolute favorite brush, works great for this project, and will last years if you take care of it.
Hi Chelsea,
So not being able to paint acrylic over oil is a common myth that most people take as truth. People believe this because it used to be kind of true. Historically oils had a glossier finish and alkyds didn’t have good bonding capabilities. So, the reason people say you can’t paint alkyd over oil is because it won’t bond well to the oil finish(though most don’t know that is the reason). BUT, if you go about the process properly, this isn’t an issue at all. You need to clean the existing cabinets and sand them all with fine sanding blocks. This would technically rough up the surface enough where nearly anything should bond. I always use and recommend a quality bonding primer as well (this is why we use primers: to bond, and to block). I personally use Zinsser Smart Prime on all kitchen cabinets I paint. So, as long as you sand and prime, you can choose any topcoat you desire. Side Note: Technically, a new topcoat of oil won’t bond well either if you don’t sand and prime!
Thanks Peter. Good luck!
Hi Jess,
Benjamin Moore Advance comes in a matte finish and is extremely durable. It is my go to enamel for cabinets and woodwork (doors, trim, mantles, windows, etc) in a home. You should have great luck with it.
As long as the previous paint is in good shape and you sand it first, you shouldn’t have any problems going over it.
Hey Thad,
Yes, I always thin my paint before using it in an HVLP sprayer. I typically thin most products about 20% give or take depending on the product. Start by thinning your pduct 10% and spray a sample on a large piece of cardboard. If it isn’t atomizing well (spraying bad), then thin it some more. Keep going until it is spraying in a nice even fan. Typically, the cheaper the HVLP system, the less power it has and the more you will have to thin your product.
Hi John,
Feel free to send pictures if you keep having issues, I’ll do my best to help you find the issue.
Hi Stacey,
You can absolutely apply another round of filler, but if you do, you MUST apply another coat of primer. I will often find spots of missed grain after primer. If it is small, I will fill these with caulking and wipe it clean with a wet rag (since I already have the caulk out to fill corners and larger gaps). If it is a bigger area, I will re-apply the drywall compound and then re-spray that area.
Hi John,
Since the compound is put on quite thin, it usually takes maybe an hour to dry (not even if the humidity is low).
Hey Jay,
I have been doing this method on clients cabinets for over 10 years. I have literally never gotten a call back due to cracking of the filler. The filler has never failed me. There could be a lot of reasons that the remodeler’s finish cracked and I couldn’t say without knowing more. But this method does work. Hope that helps
Hey Tim,
Durobond is a great product, just not for cabinets in my opinion. It is a great drywall product that is good for first coats. I wouldn’t use it on a top coat due to how hard it sands (it literally has glue in it). When looking for a grain filler, you only need to fill tiny little holes in wood. You want something that sands really easy and honestly, being able to wash it off areas has been incredibly helpful to me over the years.
Hi Sady,
Sounds like you got a bad/old batch of primer. Sadly, this happens with all paints. I’ve bought paint from Sherwin, Benjamin Moore, Behr (all of them) and opened cans up to find chunky bad paint. This usually means the paint is either old, froze, or something else. I would return it and buy a fresh gallon. If the paint is chunky, something is wrong with it and you don’t want to have long term issues with your cabinets due to a bad batch of paint. If you can return it, I wouldn’t be afraid of buying Zinsser again, like I said, I’ve seen this with every brand of paint I use. It’s a fluke that just happens sometimes (my opinion is that it is usually a problem with the seller (storing for too long or letting is freeze). Sorry you had issues, hope things get better!
Absolutely. It’s all about the prep. Make sure to scuff the laminate and use a good primer like Zinsser Smart Prime.
Hi Cindy, I don’t see why not. Advance can be used on walls, cabinets, furniture, etc. It should hold up really well on your backsplash in my opinion.
Hi Craig,
Thanks for the question. Typically I wash cabinets down with a wet rag and then scuff with a sanding sponge. This works 99% of the time. Occasionally, I will run into cabinets that are exceptionally greasy, and then I will wash with some dish soap. With highly detailed areas, I take extra time when sanding, that’s really it. I personally don’t use deglossers and think they are usually unnecessary when dealing with kitchens. That being said, a deglosser won’t hurt anything, I just don’t use them. Sorry, I’m sure this doesn’t help much!
Hi Lauren,
Feel free to share the image, I’d be happy to share my thoughts.
Hey Adam,
Gald to hear you liked the article and hopefully I can help you eliminate some of those callbacks. All I can give you is my experience, but I am pretty confident in my process. Like I’ve stated here, I haven’t had a kitchen cabinet callback in years (honestly I don’t remember one in the last 10 years).
I actually live in MN as well, NW of Minneapolis.
I don’t use shellac or any solvent-based products anymore as I have had concerns for my health over the last 10 years. Also, I don’t use airless sprayers on cabinets. They create too much overspray and waste too much product. I switched to HVLP sprayers for cabinets and honestly, nothing beats spraying cabinets with a Titan Capspray 115 HVLP, they are amazing and produce the best finish possible. Just a quick bit on this. An airless sprayer (let’s say Graco 395) is going to spray between 2000 – 3300 psi. That’s a LOT of pressure. A dialed-in HVLP is going to spray at 10-15 psi. Also, the overspray is drastically less with an HVLP. Usually an airless has 20-30% overspray where an HVLP is between 5-10%. So I use a #3 tip in a Maxum 2 gun with product thinned by roughly 20% on average.
I have made the mistake of using grain fillers that are way too hard to sand. I would stay away from the DAP grain filler. Honestly, thinned Plus 3 mud works amazing and I have NEVER had an issue (other than people not believing me that drywall mud works amazing for grain filler). I sand it down until it just fills the grain, nothing else. You don’t want large patches of mud sitting on the surface. I know that with the dry winters here and humid summers, we get some serious expansion and contraction of wood. But, ff the door is painted on all sides, the expansion and contraction of the wood should be minimal and not present any issues. This is why when I am doing doors (normal doors, not cabinet doors), I always make sure to prime and paint the tops and bottoms.
Tannins are a problem, especially in oak. I started using Smart Prime (the link will take you to a review I recently wrote on it) and have been extremely happy with it. I do still bring a can of aerosol Kilz along on jobs just to hit any bleed through that makes it through the Smart Prime. Then two coats of Advance (my review of that as well). As long as I am diligent about addressing the bleed through before I get to the topcoat, I have not had any calls of tannins bleeding through after the job is completed. I use these two products because they perform amazingly well and both have extremely low VOC levels which I and my clients like.
Top coating your enamel. I never do this. Advance is made to be a top coat and doesn’t yellow. Most clear coats will yellow more over time than Advance, so I avoid them. Plus adding a clear topcoat creates a touch-up nightmare for the homeowner in the future. If they have a small brush and the Advance paint I used, they can easily touch up and big dings or scratches that they create in the future. A clear coat makes fixing issues like that much more difficult and they simply don’t blend.
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other question I can help with!
Hi Diane,
Glad you’re finding the site helpful!
I have used original Kilz as a primer for cabinets many times in the past. It works great. But it also has a super high VOC content (442 g/l). I have become more aware and concerned for my health and the health of others while painting and because of that, I have tested out lots of different top coats and primers over the years. My personal favorites right now are Zinsser Smart Prime for primer and Benjamin Moore Advance for top coat. Smart Prime bonds great and sands smooth while having a very low VOC content (25 g/l). Advance is a great looking top coat that is also low in VOC content (48 g/l).
I don’t have any problem with Behr Satin Enamel though, nice product and great for DIY projects. I do feel that Advance is better, but if Behr is readily available, go for it!
Hi Sady,
I have dealt with this a handful of times. I cut off any peeling with a razor blade, but keep everything that isn’t peeling. Then I prime the sides an extra time before beginning the process on everything else. Then skim the sides with grain filler, sand smooth, then prime again with the rest of the cabinets and go from there.
That should make the sites look good and smooth. Hope that helps!
Hello Keith,
I always use 3M Medium grit sponges to sand down the cabinets before I apply the grain filler. After the grain filler and after the primer coat, I use 3M Fine grit sponges. After the first top coat, before the final coat, I use 3M Extra Fine sponges. I believe for a grit comparison, this is roughly 100 – 150 – 220.
Hi Lauel,
My guess is this could be one of three things.
You may not have much of a deep graining issue on your cabinets if the original clear coat is already filling it in nicely. Occasionally I will run into oak cabinets that have such a thick clear coat (maybe it was brushed in as well) that the grain is already filled quite nicely with clear coat and doesn’t take much filler.
It could be that you didn’t work the filler into the grain enough before sanding.
Or It could be that you are over sanding. This grain filler sands easily (which is why I love it) but this can result in over-sanding.
My guess is the first one. You probably filled the grain just fine. Often times you don’t see much of the filler left behind, but even those little bits you do see can really help improve the finished look of your cabinets.
Good Luck!
Hi Krista,
Both BM and SW have good products. I think SW’s enamels are nice and most people will be happy with them, BM just makes a better looking enamel. Advance looks great and if you are thinking about doing your kitchen cabinets, it would be my top choice. If you’re looking for some more kitchen cabinet painting tips, check out these posts: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro, The Best Grain Filler For Oak Cabinets, and here is a review on the primer I use Smart Prime.
Hi Robert,
It depends on the size of the kitchen, but the compound actually goes really far. I buy it in 5 gallon buckets due to how much work I do, but I would imagine that a quart would get most people through their kitchen.
Hey Jon,
I’ve dealt with lots of thermafoil sided cabinets. Honestly, they aren’t a problem. Make sure they are clean and free of grease. Give them a light sand and prime them with a good bonding primer. With thermafoil, you have to make sure that your primer will bond well. I like to use Zinsser Smart Prime (I just wrote a review on this). Smart Primer bonds well, sprays well, and is extremely low VOC. Keep in mind that most primers won’t fully cure/bond for nearly 30 days, so be extra gentle on your cabinets for the first month.
Hey Steve,
BIN Shellac Primer is great. It is a fantastic primer. But it has a VOC content of 539 grams / liter, which is absolutely huge. It carries a super high health risk and even a high flame risk. When I was younger, I always chose performance over safety, then I started looking for the best mix, now, my safety is number one. But I won’t use BIN in any situation these days as I don’t want to compromise my long term health. I actually just did a review post on Zinsser Smart Prime which has a 25 g/l VOC content (which is fantastic) and this is a great primer I use all the time.
Hey Chris,
I use a Titan Capspray Maxum 2 with a #3 standard tip. I’ve found that the #3 pretty much covers me for everything I do and honestly, I would imagine that it would be perfect for almost all DIY projects. Different brands, such as Wagner and Graco, have different tip sizes so I can’t really talk about them, but for spraying Advance, a standard tip size will be perfect.
Hi Beth,
I would LOVE to see any before and afters of your project when you’re done!
After I sand the grain filler (drywall compound), I simply use a shop vac and a brush attachment to clean off the dust. Any dust left after a good vacuuming will be so fine that it won’t cause any issues, I can promise you that (I’ve done hundreds of kitchens). You definitely do not want to wipe down the cabinets with a wet rag or tack cloth after sanding the filler. A wet rag will reconstitute the compound and pull it out of the grain and a tack cloth can cause issues in the finish. So just stick to a good vacuuming with a shop vac after the filler.
Once you’ve sanded the primer, do the same thing. Use a shop vac and brush attachment to clean everything up before your first top coat. Even after sanding the first top coat, I clean everything with a shop vac and brush attachment. After the first top coat though, if it makes you feel more confident, go ahead and wipe things down with a wet rag. Honestly though, anything left from a good vacuuming won’t affect your finish.
Hi Dora,
My general rule is that you can’t caulk the floating doors or really do anything to fill that gap. With wood expanding and contracting, you’ll likely end up with a cracked finish if you do. There really is no good solution for this that I know of and it is just something that you have to accept when painting your cabinet doors. I personally don’t think it looks bad not filling those seams my clients seem to agree with me as long as I set the expectations correctly before the job.
Hi Lisa,
Sorry to hear that you are having trouble. First, don’t wipe down drywall compound with a damp rag (and don’t use tac cloths, they cause more issues than they solve). A damp rag will end up reconstituting the compound and pulling it out of the grain. When I am done sanding, I simply vacuum with a shop vac and a brush attachment. Anything more than that is unnecessary. You do not need it perfectly clean, just shop vac clean. You still have to apply primer (then sand and vac), then after you apply your first top coat and sand that, that is when you shoot for a flawlessly clean surface. Still, a shop vac usually gets that good enough, but you can absolutely wipe things down with a wet rag after your first top coat if you wish.
Hi Corinne,
Yes, I brush on one layer. Let it dry and then sand. Works amazing!
Hey Bonnie,
Sorry to hear that you’re having problems with your doors! It sounds like you are doing everything possible to get as little texture as possible on your door. Sadly, the only way I know of to get absolutely no stipple or brush marks would be to actually spray your doors. Maybe that is an option you should look into. I have a post on choosing the best sprayer for the right project and am currently working on an intro to spraying post as well (hopefully I will have that up soon).
Hey George,
I have actually never used Stix Primer (update: I just completed a review of Stix here), however it is a bonding primer, so I would assume it would work just fine. I just started using Zinsser Smart Prime this year. I’ve found that it has a great bond, sands well, and is great at blocking stains such as wood tannins that come out of oak when you paint it. I’m actually planning a review on Smart Prime soon.
Hi Amy,
Yes, I do use a primer. I recently switched to Zinsser Smart Prime as I’ve found the bond of this primer is exceptional.
Hey Scott,
Advance does not require a top coat and I do not put any clear top coats over my enamels.
Spraying isn’t difficult but can be a bit tricky. The way I recommend in my How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets post is to spray them flat on a table (workbench) one side at a time. It’s easier than hanging them and spraying them while they are verticle since spraying horizontally won’t give you any runs and you can put it on thick.
Hi Mike,
650 feet is a lot of fence!
An Airless sprayer will be the fastest method by far, but also probably waste the most amount of paint.
A regular cup gun will be slower, but have less overspray.
HVLP guns are going to have the least amount of waste typically 3-10%, but will be drastically slower.
A brush and roller will have the least amount of waste, but also be the slowest.
So you have to decide if you want to waste more time or waste more product (money).
As far as the stain only lasting a year, that is a bummer. Typically horizontal boards will last 2-3 years but verticle boards like fences can often last 5+ years with a good stain. So my guess is either application error or poor product.
Personally, I would go go home depot and rent a nice sprayer. I would have someone following me with a brush and roller. 1 person sprays on the stain while the other follows and rolls it in and brushes out everything. You can have the sprayer back in a day and be out $100 but it won’t take a week!
Hope this helps!
Hey Mike,
Typically, if you find these accidents right away, the paint hasn’t hardened yet and you can scrape them off with a fingernail or a small scraping tool. The longer they sit tough, the harder they will be to remove.
Hi Amanda,
I personally don’t use paint conditioners. I typically thin with a bit of water (10% for brushing, 20% for spraying). If I am brushing something, I have to be ok with some brush marks no matter what. If you really don’t want brush marks, consider getting a paint sprayer (HVLP).
Hi Colleen,
I just finished a job this week Using Advance. I was able to flip my doors after about 2 hours and had no issue with them sticking or anything. One day was a bit humid though and needed closer to 4 hours.
Hi Kathy,
Absolutely sand the cabinets before you apply the compound. I sand and vacuum mine before applying the compound (oftentimes will wash them with warm water and dawn if they are greasy from cooking).
Hi Katie,
For most all painting, I like to use Purdy or Wooster stiff bristle paintbrushes. I particularly like Purdy’s Pro Extra Glide 3″ wide brush. It is nice to have a 1″ brush for cabinets as well.
Hi Edna,
The longer you wait, the more durable your doors will be when you put them back up. So, if you can wait a week or two, great. However, I often times put doors back on the day after I finished spraying them. Because they are so fresh I wear gloves to keep them clean, I am extremely careful, and I put clear bumpers on the backs of the doors so that they do not stick together.
Hi Steve,
I’ve been using Advance for quite a while now and have not experienced any yellowing. Benjamin Moore claims that Advance won’t yellow over time like traditional oils. Hope that helps.
Hi Theresa,
Honestly, any stiff bristle brush works just fine. You don’t have to buy an expensive brush for this. Just don’t buy a soft bristle brush, stiff work a lot better.
Good luck. Check back in and let me know how it went!
Hi Louis,
When you place the doors flat on a surface so they are horizontal instead of verticle, your spray gun will still be held perpendicular to the door when you are spraying. Your hand and sprayer will be at roughly a 90-degree angle (perpendicular) to the door while spraying. Won’t be a problem at all.
Gape Mist SW-6548 from Sherwin Williams
Not sure. Let me see if I can find it.
Hi Staci,
That is a concern. To get around this I do two things. First, I use Painter’s Tripods. These are little triangle tripods that keep your door off the table and only leave tiny spots, if any.
Second, I always to the backs of the doors first. Thies means that the front side will never have to sit on the table after it has been sprayed. So if 4 little dots are left on your cabinets, they will only be left on the back side.
Hope this helps!
Hey Michelle,
Popcorn coming off while rolling is always a risk (and a pain in the butt!). I always assume a second coat will be needed when painting ceilings. I like to go in the opposite direction on the second coat to avoid streaking. For example, the first coat goes north and south while the second coat goes east and west.
If you wait for the first coat to cure, at least 24 hours, this should help minimize the risk of popcorn coming off. The only other solution is to use a sprayer, but I’m assuming that isn’t practical for you. Maybe a little touch up with a spray can of texture might be necessary when completed.
Good luck!
Hi Gayle,
You can absolutely apply a glaze over Advance. There are different types of glazes, some of which will require you to let the paint cure longer before applying. But any latex glaze should be fine to use after 24-48 hours.
Hey Karl,
Honestly, any interior acrylic latex caulk that says it is for kitchen and bath should be sufficient. The higher the price the caulk, typically the more it is able to expand and contract without causing you any issues. So, spend a couple of extra dollars and get the best acrylic latex caulk your local store offers.
As far as caulking the middle floating panel, that’s tricky. The panels float because different pieces of wood will expand and contract with the season at different paces. If you caulk the panel to the frame, yes it may look better, but it may crack over time as well.
That being said, here is what I do. I never caulk the panel to the frame and it still looks great. It really does. I do this because if it does crack, my clients would be upset with me and I would get callbacks.
However, If you are painting your own home, I wouldn’t be scared of caulking it. It may look a little bit better and the odds of it cracking are low. If it does crack, you can always add a little bit of caulk and fix it up pretty easy.
Hope this helps
Hey Mark,
The Wagner Felxio 890 and Flexio 3000 are actually quite different, but both would be just fine for your cabinets.
The 890 actually has it’s turbine in the storage case, which makes the actual sprayer much lighter. This is really a big deal. Both spray guns are heavy when they are full of paint, but the Flexio 3000’s turbine is built into the gun, making it much heavier. This will really crush your arm over time. Other than that, I think they are actually really similar sprayers.
If you are looking for an upgrade from the 890, the Flexio 5000 is more comparable.
Hey Jeff,
I’ve tried a handful of different primers over the years and had pretty good luck all around. Any decent primer should bond to roughed up oak and drywall compound. Kilz Original is cheap and works amazingly well. Only problem is the oil smell. Kilz 2 works ok, but doesn’t always seal the bleeding tannins. Benjamin Moore Advance primer works really well, but costs a lot of $$. Sherwin Williams’ Easy Sand Primer is probably my favorite though. It is a bit expensive, but it seals everything beautifully and sands amazing. Again, only problem is that it is oil.
Hey Stephen,
Not a typo. But I completely get where you are coming from. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can really make a mess of a wall with 3/4 nap. But if you do know what you are doing you can get a tight stipple that looks no different than a 1/2 nap and roll out your walls significantly faster. BTW – I never give a new guy a thick pad, they always get 3/8 or 1/2.
Hey Tom,
Typically when using BM Advance, what I like to do is to spray the first coat on the backs, then wait until the afternoon. Give them a light sand and vac, then spray the top coat on the backs. Then wait to flip them until the next day. This way the cabinet doors never have to sit on the finish on the fronts. I don’t usually have any problems with the finish sticking to the table when I flip them, but if I do, it’s on the back and can be easily touched up. This works really well if you have a low humidity environment like Minnesota in the winter. If it is more humid where you are, you may need some more time.
Sorry I don’t have any drying techniques. I do suppose a dehumidifier would speed things up if you have one handy.
I have sprayed one side in the morning and flipped them to spray the other side in the afternoon. But this was only on the first coat and in a low humidity environment.
If time is of no concern, an ideal situation would be to spray 1 coat on one side per day and let it fully dry.
Hi Michael,
I couldn’t tell you 100% for sure, but that looks like a cedar tone or redwood. You can see more deck stain colors with links to the colors in this post: https://diypaintingtips.com/deck-stain-colors/
I am assuming you mean cans of spray paint. I say why not. Spray paint is easy and looks good. As long as you get the right spray paint, go for it.
Hi Aimee,
As a standard rule of thumb, I tend to see that water-based exterior stains typically last longer than oil-based, but oil-based stains look better. Not 100% true across the board, but true more times than not.
That’s Awesome! As long as you prepped and primed your cabinets properly, I wouldn’t worry at all about the corners right now other than being as careful as possible. The enamel isn’t even close to its full hardness yet. After 30 days, I don’t think you’ll have any issues at all. When I’m putting doors back on, the same thing happens to me all the time. I have literally never had a callback due to paint chipping off or durability issues (I’ve been doing cabinets since 2008).
One thing you can do is put clear bumpers on the inside corners of your doors. I usually either put these on for my clients or highly recommend them. You can buy a 100 pack on Amazon really cheap: https://amzn.to/3cPMKIw
I would love to see pictures of your cabinets if you’re willing to share [email protected]
Hi Janine,
I typically use 120 – 150 grit paper or medium grit sanding sponges to sand the grain filler. After the primer is on, I use 180 to sand the primer (or fine grit sponges. Then after the first topcoat, I use 220 grit or extra-fine sponges.
Hope that helps!
Hi again Andrea,
Kilz 2 is a great primer. I have even tried it when I wanted to use a latex primer under hybrid enamels like Emeral Urethane. However, it does allow for bleed-through and in my personal opinion, its bonding power isn’t the best for kitchen cabinets. Cabinets get a lot of use. A cheap and easy primer that works beautifully for cabinets is regular oil-based Kilz Original. It’s better at hiding stains and bleed through and has better bonding power. So, if you can handle the smell (and higher VOCs), I would recommend going with Kilz Original over Kilz 2.
Hi Andrea,
I am thrilled that you found my site useful! I will have to look around a bit and see if I can find those colors for you. I typically use Van Dyke Brown glaze from Sherwin Williams (so that is probably it).
Something I’ve done whenever I try a new glazing technique or finish is I go to the re-use store and buy 3-4 old cabinet doors. I then paint them up and practice glazes on them to get the exact look I’m going for.
For you last coat, as long as you have a smooth surface and a dust free environment, you should not need to sand the last coat.
Good luck with your project!
Ryan
Thanks for pointing that out. I was definitely contradicting myself and have corrected it. My point was more that today there are flats, mattes, and satins that are specifically designed for high moisture areas and are very durable (you can scrub them). Naturally, semi-gloss paints are easier to clean and more moisture resistant, but the general consensus is that they are not fun to look at (quite ugly).
Hi Harry,
A polycrylic or polyurethane won’t offer any extra durability over these enamels. The only time I do spray a clear coat over my painted cabinets is when I have applied a glaze or distressed finish.
If you painted your cabinets with normal wall paint, (which I have seen done many times), then maybe a clear coat would provide extra durability. But when you are using any kind of hybrid, water, or oil enamel made for kitchen cabinets, you shouldn’t need any extra protection.
Hi Leslie,
Honestly, I’ve never had a problem mixing interior paints. I’ve done it quite a few times in homes that just need paint for re-sale or similar. I would never recommend it for exterior painting, but the interior of a home is such a controlled environment, that I don’t think you would have any problems.
Hi Kelly,
Glad you found the article helpful. Benjamin Moore actually has a primer called Advance Primer that is made to be used with the Advance topcoat. If you’re on a budget, I’ve actually found that Kilz Latex 2 Primer works quite well also.
I cannot say that I’ve ever used gasoline to remove paint other than my hands when I was a kid (not something I would recommend anymore). Cured paint is always tough to remove, especially off of plaster. I’d first ask if the paint must absolutely be removed or if there is another option. If it has to be removed, I’d start by trying to eliminate different products, such as paint thinner, then on to lacquer, goof off, citri strip and others. I like to start with the least harsh and work my way up.
Hi Renee,
I’m actually in the Minneapolis area. My business is https://www.MinneapolisPaintingCompany.com. Feel free to check it out and give me a call anytime!
Hey Emma,
You actually read my bio! How cool!
When I say that I would do 5 townhomes in one day, I was referring to production painting. The homes had just been sheetrocked so there was no flooring, no trim, nothing, just sheetrock. So I would go in with a Graco 1095 and a 1233 spray tip and blast them out with white paint. it wasn’t pretty, but it did teach me how to work fast!
What I would recommend is to work out a base price for walls. For me, it was $0.75 per square foot of wall space for a long time. Then, if there was anything abnormal in the room, for example if I had to move furniture around, I would add some extra time for that on top. You need to figure out what your base price is for wall painting. Take into account how long it takes you and what the going rate is in your market.
Hi Ryan,
In my experience, color had a bigger impact years ago than it does now. Also, even then it was only select bright colors that produce problems. These days, if the paint color you are using is causing the paint project to take longer, you are probably using really cheap paint. Use a high-quality paint product and you should have a similar experience painting tan, blue, red and even yellow.
And no one was talking about production painting. When a painter is doing production, they will go MUCH faster than I discussed above.
Hi Julie,
If I understand you correctly, your trim work was pre-finished and then installed. This is typically considered a cheaper way of doing things and produce a lower quality result.
If you want to correct it, I would recommend sanding down the trim, filling nail holes (and re-sanding those hole), and re-painting your trim. Not a fun project to tackle after you already paid to have someone complete the project.
A painting contractor should always discuss the results that different methods will produce.
Hey John,
This is awesome that you started finishing your own cabinets. What a great way to get more work out of existing clients.
Yes I have applied poly after painting cabinets, but I’ve only done this after glazing cabinets. I’ve never poly’d cabinets just to add more shine. Personally, high gloss cabinets sound a bit hard on the eyes! But to each his own!
How long you should wait before spraying poly over Advance is probably a perfect question for a Benjamin Moore rep. But If I were doing the project, I would feel fine waiting 24 hours. I’d probably finish the last top coat, leave for the night and come back the next day to spray on the poly. I can’t think of a reason why this would be a problem.
I don’t know the correct term for this, but typically, you can always apply top coats in less caustic pattern (not the right term, I know). For example, I could spray a coat of oil over a coat of lacquer, and a coat of water based over a coat of oil base. Going the other direction, however, can have disasterous results.
Thanks for the catch Micheal! I definitely meant “wall” not “while”. Fixed.
Hi Gena,
If you cabinets were properly sanded and primed before painting, then the paint shouldn’t come off with tape. The bigger worry would be tape residue left behind on your cabinets after being on for a long time. In this case, it is worth using the highest quality tape you can. Better tapes tend to have clean removal even after 30+ days where cheaper tape can leave a sticky residue behind. Tapes like Scotch Delicate Surface or Frog Tape Delicate Surface both have 60 day clean removal periods and should work great for you.
If your cabinets weren’t prepped and primed properly, these delicate surface tapes would still be your best bet since they will have the most gentle release.
Sadly, removing paint off furniture is never quick and easy. Especially if it has had a month to cure. I would look at trying a stripper like Citristrip. It should pull off a month old water-based paint for you without all of the fumes and harmful chemicals of other strippers.
Reagan,
I am not looking for floor squre footage, but rather wall square footage. A 13 x 13 room with 8 foot high walls will be 52*8 which is 416 sq ft, which is why I said “roughly a 13′ x 13′ bedroom with 8′ ceilings”.
Painters don’t care how much floor space a room has, but rather how much wall space (that’s what we’re painting!).
Thanks for the kind words Derek!
Sadly, I don’t have any specific pricing guidelines for coffered ceilings. There are so many different variations for coffered ceilings. You may have stained beams running across the ceiling with white panels between, or enameled beams with dark panels.
No matter what style your client wants their coffered ceilings done, they are time consuming! When I bid out a ceiling like this, I have to play out the work in my head and take a guess at how long it will take. Think through the prep, caulking, staining, priming, top coating, and so on until you have an idea of what it will take.
The worst thing you can do is under-bid the project. If you do, you’ll end up being rushed, miserable and make it hard to deliver top quality. It is always better to over-estimate the work. This will give you extra time to complete the job to the highest quality standards. It is better to over-bid projects and miss out on a few than to land a bunch of under bid projects!
Good luck with your new business!
Hi Penny,
When bleaching water stains with oxalic acid, you need patience. It will take quite a few coats and a lot of time. I like to take a “before” picture to compare and measure my progress. This helps show me it’s working and keeps me motivated.
To neutralize with baking soda, mix baking soda into water and brush onto the area you were bleaching. You should see a reaction as you apply the baking soda and water. It will fizz like soda. Keep applying until there is no more reaction. Then wipe clean with plain water and a rag.
Hope this helps.
You’re welcome and good luck!
Thanks Sarah! I am actually working on a glazing “How To” at the moment and hope to have it ready soon.
White paintable caulking.
Hey Ron, Yes I do recommend caulking the length of the trim that runs against the wall. What happens if you don’t is that the small gap between the trim and the wall will show as a contrasting shadow next to the white trim. It doesn’t look good. By caulking this gap, you eliminate the gap, any shadowing and can then create a perfect tape line between the trim and the wall.
With vinyl, there is really no need to paint the backsides. If they are wood, then I would paint both sides to help seal the shutters.
Nope. We just typically remove them because we are painting the rest of the house at the same time. It also allows us to avoid getting paint on the house while painting the shutters and allows us to do less ladder work.
Hey Allan, When charging for shutter painting I think through the process as follows: First, how long will it take me to remove the shutter, how long will it take me to prep and paint the shutter, and finally how long will it take me to re-install the shutter. Then add that up and apply your hourly rate + cost of paint.
Thanks for the feedback Nix. I will get this fixed asap!
Honestly, I used to recommend different brands. These days I have found that Behr, Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and others all offer amazing products all with huge warranties. It’s really about what is most convenient to you and who will offer the best service in your area.
Thanks for catching my mistake!
Hey Sam,
Best of luck with your new painting company. Feel free to reach out any time with questions. You can email me at [email protected]
Adriana,
Sorry to hear you are having troubles with your project! Sadly, it sounds like you have a lot of sanding in your future.
I don’t actually think it’s necessary to sand back down to wood though. I would start by sanding the top coat until it is smooth to your liking. If you find that you got everything smooth to your liking and you didn’t have to sand down to bare wood, then I would go ahead and apply another top coat. Two top coats might be necessary if you sanded off a significant amount of your first top coat (make sure to sand between these coats as well!).
I can’t imagine that you’ll have to sand off everything down to bare wood.
I would also look for any other reasons that you think you got the orange peel texture. Were you using a sprayer? If so, was the paint properly thinned for the sprayer? Too think of paint can create an orange peel texture when spraying. I actually just finished a post on the best sprayers for these types of projects: https://diypaintingtips.com/best-paint-sprayer/
Good Luck! Hope it turns out great!
Hi Rose,
I’ve painted Formica cabinets quite a few times actually. You just got me interested in posting about it on here as well. I am going to work on getting that post up this week.
In the meantime, Formica is a smooth non-porous surface, so the biggest challenge is creating a rough surface without breaking through the melamine and into the core of the cabinets doors. I’ve found that using 100 grit sandpaper and sanding all the surfaces as aggressively as possible will get you a surface that the paint can grab onto. Next is making sure you’re using the right primer (not just any old primer), you need a bonding primer. These primers are made to grab the surface more than typical primers. After that, you’re free to paint away!
Hope this helps!