I get multiple painting questions every week. I thought I had covered most all painting topics with my Complete Guide to Painting Anything, but getting those questions tells me that I haven’t. And that’s totally ok! That’s what I’m here for – to answer as many of your DIY questions as I can or be helpful in other ways.
I’ve had quite a few questions about painting cabinetry – both kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity cabinets, so I thought I would go over the different types of paint you can use for painting cabinets.
As I always say with posts like this, I am not a professional painter. While I have painted more things than I could ever possibly count, I don’t have a piece of paper that certifies I have a degree in painting. 😉 I have painted around 10 sets of kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, etc. though with multiple different types of paints so I have learned a little bit.
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Types of Paint for Cabinets
Let’s start with the first time I painted cabinets…
Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations Kit
When we bought the Beloved Foreclosure, I didn’t really have much knowledge about painting cabinetry at all. However, our kitchen cabinets there were in great need of a makeover. Since I was such a novice and since this was before the days of Pinterest and I had no idea people actually wrote blogs about painting cabinets, I felt better about having a kit that would guide me step-by-step along the way. I used a Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations Kit to paint all the cabinets in the kitchen. The kit walked me through everything and it was easy to do, yet time consuming. The kit even came with a deglosser to use for priming the cabinets to paint.
Pros:
Walks you through everything step-by-step, usually no sanding required, everything you need sans the paintbrush is in the box. Easy cleanup.
Cons:
There were brush strokes in the finish. More expensive than just buying each product in the kit individually.
Durability:
Pretty good. If I remember correctly, this finish stayed on the cabinets for about 2 years before I decided that I wanted a different look. I don’t remember lots of scratches or the paint peeling off.
Would I use the kit again?
Yes, if I still didn’t have much knowledge about painting cabinetry, but since I know everything about painting that I do now, I wouldn’t spend my money on the kit, instead I would just buy the paint, deglosser, and whatever else I needed separately as it would be cheaper and just the same.
You can read more about this kitchen remodel here.
Velvet Finishes Paint
When I decided I wanted a different look for our kitchen cabinets at the Beloved Foreclosure, I used Velvet Finishes paint on them. At that point, I had used Velvet Finishes on lots of furniture pieces and wanted to give it a whirl on my cabinets. Before painting the cabinets, we removed the shiny finish with Ready (a spray on primer/deglosser), then painted the cabinets and finally finished them off with a topcoat of Protect.
Pros:
Definitely one of the easiest paints to use, good variety of colors to choose from. Easy cleanup of brushes / paint supplies.
Cons:
This paint is more expensive than regular paint you get from a local hardware store. There were some brushstrokes in the finish, but that could have been due to the fact that the previous finish had brushstrokes.
Durability:
Good. Before we moved out of that house, there were a few scratches in the paint here and there on our cabinets. I will say that we are tough on our house, so some of that could be due to us.
Would I use it again?
Yes, but I think I am more partial to it for furniture rather than larger projects like cabinets.
You can read more about my kitchen cabinet painting experience with Velvet Finishes here.
Latex Paint (Satin, Semi-Gloss, Gloss Finishes)
I have used regular latex paint on bathroom vanities multiple times. I tend to lean toward semi-gloss and gloss finishes for the paint as it holds up better to wear and tear and you don’t always have to use a topcoat with it. If you use a satin finish latex paint, then I suggest giving it a topcoat of polycrylic as well for added protection. When priming your surface before using this kind of paint, you’ll want a shine-free surface. You can sand to get this or use a deglosser. I also like to give cabinets a coat of primer, such as KILZ or Zinnser after sanding/deglossing and before painting when using latex paints. I think it helps to give the paint a better grip on the cabinets.
Pros:
Definitely the cheapest route, but do choose a good quality latex paint. My go-to is usually Behr. Can use Floetrol with the paint to prevent brush strokes. Easy clean-up. Can usually wipe any spills right off the cabinet with a wet cloth.
Cons:
Latex paints are more prone to scratching and peeling off more so than other paints. There are more steps involved with priming and top coating as well.
Durability:
Ok, if you aren’t going to be giving the cabinetry super hard use. The durability is even better if you top it with a polycrylic topcoat.
Would I use it again?
Yes. I actually opted to use Behr Premium Plus Semi-Gloss Latex paint on the cabinets I just installed in my office.
You can read more about the bathroom makeover that includes the vanity pictured above here.
Alkyd Paint
When we bought the 70’s Landing Pad, it was obvious the kitchen cabinets needed a new paint job. Honestly, they really need to be replaced, but that wasn’t in the budget then and still isn’t quite yet. A paint job had to work for now. I did a lot of research and had heard about an Alkyd paint called Benjamin Moore Advance that was supposed to be great for cabinets. I decided to give it a whirl. It’s durability is supposed to be like that of an oil-based paint, but it goes on like a latex paint. Before painting the cabinets, I still had to degloss them all before painting. No topcoat is needed with this paint though.
Pros:
Easy cleanup. No topcoat needed. No brush strokes.
Cons:
More expensive than regular latex paint. Smelly, but not as much as oil-based paint.
Durability:
I do think this paint is more durable than regular latex paints, but I don’t think it is as durable as oil-based paint. We don’t have any big scratches in the finish or anything like that on our cabinets that are painted with it, but there are some spots around the cabinet knobs where the paint is wearing off.
Would I use it again?
Yes. Behr has actually came out with an Alkyd paint now as well and I used it on my daughter’s playroom stage here.
You can read about our kitchen remodel where I used this paint here.
Oil-Based Paint
I have not ever used oil-based paint on cabinetry, but I have used it on other furniture pieces. Even though I haven’t used it on cabinetry before myself, I wanted to include it here as it is an option for painting cabinets. The biggest reason why I’ve never used it on cabinetry is because oil-based paint isn’t the easiest of paints to work with and clean-up with it isn’t super fun. It’s also really smelly. That being said, the durability of an oil-based paint is hard to match. I recently put it on a desk for my office because I know it will hold up the best for as much as I use my desk.
Pros:
Most durable. No brush strokes. Usually takes fewer coats than other paints.
Cons:
Smelly, clean-up.
Durability:
Very.
Would I use it again?
As I said above, I haven’t used it for cabinetry, but I have for furniture. I would most definitely use it again for pieces that are going to see a lot of action and would consider it for painting cabinets.
Stain + Polyurethane
If you’re looking to go with the wood grain look instead of the painted look, then you’re probably going to be using stain. I have stained cabinets before and have been very happy with the results. I stained the vanity in our master bathroom and it has held up extremely well. Of course, if you want to stain your cabinets, they will either need to be already unfinished cabinets or be stripped. You can read more about stripping pieces here. If you stain something, you will want to topcoat it with a polyurethane to keep it from fading and protect the piece. Stains themselves don’t have much protection in them.
Pros:
Probably a little cheaper than using some of the more expensive paints. No brush stokes.
Cons:
If you have to strip your pieces, it’s going to take some time and might be more difficult depending on how much you have to strip off.
Durability:
Pretty durable.
Would I use it again?
Yep.
One thing to keep in mind when painting cabinets is that any paint is going to chip over time. That is just the nature of the beast. The key is choosing the best paint for your project and yourself that will keep that from happening as long as possible.
If you’ve got any other cabinet painting questions, please feel free to drop them in the comments below!
You might also want to see…
Painting 101: The Complete Guide to Painting Anything
Have you ever used chalk paint? I haven’t used it for caabinets but for furniture it is great and has held up well with either a wax finish or a water based sealer.
I have used a homemade version of chalk paint on furniture, but that’s it. I have heard of people using it for cabinets before, however, since I am not super familiar with it myself, I didn’t feel comfortable including it in the post.
Super great tips and information. I need to paint two vanities, so now I know what to do. Thanks.
Great, Marty! Glad it was helpful!
This is a great resource for anyone wanting/needing to refresh cabinets! Hubby did our kitchen cabinets back in 2005. He did use oil paint…not sure what he did for prep, probably not much!! There are a few places where the paint is chipping – edges, handles, excessive scrubbing – but it has held up well. Perhaps when I get home I’ll chat with him about repainting them. I’m not in love with the colors in the kitchen…since his dad owns the house, when they put in a new counter top, stove and sink back in 2005, his parents didn’t ask for input from anyone. The stove in white, sink is almond and counter top is burgundy laminate, so he painted the boxes of the cabinets white and the doors almond to try to make the choices his parents made work. Now, I want a different counter top and color in cabinets! I’ll suck it up with the almond/white color combo or maybe do an under the counter farmhouse sink!! Wanna come to Washington to help when the time comes???
hahaha!!! Girl, I still have to get the farmhouse kitchen in shape!! Those are some interesting color choices they made though! For the cabinets being painted that long though, they seem to have held up well. That’s good to know!
This article is very helpful and informative. I, too, have painted a lot of furniture and cabinets. We used Benjamin Moore Aura in Satin Enamel (this is latex) on our kitchen cabinets about six years ago, and it has held up very, very well. For the powder room vanity, I used some leftover Exterior Latex Enamel in semi-gloss because I already had it left over from our old front door. (It might have been Valspar, don’t remember). I did coat everything with two or three coats of Stays Clear (which may not be made anymore). Stays Clear was my favorite topcoat by Benjamin Moore, but I haven’t seen it in a while. I did this about 10 years ago, and it still looks perfect. However, I am now ready to redecorate because I want a change.
Oh, I’ll have to look into that Stays Clear topcoat, Ellen. I haven’t heard of it, but I’m curious now. I hope they still make it! I have heard of the Aura, but haven’t tried it – I’ll have to keep that in mind for the next heavy duty painting project. Thanks for all the info!
Regarding the first photo with white caninets. Dod you paint your harware?
No, that was new hardware I purchased.
I have always been afraid to tackle my kitchen cabinets, but I would love for them to be painted rather than the oak stain. Thank you for sharing your expertise in this area! Pinned and shared.
Thanks Jenna – I’ve bookmarked this post, as now planning to revitalize some old furniture as soon as the weather becomes warmer, and so your experiences of what’s best for what is invaluable.
Love this post! Choosing paint can be so hard! I usually choose to go with a high quality latex enamel paint on cabinets and it always works well IF I do a coat or 2 of primer on them first. I skipped the primer once and just sanded and the outcome was awful, it peels all the time. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for sharing at the To Grandma’s House We Go DIY, Crafts, Recipes and more Wednesday link party!
Is there one specific type you would recommend over the rest for kitchen cabinets?
It really just depends on the location of your cabinets and what type of paint you are more comfortable using. If it’s a bathroom vanity, then I’m probably going to lean more toward a semi-gloss latex or an alkyd paint. If it’s a kitchen, I’m going to lean more on the side of an oil-based paint or alkyd.
Hi Jenna. I just found you on Pinterest and I’ve spent the whole morning reading your very informative articles!! I’ll be following you from now on, I’msure to learn a lot. Do you have any suggestions for painting the faux wood grain cabnitry found in campers? I need something super durable that will hold up to trips with grandkids and hubby’s buddies during hunting season!! I appreciate any advice you can share!
Hi Amanda! I haven’t dealt with that type of wood before, but I would suggest first sanding/deglossing, then using Zinnser primer, then an oil based paint – it’s the most durable paint out there!
Loved all the info in this article! Thanks so much for sharing. I do have a question- I fell into the “General Finishes java gel stain” trend and I hate my kitchen now! It’s so dark, it looks like a cave. All the paint suggestions you gave are really helpful. I did the alcohol/cotton ball test and nothing came off. So I guess it is oil based paint. Do you think I would have to completely sand it off before repainting? Or would a good oil based primer be sufficient? Thank you!
I would also ask the paint guy or gal at your local hardware store, but if I remember correctly, you should be able to do an oil-based primer over that gel stain and then repaint.
Hi Jenna! I’m getting ready to paint my laminate kitchen cabinets so I’ve been doing mega amounts of research about what type of product would work best and provide the needed durability in such a high traffic area. I was leaning towards using an acrylic enamel based on what I have seen so far… do you have any experience with this type of paint or know anyone that has? Now that I read your article, I’m considering the alkyd or oil based paint as well… I dont know what to do lol all this research and so many options/choices is giving me headaches!
Getting paint to adhere to laminate surfaces and stay put can be really tricky. I think oil based paint would probably be your best bet for that.