Brush & Roll Painting Learning Center

Everything You Need to Know About Kitchen Cabinet Paint

Written by Kaylea Kuhlman | Apr 24, 2023 3:39:24 PM

Are you considering painting your cabinets with cabinet paint or did you receive a quote from a professional that uses paint? If you’re not careful, those freshly painted cabinets could be showing nicks, scratches, or peeling within a year, or even a few months! 

Here at Brush & Roll Painting in Omaha, NE, we only use high-quality products for cabinet refinishing. We have spent years searching for the most durable products on the market, and have come across many products that failed, like some mentioned in this article.

We will discuss everything you need to know about cabinet paint. By reading this, you can better understand which products may be right for your next cabinet refinishing project. 

Most Used Cabinet Paint Products

Before we dive into some warning signs of cabinet paint, here are some common cabinet products that you might have heard of. These are just a few of the cabinet paints on the market. Most are sold at hardware stores and some are used by local painters. 

  • Benjamin Moore- Advance
  • Benjamin Moore- Command
  • Sherwin Williams- Pro Classic
  • Sherwin Williams- Solo
  • Sherwin Williams- Infinity
  • Behr- Premium Plus
  • Any cabinet refinishing kit

This isn’t to say these products are terrible, they just aren’t as suitable for a staple in your kitchen or bathroom. Most of these products are better used on trim or doors, as those surfaces do not receive as much wear and tear.

The Cabinets Won’t Be Durable

Traditional paint is not meant to be on a surface that gets moved around daily. Cabinet doors get opened and closed frequently, causing wear and tear on the doors, especially around the handles or knobs.

Using traditional paint or cabinet paint from the hardware store is simply not enough, even if there is a protectant sealer on top. The layer of paint over time gets too soft, causing it to blister and crack.

Cabinet Wood Expands and Contracts

As the seasons change yearly, wood expands and contracts according to the moisture or humidity in the air. Traditional paint is not meant to be applied to wood if it can not help resist cracking. 

Maintaining a controlled environment will keep the cabinets from cracking. A high-quality professional finisher will make sure of this during the refinishing process, but after installation, it is important to keep a steady temperature in your home.

Painted Cabinets May be Hard to Clean

Painted cabinets without a clear protectant sealer are going to be difficult to clean. Dirt and grime can embed itself easier into the paint.

To clean cabinet paint like this, you need to be cautious. Chips, nicks, and peeling paint can easily surface.

A great clear sealer on top provides a glossy and chemical-resistant finish that allows dirt and grime to wipe right off. 

A Proven Method 

Instead of using traditional cabinet paint that is destined to fail in a few years, we use a product called Milesi. 

Milesi is a 2K polyurethane and is a professional-grade product for the wood coating industry. This product must be mixed before use and given a pot life - a limited amount of time to use before it hardens.

To achieve a painted look, pigment is mixed into the 2K poly. This allows each coat to be a durable layer resisting nicks, scratches, and peeling. It provides color retention, quick and easy cleaning, and fights against damage. Milesi does this by being abrasion, moisture, and chemical resistant.

The Ultimate Guide to Cabinet Refinishing.

Invest in your Cabinets

Your cabinets are the most important element of your kitchen. Cabinet wood can last about 50 years, so taking care of it and refinishing it properly will ensure that it lasts that length of time. 

To have a professional company in Omaha, NE refinish your cabinets, schedule an estimate with us today. We take pride in providing a durable cabinet finish that will be protected with our 9-year warranty.

Next, learn about the reasons why cabinets tend to chip or peel. Understanding what impacts cabinets the most, will help you know which products should be applied to your cabinets and why.