brush paint for cabinets: which is better? For painting cabinets, spray paint works well if you want to paint cabinets with raised panels and ensure an all-around smooth finish. However, paint brushes will work just as well if you're only painting a few cabinets, and/or are inexperienced using spray paint.
For wood, brushing is fine, but you may want to hire a professional for a good finish. Using a roller to paint cabinets is a lot faster than brush painting, however, the fabric on the roller will create a 'bobbly' texture on the surface. The texture a roller puts on cabinets makes it unsuitable for gloss paint.
PAINTING CABINETS – when painting kitchen or bathroom cabinets, we suggest that you use a lint free roller to paint the flat surface areas on the cabinets. This helps to reduce any potential for brush strokes.
Using a paint sprayer is one of the easiest ways to get a super smooth finish on your cabinets. By their very nature, paint sprayers eliminate brush strokes and roller marks completely. And painting with a paint sprayer is almost always faster than using a paint roller and paint brush.
My favorite sealer for painted furniture is General Finishes High Performance Top Coat and this would also be my first choice for sealing cabinets. It is water-based, non-yellowing, and extremely easy to work with (unlike many other sealers).
Cabinet Painting with a Roller & a Brush
On the fronts and backs of drawers and doors, you can use a roller. This will apply the paint in a more smooth and even manner and is much faster than only using a paint brush. Then, use a brush for touching up small areas or for hard-to-reach spots.
You have two ways to eliminate them. Try sanding first to see if that will work. Use 80-grit, non-clog sandpaper on either a sanding pole or a sanding block (Photo 1). Use a “clog resistant” type, such as 3M Sandblaster sandpaper, or wipe the sandpaper often with a stiff brush to keep it from clogging up.
Ideally, spray painting cabinets is the most sought after method today. The quality of finish you get from using a spray gun is second to none, and it's by far a faster and more efficient method.
Foam brushes introduce air bubbles into your product, making them a less ideal choice for thick finish or paint, especially if it's a large project. They also tend to rip or break after significant use.
Dip the foam brush into the paint to thoroughly saturate three-fourths of the brush with paint. Lightly flick the brush over the paint can to remove drips. Do not scrape the brush over the side of the can or you may introduce bubbles into the brush.
Detailed Patterns, Warped or Damaged Cabinets
If your cabinets have detailed patterns or they are warped, chipped, cracked or have other damage to them, then painting your kitchen cabinets is not the way to go – it most definitely won't solve your cabinet problem.
Adding a clear coat to your kitchen cabinets can help make your space brighter and more friendly. In addition to the stunning appearance, a clear coat also works to protect your cabinets from dirt, scratching, and chipping. If you have a kitchen with lots of natural light, a clear coat finish would be a great choice.
As for applying any sealer or topcoat, the general pro recommendation for cabinet painting is to use high quality stain blocking primer and 2-3 thin and even coats of super high quality paint with ample drying time between coats (Benjamin Moore's Advance paint is meant for cabinets without any top coat, since sealers ...
You may wish to vacuum the insides of the kitchen cabinets if there's a lot of dust or cobwebs inside. Then, clean the cabinet by moving from top to bottom. For stubborn stains or smells, make a paste of baking soda with some water and pat it into place, leaving it for a few minutes before wiping it off.
While there are many types of paint to choose from, the best paint for kitchen cabinets is typically semi-gloss, gloss or satin. Matte is not practical in kitchens and baths where you will need durable paint you can easily clean.
Two coats of paint are essential for cabinets—you're building a surface. By the way, to get the nicest finish, use a brush, a 2- to 2 1/2-inch fine bristle brush. Whatever paint you use, ventilate the room—direct a fan out the window—and wear the masks they sell in paint stores.
How to Remove Brushstrokes With Sandpaper. If you notice a few spots with noticeable brushstrokes after the paint dries, use 80-grit, clog-resistant sandpaper to work out those marks. Put the sandpaper on a sanding pole or block and gently sand away at the brushstrokes.
Fortunately, just as you do with your walls, you can get rid of roller marks on the ceiling by applying another coat of paint or using a fine grit sandpaper to knock down the ridges.