While satin finishes tend to be fairly durable in high traffic areas, they're not as durable and versatile as semi-gloss against mildew and mold. Kitchen cabinets in high moisture environments can, therefore, do better with semi-gloss paints.
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.
The partially-glossy aesthetic of satin paint is normally reserved for walls, but satin can make a great finish for kitchen cabinets if paired with the right handles and fittings for the room.
While glossy cabinets might seem like a good choice, let us tell you, in this case it is quite the opposite. Glossy finish reflects a lot of light, thus fingerprints and dust particles are easily visible on this surface. Opt for matte finish cabinets if you plan to let your help work in it more than you would.
Since glossy finishes are the quickest to show scratches and stains, matte finishes are ideal for those who want to hide their furniture's imperfections. On the other hand, cabinets with a matte finish absorb light instead of reflecting it. As a result, this finish will not help your space feel bigger.
On average, semi-gloss oil-based paint is the most durable finish for kitchen cabinets. Because of its sheen, semi-gloss paint can reflect light and remain durable for a long time.
Satin finish may be a good choice for kitchens, but if your kitchen gets very messy, humid, or wet, opt for something glossier. Similarly, while many homeowners use satin finish in their bedrooms, if you want a rich, dark hue, you may want something more matte.
Since kitchens are such a busy part of a home and often need extra cleaning, a satin or semi-gloss finish is the best options. Satin and eggshell finishes are commonly believed to be the same, but in fact, satin is a bit shinier. Satin finishes are easy to clean and good at standing up to mildew, stains and dirt.
Semi-gloss: This is the best choice when painting kitchen cabinets. Because it has some sheen, semi-gloss paint will help reflect light and be more durable in the long run, which is important in a kitchen environment.
Durability: Semi-gloss paint is more durable than satin paint. However, if dings, dents, or blemishes appear, they will be more noticeable with a glossy finish. Both options will be easy to clean, although semi-gloss paint will hold up better against moisture and protect the surface beneath it against water damage.
Many professionals now use latex paint, citing the improvements to the formula and the as-good-as finish they can get on most surfaces. We actually prefer a third type of paint for cabinets, the hybrid enamel.
Durability. If you desire the most durable cabinet finish, then stain is the best option. Stained cabinets are easy to touch-up and don't show marks or scuffs as easily as painted cabinets. It's easy to find touch-up tools that closely match your cabinet stain.
They look beautiful, but the paint is not hard like I would expect- it's tacky and sticks to things and scratches off easily. I used Sherwin Williams Emerald trim enamel.
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.
Paint becomes sticky and tacky when it isn't able to dry thoroughly. Paint has trouble drying when the air is overly humid, or the weather is extremely hot or cold. Also, paint can have trouble drying if applied in thick coats.
If you are experiencing sticking problems with shelves that were painted some time ago, they may need to be cleaned. This is especially true with kitchen cabinet shelves. Give them a good scrubbing with a grease-cutting household cleaner or dish soap with a non-scuffing scrubber and see if that reduces the problem.
Even though there are some drawbacks to white kitchen cabinets, they will never “go out of style.” The shapes of the doors or the layout of the kitchen may go out of style, but white in a kitchen will always look good.
You'll also need to consider the cost of application by a local professional. Painting requires more care and extra coats to achieve a smooth finish, resulting in a slightly higher cost than staining. Your total labor costs will depend on how many cabinets you have.
Brushing allows the painters to apply the color directly to the surface of the cabinets, only wasting the small amount left on their brushes at the end of the project. Spraying atomizes the paint, meaning some of the droplets inevitably float away, and any paint left in the tubing of the sprayer goes to waste.
Rollers are not as consistent. The paint is applied unevenly. So, if you want a factory-grade finish, choose to spray your kitchen cabinets instead of rolling them. In addition to providing a higher-quality final finish, spray painting is faster than using a roller.
Most notably, semi-gloss has more sheen than satin.
Semi-gloss is slightly higher on the scale than satin and, thus, promises a little more reflectivity.
Satin paint is less shiny than semi-gloss paint since it has a lower gloss percentage. Satin paint only has a 30 percent gloss paint formula. Due to the mentioned percentage of gloss in both types of paints, the semi-gloss paint will reflect more than 50% of the light, while the satin will reflect between 30% and 40%.
Semi-gloss is often most compared to a satin finish, but has much more sheen than the latter. That means light from windows and lamps will bounce off semi-gloss paint more easily than than a flatter finish, like eggshell or satin.