Tip: Emerald® Urethane Trim Enamel in Gloss, Semi-Gloss or Satin sheen is among the best paint for kitchen cabinets because it has excellent flow and leveling characteristics, resulting in a smooth and durable finish.
Gloss. The shiniest option, high-gloss paint is perfect for surfaces that need a striking appearance and durability, such as cabinets and doors. Use a gloss sheen to highlight room elements like: Wood trim.
Recommendation: For most kitchens, a semi-gloss finish is the best choice. It strikes the perfect balance between durability, ease of cleaning, and aesthetic appeal. Satin finishes are also a good choice if you prefer less shine, while gloss finishes are great for a more modern, high-impact look.
SEMI-GLOSS
Glossy and sleek, this sheen shines, but does not compete, allowing other colors near it to have their moment. Ideal for: Cabinets.
The two best paint rollers for a smooth finish is a High Density Foam Roller with a Rounded Edge and a Lint Free Low Nap Roller, but I will say that even though both of these are good rollers one wins the prize for the smoothest finish.
You'll apply primer first with a brush to “cut in” those hard-to-reach crevices and edges, then go back over the surface with a roller. After your primer is dry, sand everything gently with 220-grit sandpaper. Remove dust with a tack cloth or compressed air, and get ready to paint.
One of the most essential tools to have is a paint roller for a smooth finish. DIY enthusiasts and professionals have grown fond of using high-density foam rollers. This makes them a great choice is their ability to provide a flawless, smooth surface, making them ideal for use on cabinets and furniture.
Satin finish paint has a slightly glossy finish and is a good choice for cabinets in high-traffic areas like a kitchen or bathroom. It's more durable than eggshell, too, despite having a slightly shinier quality.
Joanna often uses Sherwin Williams Alabaster for her trim, and occasionally Sherwin Williams Pure White. Use one color for trim throughout your home and you'll have a home where rooms just flow from one into the next.
INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR CABINETS
Typically most semi-custom and custom cabinet companies use about a 20 – 25 degree sheen as a topcoat finish. The result is what some might define as a semi-gloss finish.
We usually use professional-grade lacquer because it has a lovely, silky-smooth feel to it, and is what cabinet manufacturers use. We think it's the best paint for cabinets, hands-down (although there are some great pro-level water-based options as well).
Pick A High-Sheen Finish
"We've always recommended egg-shell, semi-gloss, and gloss wall finishes in the kitchen, since durability is essential in a place with moisture and high traffic. Paints with a higher gloss/sheen will generally be easier to clean. Most stains wipe clean with water or mild soap," Watson said.
Oil/Alkyd. Good adhesion, excellent durability and stain resistance make Sherwin-Williams oil/alkyd-based paints excellent choices for trim in high-traffic rooms, such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Kitchen cabinets are painted in industrial settings with industrial-grade paints and equipment that sprays the paint onto the wood surface with high velocity. It is usually lacquer or enamel-type oil-based paint and it might have undergone an additional curing process.
The cabinets are coated in a featured color from the Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint line, Locally Grown, which is a deep hunter green dusted with olive tones. When paired with metallic hardware, the darker undertones contrast beautifully and draw attention to the rich color.
Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams offer high-quality paints, with minor differences in product lines that only professionals might notice. The main distinction between the two brands lies in their ownership: Benjamin Moore stores are locally owned, while Sherwin Williams stores are corporate-owned.
It is a well-known fact that the best and the most multipurpose trim color is white since it can match almost any other paint color. And luckily, SW Natural Choice paint is not an exception. You can pair this warm and creamy beige with certain whites and be sure that they work great together.
A satin cabinet finish is more long lasting and provides slightly less reflectiveness. Such features gives the material a brighter finish compared to matte. When applied to kitchen custom cabinets, it will result in a soft, silky, and a little glowy appearance.
The special ingredient that makes Dulux Easycare the best paint for kitchens. Our Easycare Kitchen wall paint resists all sorts of everyday cooking stains. The special ingredient is a grease-proof formula that stops greasy splashes soaking in.
Semi-Gloss: Semi-gloss paint is more durable due to its higher sheen. It can handle frequent cleaning and is more resistant to moisture, making it suitable for high-traffic areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
There are certain conditions and circumstances where use of a foam roller could be detrimental or damaging to a person's body. Foam rolling exercises load and stress the underlying tissues, including nerves, skin receptors, blood and lymphatic vessels, as well as bones.
Avoiding roller marks is easier than preventing brush marks–just add enough paint to the roller and overlap each stroke of the roller whenever possible. Once you've applied the first coat, check your work thoroughly for any paint drips and brush marks and rectify them before the paint dries.
Shellac-Based Primers: Shellac-based primers are known for their superior adhesion, which makes them an excellent option for surfaces that are challenging to paint, such as lacquered or oil-based finishes.