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.
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.
Semi-Gloss Finish. When you're looking for the best kitchen cabinet finish, semi-gloss is quite possibly the #1 most popular choice you'll see in kitchens of all different styles.
Go for the gloss.
Higher-gloss finishes stand up better to daily use and are far easier to clean without dulling the color over time. So skip matte, satin, and eggshell finishes in favor of semi gloss or high gloss.
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.
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.
Well, it should be no surprise… the classic white cabinet will still be the #1 cabinet color for kitchens in 2022 and beyond. White is crisp and clean, will brighten any kitchen, and will most likely never go out of style.
Semi-gloss finishes boast a sleek, highly radiant sheen and can showcase a room's architectural details. This finish is best for high-traffic areas, like bathrooms, kitchens, foyers, and mudrooms. It's also suitable for cabinets or built-ins, trim, and doors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Natural materials, like wood and stone, are always in style. Have your contractor install maple, birch, or cherry cabinets. Look for stone options such as granite, limestone, or slate. Your kitchen will be stylish and trendy both now and in the future.
Honey Oak Cabinets
A staple in kitchens of the 1980s and '90s, these golden-toned wood cabinets have fallen out of favor as white and gray cabinets have risen in popularity. If you don't like your light-stained cabinets, but they're in good shape, consider refinishing or painting what's there.
but people are becoming bolder when adding pops of color to their kitchens. Cool-toned cabinets are dominating the trends this year and white, gray, two-toned, blue, and even green cabinets are on the rise.
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.
Kitchen walls also require a durable, washable paint. Unless you want a shiny, glossy finish on the walls, opt for either eggshell or satin paint. Use eggshell paint in the kitchen for walls farthest away from the stove. Eggshell is durable and washable without showing many imperfections.
High-gloss, flat-front cabinets are an impressive addition to modern kitchen renovations and are better suited for contemporary style kitchens rather than traditional ones. Plus, glossy cabinets reflect light effectively and make a room feel brighter and larger. This could work great for small spaces!
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.
Sand Lightly Between Coats
Dust can settle in the paint or primer as it dries. For the smoothest final coat, sand between coats of primer or paint with 220-grit sandpaper or an extra-fine sanding sponge. Then vacuum and tack as usual before recoating.