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.
Satin. Satin finish is the most popular type of interior paint. Satin paint's velvety sheen makes it better suited to high-traffic kitchens than eggshell or matte finishes.
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.
If you're looking for a luxurious finish that makes your kitchen feel cozy, then eggshell finish is the best. It is also easier to clean and can better hide scratches and dirt. However, if you want a safe finish which makes the kitchen space seem larger, then semi-gloss is your friend.
White semi-gloss is the most popular paint used for this type of surfaces, giving the ability to see and clean any dirt present, and best used on your kitchen cabinets, islands, and bars.
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.
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.
Durability
Generally, kitchen cabinets need to be painted by using durable paints that can tolerate smoke, oils, spills, scratches, and grease. While in high traffic areas, satin finishes seem to be quite durable, however, they are not as versatile and durable as semi-gloss against mold and mildew.
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.
Acrylic latex-based paint is durable and easy to clean up. With latex paints, always follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding cure time. A gloss finish will make your cabinets sheen, but it may show a lot of dings or mistakes. Semi-gloss or satin finishes are typically used for kitchens.
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.
Should Cabinets Be Painted With Gloss? You should go for the gloss. When choosing a paint finish for kitchen cabinets, keep in mind that they are more likely to wear and tear than other surfaces. Instead of matte, satin, and eggshell finishes, use semi gloss or high gloss.
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!
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.
Paint finishes come in gloss, semi-gloss, satin, eggshell and matte, any of which can be used on your cabinets. Gloss and semi-gloss - Both create a shiny appearance, making them great for trim. They wipe up quickly and easily, which can make them attractive for some busy kitchens.
Eggshell has a lower duller sheen than satin and is close to a matt or flat finish that you find in a lot of emulsions. It is reminiscent of the shell of an egg — hence its name. Satin has a glossier finish than eggshell and reflects more light, so is more likely to show up any imperfections.
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.
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.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines Trim, Door + Cabinetry Interior Paint is a water-based acrylic product designed for surfaces such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets, trim, window frames and doors. It offers the hardness of a traditional oil-based paint in an acrylic formula.
Matte finishes create texture
In a kitchen that has lots of gloss and shine, matte finishes on the countertops (called honed) and cabinets can be a way to add a little textural difference as well. It produces a stunning, sleek look that adds a level of sophistication to the room.
If your photos will be handled often, a matte finish would be a better option since they will not absorb the fingerprints of users. Because matte finishes are designed to refract as much light as possible, this comes at the cost of colors not appearing as vibrant as they do in glossy photos.
The amount of light reflected, imperfections shown, and durability. The less light reflected, the less durable the finish; however, fewer imperfections are shown. Matte will reflect little to no light, satin retains a pearl-like sheen, whereas semi-gloss and gloss finishes reflect the most light.
Is Cabinet Paint Different From Wall Paint? Oil-based paint and latex-based paint differ primarily in the final texture and drying time of kitchen cabinets. Additionally, latex paint with a low or no VOC will have a significantly less offensive odor as it cures, so you won't have to worry about it.