You might be wondering what the best cabinet paint is for your project? There are a several options available, so it can be a bit overwhelming.
Behr cabinet paint is great for kitchen cabinets, furniture, bathroom vanities, and more. After completing several painting projects in my home, I finally found the best paint for cabinets is made by Behr. This paint is so durable, easy to work with for a beginner, and much more affordable compared to a kitchen cabinet paint kit.
The Best Paint for Cabinets
My laminate kitchen cabinets turned out great using a cabinet kit, but I wanted to try another alternative cabinet paint for my next project. Cabinet kits are definitely helpful for beginners, but there are other options that can get you just as good of results for less money.
So, I started doing research on the best cabinet paint for laminate kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and other miscellaneous pieces of furniture. I found Behr enamel paint to be the best for cabinets and furniture. I have used this enamel paint for many projects and I love how it turns out every time!
Cabinet Kit vs Behr Cabinet Enamel
Cabinet kits typically cost $70-$100 for only a quart of paint included in the kit, while a gallon of cabinet paint costs about $40.I updated my kitchen with a cabinet kit and I needed 3 cabinet kits, brushes, rollers, and more – totaling almost $300!
My white kitchen cabinets turned out nice, but I found another great option to paint for cabinets that holds up really well and is more affordable. I highly recommend the below paint because it is tintable, the paint and primer are mixed in one to finish and seal the surface, the paint is lower odor, and affordable.
Behr Interior Semi-Gloss Enamel
If you are looking for an alternative to cabinet kits, I recommend Behr Interior Enamel in either semi-gloss or satin finish for any cabinet or furniture project. This cabinet paint is perfect for any cabinet, furniture, or bathroom vanity project, especially in a high moisture or high traffic area.
Behr Cabinet Paint Colors
The benefits of using Behr cabinet paint is that it can be tinted any color and is very durable, so you can choose any color for your project. So, you have endless color options for your cabinet painting project.
The paint is very easy to apply and only a couple coats of paint was needed to cover my bathroom vanity and mirror frame.
Make Your Own Cabinet Paint Kit:
- Behr Interior Semi-Gloss Enamel
- Wooster Paint Brush for Enamel
- High Density Foam Paint Roller
- Paint Tray
- Krud Kutter
- Paint Tray Liners
- Gloves
- Rags and Drop Cloths
- Painter’s Pyramids
How to Prep for Painting Cabinets with Behr Paint
Clean Cabinets: First begin by wiping down all surfaces of the item that you are planning to paint with a damp soapy sponge.
Degrease: If your kitchen cabinets are covered in cooking grease or other stains, Krud Kutter will help clean the surface as well as lightly etch the surface for painting.
Dry Cabinets: After thoroughly cleaning the the cabinet boxes, doors, and drawers, grab a clean rag. Use the rag to dry the cabinets and remove and soap or Krud Kutter residue before painting.
Optional Sanding: I always recommend lightly sanding any piece of furniture before painting it, but it can be a tedious process. The sand doesn’t have to be down to the wood on the cabinets. Use a fine sandpaper to roughen up the surface and dull the shine on the cabinets then wiped down with a dry rag.
If you don’t have the motivation to sand, you can get away with just using Krud Kutter because it roughens the surface a bit and removes the shine from cabinets.
Drop Cloths: Make sure to place drop clothes on the counters and floors because the paint splatters more than you realize.
Remove Hardware and Doors
Remove Doors: Before painting make sure to remove all hardware, doors, and drawers. I painted my kitchen cabinets without remove the doors and they look sloppy.
I highly recommend that you remove the doors because it will not save you anytime in the long run. My cabinets have paint drips down some of the sides and the interior hardware is covered in paint.
Label Hardware: So, make sure to remove doors, hardware, and drawers then label everything to keep it organized. I labeled each cabinet box and door with a post-it note with the matching letter. Then I place the hardware in a sandwich bag and labeled that as well.
How to Use Enamel Cabinet Paint
Now that your cabinets are properly prepped, it is time to paint your cabinets with the enamel. The great thing about Behr Interior Semi-Gloss Enamel is that the paint, primer, and top coat are all mixed into the paint.
This cabinet paint typically takes about 2 coats of paint, depending on the color that you are painting with. A top coat is optional, but not necessary for this painting project because enamel is so durable.
Start with a Brush: Apply the first coat of paint with an angled brush into all areas that the paint roller cannot cover. Do not overly saturate your paint brush with the paint to prevent paint drips. Also, use light pressure, while going with the grain to prevent brush strokes.
Foam Roller: Then roll the entire surface with a high density foam roller and smooth out any brush strokes. This type of roller is meant for cabinets because it does not leave the surface with any texture.
Tip: Do not use a paint brush for the entire project. I tried this the first time I painted cabinets, and it took me forever and the paint didn’t go on the best.
The roller really helps to evenly distribute the paint across the cabinet, so it is worth the money to buy a couple of these rollers for the project. Allow the first coat of paint for several hours or even overnight before apply additional coats of paint.
Humidity Issues: If you are working in humid conditions, the paint will take much longer than usual to cure. The paint will feel tacky and sticky if you working in high humidity.
Apply the 2nd Coat: Once the cabinets feel dry to the touch, you can begin applying a 2nd coat of paint. Make sure to be careful with the cabinets as they are not fully cured and they still can be scratched or smudged.
Dry Times: The cabinets will take 48-72 hours to completely cure, depending on the humidity level.
Kitchen Cabinet Clear Coat
Top Protective Coat: No Clear Coat is required because the paint and primer are all mixed in one to finish and seal the surface. Behr Interior Semi- Gloss is so durable and will last for years!
Replace the Hardware and Doors
Once the cabinets completely dry for about 48-72 hours, you can begin hanging the doors and replacing the doors. Carefully replace the hardware and step back to admire your hard work.
Conclusion
Painting cabinets isn’t so bad, the worse part is getting motivated to prep and clean the space. Rolling on the paint is fun because you start to see the cabinet transformation happen!
These are basic instructions on painting your cabinets, we have more in depth instructions and things you should avoid on our other cabinet post.