Hi CS,

FOR THE $$, Cab-coat is a VERY nice coating! It' usually $20-$25/gal (at least in our store). Same old song and dance here, but use a TOP-quality brush.
* Lightly sand b4 starting with 220 or higher.
* If you're VERY fussy (why not be?), sand lightly again after first coat is well dry.
* Durabilty of this is very good. It's Polyurethane-modified, so the film is pretty tough.
* Keep your application area as dust-free as possible: vacuum/sweep well. Prop a fan in a window on opposite side of house blowing OUT. Seal around this fan with plastic. By doing this, you're kinda creating a "paint-booth" effect with slight negative pressure, so dust will gravitate toward the FAN, instead of toward "wet paint"!

FPE SOUNDS very nice! I'm not sure I'D spent towards a $100/gal, but that's just ME :-)
* You'd have much greater choice of color with FPE, but since you're "off-white-ing" anyway...$$$
* The "depth-of-gloss" effect with FPE intrigues me a lot though...hmmmm

Faron

cstrombe, I've only used FPE (front door) but not Cabinet-coat so I again can't speak completely intelligently. I LOVE how well my front door came out. I absolutely love the FPE - in fact, for one mad moment considered dropping being an engineer and spending all my days painting things with FPE. But then I had to stretch my back and I'm happy being an aerospace engineer again.

That said, you don't have to use the oil-based paint from FPE. They have an acrylic line as well - Eco-something. That is supposedly aimed at DIYers as the non-oil based is a bit easier for DIYers to use and clean up etc. Ivette/Pirula has used the Eco line and LOVES her windows. I used the oil-based and while I absolutely LOVE the end result, I did commit a cardinal sin during coat 2, botched the lovely finish I had gotten for myself with coat 1 and wound up having to redo the application entirely. If you do decide to use FPE and the oil based finish, do check in and collect the DONTs from the wise hands here (I'll chime in with my particular crime).

Otherwise, it was all very easy to apply - the one big recommendation in all cases being to move quickly, apply thinly and to keep a clean environment. Our second try went very smoothly - coat 1, coat 2 with a couple days of drying between them. I think our front door looks amazing and I can't wait to do our auxilliary front door during the springtime.

My windows AND my kitchen cabinets! The ECO is PRIMO. Easy clean up. I cannot comment on Cabinet Coat, but have waxed poetic on ECO enough here.

Ivette

I have used Cabinet Coat and love it. My reason for choosing it was based on all the favorable comments I read on the web. I wanted the durability of oil, but the ease of using a water-based paint. Also, having used oils, the whites tend to yellow over time. I'm sure both paints are excellent products, so it will be a matter of preference.

I've never used FPE, but have used lots of CC ;)

Here's my kitchen cabs before/after, and a close up of new interior doors/trim done in CC. I'm very pleased with the finish and it's very durable.

Moonshadow, did you remove the hinges and paint the hinges separately and then re-install them, or did you paint the whole shabang as it was.

How are the painted hinges holding up? Any paint flaking off or wearing off when you open the cabinets?

I have project and am probably going to use CC. There are ugly gold hinges on the doors and I would rather paint them white than go out an buy all new hinges and try to install them evenly so that the doors close tight. (I am not very 'handy' when it comes to things.) The door handles will be replaced with something new. I am worried if I paint the hinges that the paint will flake off and look awful.

Simply replace the old hinges with new ones. Self-closing is a good choice.

Painting hinges is not a good idea, nor is it practical. They will never operate the same as those with a factory finish.

Moon...those are beautiful cabinets! I love the warm, rich look of the grain you left in them. Super job!

Michael

Ditto on the nice paint job moon. Can I ask how you applied the paint? Brush, roll, spray?

Brushworks, I have a dumb question. I do not know what self closing hinges are. I did not know ther were two different kinds. I am not trying to paint 80's builders grade oak, but amd going to try to paint 1940's kitchen cabinets. They have very thin doors. Is there a trick to making sure the cabinets will close properly? I am probably doing to have to drill new holes and line everything up.

bud,

I should have said, "snap closing hinge"

a snap closing hinge holds the door closed with no latches or magnets. the spring device is built in the hinge body.

It's always a good idea to choose a pair of hinges and test them on your doors. If they work, you can proceed fitting all the doors with new hinges prior to priming/painting.

Michael

Here is a link that might be useful: snap close hinges

Sorry, missed the questions (and the compliments, thanks!) Pleased with the outcome, but that is a job I shall not likely tackle again in this lifetime. Well, maybe wait a few more years and I might change my tune...

Pardon the length, I have answered your questions and also point out mistakes I made, so you won't make the same, not worth it ; )

I did this job (all twelve days of it) in a state of total burnout and aching muscles from repainting the entire house, and staining/poly coating stairs/railing that DH had installed after he installed our hardwood floors. House was in total disarray. It's been 2 years I still find things in boxes I didn't know I had. So a job like cabinets in that frame of mind led me to mistakes and shortcuts and I knew better. Weariness clouded my judgment. So if you're doing an overhaul, save the a cabinet job for when it is your sole focus and you've got lots of stamina.

First, clean well. Really well. Think of the years of built up oil-based polishes, airborne stuff from cooking, etc. Oils absorb into woods, and a half-hearted wipe with a rag and Dirtex doesn't cut it. My first mistake, should have scrubbed the dickens out of them with Dirtex and #0000 steel wool. Second mistake: I did not scuff sand to get even more gunk off outer surface of wood and prepare for better adhesion of primer/paint. Third mistake: I did not use oil-based primer. I love Bullseye 123, has served me well on all types of jobs. But because of mistakes 1 and 2 above, an oil-based primer probably would have covered my tracks. I have a couple chips here and there where something has bumped the paint, the tiny chips go right down to the old finish. That tells me my primer is not adhering well which tells me my prep was too lame. (I am not in any frame of mind to tackle fixing this at the moment, but will be forced to this year, so plan to turn to Michael for his infinite wisdom if he's willing ;)

The reason I know I failed in several areas with prep on the cabs is because the interior room doors pictured above (new and pre-primed) are still pristine. No pin head size chips, nada.

bud_wi, my hinges were a nightmare. Somehow, we got The Most Unique Hinges Known To Mankind. I shopped everywhere for replacements, none to be found (even online). I could easily have replaced them with like kind by myself (stick to the existing holes, go easy with the drill so screws don't strip). However, I did not want to remove and replace with a totally new style, which as Michael suggests is best choice (and I agree). The reason I did not switch hinge styles is because it would involve a bit more work and DH's participation. He was equally burned out, and my request to add yet another job would have been met with his favored 'have you lost your mind' look. Now I am married to one of the handiest guys, and he is a perfectionist. Trick is to get him motivated. Because he is also the last great procrastinator. So when he's burned out but says 'I'll get to it next weekend', that means I could be facing months and months of cabinets with no doors. Couldn't bear the thought. So I painted 'em. Mistake number four (I am up to four now, right?).

Two years, four months later hinges are flaking (I primed with Bulsseye 123 first) primarily where hinges rub. That really accelerated just in very recent past to where it's noticeable, and will only get worse. I cannot put off addressing this development much longer, as old brass peeking through bright white is not attractive. Oddly enough, back when I was doing this job, someone suggested auto touch up paint. (Comes in a 3" tall bottle ala nail polish.) Unfortunately, I had already painted all but a few hinges when I got that tip. The hinges with auto touch up paint (in a white I picked that closely matched CC) are holding up well. For now. For anyone who needs to remove paint from hinges, I just saw a tip on This Old House: get a cheapy crock pot (not ever meant for food), put water in, turn it on low, let hinges soak for 12 hours (or overnight) and paint will fall off in a big glob. (Not sure if that applies to oil-based.) Whether I go that route and buff them out (I don't like brass) or ask DH for new is a nasty toss up. Replacing our deck is pending this spring, so for new hinges I might as well ask him to hang the moon ;)

I left the doors up. I did not paint the insides of the cabinets (good condition = no need). I used a Purdy XL Dale 1 1/2' angle brush (my favorite) for tight nooks, small areas. I applied paint to doors with a 4" foam roller (speedier and better control) and followed up with a final single stroke, top to bottom, with a half-loaded brush (Purdy XL Dale 3" flat). I say half-loaded because fully loaded brush with CC would only create excess paint which then runs everywhere as it seeks it's level. Dry would drag through existing paint leaving a gummy trail. So half loaded pulls out any bubbles from the foam roller, keeps the work surface sufficiently wet but not drowning in paint, and paint will then level well.

Learn from my mistakes, so that you do not stand in your kitchen 2 1/2 years from now and see what I am beginning to see.

Cabinets are so important to get right. Take the time to do your own homework. In the end, it's your decision. It costs a lot to re-paint, so do your own due diligence.

Don't take advice from non-professionals. Speak with pro painters who have been certified to paint with the paints you are considering. Call Fine Paints of Europe (Woodstock, VT), and they will provide you with a list of "certified" exceptional painters in your area who can make those cabinets look beyond fantastic. Contact paint specialists where they sell CC paints and ask for the names of painters who have adequate experience with CC paint.

Also, go online and search out the world's best and highest rated painted cabinets, and see what their cabinets are painted with. Some of the best cabinets in the world are painted at their factories with Fine Paints of Europe.

I have considerable experience with Fine Paints, and only one use of CC, so I cannot comment on CC benefits. I can tell you that Fine Paints of Europe Hollandac oil paint feels, looks, and wears exceptionally well. The finish it produces is exceptional. It comes in Brilliant (gloss) and Satin, and they now also offer it on Eggshell.

The cost is not bad at all. Even if you pay $145.00 for 2.5 liters, the paint goes 2-3 times farther than most Ben Moore, Sherwin Williams, or other traditional paints that cost $55-$70 per gallon. The pigment and paint comes from Holland. These are the richest pigments in the world, and they are finely ground. The company stands behind their paints and they have an excellent painter certification program.

No matter what paint you decide on, I strongly suggest that you go see examples of cabinets, tables, doors, and interior features that have been painted by painters certified in working with the paint you are considering. You can also go to design centers, like Wayland Home and Design in Wayland, MA where you can see examples of Fine Paints of Europe painted items. They can also help you choose colors and discuss the differences of the paints. Before you decide on oil paint versus water-based, research the added durability, wearability, and ultra-smooth coat of sprayed on Fine Paints.

One last thing, your priorities in your decision making should include - the painter, the type and quality of the cabinets, color choice, the type of paint and application method to be used (oil, water, brush or sprayed), what processes the painter will use (dust free Festool and zip-room, open sanding and spraying, etc.), and what types of warrantee or support the paint company and the painter are willing to provide.

This is a 9 year old thread, Artlover2333. I'm pretty sure the OP has made a decision by now.

Fine Paints of Europe, SW Emerald Urethane Enamel, and Renner are my top 3 recommendations for cabinet painting

The SW Emerald Urethane is noticeably better than Cabinet Coat in terms of hardness, durability, beauty and chemical resistance, but it’s still reasonably priced around $60 a gallon with discount

Renner and FPE are both excellent, they’re untouchable in quality but they cost around $150+ a gallon so sometimes clients just don’t want to pay that for them, and also the only downsides to Renner is it’s technically water based and FPE is sometimes seen as too shiny because it’s A Lacquer paint