Oh, that was confusing, wasn't it? The first set of cabinets I used the STIX, which I really like. When I got 22 cabinet doors, I thought I was going to lose my mind painting them in 104 F heat. I sucked it up and went to Duron and got the Spray Zinzer. You know how it's recommended to sand between coats? With the spray can, I definately had to. It was definitely rough. However, after an actually light sanding, it was just fine. The STIX was far smoother (and thicker from the brush application) and also only needed a light sand. I think I kind of cheated. On the 2nd coat of primer for the doors, I used the STIX around the frames where they'd get the most use. Particularly on the uppers and base drawer fronts where I might kick it shut. I wasn't concerned about the flat panels because I live alone and was (practically beaten silly as a child) trained not to touch the cabinet doors, but to use the handle. I also am incapable of touching the car windows, glass screen doors, or make finger or lip prints on a glass. Hmm.. I think I just discovered yet another aspect of not only my OCD, but from where it stemmed. Hmmm.... The thing I stand firm on, actually is the Cabinet Coat. I will use it on every trim and cabinet in my house. [she cried out, pointing finger in the air!] Anyway, just do it. It's just paint.

Be careful with Zinsser Shellac as a spot primer. It can flash under your topcoat which means you will see a bright spot under the topcoat and not under the rest of the wall. Professional painters use shellac to prime rooms that have been damaged by fire, have tough grease or glue deposits on walls, or to cover concrete floors that have been exposed to urine, etc because it cancels out bad odors. Zinsser has an oilbased product called "Coverstain". Make sure your state is alkyd compliant and still sells it. Home Depot also sells oilbased Kilz which has been modified for VOC regulations and will block water stains on plaster and drywall. It dries in an hour and can be topcoated with any latex/acrylic paint.

I painted my cabinets with BM Satin Impervo Bittersweet Chocolate. I have builder grade oak cabinets and wanted an espresso stained finish with no brush strokes. I read several tips on this website and would like to share my tips after I have completed the project. a) If your cabinets are refinished with varnish as (most builder grade cabinets are) do NOT prime. BM guy sold me a primer which took forever to sand. Adding a lot of unnecessary work. b) Buy a 1" angled brush for the trim. Make sure it is for oil based paint c) Buy a 2" angled brush for oil based paint. The best you can afford and are willing to pay. I bought a Purdy 2" Ox-O-Angular and a Corona 2" angled brush for the final coat. $20 and $30 respectively. It was worth the money for me. d) Buy 4" foam rollers to apply the paint e) Buy small art brushes for the trim. I painted the backs first and laid out for a week. I then flipped over and painted the fronts. Paint the trim first with the 1" brush. Very light paint. Then use the foam for the rest of the door. Apply a thin coat and then use the 2" brush all over the door very lightly. Let the brushes weight fall on the door and keep as parallel to the surface being painted as much as possible along the grain. Long strokes are always better. Next, remove excess paint on the trim with the art brush. Brush over the trim and remove paint from the brush on a cardboard box every 5-6 inches. Let them dry for a week. After they are dry, sand with a scotch brite in between coats finisher. Lightly. This process should remove excess paint. Use a 220 grit sand paper where paint will not be removed with the scotch brite finisher. Next, use tack cloths to remove dust. Apply the second coat as you did the first coat. Let dry for a week, and apply the second coat to front of the doors. This last coat should be your best finish of all. I used a new brush for the last coat and the training acquired during the first coats and second coat to the back should prepare you to do a great job on this last coat. Think of the first coats as training. Use them to teach yourself the technique that will work for you. I hardly had any brush strokes on the first 18 doors, but my brush began malfunctioning after that. So I had 18 excellent doors and 3 not so good doors. The reason is I did not use a 1" brush for the trim. I used the same 2" angled brush. Problem with this was that I used the brush to get in the crevices of the trim, causing the bristles to bend and over and over again. I believe this damaged the brush toward the end of the project. It's worth another $10 for a 1" brush dedicated to trim. Good luck!

@Mary Elizabeth good point about the primer, etc. I know the painter said he would do 2 coats for existing walls, there will be some smaller areas that will be new drywall, so will check on that piece per @funcolors comments that you referenced. I do agree $250 is negligible in the overall cost to upgrade to Regal Select Matte. thank you both for the great advice @Faron79 appreciate the info on the PVS relative ratings. That certainly helps me understand the significant difference in durability. Sounds like the Aura Bath & Spa Matte would be a good selection for the entrance/hallway where we have had most of the issues. Since the hallway opens up into wide ”doorways” into other spaces painted with Ultra 500 flat, will it be noticeable that the type of paint changes are the corners? Sounds like should be of little consequence. thanks so much for all the info! @mxk3 z5b_MI thanks…the BM store is telling me that Ultra 500 only comes in flat currently. Don’t know if this is a recent change, but also they are no longer carrying it, but have reserved some paint for people that are part way thru a project and need to complete with the same paint. As it turns out when they removed the backsplash in one area of our remodel, they cut thru the drywall to the opposite site (there is only one sheet of drywall in this space since it backs up to a shelf area in the hall on the other side). So fortuneatley I can still get enough paint for that repair.