1. Clean with Dirtex.
2. Sand to dull.
3. Vacuum and tack cloth.
4. If you're using CC, no need to prime over clean, dull paint. It (CC) will also prime those bare spots.

You'll want to disassemble the doors, hinges, pulls, etc. prior to painting.

Always apply two topcoats.

CC will run and sag if applied too heavily.
A high quality brush is also required for best finish.
CC dries quickly. Do not brush into wet edge after 30 seconds.
NO need to sand between coats unless there are runs, sags or brush marks.

Michael

Thanks so much for your replies, Faron and Michael. I know you guys are experts, and probably very busy, so I appreciate your responses. Now I just need to make myself get started.

I did my mantle with Behr before, and I just completed my kitchen cabinets with CC. There is NO comparison.

I yelled, I cursed, I waved my fist in the air...experts know how to use this paint, but I was so completely upset with the process that I almost lost it. CC drips, runs, and dries too quick. It doesn't cover well. I have never worked with such an unruly paint. I hated CC.

Then I saw the results. Breath-taking is a good description. How can this difficult paint turn out so darn beautiful?

I had the cabinets, 25 doors, and 5 drawers to paint. It took me almost 20 hours solo (had to do doors in 2 sets since my study could only hold half). The main problem with any DIY project is that you don't get good until your almost done. I could probably do it in 2/3rds the time now. I used Micheal's complete directions posted on some "looky" sight (I don't remember which - do a search for Cabinet Coat here and you will find it). I skipped a few steps, but it still turned out great. My cabinets were ash pickled pinkish with a heavy varnish. Definately do what they said above. Here's what I did.

1. clean with TSP substitute.
2. sand 120 grit (skipped the 180).
3. vaccuum.
4. tack cloth.
5. mineral spirits (be careful because these fumes STINK and can blow you up).
6. 1st coat - wait 12 hours - then second coat (skipped sanding inbetween).
7. When doing doors do 1st coat, turn over after 3 hours and do back. Repeat after 12 hours.

Advice from a rookie:

*I can not stress how usefull a palm sander is. Makes the job go sooooo much faster. Sanding crown moulding must be by hand so it REALLY sucks; if you get someone to help out - make them sand the crown and crannies (he he).
*Make sure you sand/paint the doors while at a nice high table - I did my first coat squatting around my drying boxes and almost killed my back.
*Don't use boxes for drying that have a print (had to scrape some "hungry hippos" off the back of a couple doors).
*Do the back side of doors first so you can flip and do the "money coat" last.
*Finally, I saved a lot of time using a foam roller on the big areas which did not leave stiple marks. It also cleaned up the crown when I slid it alongat an angle.
*I used Lowes best Purdy brush for latex, and it still left marks - especially on large areas - the paint dries too quick for me. Glad i had the little foam roller.

Have fun - I am glad it's over. I would rather paint 5 rooms than do that again. Painters earn every penny...

Thanks so much for the testamonial, muddbelly!

Michael

Wow, muddbelly! What fun you seemed to have! Thankfully I am only doing a bathroom with 4 cupboard doors! Since you are now so great with CC, maybe I should fly you out and you can do mine! LOL Anyway, thanks for the tips. It really helps to hear from a novice, since I am one as well. I wondered how it compared to Behr since I have an almost full can of Behr I could use, but I may tackle our kitchen down the road so I wanted to try out the CC on our bathroom to compare. I haven't bought the CC paint yet, but when I finish, I'll post the results. Hope it looks as beautiful as you said yours did.

I forgot to ask you, mudbelly, why you used the mineral spirits in your step 5?

Karoloke - thanks but I will not be doing that again anytime soon. Luckily, your project is small, so it may actually be fun (especially when you see the results). I have no idea why the mineral spirits after the tackcloth - Micheal's long version had that step - so I did it too. I almost didn't after the stink filled the house, but after the cabinet frames turned out so well, I decided I had better do it for the doors too (outside this time). Micheal, can you explain?

Mineral spirits cuts cooking oils and grease quickly. If you don't have oil and grease build-up, Dirtex or Jasco TSP Substitute is fine.

Michael

I painted cabinets using a SW interior / exterior oil based paint. But the cabinets were a thick solid wood, old knotty pine, tongue and groove. Lived in the house for seven years and never had to repaint. No problems with the paint peeling off. But, we sanded pretty well first. And I didn't use a primer, just two topcoats. When I was done I hit everything lightly with fine sand paper to knock off the sheen a bit. Not sure this would work on modern built cabinets.

redup,

Oil, or alkyd paint is dead.

Michael