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.

As PG1 angled towards... Your paint is NOWHERE NEAR cured/fully bonded to the primer. Since your Aura has a high colorant-load (meaning-your dark color...), it will be some time b4 it's considered cured. I'm talking literally a MONTH. >>> IT CAN LITERALLY take that long for dark colors to "harden-off"/cure-out. >>> Whites/light colors cure a little faster, but not by that much. So- Stop scratching at your paint! ....and don't even consider putting on another topcoat. It's not necessary. Even if you did...wait at least a MONTH. If you put on a clear-coat now, b4 your dark color has cured, you're asking for more trouble. Faron

Thanks, FC. It was a lot of work, but worth it. As a side note, there is a white I used on one of my vanities mixed in Pittsburgh's Manor Hall line 15 years ago. That was some primo paint! (I tend to think PBG paint gets overlooked sometimes.) Perfect color and still in pristine shape today (so I didn't repaint that one). That was just before my days of meticulously documenting colors + formula on paint sticks, so I don't know what I used now. :/ sheryl8185, Zinsser does have a lot of primers, but they serve specific purposes or address specific problems. From standard priming to covering something icky. ;) I used Bullseye 123 (a latex so easy cleanup with water) on so many surfaces in our house back when we bought it. We had to repaint interior top to bottom. Drywall, wood, concrete block walls in utility room. Zinsser didn't have as many choices back then as I recall, and 1-2-3 served me well so I've remained loyal. (I used it on my kitchen cabs and it's my only regret. I suspect during their lifetime oil based polishes might have been used for cleaning, if I had a do-over opportunity -or the stamina, ha! - I'd use an oil-based primer because of oils in the wood.) If you suspect or know your bath vanity has had some oils applied (lemon oil, pledge, etc.) you might be safer with an oil-based primer. If there are no issues like that, imho Bullseye 1-2-3 should be just fine. Nor have I ever had noteworthy tannin bleed through from oak. But different woods of the same species can behave differently. (Did get some tannin bleed on a cedar chest stained dark that I painted white, but 1-2-3 still did the job even tho a couple areas 'yellowed' just a bit. Once I got a couple coats of Cab Coat on it, it's been fine.) If you're unsure and to want to play it a bit safer, use an oil-based primer like Cover Stain on the oak, or one of Zinsser's newer amped up latex primers (Bullseye 1-2-3 Plus). I've not used Plus, but did use their oil-based Cover Stain in an older house that had drywall water stains from an old leaking window. It's been two years, so far, so good. Stain is still hidden, paint it still clinging. ;)

If you can't find anyone who will order it for you in your area you might try online. I saw it on amazon.com. There are a couple different ones listed with different order numbers. I couldn't tell what the difference was. I think it can come in one of their pre-mixed colors, or you can buy the tintable base and have it tinted your own color, so maybe that's the difference. It can only be tinted light, pastel colors I read. I think some of those vendors on the Amazon site sold it in cans of 2. I just did cabinets, baseboard trim and a door in a bathroom and didn't even use a half of a gallon can. I think I paid about $40 for the gallon size. The store where I bought it locally also sold several other brands of paint. I picked an off-white paint chip from one of the other brands and they mixed it in the cabinet coat base. They had to tweak it though, (added about 2 1/2 times the normal amount of colorant) to get it the right color. It is a really nice finish, so I hope you can find it. Here's the amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-7194611-0182334?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cabinet+coat