Hi Vicky, I'm sure there are others on this website with more knowledge than I have, but I thought I'd give you my two cents. We are remodeling our kitchen, with custom cabinets that are a mix of stain and painted (off-white). I did a lot of research, and was very impressed with the quality and durability of manufactured cabinet finishes. I think Wood-Mode/Brookhaven painted finishes are considered hard to beat. After visiting completed projects from a local custom cabinetmaker, we hired him to make our cabinets. Our guy sends the completed cabinets to a finisher, who sprays, glazes, etc... and uses conversion varnish. I thought the conversion varnish was used on the painted as well as stained pieces. We saw a kitchen that was 10 years old, and looked like new. In CA, where we live, there are a lot of environmental regulations, so the finish shops have to have special exhaust systems, etc... to use conversion varnish (some of them don't use it, and some the the locally done finishes don't hold up well - tend to chip, etc...). We were convinced that a "factory like finish" is available from the better local finish shops. I think that finishes done in the shop are better than those done onsite. Finishing on-site is much more expensive, because they have to tape off the area around the painting, so it's more labor-intensive. (And they may not be able to use the most durable finishes). I've never heard that only brushed on paint is authentic. I think that is a much less desirable way to paint cabinets - doesn't look as good, or last as long. Will be interested to see what other posters say on this. Good Luck!

Buy a refill pad for a paint edger and then tape it to a ruler or yardstick. This way you do not get paint on the back of your toilet. This trick works for getting behind an entertainment center or bookcase without having to move the whole dang thing or getting paint slopped on expensive wood furniture like the sponge trick would. Even though no one would *see* the paint slopped on the back of an expensive entertainment center, it would still bug me knowing that it was there. I painted behind my gigantic refrigerator using this method without having to disconnect everything and move it out from the wall. Edger replacement pad: http://mrlongarm.com/Newimages/bigimages/0455.jpg They can be found at nearly every store and you do not need to purchase the telescoping pad holder - saving yourself a few bucks. The edgers themselves are too thick to get into really small spaces anyway. The replacemnt pad and a yardstick and some duct tape works better.

Any paint job is all in the prep. It takes a lot of prep, and prep isn't exciting to most homeowners. It looks like nothing is happening for a good whil and they wonder why they spent all of that money. And it won't be inexpensive for a good quality job. You can get a slap dash job for under 1K, but run away quickly! If you're up for a bit of messy phisical labor, it's really not a difficult DIY job. 1. Clean your cabs with TSP and rinse. 2. Scuff sand all surfaces. 3.(rime with an alkyd stain blocking primer like Bin or the original Kilz. 4. Apply 2nd thin coat of primer. 5. Thin the latex enamel topcoat with Floetrol and apply the first thin coat. 6. Apply 2nd coat. You're done if you want plain painted cabinets. 7. Apply glaze coat and wipe (if desired) 8. Apply clear acrylic sealer. 9. Wait until fully cured before rehanging doors. Install new knobs

Is this oil or latex paint? I've had good luck with really smooth foam brushes as well as expensive bristle brushes made for the specific paint type. If you're using oil it will be more forgiving and smooth itself nicely before drying. If you are using latex I recommend adding some Floetrol (or other similar additive) to it as it makes drying time a little longer and allows the paint to do some self-leveling similar to oil paint although it still dries much quicker than oil and doesn't have the same self-leveling properties so you still have to be somewhat quick to only paint over really wet edges and careful to not go over it again until really dry. However that is the same for regular latex, but this just gives you more time and if careful with the above you can get a finish similar to oil paint.