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Help, Looking for dark,dark, expresso latex color for cabinets

14 years ago

Hi Everyone,

We are painting our cabinets espresso brown. Problem is all the colors I find in latex paint are not dark enough. We painted one coat with BM black bean soup and looks chalky, plumy and just not rich enough. Starry night and Turret Stair from RL also don't seem rich enough. I even bought RL Bone black thinking I'll mix it with the brown's but even this color doesnt seem rich enough/deep enough. They look chalky. Essentially, I'm looking for a color as dark as the darkest stains available, I never imagined that it would be so hard otherwise I would have stained from the beginning. My DH started painting without me and the entire kitchen cabinetry has already one coat of primer and one of paint. Thinking about striping or sanding the entire kitchen its a non-option.Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Would it be easier to find this color in oil based paint? Can I paint with oil based paint on top of latex paint? Help please!!! My painting project is delayed until we figure out this problem.

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Comments (6)

sombreuil_mongrel
14 years ago
Most acrylic media will have a bluish cast that makes getting some colors virtually impossible. Alternatives would be oil paints, and varnishing over your paint which might cover the chalkiness you describe.
Casey
jb1176
14 years ago
Suggest post on Paint Forum
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Our 'paint grade' cabinet doors are poplar and the cabinet boxes are birch plywood. I am painting them with BM Satin Impervo...The island cabinets will be cream (Lancaster White). Wood will want to expand and contract, so I suppose the paint could crack at places like where the panels go into the rails and stiles. But it'd be minor and I'm not going to worry about it. Celticmoon stained her cabinets VERY dark brown, using 1 coat of General Finishes Espresso water-based stain, followed by 2 coats of General Finishes Java gel stain. See her process described and photos of her kitchen in the link below. Here is a link that might be useful: thread with celticmoon's dark stained cabinets
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I wouldn't focus "totally" on just the $$$... Think of the "Total $ value" added to the home, etc. >>> I think some people tend to think too "small box" when improving their homes, and get too concerned over the price of a single gallon of product. >>> Yet $$Thousands$$ are spent on furniture, tiles, etc., that can easily be "too trendy", and REDUCE a homes value! If another $100 (or whatever $ amount...) in paint adds "even more" to the worth....just sayin'.... The additional $$/sq. ft. soon become meaningless. Plus, a high-end finish like FPE wears VERY well too. However... CC is a very good finish. It's NOT Low-VOC however. Colors can be tedious to match into this line. The ACE Cabinet, Door, & Trim paint IS Low-VOC, looks very nice, easily tinted to ANY ACE color, and can be sold in all 50 states...CC cannot. ...gettin' off my soapbox now...;-) Faron
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The typical spray finish for moisture / chemical rich environments is post catalyzed conversion varnish. It like " super lacquer". Post Cat CV is a two part finish there is the product and a catalyst. The are mixed together and produce a finish that is far more durable that lacquer. A layperson could not tell them apart in their raw state or on cabinets. This should not be a problem for your cabinetmaker, he should know this already. If he sprays pre cat lacquer on your kitchen cabinets I guarantee you will problems around your sink / wet areas. The reason he might mot want to do it is because 1. he doesn't have the skill 2. he is lazy Trust me its not rocket science
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Thanks for labeling. I'm biased because I love green granites and would choose one of those 2. Butterfly is a gorgeous color. Never seen nambia in person, but even before knowing it was green I was drawn to that one because I like the movement and light background. I'm not a fan of the brown. Matches no question, but it's dark and looks a little generic. Good luck. Hope you get more responses in the kitchen forum.
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bmorepanic
14 years ago
What paint/finish are you using? Some matte/eggshell finishes can look chalky to me.

Something like Fine Paints of Europe? They support the panotone color system and ral colors. Panotone has lots of colors - chart is about halfway down the page - including some blacks, java and coffee bean.
rhome410
14 years ago
I think it was BM Bittersweet Chocolate that Girlwithaspirin used...She used BM Satin Impervo Alkyd (oil based), but no varnish or anything over the top. You might have to use a primer over the latex before using the oil base...But I'm not at all sure. Consulting the painting forum is a good suggestion. I found it very helpful when choosing what to use on my cabinets. I did a deep burgundy, so used BM Satin Impervo, as Girlwithaspirin did. We also didn't put a topcoat of anything, since the experts on the painting forum strongly advised against that, saying the paint was tougher whatever coating would be on top.

Here is a link that might be useful: Girlwithaspirin's before and after
positano
14 years ago
I found this when I was googling benjamin moore bittersweet chocolate.Although now that I read your post not sure if this is latex.

In the January 2008 issue of House Beautiful are designer's favorite colors they always use. One designer uses BM deck enamel brown mixed half and half with BM deck enamel black. He describes it as a beautiful dark brown with some gloss to it. Decorating people call it, "tete de negre".
BM Deck Enamel Rich Brown 60
BM Deck Enamel Black C-112-80

Here is a link that might be useful: bittersweet chocolate
gsciencechick
14 years ago
Wow, that is so beautiful! My sister has similar oak cabinets and is not sure what to do with them. I will need to forward her the link.

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