Since you haven't received an answer yet, I asked dh, who is a paint expert, and his opinion is that conversion varnish is far superior to the BM product.

marti8a Thanks for your reply. I don't mind the yellowing of oil based paints or the chipping down the road with oil based paints either. Specifically in your DH''s opinion is there a difference in appearance between the two finished products when sprayed? I am seeking to avoid that more perfect modern or even sometimes plastic look I have seen on some finishes, as we are doing an old style kitchen in an old house.

If you want maximum durability, but with an old fashined look, what you want is a hand brushed pigment (paint) and a sprayed conversion varnish top coat. Any sprayed pigment finish will be ultra smooth, and probably to your eyes, "plasticy". Avoid oil paint and go with the newer better quality next generation latex enamels. Oil paint yellows and hardens over time, making touchups more difficult and the paint itself cracks worse at the wood expansion/contraction joints than does a latex paint. Latex is more flexible, and with today's enamels, is actually more durable than oil based finishes. The down side to a conversion varnish topcoat is that touchups have a hard time blending. If you want the most "touchup capability" then you want only a brushed paint finish in a latex enamel.

Hi Live wire Oak--- Hand brushing the paint is not an option for us. The options we have are either the cabinetmaker that only sprays a pigmented conversion varnish at the factory or a painter who will spray them at our house. I saw cabinets painted with BM oil satin impervo in the same color we chose (white dove) & it is a beautiful rich color. I assumed the color had such depth as it was oil paint. Not so sure the BM satin impervo waterbase or latex version would look the same?

Sorry, I haven't been around much today.

Ok, asked dh and he said this:

"Specifically in your DH''s opinion is there a difference in appearance between the two finished products when sprayed? I am seeking to avoid that more perfect modern or even sometimes plastic look I have seen on some finishes, as we are doing an old style kitchen in an old house."

Conversion varnish has less solids in it than the satin impervo, at least most of them. Because of that, the satin impervo will go on heavier and not be quite as smooth. The conversion varnish, done right, is smooth as glass. The conversion varnish will look more like a furniture finish and the satin impervo will look more like an old-style oil finish. He suggested (if possible) that you have someone spray a piece of wood with each finish, take it home, and see which you prefer.

"The options we have are either the cabinetmaker that only sprays a pigmented conversion varnish at the factory or a painter who will spray them at our house. I saw cabinets painted with BM oil satin impervo in the same color we chose (white dove) & it is a beautiful rich color. I assumed the color had such depth as it was oil paint. Not so sure the BM satin impervo waterbase or latex version would look the same?"

If you want an older style look, the BM satin impervo may be the look you want because of the hand-finished look. Also, if you have the conversion varnish done in the factory, and then have the trim pieces painted at your house afterward, they may look a bit different. If you have it all sprayed on site, your look will be uniform. The latex doesn't flow out as well and won't look the same. He said don't use it. The oil will have more depth than either the latex or the conversion varnish. But you are sacrificing some durability with the satin impervo. Being a two-part application, like an epoxy, the conversion varnish will be more durable. Then he repeated "samples."

btw, he doesn't work for BM. ;) Hope that helps.