Make sure to add a non yellowing agent to the paint otherwise you will be unhappy with how it looks in a few years.

Thanks for the tip... does that still apply if the paint is blue-green or blue-grey, or only if it's one of the white shades?

if blue grey it definitely applies: if blue green, it depends, are you okay with it becoming more green over time as the paint yellows from exposure to sunlight?

I use Farrow and Ball all the time and never have a problem with it. Certainly I have never had the water based paints yellow. I understood that yellowing only applied to oil base paints. I have painted wardrobes and closet cabinetry with Farrow and Ball. It has worn very well. 5 years later it still looks good. We used the Farrow and Ball primer and we sprayed on two coats of colour and found it to be perfect. Allowing several days in between coats gives the paint more time to cure and gives you a harder surface. Rolling or painting is trickier but I have painted it personally on bookshelves and builtin china cabinets. It looked good and was durable. I would not add anything to your Farrow and Ball paint unless you speak to a Farrow and Ball person first. Often adding another company's product to a paint can cause the colour to change and the formulation to behave unpredictably. Farrow and Ball would not stand by its product should there be a problem. Good Luck.

Thank you Roomworks, that is valuable advice. We actually have a sprayer which we're using for walls - I hadn't though of using it for the doors to be honest, not sure why. Do you think it would give a better finish than brush or roller (given that we are total amateurs)?

Absolutely it will give a smoother finish and more durable than roller or brush.. You can also do three coats if you want to be sure. Since you are practicing on your walls you should be experts by the time you get to the cabinets. The key is using the Farrow and Ball primer. It makes all the difference.

Does anyone have kitchen cabinets painted with F&B eggshell? How have they held up if so ?

A specialist - the traditional painter - mentions that "Eggshell finishes especially Exterior grades, are great for a kitchen environment" and that 'Martin Guest Traditional Painter Worcestershire' uses F&B exterior eggshell for kitchens... Maybe it would have a more durable finish than estate eggshell? Are there reasons why this wouldn't be a good idea?

Traditional paint, and especially an eggshell finish, should only be used when you desire the lived in patina look of older furniture. The same with brushing it instead of spraying it. Brush strokes give a hand applied finish that has a different character than sprayed. You need to want the strokes to show and the bits of inevitable site debris to end up showing the hand applied nature of the finish. That has to be a positive thing for you, or you are choosing incorrect products and application methods.

You are using words like ''durable'' without understanding that ''durable'' house paint still means chipping, stains, marks, and other signs of being lived in WILL happen. If you want factory perfect smooth application and no wear and tear to show over time, you are headed down the wrong path. You want factory finished cabinets.

If you are painting the doors IMO the best material for them is MDF the finish will be more stable and cabinets should always be sprayed in a spray booth where there is no dust at all not just some work shop. F&B is a paint I love but I have never used it for cabinets but on trim it stands up very well. I agree about the finish not sure why you just don’t use the Ikea doors they stand up very well the red kitchen in this pick is 15 yrs old and still looks like new. Maybe choose a more neutral color from them and then add the color with tile and counter top

Sophie thank you for your input. I totally agree and promise I do understand and appreciate the handpainted look and patina finish and that's why we are selecting these materials and methods. When I say 'durable', 'hardwearing', 'smooth' I'm talking about relative to other eggshell finishes/different application techniques - not compared to a factory laquered finish.

I'm specifically asking about F&B eggshell as I've read criticism of the new formulation (wear and application ease) which makes me anxious. But that's generally from experts (who are comparing it to oil-based eggshell and whose standards are probably much higher than mine). I haven't found many people who have actually used and lived with it in a kitchen. There's a difference between something that chips off after a week and
which gets lightly scuffed over time. Same with the finish - I don't
want perfection but just the most effective technique.

Thanks Patricia. Our carpenter won't use MDF, he's a purist! We looked at Ikea doors but there isn't a colour solution we like and we do like the rustic, shaker look. I'm happy to touch up doors as necessary and don't expect the paint job to last a lifetime. If the F&B holds up well on trim then that's promising.

Doesn't FB paint rank as one of the worst when it comes to testing? They are a Co that has been built their reputation on advertising and saturating forums like this with their name. My favorite is when they show pictures of how magical their paint is because it changes shade or color depending on time of day or light. ANY paint does this with a matte sheen.

They do have some nice colors but as we all know any color can be replicated today.

I understand you might be limited but there are better paints by SW and BM that will outlast FB and look 10x's better. Designers pick FB not real painters.

As far as MDF it is a super stable product and has nothing to do with being a traditional woodworker as some of the most expensive pieces in the world have mdf cores with veneer on top.

Poplar is not a good choice for cabinet doors as they will dents and take a fingernail print easily. Pay for a hardwood frame.

Non yellowing additive???? what? Oil paints yellows not water base paints. Where do you buy this magical product?

Hi Wannabath. Thanks for the advice, Who are SW? Benjamin Moore paints are not available to us. There is a brand called Fleur but they have very few shades. Little Greene might be possible although much less convenient than F&B as no stockists in our region. I've tried in several specialist paint stores but they insist there is nothing between matte (which I think isn't recommended for kitchens - maybe I'm wrong) and satin (too shiny), so getting it mixed isn't an option.

I totally agree that F&B have a wonderful marketing department! Just trying to find out if there's any substance under that style!

The carpenter turned his nose up at the idea of MDF, maybe he's wrong but he's our best option locally. The other woods we saw all had a definite grain which was still visible once painted - I prefer the flat look but not sure if there would be any better alternatives.

As for MDF. A lot of cabinets in North America are made from MDF. People like it because it is hard and dense, doesn't warp, is smooth with no grain and is cheaper. It is rather a shame to paint wood after all and pay all that money. I used to be a wood purest but since using MDF I only use wood now if there will be a lot of water, like a flood :-), or I want to stain the wood. MDF has cured a lot of headaches for me.

Pick up a gallon of F&B and a gallon of almost any other paint and you will see why it is one of the best paints it weighs a lot more because it has more pigment and I love painting with it but you do need to learn how to paint with it.

Thanks Roomworks and Patricia Colwell Consulting! You've all been very helpful and I'm happy to hear some positive feedback for F&B - there may be better alternatives but not really for us, so I'm asking 'Are F&B kitchen cabinets a bad idea?' and 'What's the best approach to painting them?' rather than 'which is the best brand for cabinets if you have a free choice?'

I have seen lots of Farrow and Ball paint in situ (but mainly on walls, hence no-one to ask about eggshell) and for me the colours are great (I'm British so maybe they remind me of home). I would love to bring them into our kitchen, and I think my expectations are realistic. We won't be using MDF although it sounds practical as none of the local carpenters we spoke too offered it and we are happy with the guy we found having seen examples (and the price is very reasonable).

Patricia, in terms of learning how to paint with it, do you have any tips? Would you also advocate spraying? Is it just a question of practising first? Maybe on the back of the doors...

From my experience I would do it. I would use the FB priming and I would give each coat a good amount of time to cure. I do have clients these days that want cabinets with the plastic finishes because they want their kitchens to be durable. I have always had painted kitchens and I had 5 kids. I cannot say that my painted kitchen looked more the worse for wear than anyone else's. After all we were not playing soccer in there or using it as a work shop with heavy equipment LOL! My experience is that the eggshell is a good paint and I have not had any problems with it on trim or cabinets.

Go with your heart ❤️. I've used bm on my cabinets to replace a FB coloring and I HATED it so much. I used the cabinet paint and it never cured properly and got tacky. I'm currently repainting with fb

@MinaLoy How did your kitchen cabinets turn out? I'm using F&B on my new kitchen cabinet doors. Swapping out the wood ones with MDF, and painting the doors myself. Initially sprayed the first coat, but using a roller for the second coat.

I recently repainted my cabinet in f&b skimming stone. They are stunning imho

the glare is from the crystal chandelier

@topherrobin I'm really happy with how they turned out actually! I just used regular wood primer then a couple of layers with a mini roller. They look great (imo), with no marks after a year. There may well be even better paints out there but F&B was easy to obtain and I found the paint easy to use.

Overall, I'm very happy with the finish, wear and colour, so much so that since then I've bought more colours and rescued an mdf wardrobe and dresser that my mother-in-law was throwing out.

Good luck with your kitchen I'm sure it'll look great!

MinaLoy, which F&B finish did you end up choosing? I'm debating between Estate, Modern and Exterior Eggshell for kitchen cabinets. I've been wondering what it appears you were wondering in your original post - would the exterior eggshell be more durable or is there a reason it's for the "exterior".

We used the interior eggshell (not sure of name) as we could get it from a local store, whereas the international shipping costs to order the exterior paint were extortionate. I did ask F&B about this directly and they recommended the interior paint without giving any specific reasons.

So far we've had no issues with wear or chipping so I don't regret using the interior paint.

Thanks for the update, MinaLoy!

SW owns Farrow and Ball.

Always allow over night dry between coats.

You are setting your self up for failure. Why not get a cabinet or trim specific paint. F&B is expensive paint I just don't get what anybody is raving about besides the promotion of their well chosen colors.

If you insist buy yourself a good sash brush approx 2" and a stiff bristle brush from HD. The small stiff bristle brush is for cleaning your new sash brush. If you buy a good Purdy brush and use the stiff brush to thoroughly clean after each use it will last forever.

Home Depot cheap 2"? roller sleeves work great and I think perform better then foam. Foam has a tendency to sponge up the paint on a second pass.

Brush your edges and interior corners. Then roll out the panels and frames. Use a fairly well loaded roller. Lay your panels flat so they don't run. Latex paints require a well loaded roller. You can also experiment with Floetrol.

If you use the Floetrol experiment on the first coat to see how it flows out to loose marks.

Do not sand between coats but use a white scuff pad if needed to clean up. I like to use tack rags but thats your call.

I would use a trim specific paint because they flow out better but I assume your committed to F&B.

Best advise is plan ahead have everything well laid out and planned out. Don't just ran a brush and go at it.

I haven't had my kitchen cabinets painted yet, but after falling in love with Inchyra Blue, I've had the best experience with customer service from the store nearest me. (Paramus, NJ.) . They have answered ALL of my questions, and F&B also has a lot of really helpful pdf guides like this one for spray-painting, http://farrowandball.btxmedia.com/pws/client/images/content/advicesheets/CASAS.pdf . There are other guides that tell you which primer to use for which thing, etc. I recommend anyone who loves an F&B color to take advantage of their helpful staff instead of just using more generic cabinet-painting advice from the internet. (And of course, I will have to report back after they are actually painted :))

Hoping to see some finished painting photos here soon.

Red

@Topher A - please post pics of your kitchen and an update re: wearability.

@Sarah Jan - did you end up using F&B for your kitchen? If so, please post photos and a review.

@aditisrivastav - what color did you use for your cabinets? How did the final product turn out? Please post photos and review!

I have fallen in love with a F&B color - if I find something else I like as much (or almost as much) - I’d probably change to it. But so far - no luck. . . . LOL!

Professional painting contractor here. If you’re in Europe, then I recommend Renner or Milesi. Milesi has a great 1k tinted poly. If you can somehow get your hands on American paint, the SW Emerald Urethane Enamel is my personal favorite. It’s a Urethanized Acrylic Alkyd, and it can come in satin which is a very similar sheen to eggshell. It dries very hard, it’s abrasion/scuff resistant, and as it’s part alkyd and part urethane, it’s completely waterproof and can be thoroughly wiped and cleaned with no issues.

Farrow and Ball is a fully water-based paint, it will scuff and chip/peel from the lightest wear and tear. And wiping it with water over time can leave watermarks or remove some of the surface of the paint. Simply put it is not intended for cabinetry. It’s more of a drywall paints Any quality contractor has a duty to politely redirect you to better choices. And if customer insists, most contractors will not warranty it, for good reason.

It’s true, F&B has a good marketing campaign and a great color wheel/color choices, but sometimes they push their products to be used on surfaces they really shouldn’t be used on

@Charles Graves Painting - I am not in Europe - in the U. S. - so, I can definitely get my hands on S W Emerald Urethane Enamel! I appreciate your feedback re: Farrow & Ball paint - and how it does not work well for use on cabinets. I’ve seen SO MANY photos of their paints used on cabinets - thanks for letting me know that I need to make a durable choice.

No problem, you’re welcome! Yes, the F&B photos will look fine (especially from far away), but the big problem is the lack of durability and lack of moisture resistance, because of it being a fully water-based paint. Usually the photos are taken (by either homeowners or contractors) right after they’re painted.

And here’s something to think about: 99% of homeowners (and especially contractors) aren’t going to want to advertise publicly that they made a mistake… it makes the homeowners look foolish, it makes the contractors look incompetent, it’s embarrassing, it hurts their ego. So when all of these Farrow and Ball cabinets start chipping, peeling or just scuffing and scratching easily, the DIY homeowners and un-knowledgeable contractors naturally aren’t going to advertise they made a mistake and post pictures on online forums about it. It’s embarrassing to them and hurts their ego. They’ll just never come back to the thread and won’t post any more cabinet pictures of the ones they happily showed before

So, the best thing to do isn’t to only go based on how they look initially, but also, look at the chemical composition and molecular structure of the paints in question, look at how well they perform long term, read the PDS, and of course, ask the experts with good reputations who do dozens or hundreds of cabinet jobs a year, because they’ll have an idea of what works and doesn’t long term

Is there a topcoat the could be put over F&B painted cabinets? We just moved into a house with newly painted F&B cabinets and would like to protect them without having to re-paint all the cabinetry

Andrea- Yes. Farrow and Ball’s paint is generally standard water-based paint (read the can). So all you need to do is scuff-sand, then wipe dust off, let dry and apply 2 full coats of Emerald Urethane Enamel (I recommend the semigloss finish). This paint bonds perfectly fine to water based paint.

If you want to be extra careful, you can prime first, although it isn’t actually necessary in this particular case

Interesting to hear your thoughts Charles Graves Painting. We recently had our kitchen cupboards painted in Farrow and Ball paint as the decorators recommended it. It looks nice but there are already chips so I’m worried about how to clean the cupboards now!

I've used F&B on cabinets, and it is not durable enough. I would rate their Modern eggshell over the Estate eggshell but there are far better cabinet paints. Cabinet Coats (a water urethane) in a satin finish by Benjamin Moore is far superior and has a beautiful finish, as well as BM Advance. No disrespect to Charles Graves, but I stay away from Sherwin Williams Emerald water urethane - although durable and easy to apply, its finish is rough to the touch, ugly and lacks richness, I love F&B on the walls for its beauty and washability, but they have no product I would use on doors or trim, and certainly NOT cabinets.

Hi I am about to do my kitchen cabinets and am really worried about the comments below of F&B paint. Has anyone tried to color match with a more durable paint? I've tried it in the sample size and find the color isn't perfect but feel am at a dilemma to get the color I want using F&B to only be ruined a year later with chips.

@Angelina Chen, not sure where you are located. We have been using a custom color for the trim work in our house. We purchased Centurion 400 from Johnston Paint in Columbia, Missouri, and they did a PERFECT color match.

Centurion makes cabinet grade waterborne paints. The 400 series is a 1K, and the 2800 series is a 2K that needs a catalyst.

If there's not a dealer near you, try calling Johnston Paint. They ship anywhere.

I know this is an old thread but I happily unknowingly of issues painted my cabinets with F&B eggshell. The high cabinets are still perfect 4 yrs later, low cabinets and handles look chipped and marked. Were really tough on our kitchen. Going to touch up, get different handles and investigate enamel!