Confused on oil vs water based paint for kitchen cabinets

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I’m painting my kitchen cabinets white (or rather, I’m hiring a pro to do it!) but am running into a lot of confusion when it comes to the actual paint to be used. I am unfortunately really sensitive to smells and things like strong paint fumes give me a killer headache, so I initially wanted to do a water-based paint versus oil-based. Now though I’m thoroughly confused because I have two professionals telling me different things.

The first pro I received an estimate from is more of what I would call a cabinet refinisher. He uses factory-grade refinishing sprays/paints (Chemcraft, to be exact) and does a lot of excellent commercial work, but also does residential. He strongly recommends oil-based paint for its durability and says the paint he uses will NOT yellow. (I don’t know all the technical terms but he said he uses a conversion varnish, if that makes sense.) He’s willing to do water based if I insist on it but said he can only guarantee it for 10 years whereas he guarantees his work done with oil-based paints for a lifetime. He feels like water-based paints are just too weak for the kitchen area. He also said a flat finish will look best and when I expressed concern about it being hard to clean, he said it won’t be with the paint he’s using and also said flat finishes with high-quality paint are actually much easier to clean.

The second pro only uses Benjamin Moore Advance paint, which is a water-based paint. She says it’s just as good as oil-based and has never seen it wear off. She seems to think there’s no difference in durability at all between water-based and oil-based paint, at least none I should be concerned about in the kitchen. She said flat finishes are “in” right now but she would do a satin so it’s easier to clean (again, so confusing - the other pro said flat finishes were easier to clean!).

So at this point I’m not sure what paint to use or which painter to go with. I do want the cabinets to be durable of course - we have small children and big dogs so I clean the cabinets quite often with a damp rag - but I also don’t want to have a headache for god knows how long from strong off-gassing. Any input from the Houzz pros?

Featured Answer

Holly Stockley

5 years ago

Call multiple clients of each with different finishes and not anybody who JUST had them done. Ask them what they think, how is the wear, and what is the upkeep like?

As a rule, satin is easier to wipe down than flat. And oil is more durable than water based. Modern alkyd water based paints have come a long, long way. But oil probably still has a small edge on that. Oil, OTOH, typically DOES yellow. If he's willing to lifetime guarantee that his will not, then I wouldn't be too worried - so long as there will be someone to back that if your lifetime is longer than his. ;-)

Every pro has their own preferred methods. I don't think either of these two is wrong - just have a different work flow.

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Comments (11)

artistsharonva
5 years ago

Here's an article for oil VS water

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/oil-vs-latex-kitchen-cabinet-refinishing-72017.html

When I resurface furniture I prefer oil primer & oil paint due to it's durability and quality of spread. I have more success with oil over water base when painting wood. White is tricky due to yellowing sheen, however there is some oils with less sheen that are made to avoid yellowing.

I have heard water base has become better over the years, but I personally have not found a product yet, I could guarantee.

With my clients, I will not risk the possibility of something going wrong with painting cabinets. Technically I could, I have sold lots of painted furniture & I specialize in airbrushing. But, a kitchen is used everyday with lots of moving parts, so I shy away from the potential risk.

If my clients really want to paint cabinets, I suggest a reputable cabinet refining company with warranty. I will not put new countertop on until after 3 months have gone by & any faulty paint problems like chipping, peeling, ect has been ruled out. Patience pays in this situation.

I am more cautious & think about the future results & durability than a quick remodel.

The reason why is I have met several clients who needed to redo their kitchens due to a failed paint job not wearing well in 3+ years. They tried fixing & fixing & said never again. They wanted new cabinets. Unfortunately, they had to get new countertop, too. Of course, I'm helping people with problems with paint jobs. I'm not getting calls from the people who got a good, durable paint job.

I only suggest painted cabinets to sell or flip a home to show better.

I would only have factory finish spray cabinets in my kitchen, because factory finish is superior. I cook daily and hard on my kitchen. I would paint a vanity or built in that is not taking a beating , but not a kitchen.

So, to sum it up, I go with the Pro refinisher who warrants his work or new factory painted cabinets.

Whatever you choose, I wish your project success.
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bry911
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
There is a major difference between a conversion varnish and an oil based enamel paint. I suspect that the flat conversion varnish will have more washability than the Benjamin Moore in practically any sheen.

Personally, I wouldn't let anyone spray conversion varnish in my house. Xylene is simply not something I would like in my house or really even in my shop for that matter.

I would recommend Kem Aqua Plus as a better water born paint for cabinets. You are going to get a finish that approaches a conversion varnish that is easier to work with and safer in your home.

I would ask the pro who is willing to spray a water based finish to try that instead, as for the warranty, I honestly wouldn't care between 10 and 20...

This is just my 2 cents.
paintguy22
5 years ago
Lifetime warranty? I have never heard of even factory painted cabinets lasting a lifetime. Also, oil based paints yellow and so do lacquers or any solvent based paint. The only paints that won't yellow are latex or waterborne. Even the Advance may yellow since it is not a pure water based product. It is one of those hybrid paints. Technically, the shinier the finish, the more durable it is, but the cabinet painter probably figures his paint is so great that any sheen is going to be durable enough. For me personally, flat paint just doesn't look right on professionally painted cabinets. Satin is what most people use.
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
Where I live oil based paints have no been available for a long time already and people have cabinets painted all the time. IMO newer paints have just as good a wearability as oil without all the nasty stuff.
PRO
JAN MOYER
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
A conversion varnish, all faces taken off site, and sprayed after meticulous prep to a satin finish.. It's the single best professional method. Boxes/sprayed on your site, by the same person. No it isn't cheap.
bry911
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
A conversion varnish, all faces taken off site, and sprayed after meticulous prep to a satin finish.. It's the single best professional method. Boxes/sprayed on your site, by the same person.

I am sorry to beat a dead horse here, but the OP noted, "I am unfortunately really sensitive to smells and things like strong paint fumes give me a killer headache,"

Conversion varnish is a lacquer with such a high solid content that it requires an acidic reaction to cure, most conversion varnishes use some form of Xylene in order to chemically cure. Xylene itself is something that I wouldn't want sprayed in my home, however, that pales in comparison to the byproduct of that acidic reaction... Formaldehyde.

A conversion varnish is going to off gas formaldehyde for somewhere between 20 and 28 days. The irony being, formaldehyde really is a killer headache.

There is a reason that conversion varnish is not allowed in Europe. There are products developed for the European market, such as Kem Aqua Plus, that are designed to approach the same qualities as conversion varnish without off gassing formaldehyde.

ETA: The amount of off gassing slows as the cabinets age, so by the time shop sprayed cabinets make it into a house the off gassing has probably been reduced substantially.
PRO
JAN MOYER
5 years ago
Well. Then you do a match to the conversion varnish. In a high quality latex over great prep. Or you have it all done as prior suggestion and stay off site.

With open windows. For a month.
meganneugebauer
5 years ago
I have personally painted cabinets in Annie Sloan Water Based paints with no problems. It is a high quality paint. No odor environmentally friendly. :) Phoenix-Refinishings site
jdesign_gw
5 years ago
It's solvent based not oil based you are referring to. Post cat (catalyzed conversion varnish) is solvent based. It will off gas for quite a while and give you headaches. I can't stand working with it or being around it. Haven't for about ten years now. I only use Italian water base 2Kpoly which I think is the best out there so I can't speak to what others are suggesting. Domestic water base products have come a long way in recent years also. Sherwin Williams has some good industrial products here in the US.
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I would be calling people from each that have had their cabinets for a while and asking lots of questions. Agree with everything Holly stated above. Let us know what you decide.

Confused on oil vs water based paint for kitchen cabinets

Holly Stockley

Comments (11)

artistsharonva

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