Thank so much everyone for helping !! I had a minor set back with Christmas ( was DEFINITELY the wrong time of year for me to have started this project : ) So the reason I was sanding ( after the 2nd coat of Arm R Seal ) is because: 1. that is what the guy at general finishes told me to do 2. it is what I have read several times now on different web sites what other people were doing 3. I had few very tiny tiny tiny bubbles ( I read that this was because when I applied the top coat I guess my "swipes" were to fast allowing some air to get in ?? not sure ) and when I say "sand" I mean I literally took a sheet of 400 and just barely "kissed" the top of the door ( because I was terrified of scratching my finish ) Every single coat I have done on these doors has had at least 3 days of drying time ( and almost 2 weeks for stain it self ) I used the Arm R Seal because that is also what they told me at general finishes. And I was told 3-4 coats ( which the thought of makes me want to set all of these cabinets on fire right now ! : ) Since they are going in the kitchen with 4 kids I assumed I needed as much protection as possible. AND THANK YOU "BROWNEYES" SO MUCH for your SUPPORTIVE KIND WORDS !! I really needed to hear that right now. I don't think my husband ( or anyone who has not gone through this experience ) has ANY IDEA what a NIGHTMARE this is !! Anyway... I am in the middle of the job, have -- 33 CABINETS and Drawers -- a torn up kitchen and can't stop now. I just emailed the General Finishes guy my photos and he is going to call me soon. I just wanted to post to thank everyone for helping, supporting ! and just in case anyone else has my same issue should they choose to go down the infamous " Java Gel Stain" path :) Here is a side by side photo of the "sanded / chipped door" and one on the right that had not been sanded. ( The color is of course EXACTLY the same just different lighting in my dining room and kitchen ) Thanks again to all - so much appreciated

Yeah...this almost gets into the "urban-legend" kinda thing! ...a "half (AT BEST...)-truth" gets sorta blended somewhere along the line. After awhile, it just seems to be accepted! ESPECIALLY by people that only have occasional forays into similiar projects. The MAIN reason to avoid clearcoating: (the part that's NEVER addressed anywhere...) >>> CURE TIME. Paints/primers, as a coating-"system", need to fully cure b4 being "trapped" by a clear topcoat(s). * Depending on many factors, this can be a MONTH OR MORE! * If coated too soon, moisture in the paint gets re-wetted by the clear-coat, and may start to peel. * Clouding may also occur if clearcoats are too thick. >>> Soooooo...to summarize...Not many people are gonna want to haul out the painting equipment a month later to do some clearcoats! >>> The benefit is just too small vs. all the re-work. >>> If you've used top-notch paints with a higher-sheen, there's almost ZERO benefit. Faron

Several years ago I bought Behr (Home Depot Brand) Crystal Clear Matte Finish top coat... I threw away the can recently so can't remember the precise name. It was in the Decorative Finish/Glazes section... and it was definitely Matte and Clear.. I bought a quart.. and it was not cheap. Used it on several furniture projects, and it worked great.

HI Kim, definitely use a top coat. The top coat is the clear layer that won't mark as easily as the painted layer. It allows easier clean ability and won't get "sticky" like the paint will. Finally, make sure you use a primer like Kilz to block and oils and stains that might be left on your cabinets before applying your finish color. Hope this helps!!