Brush or Spray?

I paint for a living and have found rolling with a small (4") BRUSH roller (not a standard roller) works very well. You can also use a good quality brush to "pull" the paint down. Brush roll one section down and use the brush with LIGHT pressure to even out the paint. Make sure to use quality supplies. A cheap roller and brush will give you a cheap look.

p.s. I'm a bit jealous - I would love to help with this project!!

my husband used a sprayer after stripping and sanding our kitchen cabinets and they look great. we were advised by my brother-in-law (who is a painter) to prime them first. we didn't prime the top, but did the bottom and we love the top much better. the paint went on smoother and really shows the grain. i would suggest the spray, as it goes really fast once you set up a safe area to do it. when are you planning to start the project?

The key of course is really the prep work. If you do not have a lot of experience with a sprayer, I wouldn't suggest doing the cabinets as your first project to try it on.

If you use oil based paint you will need to use a natural brush

latex use nylon or polyester filament brush.

Don't skip in the brushes. High quality is the key in getting a smooth finish.

Allow the paint to dry completely between coats. Also if you can use a fine grit sandpaper to smooth it out before your last coat.

Statin will be your best finish to use.
Best of Luck!

My husband and I have been in the process of remodling our house for the past few months and we have also helped my parents remodel their house a few years ago. I have had the opportuinty to use both a brush and a sprayer. I painted my sister bathroom trim with a paint brush and I also painted our home with an airless spray gun and both seem to work just fine for me. I was a little nerve racking trying to make the trim all look the same when I was brushing the paint on but when it dried it looked fine. The sprayer we got had very detailed direction and, in my opinion, covers more evenly, is a time saver, and uses less paint. If you don't want to have the expense of buying a sprayer then you could also use a roller and get a small skinny roller to do the detiles work and edges of you cabinets. Hope this helps!

Make sure you sand them well. Then use a good primer. After that try using a rollers and foam brushes, they come in all sizes. You might check with Sherwin Williams to see if you need to use a sealer on the cabinets near the sink and cooking areas, since these areas will need to be cleaned often. We used a sealer on all of the cabinets so cleaning them would be easier and not have to worry about the paint coming off.

I used one of those sponge brushes for all the detail work on my cabinets and then used a roller for the rest. They came out beautiful! We also put a clear poly on to add shine. don't use the roller for that. it leaves bubbles! a wide brush using long strokes is what worked for us. Hope that helps!

Spray is better but you are correct that it is an art. You can brush them with the proper technique and still have a glossy finish. There is a product you can add that will slow the drying time so that you have more time to work with the paint before your brush marks start showing (ask the folks at the paint store). Keep a very wet edge (not the whole brush, just the end where you are using it) and try not to repaint over area's once you are done. Meaning come up with a method that let's you paing it a section at a time and not rebrush over areas that are drying. Most of all patience. Don't get in a hurry and don't get sloppy. Too much paint and it'll run too little and it will leave marks. Heck, now that I think of it painting with a brush is an art too!

Somebody said to use a foam roller. Good idea for an easy application but I would recommend back brushing to make sure you don't get too much paint in the corners and then it runs. Also someone said use a good brush. That is right on. Purdy is the best name in brushes and they do clean very well. I have a couple that I have had since 92 and I use them regularly so they are an investment, just take care of them. Also, you use synthetic bristles for acrylic paint and china bristles for oil based paints. You'll ruin a China bristle brush if you use it with a water based paint. It really makes a difference!

And if you ever go to paint your walls, use a real lambs wool roller. It holds a lot more paint and goes on more evenly and then it will wash out completely whereas a cheap one won't and the cheap ones splatter a lot more!

More info than you need I'm sure! Good luck!

the best way to paint cabinets is with a Foam roller.there are no streaks from a brush and no runs from a spray.I heard about this on a home improvement show,it worked great on my cabinets.

My husband and I just painted our kitchen cabinets 2 weeks ago. We used a brush and you can't tell. They came out really well. The important part is to use a good brush. I found a video on painting cabinets on HGTV.com. It gives detailed directions. It says to use a china bristled brush. They aren't cheep, but they work. Our cabinets look great. We also used an oil based paint, it gives the cabinets a shine and makes them easy to clean. Good Luck!!!

I've brushed and had great results. Remember that you are doing this on wood, which already has a grain so the marks (yes they are there) are just part of the texture and are not "ugly" or noticeable. I think that done well (yes you have to be careful, take your time, do several coats and use a good quality brush) it adds to the look and makes the cabinets look more expensive - they have the apppearance of quality craftsmanship and hand finishing instead of an industrial laminated paper appearance. Just remember that on your final coat, you need to use a light had and a nice feathered brush.

my fiance spray painted our kitchen cabinets last summer and they came out great, he however had to thin the paint before he put it in the sprayer, if its too thick in the spray gun itll get clogged.. so make sure you put just enogh thinner in it and then test sprayer before spraying it on your doors, my kitchen is hunter green and white but this summer its going to be hun ter green and a light sand stone color.... Good Luck T.

Let hubby paint you need to lay low. You don't know what effects you can receive from paint fumes Enjoy and if he want to paint or anything else let him stay encouraged.

Try using one of those small roller brushes with out any "nap", the guy at the paint store recommended I should use it for painting a primed steel door.

Use a roller and a brush. The brush is for corners and bald spots. A spray is too hard to clean up afterwards. It also gets heavy after while of using it. Using just a brush does leave stoke marks. It is also more time consuming. Another tip, even though you probably have already thought of this, make sure it is latex paint. This way you can wipe off marks or splaters once it drys.

Hi B.,

I am no expert...but I watch the decorating channels almost daily and about 90% of the experts use a brush. They take the doors off and paint them laying across something flat to make it easier on your back.

Good luck

W. Q

If you get a really good brush...& the good paint...will cost more but worth it in the long run...I've redone many cabinets & my husband builds them....check at a paint store for their recommendations. If you'll send the extra money for the better quality paint & brush you'll have better results. They spray is harder & in my opinion messy! Good luck!

I read the other post, and I agree with that. If it were me, I would roll it with a short napped roller, and then you can usually get the edges with brush and go over with roller so it is uniform and consistent. I don't really feel that the Ralph Lauren paint is the best though. I have used it in the past and thought it wasn't worth then extra $15/can then the glidden. I always use it in Satin finish (I have been told it is best for cleanability, and truley belive it to be so). But for cabinets, you might go with an acrylic finish for durability. I would ask at Home Depot and get their advice too!
K.

whatever you do, do not laquer your cabinets there was a guy who was doing that and he died because it was flammable and his house caught on fire and he left behind his wife and daughter. very sad story all because he did not ventilate the house while spraying. I would suggest brushing it may be safer and be sure to ventilate open all windows to let air circulate. hope this helps

Try cutting in with a brush and then using a short mohair roller for the center and sides. I just refinished my vanity, drawers and doors and it looks amazing. For what it's worth, I also used a top dollar paint (Ralph Lauren Home) and I really believed that helped for cabinets (not so much for walls etc.- I have great luck with Glidden and Behr for those.) good luck.