Best Paint for Kitchen Cabinets (Professional Finish!)

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Hey friends! If you’re looking for the best paint for kitchen cabinets with a professional finish, you’re in the right place. After some mistakes along the way, I found the one – and it transformed our kitchen!

Whether you’re brushing, rolling, or spraying your paint – this post will help you in finding the most durable, smoothest, and easiest-to-apply cabinet paint. I’m writing this with first-hand experience, having recently done a budget-friendly kitchen renovation.

After making mistakes in the past with choosing the wrong paint and rushing the process (I’ll dive into this a bit later!), it was very important to me to get a professional-looking, smooth finish this go-round.

After re-painting our kitchen cabinets, I have been blown away at the quality, durability, and professional finish of the paint we chose. This is the BEST, most high-quality paint we’ve found for kitchen cabinets, and I’m so excited to share it with you today. Choosing the right paint is truly the most pivotal part of re-painting kitchen cabinets and having a lasting, durable finish.

WHY THE RIGHT PAINT IS IMPORTANT:

When we moved into our home 6 years ago, we had never painted kitchen cabinets before. We were WRONG in thinking any paint that called itself “cabinet” paint would do.

Kitchen cabinets get a TON of use, and are the center of the home (at lease they are in this house!). I am constantly cleaning off stuck-on food from little fingers, or the cabinet doors are getting opened and slammed into something nearby by someone 3 feet tall.

I thought “good enough” would be okay when we settled on a cheaper cabinet paint in the beginning and rushed through the process, but turns out… “good enough” starts chipping in our house just a few weeks in!

If I could go back and tell myself ONE thing – it would be to invest in a quality paint upfront. No matter what. Ultimately, we actually SAVED money by choosing a more expensive paint. As we had to use less paint, and will not have to paint again in the future any time soon!

HOW TO PAINT KITCHEN CABINETS FOR A PROFESSIONAL FINISH:

Yes, you can paint your own cabinets! I have a detailed tutorial written up on exactly how we painted our cabinets here.

In this post, I detail every step of the process! How we cleaned and prepped our cabinets, chose our paint color, organized, fixed any damage, sanded, primed, hid hinges, and all the supplies we used from start to finish. This post is specifically about the paint and not the process, so I will give you a quick run down of painted our kitchen cabinets below.

In short, because our wood cabinets had been previously painted, we first had to clean our cabinet doors and sand them (not completely, but pretty well) before a fresh coat of paint.

To begin, you will need to make a plan for exactly what needs to be done to your cabinets. Maybe they have been stained or previously painted (ours were). They they are old cabinets and have damage and peeling/chipping. Your plan will change a bit based on the condition of your existing cabinets.

We used wood filler to fix holes and cracks. And then used a good primer (a strong binding primer) in order to make sure the paint truly stuck to that. I did multiple coats of primer, and multiple coats of paint!  I was not about to get lazy with this part. I wanted these puppies to last!

HOW TO GET A FACTORY SMOOTH PAINT FINISH:

The secret I found in this project, and maybe the most important step, is to use a high-quality paint with multiple coats of primer and paint. And to sand with a high-grit sandpaper in-between each coat for a smoother finish.

It’s always a good choice to prime your cabinets for the best finish, and to use the RIGHT PRIMER. This is the oil-based primer we used. This, in my opinion, is a huge part of the excellent final outcome of our painted kitchen cabinets, and will give you the best results. 

We did use a paint sprayer for spraying the paint, and I believe for the smoothest paint finish possible – this is your best bet. But I have to say that the quality of the paint we used is so insanely good that even if it is rolled with a high-density foam roller – it will still look and feel incredibly professional.

Our color is Edgecomb Gray in a semi-gloss finish. I have a complete blog post written up on our color choice here.

If you’re unsure about what color you should paint your cabintets, Sherwin William Color Deck is amazing for helping you decide what paint color might work best in your home! You can hold the different swatches up in your kitchen throughout the day to see how the light hits.

WHAT PAINT DID WE USE?

After lots of research (and again, a few past mistakes), we chose Sherwin-Williams Urethane Trim Enamel in semi-gloss to paint our kitchen cabinets, and it’s been everything I wanted and more. This paint is water-based, self-leveling enamel that gives a durable, professional finish that is going to hold up in my kitchen!

UPDATED TO ADD: I’m coming to you just over a year after sharing this post. We still do not have a SINGLE chip, scratch, or ding in our cabinet paint. This stuff is the real deal!

The coverage is incredible, the dry time is fast, and the end result looks like a factory finish. If you’re repainting cabinets, this is 100% the paint I’d recommend.

You may be wondering why it matters is the paint is a water-based or oil-based paint. Well, let me tell you!

OIL VS. WATER BASED PAINT: WHAT TO KNOW

WATER-BASED PAINTS	OIL-BASED PAINTS
fast drying time (best for DIY’ers)	takes a long time to dry
low odor	strong smell
easy to clean up	easy to clean
equally durable	extremely durable, but may yellow over time

Water-based paint, like its name suggest, uses water. It dries much faster, usually in a few hours, making it ideal for DIY’ing kitchen cabinets. The benefit of oil-based paints in the past is that they were truly the most durable option. However, modern formulas of water-based paints are JUST as durable and wont’ yellow over time. This is a win-win in my eyes.

For painting cabinets, water-based paint (like Sherwin Williams Urethane Trim Enamel) is usually the better choice. It dries quickly, so you can finish the job faster, and it doesn’t have as many strong fumes, which is great for indoor projects.

WHAT IS THE BEST PAINT FOR KITCHEN CABINETS? 

 Sherwin Williams Urethane Trim Enamel is hands-down the best kitchen cabinet paint in our experience. This is a quality water-based paint specifically designed for cabinets, trim, doors, etc.

This paint is a water-based urethane-modified alkyd enamel, which means it combines the smooth application and easy cleanup of a water-based paint with the durability of oil-based options.

An added bonus is that it’s also low-VOC (meaning low levels of volatile organic compounds -chemicals that evaporate into the air as the paint dries). High VOCs can contribute to strong odors, air pollution, and can cause headache.

This leads me to what we chose…

HOW AND WHY TO USE SHERWIN WILLIAMS URETHANE TRIM ENAMEL

I highly recommend pairing this paint with a high-quality primer like this one. This cabinet paint is a hugely popular choice for a reason. It is is SO high-quality that we ended up only using one can. You heard me. We bought two cans and only ended up using one! The paint is thick with incredible coverage, so a little really goes a long way.

The finished product with this paint is nothing short of professional. We have a rock solid finish (it is not chipping any time soon) and it is factory smooth. You’d truly think a professional painter did this for us! 

PROS OF SHERWIN WILLIAMS URETHANE TRIM ENAMEL: 

• Hard & durable paint finish
• Self-leveling for a smooth surface and sleek finish (it will even itself out from brush strokes, etc. and give a super smooth finish when dry). From personal experience with this paint, I used a paint sprayer, foam roller, AND angled brush – and because of how the paint self-levels, the finish is PERFECT for all.
• Moisture resistant 
• Fast drying time (significantly quicker than other comparable paints). This was a really big deal for me, as I was doing this myself, I did not have days to wait between coats.
• HIGH coverage (we needed WAY less paint than we thought we would need). Even with multiple coats!

I want to state that I do not recommend this paint lightly. This is the real deal, professional finish you’re looking for. I went on a months-long deep dive in research for this project, and am positive I came out with the best product! I am not getting paid to share it with you.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER POPULAR CABINET PAINT OPTIONS TO CONSIDER?

BENJAMIN MOORE ADVANCE:

To break it down, there are several well-known brands that have top contenders for kitchen cabinet paint. The other most well-known cabinet paint is Benjamin Moore’s Advance paint. 

When I was researching both Benjamin Moore Advance and Sherwin-Williams Urethane Trim Enamel, I actually found myself torn in the beginning. Benjamin Moore Advance is a waterborne alkyd paint, which means it offers the durability and smooth finish of an oil-based paint but with easier cleanup and lower VOCs since it’s water-based. It has a much longer dry time than Sherwin Williams.

Sherwin Williams Urethane Trim Enamel is a water-based alkyd-urethane hybrid. It has the added toughness of urethane, making it more resistant to scratches and wear, which is great for high-traffic areas like kitchens. Sherwin Williams dries faster than Advance, usually within a few hours – and reaches full hardness in about a week, which is significantly quicker! Both paints give a beautiful, smooth finish. BUT I needed and wanted a quicker turn-around.

Dry time between coats on Advance paint is 16 hours (compared to 4 for Sherwin Williams). THIS was a huge reason why I ultimately went ahead and went with Sherwin Williams. Painting kitchen cabinets is already lengthy enough without adding in days of dry time – whew! *insert sweating emoji.* 

BEHR CABINET ENAMEL:

The most budget, well-known kitchen cabinet paint is Behr Cabinet Enamel from Home Depot. I have personal experience with this paint as well, and I have found that Behr Cabinet Enamel almost always remains sticky feeling. We also had a terrible time with chipping when we used this for our cabinets in our first home. To Behr’s credit, the paint does *look* really nice and it is certainly cheaper. But for me, that’s where it ends though.

For something that gets as much use as kitchen cabinets, I’d rather have them be as quality as possible and am now willing to pay up. If you’re on a tight budget and have to go this way, I strongly recommend sanding VERY WELL and applying multiple coats of a strong bonding primer first. 

Again, I have a VERY detailed blog post on exactly HOW we painted our cabinets here. The post you are currently reading is simply sharing our paint choice with you and why.

Now, let’s get into cabinet sheen.

WHAT SHEEN IS BEST FOR KITCHEN CABINETS?

There are 4 different sheens to choose from for kitchen cabinets. Matte, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss.  

We chose semi-gloss for our finish. The long and short of this though is that you would not be going wrong with either finish! Satin finish or semi-gloss finish are the best sheens for kitchen cabinets, as matte would not be easy to clean and glossy will show every fingerprint and smudge.

I personally love a semi-gloss finish, as it has a more durability and I find it the most professional looking finish overall (especially for older cabinets). Again, this is personal preference for me, as I know satin is a highly popular kitchen cabinet finish. 

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING BETWEEN MATTE, SATIN, SEMI-GLOSS, AND HIGH-GLOSS FINISH:

MATTE:

A matte finish is great for hiding imperfections and leaning towards a minimal or rustic looking. However, it’s not as easy to clean as other finishes, and tends to show smudges or grease more readily.

SATIN:

Satin is an understated look that is very popular right now. It has a bit of shine without being too glossy. However, because it is a lower gloss sheen, it is not as easy to clean as semi-gloss. 

SEMI-GLOSS:

Semi-gloss has a higher shine, making it a bit more vibrant and modern. The finish makes it a bit more durable and easier to clean. However, the higher loss finish also makes it harder to hide imperfections (ie. bumps in wood, brush strokes, etc.)

HIGH-GLOSS:

A high-gloss finish on kitchen cabinets creates a bold, modern look. For those looking for a statement finish with maximum shine, high gloss can make a stunning choice. The finish is incredibly durable and easy to clean, resisting moisture, stains, and dirt better than most other finishes. However, its shiny surface shows fingerprints, smudges, and scratches, which means it requires more frequent cleaning to maintain its polished look.

A great way to make your final choice for sheen is to have a sample of the right color mixed up in two different sheens. Test it on your cabinets and see how the light hits before painting your entire kitchen. 

Again, we ended up choosing a semi-gloss finish as I found it to be the best of both worlds (easy to clean with less fingerprints and smudges).

CONCLUSION (OUR KITCHEN CABINET PAINT & PAINT SHEEN)

• We chose Sherwin-Williams Urethane Trim Enamel for our kitchen cabinets due to its quick dry time and durable finish.
• The best sheen for kitchen cabinets is semi-gloss or satin, depending on your preference. We chose semi-gloss.
• Take the time to prep properly, use high-quality products, and be patient with your process. You’ll have a stunning, durable finish that will last!
• You can find the tutorial for exactly how we painted our cabinets here.
• Lastly, ALWAYS order paint samples of your color choices before painting. Samplize is our favorite way to do this. Their stick-on paint samples are incredible, as they are affordable, easy-to-use, and can be moved around from room to room.

Taking the time to choose the best paint for your kitchen cabinets is truly a game-changer. The professional finish you’ll achieve is worth every bit of effort, and the durability will give you peace of mind for years to come. Whether you choose Sherwin Williams Urethane Trim Enamel (like we did), Benjamin Moore Advance, or another high-quality option, make sure you follow the correct steps and do not rush the process. With the right paint and process, your cabinets will look brand new and withstand the test of time.

Invest in quality from the start. Trust me, you’ll be so glad you did! The power of paint is incredible, and our paint has absolutely transformed our kitchen. The durable finish has me positive that we will not see any chipping any time soon!

I hope this is helpful on your own cabinet painting journey! Best of luck, and happy painting 🙂
Courtney

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