Is it better to use a paint brush or roller on kitchen cabinets?

For wood, brushing is fine, but you may want to hire a professional for a good finish. Using a roller to paint cabinets is a lot faster than brush painting, however, the fabric on the roller will create a 'bobbly' texture on the surface. The texture a roller puts on cabinets makes it unsuitable for gloss paint.

Should I use a roller or brush to paint kitchen cabinets?

Cabinet Painting with a Roller & a Brush

On the fronts and backs of drawers and doors, you can use a roller. This will apply the paint in a more smooth and even manner and is much faster than only using a paint brush. Then, use a brush for touching up small areas or for hard-to-reach spots.

How do I prevent brush marks when painting cabinets?

Try to limit brush marks by painting with the grain of the wood. While on the trim boards, using the foam roller and brush paint only one side of drawers and doors. Next, using the same brush and foam roller apply a coat of Cabinet Enamel to the base cabinets. DRY OVERNIGHT and clean your brush.

How do I get a smooth finish on my kitchen cabinets?

What paint roller gives the smoothest finish on cabinets?

A small 4” foam roller is best for painting cabinets.

The foam nap also gives you a smoother finish on your cabinets. A higher nap may leave extra fuzz or small bubbles which is not ideal for trying to get smooth surfaces. Leave the higher nap rollers for surfaces that have a slight texture like drywall.

Technique for brushing and rolling your cabinets

What type of roller should I use to paint my kitchen cabinets?

In short, the best type of roller for painting cabinets is a 4-inch roller with a foam cover or, in some cases, a fabric cover with a thin nap. A 4-inch roller is best because it allows you to control paint application in tight spaces and navigate around the trim, curves, and grooves inherent in cabinet designs.

Can you paint cabinets with a brush?

When using a brush, painters can apply thick or thin coats, depending on how they blend and apply the cabinet paint. While the paint that goes into a sprayer has to be thin enough to create a fine mist, brushes are excellent for any paint viscosity.

Why are my painted cabinets not smooth?

If your cabinets are chipping and the paint is peeling, you will have to scrape the chipping paint off the cabinets. Then you have to sand them smooth. You may need to add wood filler of Bondo to make them smooth again. After they are sanded and smooth, you need to apply the primer.

Why do my cabinets feel rough after painting?

It could also be caused by airborne dust settling on the paint, or from using paint that didn't lay out over the surface, which would create a slightly textured look and feel. Allow the paint to fully dry and sand the cabinets with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth it out before applying the next coat.

How can I paint my kitchen cabinets without brush lines?

How do I get a smooth finish with a paint roller?

What is this? Dampen your paint brush with a little water. Immediately after rolling on your paint, lightly run the paint brush over the painted surface using long, even strokes. Once it dries, you should have a silky smooth texture.

How many coats of paint do I need for cabinets?

It's important to add 3 coats to your doors for a professional finish. It starts with 1 coat of stain blocking primer and is followed up with 2 coats of cabinet paint. Sometimes an extra coat of paint is required when dark cabinets are being painted white.

Should you sand cabinets after painting them?

Whether the cabinets were previously painted or varnished, sanding is a must. This step is key in getting a smooth and uniform look on your finished cabinets. Use both an electric sander for all flat surfaces and grit sandpaper for corners and grooves.

Should I sand between coats of paint on cabinets?

Sand Lightly Between Coats

Dust can settle in the paint or primer as it dries. For the smoothest final coat, sand between coats of primer or paint with 220-grit sandpaper or an extra-fine sanding sponge. Then vacuum and tack as usual before recoating.

What to put on cabinets after painting?

Complete the Job by Sealing Your Cabinets

After all, even the highest-quality paints will fade and deteriorate over time. To prolong the lifespan of your cabinet paint job, then, finish the job by sealing your cabinets with a transparent top-coat.

What do professionals use to paint cabinets?

Many professionals now use latex paint, citing the improvements to the formula and the as-good-as finish they can get on most surfaces. We actually prefer a third type of paint for cabinets, the hybrid enamel.

Will a roller cover brush marks?

Get as close as you can.

This “cutting in” process leaves brush marks that won't match the roller texture on the rest of the wall. For the best looking job, you'll want to cover as many brush marks as possible with the roller.

Should I paint my kitchen cabinets satin or semi-gloss?

While satin finishes tend to be fairly durable in high traffic areas, they're not as durable and versatile as semi-gloss against mildew and mold. Kitchen cabinets in high moisture environments can, therefore, do better with semi-gloss paints.

How do you keep orange peel when rolling paint?

Avoid ceiling paints and egg shell paints and high hiding paints. If the paint says that it absolutely covers in one coat, it is probably too thick for your use. ALSO, trying to run the roller over the surface after it has dried just 5 seconds will enhance the peel.

Should I wet my roller before painting?

Before you start a paint job, you actually want to wet the paint roller cover with water. “This primes the roller cover to soak up as much paint as possible,” Barr explains. But don't go too crazy—Barr suggests removing excess moisture with a paper towel and a good shake of the roller so it's just slightly damp.