This doesn't really happen. if you have movement between 2 pieces of wood, you may get a gap there. Wood will always move with the seasons. This is why we caulk gaps. The caulk offers some flexibility there so that the gap may not appear again (the wood is moving slightly behind the caulk). Now, if you are using an oil based paint, which is brittle, the paint that was applied may crack and fall off over the areas that were caulked. This is why in the old days when everyone was using oil based paint you would always see paint chips lying around. If you use an acrylic paint, this is more flexible and can withstand some minor movement. This is perhaps what your friend was referring too. Oil based paints will crack, acrylic paints will not, generally. If you were worried that the entire painted surface will have cracking all over, don't worry about that.

Thank you. I've done a lot of painting walls and ceilings over the years, but I've never painted cabinets so I wasn't sure. You've set my mind at ease, I think I'll go look at paint colors this weekend!

You can get cracked paint between two joined pieces of wood in the cabinets, due to climate changes. Just as house trim molding does. Be sure to use a good elastomeric caulk -- not painter's caulk -- to minimize. It has more give.

I so wish BM hadn't advised using an oil based primer. Not a good idea. It is a brittle paint surface and the seams cracked.

Just as snook writes above me, I can confirm this is true. I painted my kitchen cabinets (which are builder grade orangy oak) and they looked fine for about a year or longer then as winter hit us in the Midwest I noticed one day one of the cabinets looked like it was cracking in the seems. Next thing I know several cabinets were doing this and I realized the paint was cracking in those seems/joined pieces. With the extreme dry air here, I have to believe that's what caused the cracking areas. It's not that noticeable but I still don't like it.

I used quality products (cabinet coat and BM advanced paint) and sanded beforehand. At the end of the day, the kitchen looks fine and I know someday I'll probably rip out the old and get new cabinets... So I don't worry too much.

I'm going to paint my MB vanity next which is also oak and I'm going to be sure to use humidifiers and dehumidifies when needed year round. I think that will help. I painted a small bathroom vanity a while back and it still looks fine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Painted kitchen cabinets