What is a good durable brand of a pre cat lacquer for a white kitchen and is it a better choice then benjamin moore advance. Which will yellow less. My painter is thinking about using valspar pre cat lacquer.

I don't know about all the different kinds of lacquer, but we had a painter come in to spray the trim for a condo remodel. He wanted to use lacquer for a variety of reasons....(quick drying, nice gloss finish and the ablity to build the finish with multiple thin coats. All of which seem to be true with lacquer but the problem was the smell of the fumes was horrendous and also was impossible to contain in the unit we were redoing. I would never use that product again unless it was a new construction single family home that was unoccupied for the duration of the spraying and several days after that.

Might be something to ask the painter and something to consider because I couldn't imagine having to sleep at that jobsite with the lacquer fumes for a couple days or so. Even with proper ventilation. Need to wear a mask with a charcoal filter if you are around the fumes. That works well. Just some food for thought.

I am remodeling a home and do not live in it so I am not worried about it . I just need the most durable paint for kitchen cabinets that can be cleaned easily . I am doing a white kitchen and I know that lacquer does yellow slightly but not nearly as bad as oil. I do not think a water based paint can hold up to stains and cleaning of a kitchen. I just don't know the best brand out there. I think my painter wants to use valspar valtec pre cat lacquer. Any suggestions of what is the most durable for kitchens that are going to be painted white.

I would use a non yellowing conversion varnish

What did you guys end up using? I'm deciding between the two same products...

We are in process of painting it now and we are using a product by m l campbell called stealth which is a non yellowing conversion varnish. I tested different products and this holds up best and being a white kitchen it was important that it not yellow. I tested a board and poured cranberry juice on it and let it sit 10 minutes and it came right off. I did that with lacquer and it stained the area. I put other things that I know are staining like curry powder since i was looking for the worst offenders and it did great no stain. Its a very durable finish and I feel better then lacquer but it is more expensive but worth it for me for my kitchen . Hope this helps.

From OP- We're having ours painted now as well. We decided to go with the BM Advance. Thus far we are very happy with our choice. I did not go as far as the other person with testing but I did bring home a sample door and it seem durable. I have an active 7 year old boy so while durability was a concern being able to touch up was a bigger concern. The BM advance does this very nicely. I will say that after having our home painted before the BM Advance is amazing when it comes to fumes. They are painting now and it is perfectly comfortable to be in the house, the kitchen even! There are really almost no fumes! So while this didn't play into our decision making it is a nice bonus. Also, if you are DIYing the painters say that it is very easy to work with. Good Luck!

Thank you for your response. I'm leaning more towards paint too. We are not doing it ourselves bc we are far from being handy!! Fumes and touch ups are also concerns for me. It seems like it would be easy to take a cabinet door to a shop and have it repainted if needed in the future. Also I like that paint holds up better to water. I'm just curious what color and finish you went with?

We went with BM Onyx on the kitchen island and BM White Dove on the rest, both in semi-gloss. We thought we wanted satin at first but after the first coat we decided to go with the semi-gloss. I wish I could post pics for you but the doors are being sprayed at a remote climate controlled location. I can post pics once they come back.

Here are the photos of the painted kitchen. We still have to choose hardware and a backsplash but I hope the photos help.

Beautiful job! I am so glad to see this. I have chosen a Benjamin Moore color for my cabinets and then was reading that BM wasn't the best to be sprayed on cabinets. Yours look fantastic. Question---I'll find out tomorrow for sure, but I think the cabinets and shutters are to be sprayed on site. Is this a bad thing?

We had ours painted on site and it was tough but you will get through it. There is a lot of sanding that happens and that gets everywhere. But even worse -- the paint sprayer leaves a ridiculous amount of dust so just make sure they are working in an area that has plastic covering EVERYTHING. They need quite a bit of room to spray the cabinet doors too. BUT despite all this, it doesn't last forever and if your painter doesn't have a shop off site then you have no choice. Good luck!!

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I am being told by several companies that for cabinets lacquer is far better choice. I am now getting nervous to proceed.

So, now that it's been a couple of years. I have had a couple of scratches/nicks in the paint. Very few and only in high use areas. (The door under the sink). What's nice about the paint is that these are really easy to touch up. My impression with laquer is that, though harder to nick, it is definitely harder to touch up. I hope that this helps you in your decision making. I know what it's like to be nervous about a decision like this. Good luck!

Thank you, I found another website stating that lacquer is much harder by many painters. I am guessing that would lessen the need to touch up the paint. I've asked several people who have lacquer cabinets with no problems. I think I'll move forward with lacquer. I am not worried about a few days of fumes.

This is very helpful to hear! I am a little puzzled though as I have narrowed down to two cabinet painters and one does BM Advance WITH a layer of lacquer (at their workshop) at the end as the other one does just BM Advance. Does anyone have any experience with that?

a layer of lacquer over advance won't work. those products would chemically react. ask home to clarify what lacquer he is using

We've used BM Advance on trim and doors for our last two home remodels. As long as it's sprayed, then it has a great, buttery finish. On our current project, my husband brushed some areas and it took numerous thin layers of coats to achieve the look we needed. I think, overall, you'll be pleased with the Advance paint for your cabinets.

I'm a cabinet painter. BM Advance is the best as far as latex product goes. But lacquer is the superior product by far. Lacquer is what is used on new cabinets for a reason. The only reason to go latex is fumes and the requirement to stay out of the space for a bit. But short term pain long term gain - lacquer is a lovely smooth and durable finish. When a painter is spec'ing lacquer vs. latex - ask about the warranty. I wouldn't do a long warranty on a latex cabinet, but I would for lacquer.

I had my kitchen and bathroom vanities painted 6 months ago and have been impressed no chipping at all. My neighbor used the same painter and hers was a perfect a year and a half later with 4 boys. Another friend had hers painted by someone else, it is chipping in three months. She doesn't know what paint he used. I'm guessing latex. Good luck everyone.

Hi! I am getting my cabinets updated to Chantilly White. My painter is doing the doors off-site with a Lacquer (LenMar UltraLaq) and also gave me an option for the boxes. Either do the same lacquer (temporarily smellier, more chemicals) OR use BM Advance on the boxes. Have any of you had these options? Something tells me to just to the lacquer all the way, but, he must be suggesting this for a reason?

I’m getting bids on painting my kitchen cabinets. This is very helpful information. Does anyone have problems with white yellowing with using lacquer?

if its solvent based it will yellow. wb will yellow way less or not at all depending on brand. only solvent based conversion varnish wont yellow

Any updates on Lacquer painted cabinet? I am waiting for bids too, one painter said he will be using a pre-cat lacquer. If anyone can chime in, especially those who have lacquer painted cabinet, please share. Thank you.

I refinish cabinets for a living a started off using Advance, then water based lacquer and now I do not because it does chip and yellow. I have used almost every brand out there. Now all I use is pre cat lacquer. Although there is a smell it is by far superior in so many ways. A factory finish used by kitchen companies for a reason. As far as touch up, you shouldn’t have too with lacquer but it’s very easy. No you can’t brush on but you can re spray areas. As far as yellowing and stains, just top coat with conversion varnish in the same color or clear.

HELP. LOOKING FOR INFO. We are a new build. We moved in a year ago. I have Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black doors and island. The problem is from the day we moved in the island was chipping -- on day one! The painter wanted to use lacquer because of the black color and it would dry faster. Needless to say we listened to him, well, because he's the professional. Finally, a year later, the painters came to repaint the island. The Black was supposed to be the same color, but it's not. The inside of the cabinet doors are the color we want, the outside isn't as dark black and it's chipping again already on the edges. Is lacquer bad to use on cabinets? And is black paint consistently inconsistent on the shade black? Thank you in advance.

I'm not going to be much help, other then I checked out every cabinet painter here in Utah. I found several that used lacquer, (as I've heard it's the best). When I visited the homes that some painters cabinets were chipping a year later and some were not 3 years later. I obviously went with one that hadn't chipped. Two years in and no chips. The painter said it come down to the proper sanding and good lacquer product. He said I can assure you my paint will not chip and it hasn't. The neighbors have five boys and five years later no chips. A friend used a painter that charged her twice what I pain and Chips. When you hire someone do the leg work and look at there work. I had people tell me the painter was good and when I'd drive out to see the work chips everywhere. I'm super picky. Good luck!

Rosalie Carter, who did you use? I am in Utah as well and am looking to paint my cabinets this week. I am debating between 2 painters. One uses an alkyd, one a lacquer. Not sure who to go with. (Drab2fab and Allen Brothers).

Hello, I used a guy name Fortino, they call him Tino. His phone number is 801-623-9159. He had painted a lot of my neighbor's kitchens as well as some nicer neighborhoods. I am at 801-892-3627 if you want more info. I interviewed and got quotes on several in the area. I'm in Draper, not sure what location you are in. You are welcome to come see my kitchen and my railing if you would like..

Trying to add photos.

Railing

In Person the wood coloring is amazing it was ugly maple. It looks like wood grain in person.

@Rosalie Carter that looks beautiful! I texted you!

I'm sorry, somehow I put the wrong phone, I'm at 801-891-3627. Typo

My problem is I can’t live in our new construction house because the off gassing causes me to have asthma. The builders used Lenmar UltraLaq paint on cabinets and woodwork and it looks amazing, but it’s been 2 months and I still can’t be in there very long. We are airing it out daily, have fans with activated carbon filters attached, baking soda, white vinegar and even alfalfa pellets in many bowls sitting everywhere. Still, when you open the door, the odor is very strong, even for my husband, and things like this don’t affect him. We asked the builder to use no or very low VOC paints because of my breathing problem. I’m very upset and we don’t know what to do. Any ideas at all would be appreciated.

Lynette we had the same problem after Having our hardwoods refinished. We put white vinegar with 1/2 cut white onion in a bowl. We placed them in every room and 2 in larger rooms. At first I had to switch the bowls 2x a day, but eventually they absorbed the smell. Hope that helps!

I'm about to try spraying a water-based acrylic lacquer from Target Coatings, Emtech Pigmented Lacquer. I have had good results from Benjamin Moore Advance in the past, so I wouldn't mind doing that again, but lots of professionals seem to favor lacquer for cabinets. I tested this on piece of wood and it doesn't look that different than paint, to be honest, but I think it will be a harder finish. I'm hoping that if I sand and prime well, use a sprayer, and am more careful, I can get a more professional result. Also, the BM Advance takes hours to dry and cure, whereas this dried pretty quickly, even though it's still water based. Just thought I would mention this as a possible option. (No, I don't work for Target Coatings and wish their products were cheaper.)

I refinish kitchen cabinets for a living a great product is kem aqua by Sherwin-Williams

Kem Aqua - never heard of that line before, mostly I hear Pro Mar line, but I will go check it out at the store. Thanks for the tip, have a great day.

I realize this is a really old thread, but I’m having built in cabinets installed in my living room. I will be painting them myself because it’ll be saving $1,000 less the cost of product. I am pretty confident in my abilities because I painted all of my kitchen ans bath cabinets years ago, but I can’t remember what I used and I’m sure there have been superior products released since then. The doors will be wood but the boxes will be faux, just like the rest of my cabinets throughout the house. What product would you recommend for a DIYer? The cabinets will be white.

Im not sure how thr BM advance will work on thr faux wood but i love my cabinets 5 years later. No yellowing at all, and touchups are easy.