It's takes ALOT of work & "know how" to do it right. Even some so-called professionals botch the job. It can be done, however, to have them done to my satisfaction requires a qualified professional ( proper prepping , priming, spraying the finish in an enclosure, etc.). I believe my cabinets were a 3 or 4 step process.

Yes there are lots of info on the web and here on the subject. Not sure how it could crack, unless you have extreme temps in your house. Make sure you or the person you hire does good prep and uses cabinet paint, not latex wall paint.

Any cabinet door/drawer that is five piece construction will show a crack between the floating panel and the stiles/rails depending upon humidity changes in the home during various seasons. This is true whether it is painted by the manufacturer or painted on site. There are some very high end cabinet manufacturers that paint the pieces of the doors/drawers before putting them together to minimize the appearance of cracking. Most people cannot afford cabinets from these companies.

Hire a qualified painter that has experience in painting cabinets. Ask to see some of his/her work and ask for references. Make sure you actually call and talk with the references.

I got a quote from a very reputable person used by a couple of people I know just to do my kitchen island. It's a larger (certainly not giant by any means) island yet has no cubbies more a large box with 4 pot drawers, two cabinet doors and a long narrow cutlery drawer all on one side of the island. The other 3 sides of the island are just plain wood with a little decorative moulding and it has decorative legs....it was going to be 1200.00 which I thought was a lot for an island. I did it myself and it has held up well. Prepping before is huge and using the proper paint as well. I did a ton of research. Upper cupboards would be a lot more work. For the very long term not sure how mine will hold up yet the kids are all grown and it's just two of us so? Yet, with little ones/teens/tweens the island may not have worked as well as it has. It is an expensive change to make with a pro, yet if you plan on staying in the home a long time go with a pro.

Porter, would you share the brand of the paint and primer you used? Thanks!

Certainly, I was originally going to go with BM Advance which I was just about to pull the trigger then: reading many reviews lastly this: http://www.theweathereddoor.com/2016/07/the-truth-about-benjamin-moore-advance.html (I was afraid to use it).

I decided to go with Annie Sloan or Chalk paint. Renaissance is also very good chalk paint maybe better than AS. General Finishes has many tutorials on doing this process with their milk paint (they too have a wipe on product which offers protection which is great that I almost purchased yet didn't want to wait for shipping) I watched all their videos on You Tube in the very beginning only for knowledge and the product seems to be very reputable.

Yes, it is a chalk paint and I'm very familiar as I've done a lot of pieces I've sold or kept, but I didn't wax in this case as the final step as is typical with chalk paint, but used 4 applications of water based poly acrylic WIPE on Varathane I think it was (not brush on) as the sealer vs. the traditional wax which would not hold up well in my opinion. I used the color Graphite and thoroughly prepared the surface to clean any grease or other that might have residue from several years from fingers or other I might not even be able to visualize to the eye. Chalk paint as you may already know doesn't require sanding or priming yet I did a very light sanding between coats of paint (3) and I mean LIGHT to remove any tiny brush marks. Chalk paint has a distinct look when waxed yet with the poly acrylic water base for protection it does not look as chalk paint. The nice thing about it is IF I need to touch anything up I can very easily touch any area up as no wax was used just a light sand and repeat paint and water based poly acrylic. I don't know that I would do it to upper cabinets however tempted and many do even using wax to seal yet it won't hold up with wax in the kitchen.

I must

mention (sorry I'm extremely tired from an ER shift) did a spare bathroom double sink horrible builders grade white cabinetry vanity before to try it out in this same method and great so happy with the finish I proceeded. I'd try it on another small project similar to what I did if you think it might work for your purpose.

Sorry for the long diatribe :( a small photo I have in my phone looks gold, but it's brushed silver hardware and since I'm semi modern farmhouse in decor I did a bit of distressing which is not necessary so it will look more uniform if you don't lightly sand where you want some distressing.

woof... :)

I absolutely love BM Advance. I used it on my kitchen and bath cabinets, all my trim/crown, and recently used it to paint a large wood aquarium stand. I painted my kitchen cabinets a year ago and I still have no wear or cracking.

Milk paint is very durable as well, but the finish is not as flawless.

I completely respect the writer of that blog, but I've never had any of the issues she has cited with this product. However, I've never applied it with a sprayer in High Gloss. That I believe could be the difficulty she was having. Even professionals have trouble with it with a sprayer, because over spraying will cause drips if you are not used to the product. High humidity and heat must have been an issue because I've never had an issue with it not drying within 30 mins, curing takes longer.

StephE,

Very good info when people share the pros/cons of products they have used. According to our BM dealer, the company has also done some tweaking of their Advance product, so that would certainly be a factor.

We are fortunate that our BM dealer also carries the Muralo brand (which is not widely available). I think it gives us all the best qualities of Advance without any of the problems. Absolutely no issues with sticking, and is fully cured in about a week vs. a month or more for Advance.

Porter,

I appreciate how you explained all the details of the process. Whenever anyone mentions "chalk paint", especially in regards to painting cabinets, I think people tend to focus on the "no sanding" and get caught up in the idea that it is somehow "easy"!

Like you said, the waxing process is very labor intensive, and probably not durable for a kitchen.

I would love to see more pictures of your island!

If you really want nicely painted cabinets, I would get new ones. Maple takes paint the best without showing grain or imperfections. Can you reface?

You are in the situation that so many people are who have cabinets from a different time period. I'm sure the cabinets themselves are in great shape, but you cannot have that cherry color in today's world. It takes either a lot of work, or some money to have someone else do it, but they need to be sanded and sprayed a different color. My advice would be (without seeing your kitchen) to pick two different colors ... one for cabinets and one for the island.

Thank you for all your above comments. Thank you too Mary Elizabeth for talking about Muralo! I'm going to look in to it and see what it is. I wasn't opposed to BM Advance (at the time was not what I saw as the best option) when I painted the island (which by the way wannabath) was in ill repair as we did a complete gut on our kitchen 6 years ago which had merillat, was a complete different configuration and the list goes on. We now have wood cabinets and a wood island. Prior we had no island and an awful kitchen very dated to say the least. All in all, all cupboards which are whitish held up well..not the island.

My problem came when the island which is very dark brown wore thin on the finish of a handful of drawers most used near the pulls exposing the underneath wood. They were not terribly high end cabinets, but yes had the crown tops and glaze in the recesses and was very nice looking. Our intent was not to stay in the home more than 5 years so we did not go full on custom. So, in my minds eye I didn't take a premium quality wood island and use craft paint. Milk paint (which I've not used, but is durable applied properly) and Chalk paint may be used by those that know how to use it and it can be very durable. Waxing is not an option on surfaces that are frequently used and prone to water or for example in terms my island with wet hands with a lot of cooks in the kitchen as well for example a dining table prone to sweat from water glasses or other. That is why I chose to do water based poly acrylic and many coats as it holds up well.

Waxing is very labor intensive as Mary Elizabeth said and it is a true art to not get wax too thick or thin and buff it properly on surfaces other than what we are speaking of or it fails.

I have a two story home that had AWFUL oak hand rails upon white spindles so I chalk painted them (yes, sanding very lightly between each application of graphite paint which were 4 to make it like glass) smooth and WAXED and they look painted and nobody would know it was chalk paint not even the professional that wanted over 1K to paint my island. He thought it was, "amazing and a great job, how long has it been painted". I didn't have to go through the labor intensive process of removing the varnish and all the rest that goes in to the job to get a lovely finish. It's held up lovely for 5 years no touch ups to date at all. I don't live in a palace, yet my home is a lovely home with a Restoration Hardware vibe not sleek and contemporary where perhaps this method would not go. Many ask for my help with this paint and even decor advice even though I only do staging on the side as I'm a PT ER nurse.

I think this exchange was meant for the person asking the question about their cherry cabinets which I agree with their wish and it's not about me. Yet I felt compelled to respond as she too was interested in other opinions/options whether she took them or not. I enjoy this venue, but this makes me a bit disillusioned as we don't all share the same aesthetic, but try to help others achieve what they seek maybe on a budget, maybe as a DYI or maybe if they are going to hire a very expensive contractor.

I had my custom kitchen painted as the maple cabinets turned yellow over time. Yuck. Anyway, Annie Sloan custom color. Colors can be mixed to make a custom color. Check in your area for someone that has experience in kitchen cabinet painting.

Notice studio3600 changed a counter top (on the island) as well. This will certainly increase the amount of light in the kitchen.

@agoslee...Your current counters are VERY dark. So too the back splash. Be careful with a change in cabinetry colour - it often leads to other changes simply because the "I don't like my kitchen" feeling didn't go away - at least not all of it.

It is better to step back and make notes of what REALLY bothers you. Is it the dark on dark that I like to call the "Brown Blahs"? Is it the dark counters + dark back splash? Is it the hardware? The wall paint colour? How about the floors? Are they involved?

I believe a soft white would work well with the current counter/backsplash options. The wall colour will CERTAINLY need to change as soon as you turn to any white. The lime undertones are hard to work with once you get white/off-white cabs.

I think you will do just fine with new cabinet colours...but be careful with the change. It often leads to a BIG redo (at the end you have a mish-mashed kitchen because you did everything piecemeal)...and at that point a whole new set up might make more sense. Step back and take the time to assess the situation. Another 2-3 weeks won't hurt.

wannabath,

The conversation may have gone off from the OP's initial question. I absolutely agree with you regarding the use of the chalk, craft or other low quality paint for cabinetry. (Annie Sloan may be an exception - quality wise.)

I was acknowledging Porter's description of her technique. She was very specific about the look she was trying to achieve on her island. And that she also did 4 coats of clear!

I am not familiar with HD - what brand is that?

As far as the Advance product, Benjamin Moore advertises it specifically for cabinets, and I have spoken with professionals who use it & love it.

It is part of the on-going debate as to the advantages/disadvantage of the new waterborne products vs. older products that had more health hazards.

I've been very happy with my annie Sloan waxed kitchen. It's held up perfectly for two years now. I also have two bathroom cabinets and a laundry room cabinets. I've had zero problems. You just have to be mindful for the first month until the wax has cured and now they seem bullet proof. I've spilled coffee and red sauce and I thought they would be ruined. Just wiped them off, all good. I have an oil based painted kitchen at a summer house and it's chipped over the years. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

I would not do just white paint because sometimes it can end up cracking on the sides . If you really wanted white I would go with a white oak.

Studio3600,

Happy to hear it has held up so well with wax. Done right and yes the curing it is great as with my handrail on the stairs which I used wax after finally get it down which to me was not easy. My fireplace mantle is also AS and has held up well. The first item (and old beat up chest of drawers) I did I had a horrible problem with yet I still keep as is and it's in between my kitchen and eat in kitchen area and it's 8 years old or so keeps my placemats, serviettes and things like that

stored nicely. I just didn't have the art of waxing down and I would not have gone over it with dark wax had I known all I know now. I have a photo of it in my phone so I'll post it albeit not perfect and I believe I have a photo of the hand rail on the stairs from a couple years back minus the carpet runner that now warms up the stair. The top of the chest is graphite as is the stair a very, very dark gray almost black. Even the lampshade is painted with AS, LOL. I really need to sand the piece lightly and paint it over and put clear wax only yet willing to show it in all it's glory on my learning curve, no shame here. Can photo the island if anybody cares to see when I get home yet.... it was about the poor person who wanted help with Cherry cabinets!

As for the person with the cherry cabinets using white AS would yellow if not done with wax as I believe the poly acrylic does yellow in time on light colors such as white. I feel badly for the person that posted this as I feel it went south my apologies to you. Do what makes you happy!

oh dear, the lampshade is crooked and the dark wax shows far more in the photo!!! Yet, hey I was learning.

Good luck with the Cherry cabinets and as I said do what makes you happy!

Porter, I like your style! And I would love to see more pictures of your island.

I appreciate how you explained the style of your house, & why this finish works for you. There are so many trends, it is important to be intentional if you want to create a cohesive look.

We are (slowly) remodeling a 6k sq ft house built in 1965. Previous owners did the kitchen. Cabinets are natural maple (high quality), but so are the floors! So no contrast! I think it was a "trend" at the time! LOL

White cabinets will be timeless in this house, so they will be painted!

The counters & the backsplash (all the way to the ceiling) are black granite, but at least it's not a dated tile! We found the perfect piece for a free standing island, and added a carrara marble top.

You have inspired me to refinish the island exactly like you've shown! I think it's the perfect solution to tie everything together. One of those - "you'll know it when you see it moments"!

Thank you!

@agoslee, I would like to hear what your plans are!

People A Sloan is a product that was pushed on the internet on sites just like this. It is a product that is most likely rebranded as can someone tell me where the A Sloan paint MFG plant is?

Chaulk paint and wax have been around since the 1800's what you are buying into is a carefully planned name branding and add campaign. General Finishes sells real paint for both homeowners and professionals. They don't have a name that women identify with or bombard websites with pics and tales.

I agree 100% chalk paint has it's place especially when refinishing furniture. GF's is as easy as possible to apply but there are no claims like ASloan that no sanding or cleaning is needed. No claims of being a miracle paint. Wax? Briwax again has been around for years. Waxing a piece of furniture is different then waxing a kitchen. In a kitchen the last thing you want is something that attracts and retains grease and dirt.

If you want the easiest chalk paint top coat try Bees wax simply sprayed on. There is no curing with wax it does not cure it dries. If you are going to go to all the trouble to prep and paint something why not just use the correct paint for the application?

If you ever tried GF clear coats you will see that it is actually easier then waxing and produces a better finish and probably for less money. Am I pushing GF? Yes, because they produce some of the easiest to use finishing systems out there.

No argument just trying to enlighten that using the correct product for the application is the better way to go.

Mary Elizabeth... thank you. I decided not to post here any longer due to the fact things went south. I'll post tonight when I get home or tomorrow AM as I don't work.

Wannabath, Annie Sloan is from the UK she first developed her chalk paint 25 years ago. The whole bio on her if you are inclined to look it up can be googled.

wannabath,

General Finishes water based clear coat is an excellent product for chalk paint in kitchens. They have a great video on the wipe on application which is the best in this case.

All chalk paint is not equal. I've tried a handful and my favorites by far are AS and renaissance chalk paint. I have a hard time deciding which I like better. Amy Howard I found was my least favorite, yet I'm sure other people love it and that was just my experience or fault of my own perhaps in the use? For now I must get back to work! Thank you....

Wannabath - I think essentially, the three of us are in agreement. The discussions on this site, or any other, are NOT final. The information can only serve as a springboard to those who want to do further research to find the right product and/or professional to fit their situation.

In most cases, a higher quality product, will lead to a better finish. But it is not a guarantee! Without the proper skill and preparation, the most expensive product can still turn into a disaster!