Ben Moore makes a alkyd paint, specially formulated for cabinets. latex will probably peel. Can't speak on oil, as it is not carried in my state anymore.

We used oil paint on ours n they turned out great. That was a little over 3 yrs and I don't regret it at all. Ours were very dark n old so it wasn't a real big deal and we were trying to cut down on the renovation cost. We then did the floor with a one piece wood looking floor, got stainless steel appliances, new laminate countertops n it looks great! No need to go crazy with the budget if u don't want to. Good luck. :)

I don't know where you live, but here in SoCal one has to get special permit to use oil-based paint. Those who want it buy it in AZ. If your cabs are oil-based, stain or paint, you'll need special primer to make them bond. I learned hard way. House originally had oil-based both. I wanted to paint both stained exterior fascia & trim, & entry doors. Latex peeled off doors in about a year & stained bled through paint. What I didn't know was betw. time my house was built & I wanted to change its look, the bureaucrats had banned oil-based.

We actually do paint cabinets with oil or latex with excellent results. Sanding and priming for the topcoat will determine the quality and life of your finish.

I think the most important thing is the prep and prime, in making sure you have the best adherence and finish. I would ask what they will be doing and using to prep your cabinets. I really believe that some pros will not concern themselves with ensuring that their work lasts.

Case in point, my co-worker painted his oak cabinets white with the help of his father who he says is professional contractor. He ended up using one coat of regular wall primer and two coats of latex paint, which shows all the grain, and will more likely peel in the next year or two.

MSColours, looked at your page. Nice work!

I was told by Sherwin Williams oil based paint tends to yellow after time. We are painting the cabinets white. All of the painters that have come to our home said they would be prepping and priming.

MS Colours, so you think if proper prep and prime is done will I need to be concerned about peeling with latex? We just got the cabinets refaced, so we have a combination of oak frames and birch doors.

You have a poor combo for success. The face frames will show the grain through without labor intensive Pore pac or similar filler. That is going to raise the cost even more. And you have glass doors, which means the insides need to be done as well. The typical cabinet paint job is already 5-7K for a proper job of prep, priming, and the right catalyzed top coat. This is going to be higher if you have the work done properly. New cabinets would have been a much better choice all around.

What you really have are new doors. A reface would have covered the oak.

Try finding someone who will take the doors to their shop for prep and paint.

Unless the oak grain is filled, there will be a distinct difference in the face frame and doors.

The fames are flat surfaces and relative easy to fill. Sand, prime, sand then paint with a quality top coat. SW pro classics water base is impossible to use unless you spray.

do not use a straight latex paint. That's meant for drywall. Oil base is fine, but a lot more difficult to work with (hire someone). I use BM Advance paint on all my furniture. It's meant specifically for wood trim work. So, that would be my suggestion if you want to use water base (and it's great to work with).

Problem is you are dealing with painters not cabinet finishers. Options listed above are ok for do it yourselfers but your painter should be talking about cabinet specific paint and primers.

SW Kem Aqua and its' surfacers will fill grain and be hard as a rock when done. Target coatings and even General finishes commercial line pre cat are all water based which is where the Industry has gone. Basically if you are paying someone and they are using products you can buy then they are using the wrong products.

DIY'ers Advanced and SW Solo are great paint that deliver somewhat durable results. But not when you are paying for the labor. The cost per gallon of Target (not the store) is actually less sometimes.

Sorry. I did not mean to use the term "refaced". I realize the frames are unchanged. We're working within a budget here. Anyone who can offer useful advice, it is very much appreciated.

Wannabath thank you! Appreciate the advice!

Sorry Sophie and PPF, this is not helpful. Hindsight is 20/20.
Looking for people that can offer useful advice. Thanks!

I have used oil based paint to paint my oak cabinets. Yes, the grain does show but white grain is better than oak colored grain to me. I got a price on some sort of paint/process that sounded almost like a plastic coating. Cost was about 3 times as much and it didn't look that much better. I'm happy with the oil base paint.

wannabath hit the nail on the head. I thought you wanted to save money and do it yourself which is why said what I said. But a pro-finisher would use a sprayer and what 'wanna' had listed. This is a job you only want to once because it's such a PIA. I would cut corners elsewhere in order to allow the budget to hire a cabinet refinisher. And btw, I think the wood grain showing through looks cool! Black especially.

I painted my melamine kitchen cabinets white using an oil based paint from BM. Sure enough 1 year later they turned yellow.
Then I went back to BM and got their new paint specially made for cabinet. That one stayed white.
This time around (different house) we have oak cabinets and we are getting them painted professionally for various reasons.
Two painters I talked to mentioned a paint brand I had never heard of. But after reading reviews online it is apparently great. I think it was an industrial floor paint or something.
Painting cabinets is the most rewarding thing you can do for the aesthetic of your kitchen. But it is the most labor intensive job. Mentally and physically.
I heard that some cabinets painters will agree to sand the doors only. That could be an option.
If you are DIYing it, I would say get yourself a partner. One person handles the sanding . The other one handles the paint.
Another must for a professional finish is a paint sprayer. Worth every single penny.
Plus don't forget to mention that you are using a sprayer when you buy the paint.