The hardest part? Choosing the right paint (and paint brand) for your cabinets. Picking a color is just one of several important decisions you’ll have to make. Gloss or semi-gloss? Oil or latex? We’re here to help you narrow down the best options. Scroll on for the best brands of kitchen cabinet paint. Valspar Pro Contractor Coat has excellent flow and leveling, which results in an incredibly smooth, uniform finish, and it can be brushed or sprayed on. Plus, this affordable paint is easy to apply and has a beautiful finish. Semi-gloss is the best choice for durability, as it can withstand frequent cleaning, and reviewers say the Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel delivers smooth, consistent coverage with just two or three coats. However, several people say it can be tricky to apply and is not very forgiving, so it’s not the best option for novice DIYers. This line of paint is available in a variety of colors, including both neutral and bold shades. For example, Stiffkey Blue is perfect for making a statement in your kitchen or dining room. For a more traditional approach, opt for a color like Ammonite, which is a soft and understated gray. While it delivers a beautiful, durable finish, this brand of paint is quite the splurge, retailing for more than $100 per gallon. It provides a sleek and radiant sheen that is perfect for both high-traffic areas and high-moisture areas. Reviewers like that this paint is low-odor and easy to apply, but several note that it takes quite a few coats of paint to completely cover dark materials. Insl-x Cabinet Coat dries to a durable satin finish that resists chipping, scuffing, grease, and water, making it easy to clean and an ideal choice for kitchen cabinets. Reviewers highly recommend this brand, writing that it’s easy to apply with a brush or roller and wears extremely well, holding up over years of wear and tear. However, it does take several coats to fully cover darker surfaces. This water-based chalk paint can be applied to almost any surface without primer, and it provides great coverage so that you can use fewer coats. However, if you’re using this matte paint on a high-traffic surface such as kitchen cabinets, you’ll want to seal it with wax or water-based clear sealers to improve its durability. The first step in the Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations kit is a de-glosser that saves you from having to sand or prime previously finished surfaces. Next, you apply two layers of the tinted bond coat, which provides maximum adhesion. And finally, you top it off with a durable, protective topcoat, which makes the surface scratch-resistant and gives your cabinets a satin finish. There’s also an optional decorative glaze. Reviewers love that this cabinet transformation kit is so affordable and includes everything you need to completely redo kitchen cabinets. Many note that it’s easy to use, but it can take several days to complete all the steps carefully.
Type of Cabinet
The material of your cabinets will determine the best paint for them. Do you have solid wood cabinets, or are they made from MDF? Are they laminate or composed of wood veneer over particle board? The material will determine how much (if any) sanding is necessary, and if you’ll need an oil-based primer. See The Best Types of Kitchen Cabinet Paint for the full breakdown of cabinet materials, and which paint is best for them.
Oil vs. Latex
There are pros and cons of both oil and latex paints, which you’ll need to consider when choosing kitchen cabinet paint. While oil-based paints provide good coverage and a durable finish, they’re rough on the environment and take long stretches of time to dry between coats. Latex-based paints, meanwhile, dries quickly and is a friendlier choice for Mother Nature but is less durable in terms of scrubbing and requires more prepping to ensure an even finish.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This roundup was researched and written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer for The Spruce and an expert on all things home. She has a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Design, and she’s taken several courses in interior decorating. Additional research was done by Megan McCarty, a writer for The Spruce and MyDomaine with over 13 years of experience in both print and digital media. She regularly contributes to design-focused outlets such as Architectural Digest, Domino, House & Home, and Hunker.
