After lots of feedback from social media, friends, and family – we were told we HAD to sand and we HAD to prime – before painting our cabinets.

Let us remind you – we live in a loft with a shared garage and little space for sanding. we were desperate to avoid sanding priming. We researched a lot on Chalk v Milk paint. We were concerned about the following:

– Quick Turnaround; we ideally wanted to finish within a couple of days

– Little prep; we don’t have the space to sand

– Ideal results; we were desperate for a paint that would last

After much research we found that Milk paint would give us more of a vintage link – could be chipped easily to create older looking furniture. We also read about sealing it with a wax (again, avoiding the Polyurethane because of our loft / location). A lot of reviews stated the wax would eventually turn a yellow color in high traffic areas due to dust and oils. In the end, neither of these things were what we wanted – despite the easy method of application / adhesion.

Chalk paint seemed like the ideal solution (everywhere we read suggested Annie Sloan’s). Chalk paint is thicker and we were hoping to get a clean matte look for our cabinets, with little effort.

NOTE: Both of these paint options came at a high cost (roughly $40/can).

We checked out these blogs for inspiration:

http://missmustardseed.com/2012/05/milk-paint-vs-chalk-paint-again/

Milk Paint vs Chalk Paint, My Take

After landing on a generica cabinet enamel brand, we were set.

We also determined to go with foam rollers – easy application and no steaks.img_0884

We picked up an 89 cent brush for the sides as well. Prior to painting, we wiped down the doors (removing all dirt and grime) using Lysol wipes.

We have over 20 doors and 12 drawers – but only took us a weekend to complete. No sanding, no priming and great coverage. Fairly easy project, but only just the start to a remodeled kitchen!

Hint: we tried both waiting and following the directions on the can for recoating. The can suggested an 8 hour wait time between coats. We applied once dry to the touch and let it cure for 24 hours without chips or smudges.