# latex vs alkyd for cabinets?



## wlarmsby (Dec 1, 2015)

Hi,

I am working on a cabinet project. I usually spray lacquer via pressure pot. However for this project I am considering spraying paint instead of lacquer, for the touch-up-ability and likely on-site brush work on trim and face frames. Bought a larger tip for my gun to push the thicker material. Question is:

Would I be making a mistake by choosing a latex paint over a waterborne alkyd paint? I would like to use BM Aura in satin finish, mainly because of the faster dry times.

On this forum, many people seem to prefer Advance for cabinet work. However I am turned off of alkyd paints... The long dry times have caused too many headaches in the past.

My spray booth is set up for fast-drying lacquers. There is a lot of traffic going through, and the five hour open time of an alkyd paint is just asking for dust and fingerprints in the finish. 

Any guidance would be appreciated. All the best


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## Gurnoe (Sep 5, 2015)

I personally wouldn't use Aura on cabinets. At least use a nice non-blocking acrylic enamel like Breakthrough. Protec is a water based alkyd similar to advance but with a 6 hour label recoat time vs 16 with Advance. I've been having good results with the alkyd/urethane products like Aristoshield from Dunn Edwards which has a 4 hour label recoat time but still levels and cures hard.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

I wouldn't use Aura either. :no: Either PPG Breakthrough or Sherwin Williams Multi Surface, both dry hard and can be handled in under an hour. 

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## Repaint Florida (May 31, 2012)

I vote Breakthrough

my old post on using breakthrough on cabinets

www.painttalk.com/f2/kitchen-cabinet-painting-orlando-fl-34377/


.


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

This cabinet job was done with Aura the HO loved the job and says zero issues with blocking. She also loved the fact she already knew of Aura and feels comfortable about touch up when needed. 

With that being said I prefer 314 or Advance from BM but I wouldn't hesitate to use Aura again the satin is a very nice finish. Breakthrough is not readily available here .


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I've been thinking to try Aura for cabinets myself. In the case of the OP though, I wonder if excessive thinning would be required to spray it conventionally. 

If I was going to try it, I would use airless. I can't imagine Aura being too friendly to conventional spraying. 

Breakthrough on the other hand is quite a bit thinner bodied. 


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

I had to repaint cabinets in a butler's pantry with Advance that another painter had used Aura on. She had repeated minor chipping and blocking issues.


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

PRC said:


> I had to repaint cabinets in a butler's pantry with Advance that another painter had used Aura on. She had repeated minor chipping and blocking issues.


Ok so was it the paint or the painter? Any paint will chip if banged hard enough some more than others maybe. All things being equal all coatings at proper mills will look great and hold up well.


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

Jmayspaint said:


> I've been thinking to try Aura for cabinets myself. In the case of the OP though, I wonder if excessive thinning would be required to spray it conventionally.
> 
> If I was going to try it, I would use airless. I can't imagine Aura being too friendly to conventional spraying.
> 
> ...


Used my airless setup in HO garage was in the summer. Used RACX 211 and a FF 312. I use latex thinner not extenders. Not my go to cab paint but I wouldn't hesitate to use it.


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## NotAChemist (Jan 23, 2016)

If you want to stick to a BM product but don't want to go with Aura (I think it'd probably work fine as long as you've not got young kids in the house abusing it), Cabinet Coat might be worth a shot. Not sure the dry time offhand, but there you got. Worth noting that Advance isn't really an alkyd, it's an alkyd resin carried by water. Though, your issue with it (dry time) is the same regardless of what it is, I suppose.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

thinkpainting/nick said:


> Ok so was it the paint or the painter? Any paint will chip if banged hard enough some more than others maybe. All things being equal all coatings at proper mills will look great and hold up well.


Good points. They did have good mil thickness. As much as I like Aura I still wouldn't use it on cabinets when better options exist. The only benefit I see would be fast recoat but breakthrough and cabinet coat have that also.


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## wlarmsby (Dec 1, 2015)

Thanks for the thoughtful responses! 

I have ended up choosing a pigmented waterborne lacquer-- ML Campbell Agualente. It's well suited to my spray booth, plus I'm told it's easier to touch up on-site than solvent based lacquers. And the client is attracted to the low VOCs...


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

NotAChemist said:


> If you want to stick to a BM product but don't want to go with Aura (I think it'd probably work fine as long as you've not got young kids in the house abusing it), Cabinet Coat might be worth a shot. Not sure the dry time offhand, but there you got. Worth noting that Advance isn't really an alkyd, it's an alkyd resin carried by water. Though, your issue with it (dry time) is the same regardless of what it is, I suppose.


I do work for a cabinet builder and that's all he uses when he custom builds his cabinets or built ins as they say. He lives that Cabinet Coat.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Rbriggs82 said:


> I wouldn't use Aura either. :no: Either PPG Breakthrough or Sherwin Williams Multi Surface, both dry hard and can be handled in under an hour.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk


I used a fair amount of the SW Multi- Surface this past summer and really liked it.
Made to only be sprayed if I remember correctly.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

It's meant to be sprayed but I've brushed and rolled it too. You just have to be quick and careful like you have to be with Breakthrough. 

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## I paint paint (May 4, 2014)

RH said:


> I used a fair amount of the SW Multi- Surface this past summer and really liked it.
> *Made to only be sprayed if I remember correctly.*


It's weird. A "dryfall-type coating" that is "easy to apply by brush, roll or spray."

Pro Industrial™ Multi-Surface Acrylic is a dryfall-type coating that provides alkyd-like hardness. It is ideal when multiple substrates need to be painted, but only one product purchase is desired. It is available in a wide range of colors. This fast-drying gloss acrylic is easy to apply by brush, roll or spray and is intended for interior and exterior use on marginally prepared surfaces.

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/document/PDS/en/035777254646/


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

I paint paint said:


> It's weird. A "dryfall-type coating" that is "easy to apply by brush, roll or spray."
> 
> Pro Industrial™ Multi-Surface Acrylic is a dryfall-type coating that provides alkyd-like hardness. It is ideal when multiple substrates need to be painted, but only one product purchase is desired. It is available in a wide range of colors. This fast-drying gloss acrylic is easy to apply by brush, roll or spray and is intended for interior and exterior use on marginally prepared surfaces.
> 
> http://www.sherwin-williams.com/document/PDS/en/035777254646/


Yes very curious myself never used it. We have used a ton of this product over the years for similar work. When we needed a product to go over multiple substrates never interior woodwork or exterior houses. 

http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/detail.jsp?A=sku-25951:product-6769


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