# Cabinets: Brush/Roll vs Roll/Brush (spraying not an option)



## WooPaint! (Mar 29, 2014)

Hi, all,

Disclaimer: While a professional, cabinets are not my forte. I do primarily residential interiors (and not cabinets).

That said, I have a situation in which client is looking to have stained kitchen cabinets (exteriors only) painted (some white to off-white). The few times I've done cabinets in the past have been sprayed, but that is not an option in this case per client's request (demand really).

Have read other posts in this forum regarding brushing/rolling cabinets, but wanted to confirm re: today's modern paints.

After all of the necessary prep (cleaning, deglossing, sanding, dusting, ...), what is the preferred method of getting on low VOC paints -- brush/roll or roll/brush?

I've read around and watched various others' approaches in videos, etc. Some guys appear to brush apply paint to depressions, mouldings, crevices, etc. and lay off flat faces/sides with a low nap (presumably 1/4", but maybe lower?) whizz roller (does anyone lay off cabinets with foam rollers?)

I've also seen instances of the paint rolled on to flat surfaces/sides, with the entire surface then laid off by brush (oddly enough, I've seen guys lay off both top to bottom in a single stroke as well as center to top and then center to bottom, which I'd be suspect of...).

Any insight as to approach here? The client hasn't been specific as to finish (stipple vs brush strokes, etc.) other than to say no spraying, no fumes/odor, etc. where possible.

Thanks in advance.

--jp


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

I prefer to just go all brush. 

If there is multiple large, flat sections that are seen (edge of fridge, 2 edges of island's, 3 cabinet ends, etc.) I will lay them off with a 6 inch paint pad. You can get an excellent finish this way and there is virtually zero marks. 

If the doors are totally flat, with no raised framing I roll them and lay off with a paint pad as well, but other than that I just go all brush.


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## Gymschu (Mar 11, 2011)

I like my Whizz roller and my Purdy brush for cabinets. Depending on your clients preference, I either roll about 90% and brush the 10% that you can't reach with your roller , i.e. crevices, etc. This, of course leaves some stipple which is acceptable to some customers and not others. For those that don't want any stipple, I roll then back brush. With today's waterbornes, you can get a nice glassy finish by back brushing since the paints level so well. I've done many sets of cabinets this way and I don't recall any complaints. They end up looking beautiful. Maybe not "sprayed on" beautiful, but, still very nice.


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## WooPaint! (Mar 29, 2014)

Hines Painting said:


> I prefer to just go all brush.
> 
> If there is multiple large, flat sections that are seen (edge of fridge, 2 edges of island's, 3 cabinet ends, etc.) I will lay them off with a 6 inch paint pad. You can get an excellent finish this way and there is virtually zero marks.
> 
> If the doors are totally flat, with no raised framing I roll them and lay off with a paint pad as well, but other than that I just go all brush.


Thanks very much for chiming in. What is the appearance of the finish when using a paint pad to lay off? Does it look like fine stipple, or something different altogether?


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## WooPaint! (Mar 29, 2014)

Gymschu said:


> I like my Whizz roller and my Purdy brush for cabinets. Depending on your clients preference, I either roll about 90% and brush the 10% that you can't reach with your roller , i.e. crevices, etc. This, of course leaves some stipple which is acceptable to some customers and not others. For those that don't want any stipple, I roll then back brush. With today's waterbornes, you can get a nice glassy finish by back brushing since the paints level so well. I've done many sets of cabinets this way and I don't recall any complaints. They end up looking beautiful. Maybe not "sprayed on" beautiful, but, still very nice.


Thanks for the input. Rolling then back brushing was actually my inclination but wasn't sure what the "norm" was when the client didn't specify.


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## wje (Apr 11, 2009)

WooPaint! said:


> Thanks for the input. Rolling then back brushing was actually my inclination but wasn't sure what the "norm" was when the client didn't specify.


Buy a foam roller. Leaves them looking like glass. We have done many this way and have had a lot of good feedback.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I think I would just ask the client. Maybe do some samples on the back of a door or something showing the difference between rolled and brushed. 
I will sometimes roll and brush stuff like that, and sometimes use a foam roller. A mohair roller can look good too, but I don't prefer it for acrylics. 
Might be best to try to do what your most comfortable with.


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## WooPaint! (Mar 29, 2014)

wje said:


> Buy a foam roller. Leaves them looking like glass. We have done many this way and have had a lot of good feedback.


I've read others say that foam rollers don't leave a thick enough film to properly meld/level. Any issue with that? Does the use of a foam roller mandate an extra coat?


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## WooPaint! (Mar 29, 2014)

Jmayspaint said:


> I think I would just ask the client. Maybe do some samples on the back of a door or something showing the difference between rolled and brushed.
> I will sometimes roll and brush stuff like that, and sometimes use a foam roller. A mohair roller can look good too, but I don't prefer it for acrylics.
> Might be best to try to do what your most comfortable with.


I sometimes feel like I'm opening up Pandora's box when offering options to a client who doesn't really seem to express concern about that particular level of detail, but asking them explicitly may in fact be the best option.

Thanks for the suggestion.


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## Slopmeyer (Aug 2, 2009)

It seems there is a cabinet question posted every week here on PT. maybe someone should just make it a sticky.


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## wje (Apr 11, 2009)

WooPaint! said:


> I've read others say that foam rollers don't leave a thick enough film to properly meld/level. Any issue with that? Does the use of a foam roller mandate an extra coat?


I have never had an issue. I work the rollers in fairly well so they absorb more paint. I'm always on a 3 coat system. I don't use a foam roller with BIN as it sands smooth no matter how you apply it so I use a whiz for priming and foam for coats 2 and 3.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Slopmeyer said:


> It seems there is a cabinet question posted every week here on PT. maybe someone should just make it a sticky.


It wouldn't do any good. There are so many posters that come post only looking for confirmation on what they have already made up their mind to be the best way it should be done.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

straight_lines said:


> It wouldn't do any good. There are so many posters that come post only looking for confirmation on what they have already made up their mind to be the best way it should be done.


actually, I just like to show off.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

For those of you that finish doors off site, how do you wrap them? I'm not currently set up to do it, but it seems like a good time to ask since there is a lot of action in these cabinet threads.


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## WooPaint! (Mar 29, 2014)

straight_lines said:


> It wouldn't do any good. There are so many posters that come post only looking for confirmation on what they have already made up their mind to be the best way it should be done.


For what it's worth, I'm new here, and I did take the time to read other posts on the topic before asking my question. I had some approaches in mind that seemed more appropriate than others, but my mind wasn't set on any one method -- and I don't see any harm in fresh input.

Thanks.


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## wje (Apr 11, 2009)

Hines Painting said:


> For those of you that finish doors off site, how do you wrap them? I'm not currently set up to do it, but it seems like a good time to ask since there is a lot of action in these cabinet threads.


Good ok fashioned bubble wrap


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

WooPaint! said:


> For what it's worth, I'm new here, and I did take the time to read other posts on the topic before asking my question. I had some approaches in mind that seemed more appropriate than others, but my mind wasn't set on any one method -- and I don't see any harm in fresh input.
> 
> Thanks.




Sorry but that wasn't directed at you entirely. There are just so many posts across PT and the sister site CT with posters like I described.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Hines Painting said:


> For those of you that finish doors off site, how do you wrap them? I'm not currently set up to do it, but it seems like a good time to ask since there is a lot of action in these cabinet threads.


We use towels and moving blankets.


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## Repaint Florida (May 31, 2012)

wax paper :thumbsup:

24" wide X 1,500 ft cost $98


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## skinne9 (Nov 21, 2009)

I started a cabinet and vanity job today, ughh wishing I would have passed this one. Brushing and rolling the frames.

doors and drawer faces I brought home to spay with 210 ff tip. It's been in the 40s here and my little space heaters aren't cutting it. Also my garage is a single car so I have come to the conclusion never to do cabinets I can't spray on site unless I get a shop, actually I'm done with cabinets.


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## skinne9 (Nov 21, 2009)

And bubble wrap


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## MGT Painting (Jul 19, 2011)

I have used a brush on the last set of cabinets I did. BM had a product specific for brushing on but was said to look like spray... that worked well and you really couldn't see any brush strokes. I was pretty pleased. Only problem is the only color is white. As far as taking them off site I always wrap in bubble wrap and then moving blankets. You can never be too careful and I leaved them wrapped like this till I get them back in the house and ready for mounting.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

I think this depends on what kind of wood the cabinets are too. I mean oak is so easy to paint, even a monkey painting with a whisk broom could probably get them to come out okay with not so many brush marks. I was wondering lately though as I was brushing something if we are really approaching the era where the paintbrush is just going to become that extinct tool. I mean it just feels like there isn't any time anymore for the brush. You need to get that paint on fast and the brush just doesn't cut it. When thinking about whether or not you want roller stipple or brushmarks showing when you are done, I think the roller stipple is the way to go these days because what I'm really trying to do is simulate the sprayed look and if you put the paint on heavy enough and apply it properly, these flat areas can really lay down and almost look sprayed. My preferred method is to take the doors home if I can and spray them there. As for transporting them back to the jobsite, I have about 30 or so dropcloths in my van....it's very easy to wrap up all the doors in those so that no door is touching another door. Of course if you are a pig and your dropcloths are disgusting, then that is another issue.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Hines Painting said:


> For those of you that finish doors off site, how do you wrap them? I'm not currently set up to do it, but it seems like a good time to ask since there is a lot of action in these cabinet threads.


 I wasn't taking any chances with these babies


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## Gymschu (Mar 11, 2011)

Another tip that works for me is doing the prime and first coat off site. Then, reassemble all hinges and hardware and hang the doors. Then finish off with your final coat(s). This keeps you from marring a beautiful finish with fingerprints, smudges, etc. 

By the way, I love how painted cabinets look in the end but I sure hate the process of doing them.


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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

I would brush and roll. Light coats with the brush, and use a velour Wooster

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk


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## MSJ Painting (Jan 27, 2013)

We roll. Beush as little as possible. Tape off anywhere we can to avoid using the brush. Remove doors and drawers. Tape off around back of drawers if not painting the whole thing. Tape off inside of cabinets if they arent being painted, paint doors and drawers in another area if not possible to take off sight. Scuff sand, wipe clean, prime with stixx, paint with wb alkyd (pro classic usually), or sometimes with pre cat epoxy. Have yet to get a call back, and profit margin is very high for the amount of actual work required. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using PaintTalk.com mobile app


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> actually, I just like to show off.
> 
> View attachment 23288


Woo-wee nice!:yes:


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## jprefect (Mar 4, 2015)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> actually, I just like to show off.
> 
> View attachment 23288


Those look great!


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

I just finished a set of doors this morning in my garage and I used a brush to do the grooves on the Oak stained.varnished 10 year old doors and then I rolled the loaded whiz roller on the centers...then rolled the grooves and then did the edges and then finally backrolled the centers again . They turned out beautiful...and not a brush mark to be seen on them . I do one side at a time and sand between coats . I also hit the grooves twice with Bin to be safe with Oak and it helps with the coverage when coated with latex cabinet paints IMO . 1 Bin and 2 finish looks great using SICO cabinet paint . 

Tomorrow I tackle the island with some Old Masters Gel Spanish Oak . I have never used gel stain before...looks easy enough . She wants a low lustre finish on them...so I am of the thinking I will need to clear coat when I am done as I hear the Old Masters has a glossy finish ??? Anyone ???


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

Update....Old Masters Gel Stain is the cats meow ! Customer had a smile on from ear to ear like a sow eating rhubarb !!!! :thumbup: The Oak island which was stained/varnished previously was completely transformed with Spanish Oak color Gel stain....an awesome product I might add . It does have a lot of shine...but they don't seem to mind it . :thumbsup: Might be hard to do in high humidity times . I did a light sanding before brushing on the Gel...tested it and it stuck really well via a scratch test . The shop where it was purchased charged them 20 bucks a pint for it...bit expensive , but they were happy none the less...


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## Repaint Florida (May 31, 2012)

can you share some finish pic's ?


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