I’ve actually tried one of those cabinet refinishing kits (the Rust-Oleum one, if I remember right) on a flip a couple years back. Honestly, it was a mixed bag. The process is definitely less messy than full-on sanding and priming, but I found the finish a bit plasticky compared to traditional paint. Durability-wise, it held up okay for about a year, but I started noticing chips around the handles—probably from renters not being gentle.
You nailed it with this:
Even with the kit, I had to do a fair amount of cleaning and light sanding to get decent adhesion. The “no sanding required” claim is a stretch, at least if you want it to last.“Prep still matters way more than the paint label, at least in my experience.”
Humidity’s a killer too. I’ve had similar issues in kitchens with poor ventilation—paint just doesn’t stand a chance if there’s constant steam. If you’re flipping or renting, I’d stick with the old-school method unless you’re in a real time crunch. The kits are fine for a quick facelift, but I wouldn’t trust them for heavy-use kitchens.
That lines up with my experience too—those kits are tempting when you’re counting every dollar, but they’re not a miracle fix. I tried one on my own cabinets last year, and while it looked decent at first, the wear around the high-touch spots showed up fast. I did a ton of degreasing and still felt like the finish was just sitting on top. If you’ve got the patience, old-school sanding and a good primer really do make a difference, even if it’s a pain. Sometimes shortcuts just end up costing more in the long run...
I totally get what you mean about the finish just sitting on top. I used one of those “all-in-one” kits on my bathroom vanity, thinking it’d be a quick win, but after a few months, the spots around the handles started chipping. I did all the prep—degreased, lightly sanded, followed every step—but it still didn’t hold up like I hoped. Maybe I was a little too optimistic about skipping the heavy sanding.
If you’ve got the patience, old-school sanding and a good primer really do make a difference, even if it’s a pain.
That’s what I keep hearing from people who’ve done this more than once. It’s just hard to commit to all that work when you’re staring at a mountain of cabinets and only have weekends free. Has anyone tried using a sprayer instead of brushes or rollers for primer and paint? Wondering if that makes the process less painful or if it’s just another learning curve...
Sprayers are a bit of a double-edged sword, honestly. I’ve used them on a few kitchen flips, and there’s definitely a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, the finish is way smoother than what you get with brushes or rollers. That said, prep is even more important when you’re spraying—every little speck of dust or missed patch will show up. And you’ve got to mask off *everything* unless you want that fine mist settling all over your counters and floors. I made that mistake once and spent more time cleaning overspray than I did painting.
About skipping heavy sanding—I get the temptation, especially with a mountain of cabinets staring you down. But in my experience, if the old finish is glossy at all, even the best “all-in-one” kits don’t bond well. Light sanding isn’t always enough, particularly around high-touch areas like handles. I tried to shortcut it once with a deglosser instead of sanding, and it still chipped after a while. It’s one of those cases where the boring prep work really does pay off down the line.
If you do go with a sprayer, practice on something less visible first. The technique’s not hard to pick up, but uneven passes or going too heavy can cause drips or weird texture. Also, cleaning the sprayer takes longer than cleaning a brush or roller—something I didn’t factor in at first.
End of the day, it’s a tradeoff between time now and headaches later. If you can swing it, maybe sand and prime just the doors and drawer fronts—the parts people actually see and touch—and use a roller for the boxes? Not perfect, but sometimes good enough is...well, good enough when you’re balancing weekends and sanity.
I get where you’re coming from about sanding, but I’ve actually had decent luck with deglossers—maybe it depends on the cabinet material or the paint? I did a rental kitchen last year and skipped the heavy sanding (just a quick scuff and deglosser), and it’s held up surprisingly well so far. I think the key is being super thorough with cleaning and not rushing the dry times. Sprayers are great for a pro finish, but honestly, for most folks doing a DIY, a good roller and patience can get you 90% of the way there without all the masking drama. Sometimes “good enough” really is just fine, especially if you’re not planning to stay in the house forever.
