
Our crew at Red Truck Painting performs several cabinet painting project's in Rochester every year. We have learned from experience to only use the toughest enamels on these surfaces.
Traditionally cabinets have been painted using a oil based product, or sometimes an exterior paint is used. This is in attempt to coat the surface with a hard, durable product. These products are often times difficult to work with.
Enter Cabinet Coat. It is an Acrylic so it is easy to work with, dries pretty fast (6 hours to recoat) and cleans up with soap and water. It doesn't have that nasty smell either.
Cabinet Coat goes on very thin - which lends for a very smooth finish, perfect for cabinetry. And it dries hard, leaving a durable finish you can live with and not worry about it chipping off. To see more on the proper preparations and procedures, see our process on Rochester Cabinet Painting.

The Advance is easy to work with like cabinet coat. It does take longer to dry before recoat (16 hours.) And it does take a bit more elbow grease to sand. It dries to a very similar mil thickness (1.35) It has slightly more solids by volume than Cabient Coat (33 vs 39%)
We prefer Advance slightly. Why? When it dries it is really hard! The bottom line - this paint is easy to work with, lays down extremely smooth, and creates a tough finish that is perfect for cabinets.
Here are some specs for Cabinet Coat. Both products are owner by Benjamin Moore, and have similar application instructions. Here is a link for Benjamin Moore Advance.
Cabinet Coat™
Urethane Acrylic Satin Enamel
CC-45XX Series
Type: Urethane Reinforced Acrylic Sheen: Satin Theoretical Spread Rate: 350 - 450 Sq. Ft. Per Gallon* Recommended Application : Brush, Roller or HVLP Spray Thinner : Do Not Thin Clean Up: Warm Soapy Water Drying Schedule: Tack Free: 1 Hr. @ 77ºF Recoat: 6 Hrs. @ 77ºF Full Cure: 7 Days
Cabinet Coat™ is the ultimate finish for refurbishing dingy kitchen and bathroom cabinets, shelving, furniture, trim & crown molding and other interior applications that require an ultrasmooth, factory like finish with long lasting beauty. Its super adhering quality allows painting "hard to stick" surfaces, even polyurethane and varnish, without using a primer. Cabinet Coat™ has excellent flow and leveling, superior stain resistance and an extremely durable satin finish that will allow cabinetry to look like new for years. Not appropriate for surfaces that will be immersed in liquid (sinks and tubs) or for stove or oven surfaces.
WHERE TO USE: Interior & Exterior SUBSTRATES: Cabinets, Metal, New & Previously Painted Wood, Furniture, Woodwork, Doors Trim. APPLICATIONS: For exterior use, limit to small areas of trim. Do not use as a whole house wall paint.
SURFACE PREPARATION: General – All surface areas to be painted should be clean, dry, sound and free of all dirt, grease,oils, waxes, mildew and any other surface contaminants that can cause paint failure. Dirt and chalk should be thoroughly removed by scrubbing with warm soapy water. Surface wax should be removed with a commercial wax stripper. Grease residue should be removed with INSL-X® PC-2000 Citrus Cleaner. Remove all loose chipping, cracking and peeling from previously painted surfaces by hand scraping, sanding, wire brushing and/or by use of power tool cleaning methods such as electric sanders, grinders, etc. Remove any loose rust, mill scale, rust deposits from metal surfaces by the same methods described above in accordance with SSPC – (Steel Structures Painting Council) specifications for the proper surface preparation of metal surfaces. Repair/replace any seriously damaged and/or delaminated surface areas. Lightly feather sand all rough paint edges to adjacent surface area. All glossy surface areas should be lightly sanded to effectively dull any existing sheen and create a more suitable surface for painting. Glossy Surfaces – Although Cabinet Coat™ is formulated to be applied to hard to coat surfaces without the need for sanding, it is recommended that proper surface preparation still be completed to enhance adhesion properties. Surfaces such as Melamine Laminate, Formica®, ceramic tile and glossy painted surfaces should be properly deglossed. Previously Painted Surfaces: No primer is needed if surface is in good condition. Clean or and as described above. Spot prime bare spots with an initial coat of Cabinet Coat®. Melamine Laminate or Formica®: No primer needed. Lightly sand with fine sandpaper. Remove sanding dust with tack rag. Ferrous Metal: Prime bare spots with metal primer.
APPLICATION: Cabinet Coat™ applies easily with a quality brush or roller. If spraying is desired, the preferred method is HVLP. Stir product thoroughly before using. It is important to maintain a wet edge during all methods of paint application by brushing or rolling into previously applied coating area. Overworking Cabinet Coat™ can lead to brush marks or roller marks, as this product dries quickly.