Craftsman Kitchen Renovation Beginnings

[nhguy]

WOW! Sorry to shout. That's amazing, truly. Thanks for posting this as we have made few if any decisions. We are really gathering ideas and married to nothing except making the new kitchen blend with the rest of the home. It's always a challenge, but when you get it right, like the kitchen you posted you just know it.

He has a new post where he goes into detail about how he re-used the existing cabinet carcass' (I feel so strange using that word but that's what they're called, right ?), and made the best use of what was already there.

It all seems pretty sound except for painting the cabinets with a latex paint. I would NOT do that. I swear by Benjamin Moore Advance, which is a water based alkyd, that dries to a hard enamel finish. It's a little pricey but it's an excellent product. I really don't like how most latex paints remain a little gummy when used on a non-wall/non-ceiling surface.

https://manhattan-nest.com/2019/12/18/5-ways-to-add-new-life-to-old-cabinets/

The photos are really helpful to understand how the cabinets were reconfigured. I think it's a really sensible approach. Your cabinets look like they are from the 50's or early 60's - so they are probably well built from wood, and would probably withstand modifications ?

Interesting about the BM Advance paint. I use BM Aura for lots of painting projects now. I have seen Advance on the shelves but never tried it, but will in the future. The cabinets are from 1954 when the last major renovation took place.

[Willa]

The only drawback with the Advance paint is that you have to wait a minimum of 16 hours before you recoat, even though it is dry to the touch in less than this time. If you don't respect the recoat dry time your finish will be less good as the texture has been disturbed.

It's a little runny and drippy. I have to keep reminding myself to have enough paint on the brush to make a smooth finish. Translation: a slight learning curve with this product. The feel of it, once it is cured, is identical to oil based enamel, though. It's tough, even in areas of heavy use. I particularly like the high gloss finish for trim, doors, etc. It's not as super shiny as the worst of the oil based enamels. As far as I know there is no Advance type product for exterior use.

[Manalto]

I use BM Aura for lots of painting projects now. I have seen Advance on the shelves but never tried it, but will in the future.

It's funny that I should encounter this topic now. Just this morning I put an unused quart of Advance by the door to donate to my local thrift store.

My experience with Advance has not been positive. Two years after painting, the surface retains a gummy/rubbery feeling. I used it in the most unfortunate of places, too - the trim in the bathroom - so one comes in frequent contact with it when reaching into the doorway to turn on the light. I believe I waited the requisite 18 hours for the second coat (I usually wait at least a day) but it's possible I didn't. In any case, I can't get used to the weird consistency and behavior of the paint on the brush. A second project I did, the trim in a friend's guest room, had the same results. This is a high price to pay for the luxury of water I'm one of those odd few who finds painting meditative and gratifying (ceilings, not so much) so I'm willing to endure the minor inconvenience of clean-up with mineral spirits in order to experience the benefits of oil-based paint and its hard, glossy surface.

Just after I painted the bathroom trim, I had the empty can in the back of my truck. I was at a friend's house and his father, a contractor, noticed the spent can. "What do you think of Advance?" he asked. Before I had a chance to respond, "Terrible stuff." he added. I'm inclined to agree.

[Willa]

My experience with Advance has not been positive. Two years after painting, the surface retains a gummy/rubbery feeling. I used it in the most unfortunate of places, too - the trim in the bathroom - so one comes in frequent contact with it when reaching into the doorway to turn on the light. I believe I waited the requisite 18 hours for the second coat (I usually wait at least a day) but it's possible I didn't. In any case, I can't get used to the weird consistency and behavior of the paint on the brush. A second project I did, the trim in a friend's guest room, had the same results. This is a high price to pay for the luxury of water I'm one of those odd few who finds painting meditative and gratifying (ceilings, not so much) so I'm willing to endure the minor inconvenience of clean-up with mineral spirits in order to experience the benefits of oil-based paint and its hard, glossy surface.

Just after I painted the bathroom trim, I had the empty can in the back of my truck. I was at a friend's house and his father, a contractor, noticed the spent can. "What do you think of Advance?" he asked. Before I had a chance to respond, "Terrible stuff." he added. I'm inclined to agree.

Wow - that is very odd. You should contact Benjamin Moore with regards to this. That has not been my experience with this product at all.

In all the areas I have used it here (6 rooms worth of trim and doors) I had to paint out the existing trim with an adhesion primer. I never painted directly onto old oil or latex paint. I wonder if that is the missing link in the differences in performance ? I doubt there is a different formula in Canada vs USA ?

Any other Advance users want to share their experiences ?

[Manalto]

In all the areas I have used it here (6 rooms worth of trim and doors) I had to paint out the existing trim with an adhesion primer. I never painted directly onto old oil or latex paint. I wonder if that is the missing link in the differences in performance ? I doubt there is a different formula in Canada vs USA ?

This could be the difference. I'm not sure what the previous trim paint was in either case, but I did wash with TSP and lightly sand all surfaces before painting. I'm glad your experience was successful!

On a related note, what does "paint out" mean? Is that a Canadianism?

[Willa]

By "paint out" I meant covering the charcoal grey almost black paint that was on 100% of the trim and doors. Paint out = erase or neutralize so I could cover with a light color.

Is it a Canadianism ? I better have a seat on the Chesterfield to consider this ?

[Gothichome]

Well most definitely Willa, a nice comfy one.

[GinaC]

May I adopt "have a seat on the Chesterfield" since my loveseat is actually Chesterfield styled?

[Willa]

I think there's a bunch of strange Canadian terms (well, strange to non-Canadians) but they are all escaping me except for the chesterfield thing. And wearing a toque (pronounced took, with a long o sound). Canada's big, so there are also many regional terms. Maritime slang does not sound like prairie slang. Canadians, pipe up ?

I think Chesterfield - meaning couch or sofa - is a 1950's - 70's term, as I can't recall any of my friends using it today ? But my mother (b. 1929) would definitely use this term. Print ads and tv ads of today don't announce "Big Chesterfield Blowout Sale" for example. At least not in Vancouver, Toronto or London (ON).

[nhguy]

I use BM Aura for lots of painting projects now. I have seen Advance on the shelves but never tried it, but will in the future.

It's funny that I should encounter this topic now. Just this morning I put an unused quart of Advance by the door to donate to my local thrift store.

My experience with Advance has not been positive. Two years after painting, the surface retains a gummy/rubbery feeling. I used it in the most unfortunate of places, too - the trim in the bathroom - so one comes in frequent contact with it when reaching into the doorway to turn on the light. I believe I waited the requisite 18 hours for the second coat (I usually wait at least a day) but it's possible I didn't. In any case, I can't get used to the weird consistency and behavior of the paint on the brush. A second project I did, the trim in a friend's guest room, had the same results. This is a high price to pay for the luxury of water I'm one of those odd few who finds painting meditative and gratifying (ceilings, not so much) so I'm willing to endure the minor inconvenience of clean-up with mineral spirits in order to experience the benefits of oil-based paint and its hard, glossy surface.

Just after I painted the bathroom trim, I had the empty can in the back of my truck. I was at a friend's house and his father, a contractor, noticed the spent can. "What do you think of Advance?" he asked. Before I had a chance to respond, "Terrible stuff." he added. I'm inclined to agree.

Hmm interesting experience. I painted trim in our guest room with a BM latex. It was the first time I had used a latex on trim in a very long time. Our local hardware store still sells an interior oil, which will be my go to on the next project. I still have all my gallons of mineral spirits going back a few decades. Great stuff as in between projects all the solids fall to the bottom leaving clean mineral spirits for brush washing.