Oil vs. Latex for Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing

Durability

• More durable than latex, oil paints hold up well in the high traffic areas such as kitchens. Oil has a faster cure time, making it less likely for newly painted cabinets to sustain damage. Latex may take as long as two to three weeks to properly cure, putting cabinetry at risk for minor dings and scratches in the new finish. Oil paint also is less prone to shrinkage than latex paint under low-temperature conditions.

  Over time, light-colored oil paints can yellow, while dark paints may fade. Latex paints have less fading, but may stain easier and show more wear on its finish. Latex-based paint also tends to breathe better and aren't as susceptible to mildew. If using latex paint, Scott Gibson of ThisOldHouse.com encourages using 100 percent acrylic paint, which is more durable than vinyl acrylic.

Application

• According to Gibson, oil paint provides a smoother finish. The downside: It takes longer to dry, sometimes up to 24 hours between coats, and has strong odors. Latex paints have a quicker drying time and usually less odor, but regardless which type you choose, spray-on finishes rank as the smoothest. It could prove difficult and time consuming to completely seal off kitchen surfaces that you don’t painted, however.

  One alternative involves removing cabinet doors and drawer fronts before spray-coating them with paint, and then using a brush on the cabinet frames. Gibson recommends high-quality brushes and suggests avoiding foam applicators and rollers. Both high- and semi-gloss paint facilitate dirt and grease removal, which is often a priority in the kitchen.

Cleanup

• The primary benefit to using latex instead of oil paint is that you need just water and soap to remove paint from tools and brushes. Cleanup of oil-based paint requires fume-causing, and often flammable, solvents such turpentine. In addition, oil paints rank as hazardous waste, making disposal of unused paint potentially problematic.

Cost

• When it comes to price, oil and latex paint are fairly comparable. Oil-based paints do cost slightly more overall, when you factor in the expense of solvents required for cleanup and possible waste-disposal fees.