Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint Review
Thinking of painting your cabinets? I used Valspar Cabinet Paint on my kitchen cabinets in my camper and I’m sharing my honest opinion on the paint. Additionally, I have five tips for using Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint to achieve a smooth, professional looking finish.
There are many different types and brands of paint that can be used on furniture. I’ve found a type of paint that is my favorite to use on cabinets.
It’s called alkyd enamel or oil-enriched enamel paint. All major paint manufacturers have this type of paint, but figuring out which can and which brand to buy can be tricky.
This post will give you everything you need to know about using Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint from Lowe’s.
Overview of Alkyd Enamel Paint
I have a full post explaining everything you could want to know and more about alkyd paint. I tested 6 brands of this type of paint side by side, including Valspar. If you’re thinking about painting your cabinets, I would highly recommend reading that post.
In a nutshell, alkyd enamel paint is now a water-based paint that mimics the properties of oil-based paint. It levels really well and dries to a durable, washable finish which are both essential for kitchen cabinet paint.
Every paint manufacturer and store now sells a version of this paint. Valspar paint is the paint sold at Lowe’s and based on everything I’ve researched, Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Oil-Enriched Enamel Paint is this brand’s version of this type of paint.
If you’re interested in the names of the paint sold at other home improvement stores, this post will also give you all the details on the types of cabinet paint sold at each store.
Pros and Cons of Valspar Cabinet Paint
Just like with any type of paint I use, there are pros and cons to each one. I’ve specifically listed the pros and cons to this brand of paint after using it on a couple of projects, including the cabinets in my camper.
Pros of Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint
- Dries to a durable, washable finish
- Dries to a smooth finish
- Longer “open” dry time, which allows you to touch up the paint without those touchups showing later
- Can be tinted to almost any color
Cons of Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint
- Thinner consistency which causes more dripping
- Paint can sag when drying so it’s important to keep an eye on those places during initial dry time
- Probability that you’ll need to paint at least 3 coats (I painted three coats on my RV cabinets and should have done one more. White is always the most difficult when it comes to coverage, but I also primed my cabinets before painting and it still needed 3+ coats.)
- Different colors (in the same sheen) have performed differently for me.
Tips for Using Valspar Cabinet Paint
I’ve used this paint on a piece of furniture and the cabinets in my camper. Now that I’ve used the paint on cabinets, I have some specific tips that are important to follow when using this particular brand of paint.
1. Make sure the can is mixed well
Make sure to use your paint shortly after getting it mixed at the store. If you need to wait a couple of weeks between buying the paint and using the paint, go back to the store and ask them to remix it for you in their paint shaker machine.
Although I’d recommend this tip for any type of paint, it’s especially important for this brand of paint. I noticed a lot of settling in my can, and had to stir (and stir and stir) before it was combined enough to paint with.
2. Less is more
To minimize drips and sagging, be sure to use the least amount of paint as possible. This is helpful whenever you’re painting cabinets and trying to achieve a smooth finish, but it’s especially important with this paint. Whenever you’re painting with your brush, use the least amount of paint as possible and just cover the tips of the bristles.
3. Use a foam roller when possible
Whenever possible, I’d recommend using a foam roller or a mohair roller with this paint. These types of rollers don’t hold very much paint, so it works well for this paint which naturally has a thinner consistency. Also, be sure to roll off any excess paint before applying the paint on your cabinets.
I have a full post where I compared six types of rollers to find the one that gave the smoothest finish. Mohair and foam were the winners, and a few were horrible!
4. Watch for drips
This paint has a thinner consistency than most other water-based paints (due to the fact that it’s an oil blend). This means that drips are more likely to occur around edges, corners, or on the wet edge of a brush stroke. Be sure to check often for drips.
Even if you checked a spot once, go back and check a few more times during the dry time process. Use a brush or roller to smooth out any drips while the paint is still wet.
A major benefit to this paint is that it has a very long “open” time. Or, in other words, it takes a longer time to dry which allows you to go back and touch up places without the brush marks showing once it’s dry.
5. Sand between coats
Again, I recommend this step with any type of paint, but doing this with Valspar paint will create that smooth finish that the paint is made to create. Even in those places where I didn’t catch the drip in time to go over it with my brush, I was able to sand it out and the next coat went on well and dried super smooth. You can’t tell a drip originally dried there!
I hope you found this post helpful! I’m working on video reviews of every major brand that makes this type of paint for cabinets. Stay tuned!
Painting your kitchen cabinets? These posts will be very helpful!
Post by Jenny Leads
Jenny is the voice behind Refresh Living. She has a passion for helping people to create a home they love without spending a lot of money.
I tried the Valspar paint and had to quit using it because of the strong smell. I ended up buying another brand acrylic paint.
That’s a REALLY good point that I should add to this post. It has a much stronger smell than any other “cabinet paints” from other brands. Very similar to the smell of oil-based paint. Thanks for sharing!