Painting - Painting kitchen cabinets

We are re-painting our kitchen cabinets, but my frustration s with getting a good finish. We thoroughly sanded the old paint, then washed w/ ammonia-water. I started brushing on an oil-based gloss (Ben-Moore Impervo). Can someone offer tips -- PLEASE!? Being a heavy (viscous) paint, how do you avoid the brush marks and thick-and-thin spots? The gloss shows them badly! Is a roller better? What type? I read on a different thread to be prepared to do 3 or 4 coats. Does this apply to my situation? Do I need to brush out each coat more thinly?
THANKS!!
BW

Check THIS (http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=198934&highlight=roll+lay+method) thread, and scroll down to my second post for instructions on how to paint cabinets/furniture with the roll on, lay off methed.

Thinning the paint would help [sparingly]. Also use a good brush intended for oil base. A roller may help. It will allow you to coat the cabinets quicker. If using a roller you need to 'tip off' the paint with a brush. Basically just using the brush to eliminate the roller marks. Some lay it off with a roller, this willl leave an orange peel effect on the finish. It will probably take 3 coats. You will know more after the second coat.

Thanks to all! Those are new techniques to me. I will definitely try them on the cabinet doors, as they are such large and conspicuous surfaces. I was considering taking them off and painting them on sawhorses, so that they'll be horizontal & less prone to get runs/sags? Necessary?

BW

I would take the doors off to paint. Not so much for the reason you stated but it is easier and looks better if you remove all the har5dware

Thanks again to all of you.

After a day of painting on the cabinets (roll on - lay off method) I think I'm getting better at it......not great, but a big improvement over the first effort w/ brush only. Maybe I'm being too fussy...my perfectionist tendency....but it's still not all that smooth. Brush strokes are still visible for sure. Using the best brush that our local hardware sells, about a $9 china bristle. (Still not good enough?) Or perhaps the paint should be thinned even more? Using Ben-Mo Satin oil enamel, with a little paint thinner mixed in.

Perhaps 2nd coat will look better. But even if not, we are very pleased with it all the same.....Thanks again :)
BW

Try using Penetrol. Add it to an oil paint.

"Brush strokes are still visible for sure"
The way to get rid of brush marks is to not use a brush.

Roll it on with whatever you want to then lay it off with a foam brush or a paint pad like the ones you use to paint around windows or at the ceiling line[see link below]. If you insist on using a brush --use an additive that retards the drying process[dries slower]giving it a longer time to level out if it is going to at all.Thinning the paint makes it dry faster :wall: Penetrol helps but ist is not as good as eliminating the brush.

http://padco.com/default.cfm?PID=1.1.2

If you use the pad make sure to get an oil compatable one. I think they mostly all are.

Thanks Joneq. I'd already tried a foam brush yesterday. It too was coming out streaky. So I went this afternoon to buy a paint-pad (different brand from what you linked -- do they vary much in quality?) So far Im much happier with how it is looking. And if it flows out more before drying than it will finish great. I appreciate your help! :thumbup:
BW

pretty much the same. If it looks ok then you got the right one. I wouldn't even think of painting a kitchen with a brush[especially gloss paint]. I also use a foam roller on the walls=beautiful. Mostle only in the kitchen and bathroom becauce there is little actual wall space. Much easier to clean up if you choose to use latex. I think a lot of your probs come from the oil paint. There is really no need to use it now a days. imo.

Good thoughts. We most always use the latexes. However, many painters & sellers have said that an oil-based enamel is going to hold up far better under the kind of constant heavy use & cleaning necessary on kitchen cabinets.
BW

Oil base will wear better. However the high end latex is getting progressively better. Next time try a product like Sherwin Williams Pro Classic waterborne. It is one of the better paints I've ever used.