Kitchen cabinet advice needed.

[Andy Howard]

Hey guys, I am in need of advice.

My kitchen cabinets are painted white, and I have a problem area right in front of the sink. The counter top only sticks out about 2 inches in front of the sink, and it seems that water is always dripping down the front of the cabinets underneath. There is a small hinged door above a larger regular door under the sink. Water loves to collect and sit right on top of these doors.

The original paint peeled off, so I thought I would just repaint. I debated what to use, but ultimately went with Sherwin Williams Pro classic waterborne in white. That was probably 6 months ago, and the peeling is already started again, and seems to be worse.

The underlying material is MDF, so I have no option but to paint.

So, a few questions.

Would Thinning and spraying the Pro Classic cause it to loose its water resistance? I sprayed last time with my HVLP setup, but I could certainly roll or brush it on this time?

Should I switch to something like Target Ultima Spray Lacquer? I just need regular white, and I know Homestead will tint it. Is USL more water resistant than Pro-classic?

Also, anyone know a good primer to use first for either?

Thanks
Andy

[Jim Becker]

USL is designed for spraying...and would be my choice for this kind of project. My entire kitchen was finished in 2003 with the Target product (PSL...the predecessor to USL) and has held up beautifully.

[Larry Fox]

I agree with Jim on the USL. Question though, if they are MDF and have been exposed to water that migh introduce some issues as MDF is not real fond of water.

[Andy Howard]

I agree with Jim on the USL. Question though, if they are MDF and have been exposed to water that migh introduce some issues as MDF is not real fond of water.

Larry,

I have been keeping an eye on it, and I do not believe that the MDF itself has absorbed any water. Just wondering if I did something wrong with the Pro-Classic, as it didnt take long to peel off?

I would love to use the USL, but the major problem I have is the fact that I can not remove the cabinets for spraying. I can certainly take the doors off, and spray them, but the base and upper cabinets can not be moved.

Thanks,
Andy

[Larry Fox]

Andy, while Jim is definitely right that the USL is designed to be sprayed, it can also be brusehd on. There is an article by Jeff Jewitt on Target's site about it.

http://www.targetcoatings.com/technician-jeff.html

[Jim Becker]

You're right Larry...I was more making a comparison between the USL and the ProClassic; the latter is not easy to spray since it's very thick.

[Andy Howard]

Jim and Larry,

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it.

I did not think brushing USL was an option. I guess it really boils down to which one is more water and wear resistant?

Thanks,
Andy