Disclosure: Rust-Oleum paid for my transportation, lodging and food to attend this special event in New Orleans, where I could test this new product and hear directly from their company experts. There was no promise of news coverage. Opinions are my own.
Repainting your kitchen cabinets has historically been one of the most thankless home renovation projects. I say “thankless,” because in my experience, even after cleaning, sanding (argh), priming, then repainting — the doors still get chippy and the cabinets can still look kind of chalky and blah. It’s a lot of work with iffy results. Now, though, it seems like the folks at Rustoleum have come up with a new DIY painting system — Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations — that promises at least four major benefits: (1) No stripping, sanding or priming required, (2) excellent paint adhesion, (3) high-quality looks, and (4) a price tag less than $150. With this product, the company seems to be making a major move on today’s kitchen renovation market — which, in the wake of the Great Recession, is about working with what we have — especially what we have is existing, functional cabinetry. Of course, people still want an updated look, and Rustoleum is aiming to deliver it — in this cabinet-painting kit. My prediction: This product has all the makings of a huge hit.
Last week, I was one of 10 home renovation and design bloggers invited by Rustoleum to see and experience this new product.
Another benefit of Rustoleum’s new system is that everything you need comes in one kit, except for brushes and gloves. Before you start, remove and number the doors and set them up “assembly line” fashion for efficiency. If you’re going to change your cabinet pulls, this is also the time to drill new holes and fill the old.
5 steps to repaint your kitchen cabinets
Step #1 is to use their special solution to clean the cabinets. Their cleaner is formulated to remove grease and grime and to bring up the “tooth” of the wood, so that you don’t need sanding. Oh, and let me properly introduce you to Ashley Lehrmann, pictured throughout playing the role of DIY painter. She is Senior Brand Manager, Rustoleum — and this product has been her baby for the past two years.
Steps #2 and #3 — Paint the kitchen cabinets using the tinted “bond coat” paint provided. Two coats, dry between according to instructions. I’ll talk more about colors in a moment. No noxious fumes (read more on the website), in fact, they tell you to close all your windows while painting to avoid dust and such from ruining the finish.
Step #4 — Optional — Add glaze, also provided. You apply the glaze… then wipe it off to get the effect you like. For example, you can only do the beaded areas for slight antiquing. The glaze helps emphasize the wood grain. But, you can leave the glaze off altogether for a solid color look.
Step #5 — Apply clear top coat (oopsy, no photo)…. and you’re done and ready to reinstall your doors. You’ll be painting both sides of the doors. And, you’re also going to paint the inside of the cabinet (no glaze, typically.) Of course: Read all the instructions on the box — and be sure to check out the Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations website, which should win an award for its presentation and thoroughness in today’s digital age. Nicely done.
Where to buy Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations
Pricing:
- $79.99 for the small kit — enough to cover 100 s.f.
- $149.99 for the large kit — for 200 s.f.
Where to buy:
- Check the website… but retailers include big box stores like Home Depot, Lowes and Menards… and there are smaller, more localized retailers, too.
Etc:
- Good on laminate and melamine, too.
- And yes: It will work on metal cabinets, too. Although you will get a satin finish, not a high-gloss enamel. Plus they said scuff up the metal and prime it, too. (Precautionary Pam reminds: Test for lead paint, consult with pro’s re proper safety and environmental precautions.) That said — they offered to talk to me further about other potential DIY solutions for our beloved steel cabinets. Stay tuned.
If you are super duper cost conscious, I think that you *could* do this project for less money, by using the “tried and trued” tools of sandpaper, primer and paint. But, I was convinced this $80-$150 expenditure looked well worth it, for a number of reasons:
- Rustoleum is a company that is all about “surfaces.” From their presentation it certainly seemed that they recognized the need for a paint system that combined excellent adhesion with professional quality looks. You DON’T want your painted kitchen cabinets to chip! I guess, like a 10-year-old car, we’ll see if their reassurances hold up, but from the look of the finish in person, I’d tend to think it will.
- In the same vein, the quality of the finish appeared to be excellent — the cabinets were beautiful. The two coats of color went on like liquid butter — there was both opacity and smooth flow. No lumps, nothing like that. I’ve spent many hours poking around kitchen stores looking at kitchen doors, and these looked like ringers to high-end painted-glazed kitchen doors to me.
- They had me at “no sanding.”
Retro kitchen cabinet colors
So now, let’s talk colors — vintage, retro, mid-century colors. There are 35 kitchen cabinet colors in the Transformations line right now, add glaze and they offer 70 looks in all.
In terms of the solid colors offered, I thought that a few — including a yellow, some of the blues, some of the whites, and even a Brady Bunch orange — had potential for our mid century kitchens. Except for the whites, the blue above, and the avocado green, though, none of them were what I’d call “retro”. Alas.
They also had a bundle of wood tones. I believe we were told that the Kona was selling like hotcakes. Again, though, nothing jumped out at me a “perfect” retro woodtone. In fact, I thought lots of the colors had a strange orange cast. I believe Rustoleum when they said they had consulted with professional color marketers and forecasters. I admit, I am out of touch with what’s popular “today” — I need to get me to a kitchen store to prowl around. To be sure, Rustoleum is aiming for the heart and soul of the mainstream, and that ain’t us, I guess… although, I certainly see “Retro” as an revival trend right now. Ummm, they had Greige, of course.
Yes, alas, no aquamarine, and wouldn’t it be fabulous to have, say, Mamie pink, sunbeam yellow, maybe a Ming green. The good news, though, is that the paint in the kit is tinted at the store when you buy it. So, it’s not an impossible thought that new color formulations could be developed — and they certainly know that Retro Renovation wants retro colors. I’ll keep in touch with Rustoleum about it… Meanwhile, if you are really hot to trot to freshen your cabinets, I’d for sure to out at look at the options available with this system.
On the use of glazes for mid century kitchen cabinets: Yes, I have seen marketing materials that indicated glazes were used on wood cabinets back in the day:
For example, these 1959 Fashionwood cabinets, above. Okay, maybe this is not “glaze over paint” — this may be a stain – but I think you can get the same basic look with the Rustoleum Transformations. The “avocado” color I mentioned before is achieved with a glaze.
As a reference for midcentury woodtones, here is another post I did about wood stain colors for television cabinetry from 1956.
And, here is another reference post — color combinations for wood kitchen cabinets from 1953. Of course, we have a gazillion more images all over the site and in the Galleries that show vintage kitchens with their original finishes.
More stories about mid century paint colors and kitchen cabinets
Point is, I have a number of resource references for retro kitchen cabinet colors on the blog:
- All my paint color palettes for mid century homes.
- All my stories about kitchen cabinets for mid century homes.
- And if you’re looking to design a retro kitchen, be sure to read my complete Retro Kitchen “get started” page here!
Many thanks to the team from Rustoleum, along with their media agency, Empower MediaMarketing, for the excellent preview event. Tomorrow: Photos of some of the fun.
While they say it is good on all types of cabinets, did they actually have samples of laminate, etc for you to see/test?
No samples of laminate there. Do you have laminate cabinets?
I have laminate!!! Any samples of how it worked? I have laminate woodgrain looking very dark, maybe call it walnut. I was thinking of doing my kitchen in either grays and yellow and doing cupboards white. OR should i just keep the dark cupboards? OH and I have the pink tiled bathroom with the black tirangular trimming or diamonds maybe they are and going to redo that this spring. already got ideas! excited!
and also in my pink bathroom, i had bought 21 yrs ago a black pedestal sink and toilet. keeping them UNLESS i can afford maybe a white set have you ever seen a pink retro bathroom with this? will it still look kinda modern retro you think? also going chrome or aluminum or polished nickel you get the idea for hardware and mirror and lighting.
Sue, I think that pink with black is fantastic… very deco, glamorous.
I have a pink bathroom with black fixtures and it’s a great combination
No, I don’t have laminate cabinets and would never have the confidence to tackle such a big project, but I was thinking this might be a good product for a small piece of furniture. I asked the question because it’s easy to showcase the ideal example, but was wondering about other types of applications. I’m wondering how this would work on a coffee table with a veneer, for example.
When I was redoing my kitchen several years ago, I couldn’t find affordable metal cabinets, and doing it myself was out of the question, so I don’t have a retro kitchen. I do have a ton of retro stuff — family” heirlooms” mostly in my 50s ranch.
It seems the key to achieving good results on these projects, it takes a combination of skill and thoughtful product selection.
I’m wondering if this product could be appropriate to use on a couple of small projects I have going, a little wooden chest of drawers and a little tool bench. It would be nice to have kitchen cabinet durability.
I’m also wondering if you could have tint added, like you do to regular paint/stain, in order to get the color you really want.
Yes, Marta, the product can be used on furniture also — Rustoleum show some photos on their website. And, yes, you can have the bonding/paint custom tinted. However, to get the custom tint, you are going to have to buy it from a paint store that will work with you to experiment to get it right. As of now, there are no “formulas” — I am told that different retailers/paint companies have different systems.
Call me Mrs. Blandings, but I always take in a sample of the color so they can read it on the spectrophotometer. Scraps of fabric, paint chips, etc.
They can read anything that fits under the machine, but the sample has to be large enough. I was told they needed about a square inch, but you can cobble together smaller samples, like when I cut the little stripe off a wallpaper border and taped the pieces together from the back.
Marta,
I pieced together a similar system with off-the-shelf items: a deglosser by Klean Strip, and a primer (bond coat), brand new product by Rustoleum (Bulls Eye Zero) that is custom tintable. We had trouble tinting it to the color I wanted because it is not a standard paint base with a known quantity of white pigment in it. This product has a lot of white in it, and not much room for tint so it ended up lighter than I wanted. I think the product this blog is about will have less white pigment in it, but it will still be guesswork on the part of your paint guy.
The deglosser worked great, and the bond coat went on superbly. When it dries in a few minutes I’m going to top coat it with tinted latex wall paint and then seal it with a water-based polyurethane. The glaze is the only part of the equation I haven’t figured out yet.
Mark, At the event I went to with Rustoleum, they said that they had taken their glazing queues from a sister company, Modern Masters. (Both companies are owned by the same parent company, RPM, I believe it is called.) Here is the link to Modern Masters’ product page: http://www.modernmastersinc.com/products.asp?mode=category&bid=6
I think you are correct in how you have “reverse engineered” the process. I think you also are correct in identifying a key problem: Getting the primer to tint to the color that you want. For sure, Rustoleum has anticipated the problem with their “secret sauce” tints that go into their kit product. One idea: If you can identify that you want one of the colors in their kit — you could always ask Home Depot or Lowes or whoever to tint the Bulls Eye Zero using that formula. I am going to bet you would get close. I’d love to see how your project turns out — send me a Contact when you’re done and we can connect re photos. Many thanks! Pam
I swear by Benjamin Moore Fresh Start and 2 coats of Satin Impervo Alkyd.
Six years, no chips and very durable.
…and I found that “breaking the job up”- sections 1, 2, 3- over a period of several months forced me to do better quality work.
The task of painting 16 disassembled cupboards, doors and drawers all at once; in my tiny 9×9 kitchen, somewhat insured that I’d be doing a crappy job by the end! Completing it in stages was not so daunting.
This is fantasitc, Pam. Thanks for sharing. I was just thinking how I needed to repaint my kitchen cabinets less than a year after they were professionally painted. Wonder if it is available in Canada? Wasn’t evident from their website.
The product will only be available in Home Depot stores in the Toronto area in a few weeks.
It’s really sad that things are only available in Toronto, it’s only one city when there’s a whole country. I guess I’ll have to do it the old fashioned way out here in Calgary.
Can this be done over already-painted cabinets? It looks great, but it looks like they are using a new cabinet door as their sample. What about a grimy old one?
Cabinet Transformations can be applied over previously painted cabinets, that is part of its charm.
Hi! I have a question for you (this sounds fabulous btw!) I have some mid century kitchen cabinets that I did a painted crackle effect and portuguese motif stencil on about 10 years ago (i know, it’s hideous.. i’m not sure what i was thinking!!) We’re wanting to refinish them and paint them white.. just something neutral like that because we’re planning on putting the house on the market. Would a layer of crackle paint and stenciling work with this method? i’m thinking not, but i thought I’d ask anyway. Maybe it’s already built up too thick? We’re paying someone to refinish them and i’d love to cut down on the time he spends doing it (sanding, etc). Thanks for your help!
Danielle – Without knowing how thick the crackle finish is, and the make up of the stencils we would suggest that you sand or remove the stencils, and buff down the crackle finish. We would then suggest adding a primer before using the cabinet product to be safe. I hope this helps.
This looks like a godsend…my wood kitchen and bathroom cabinets could use another coat of paint.
Just out of curiosity has anyone tried Rustoleum’s products for laminate counters?
Stacey, they also showcased their new Countertop Transformations — a multistep process to create a stone- or granite-like look on your countertops. I will do a short post on this, I think. But, granite is not really my thing. They also have laminate countertop paint. I have no experience with it… Note: I did tell Rustoleum that if they invent us something that looks like the gold-sparkle-on-white, that would be dandy.
I don’t want the granite look, I’m going more for a solid color on my counters. Mine are laminate and about as old as I am and are coming to the end of their useful life, mainly because the chipboard that the laminate is mounted to is starting to crumble. I don’t think painting the counters will really help with that anyway. Maybe I should just save my pennies and have the countertops replaced!
But it would be nice to give them a new look with a nice coat of paint.
When I do replace my counters in my 1957 mostly-original kitchen, it won’t be with granite! Probably laminate, corian, or quartz/silestone.
We used the Rustoleum laminate countertop paint and have LOVED the results. Our 1955 ranch has a horrific 1980′s kitchen complete with white melamine cabinets and green/pink fake marble countertops. We can’t afford to replace it all any time soon, so when we bought our home in October 2010, I purchased the Rustoleum paint in a dark gray (sorry Pam, we needed a neutral color that was dark enough to hide stains) and it really has been great. It stinks for a couple of days and you have to plan to not touch the countertops for a while, but the application itself was pretty easy using a roller and a brush for the edges, and it goes on thick and even. Sometimes it will get rings in it if you leave a wet glass on it for too long (like overnight) but once you pick it up, it dries and disappears in a few hours. I think DH has noticed some teensy chips in a couple of places, but I never have. And at the end of the day, this was a very very affordable solution to a problem we could not afford to tackle any other way. Now I’m thinking about trying some of this new cabinet paint for the melamine cabinets. I’ll be interested to hear of anyone using it for that!
This is really interesting to hear about, Adriane! And please, don’t apologize for the dark gray color choice! I have decided that I personally have an anti-gray gene — but that doesn’t mean others should not embrace it if that’s the color that works for them! I’d love to see a photo if you can take a moment! We are told the new Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations also works on melamine…
This is awesome – thanks so much for reporting back. It looks really interesting, and I’m glad to hear there are no fumes (something the gal at our Home Depot said there was). I’m still wishing it was easier to custom-tint it, but I’m glad to hear they are working on that! And thanks for putting it all fully into the context of retro renovations by supplying such great info on true retro cabinet colors and finishes!
Rachel, I would say the smell is Minimal. I’ve asked the folks at Rustoleum to address the various comments. Rustoleum, can you comment on the smells and VOCs? Thanks!
Cabinet Transformations is safe to use and has very low odor. The VOC level is < 350 grams per liter.
You know, Pam-I’ve been putting off painting my cabinets for over a year now, because it just seemed like I’d run out of steam (& lets be honest-I’d run out of patience & skip steps), with all of the sanding, cleaning, painting: REPEAT a thousand times. But, this actually seems DO-ABLE for someone like me. Thanks for sharing your info on this product, I glanced at the box at Home Depot last week, but never really checked it out.
I painted my cabinets & polyeurethaned them 7 years ago and they chipped
& cracked. I wanted to redo them white but after seeing the colors from this new line, I’m debating which color would look good without doing plain white. It’s hard to tell by the box & website. I just don’t want a “pickled” look or a dirty glaze either.
Could you suggest which shade was closest to whit but still looked “trendy” for today’s styles?
(I’m painting to sell, so I need it be neutral without being plain cold white, if that makes sense!)
Thanks!
Krystal — I believe there are displays in the store, I point you to those. Unfortunately, we did not get painted samples to take with us. There were several whites that I though would work. I tend to prefer creamy … rather than a brite white.
Krystal – I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks those glazes just look “dirty”!
I was also wondering if it could be used on already painted cabinets since in the demo it looked like an un-painted sample. I have laminate cabinets that I sanded, primered, and painted but they are already chipping like crazy. I wondering if I could use this product over the existing paint.
The reason the finish is on the flatter side is probably because this is essentially a heavily tinted primer, hence the need for two coats to even out the color. I don’t think there is such a thing as a magic bullet. Wash your cabinets well with TSP (or TSP substitute if TSP isn’t available in your state). The TSP will clean, degrease and knock the gloss off. Prime with something like Fresh Start or Kilz and topcoat with two coats of your favorite enamel. And if you have several coats of paint built up already, things will flake or chip.
The countertop paint interests me, but if it’s epoxy based, it will be pretty smelly.
I’m really interested in this product, because I have original, wood-grained late 70s laminate cabinets in my mobile home. Trust me, they are just ugly. I’m confused on the paint tinting, though. If you have to have the paint tinted at the store when you buy it, why couldn’t Home Depot or whatever just match a color chip the way they do with regular paint? Obviously, I’m missing something or just dense this morning.
I’m going to look into that laminate countertop paint, too (not the granite one!), because mine are butcher-block wood pattern – ugh.
Rustoleum: Can you respond re HD doing custom tinting? But Tikimama, my understanding is that custom tinting CAN be done. There just are no formulas for the exact proportions of universal tints provided for this by Rustoleum. (Each paint manufacturer’s base is different… while there are universal tints, each manufacturer provides different secret sauce formulas for how to use them in their particular bases.) If you find a retailer/store that is willing to fuss with you, it’s do-able. And as I suggested in the original post, I am in contact now with Rustoleum — maybe I can work with them to come up with some instructions for a few retro colors, though, so everyone does not have to randomly experiment. I just don’t want to over-promise…
I work for Rust-Oleum and can help with that question! The current color tint formulas that you see on the kit have been specifically tested for hide, meaning you can go from dark original cabinets to light with 2 coats. If a custom formula outside of our available 35 colors is used, we cannot guarantee the coating will hide in 2 coats. I hope this helps! – Cathy (aka Rust-Oleum Cathy)
I know exactly what you mean about vintage wood colors. This Rustoleum “system” is very similar to the ThermaTru fiberglass door, “primered wood” & color “system”. I almost achieved the 50′s ‘blonde’ but not quite that same beautiful yellow that we remember. I may have read it here?, that the formula, additional tint, would be Janapese ochre added, and your Sherwin Williams or Dunn Edwards expert could do it and get authentic, desired color. I thought the hardest part about turning a primered surface into a “natural wood” surface was just trusting the process itself. You can’t visually tell what you’re doing, until it’s done. Practice makes perfect on this new technique.
This Rustoleum achieve the wood-stain look because the glaze accentuates and calls out the existing wood grain of the underlying cabinet… I think that’s what you’re saying also, Denise, about the ThermaTru door — the door has a steel/wood grain texture… paint it then glaze it and it looks like real wood grain… ?
Word: Japanese, not Janapese.
Hi Pam,
That looks pretty cool……..question though. All the samples look like they applied the finish over oak, which has a relatively open grain and less likely to show brush marks etc.
Did you see this applied to a really smooth surface or tightly grained wood?
Thanks!
Tami
Sorry, Tami, I did not. Hmmm. Maybe as soon as I could get some time free, I could do a test. In any case, though, I have worked with lots of paint before, and the “viscosity”(I think you call it) seemed pretty darn good.
One quick question if you don’t mind. How orange was the Brady Bunch orange color? We are about to do a small redo in the kitchen and I am considering orange cabinets but want a true 70′s orange. (My husband will have a heart attack……)
haha. i think you need to go online and find an episode! hulu?
Opps, no, I meant in this line of paint! You mentioned a “Brady Bunch” type orange and I was curious if it is a true orange? I found the product at my Home Depot but they didn’t have any color charts or samples that I could find.
But looking up old episodes of The Brady Bunch isn’t a bad idea. It was my favorite show as a kid!
I like to call the color of the Brady’s kitchen countertops “brady bunch orange” – or at least that’s how i remember it! you can see all the colors on the Rustoleum Transformations website…I think I also posted a photo of the one I thought was orange-y.
I use several Benjamin Moore products for cabinetry for my clients, and I really am abit leary of no sanding involved- it goes against everything I have learned in regards to painting. There are some great new waterborne alkyds such as Advance by Benjamin Moore, and also the Aura Satin is very durable with Stays Clear as a low-lustre clearcoat that does not yellow.
I am going to have to do some reading on this product -
Do I dare try this on tongue and groove panelled walls?
Boy…I wish this had been around when we spent WEEKS sanding down and re-painting the oak cabinets our home came with! Will keep it in mind, though…Have to say I prefer a crisper white. Is the white on the cabinets nice and bright, or is it sort of pickled? It looks a bit pickled in the pictures.
There is a glaze on this particular door. The glaze is optional – they had several whites to choose from.
This is good to know, Pam, thanks. We have more cabinets to repaint…long story!
I’m very glad you shared your experience with this product. I have been putting off painting my cabinets since i moved in (I dread sanding and dust…) Would love the ability to mix our own colors!
I wonder how this would work on wood paneling or painted wood paneling? Kapow! Rustoleum could have a huge market there in older mobile homes! Bring back the retro colors! They did tell me last month that they only currently carry Aqua appliance paint for a retro color for those of you who want to retro color your kitchen appliances.
I removed my 26 doors and drawers from my GE pink and cream metal cabinets on September 9, 2001 to paint them solidly Rustoleum pink. I had pretty much thought I was going to live with open shelving due to the time it took to just get them down and cleaned (Simple Green not only removed fingerprints but the finish). I have never been so focused on getting something done as I was that horrible Tuesday. The Rustoleum pink was a little more pink than they were originally, but my Barbie Dream Kitchen’s finish is as beautiful today as it was the day I finished painting .
As for redoing countertops…I used 36″ wide heavy guage black contact paper (can be found online)….lasted for years….just make sure to use a cutting board.
I’ve been living ‘cabinet door-free’ for several months now. I had the great idea to repaint them, then never got the motivation to start all the sanding!
Now I found out about the Rustoleum deal & I’m going with THAT!
I actually kinda like no cabinet doors…stuff can stick out off the edges of the shelves and I don’t have to worry about the doors not closing! (I’m a dork like that!)
I’d love to see what the contact paper looks like on a counter top. I’ve never heard of doing that before. It might keep me going until I can afford to do tile!
I started out my Cabinet Transformations project in our master bathroom, just in case it didn’t look as good as the pictures on the packaging, because nobody really sees it besides the two of us! All of our cabinets were spray-painted with thick white latex before we bought the house. Naturally the guy sprayed right over the hinges and not only were they peeling, but so were the joints on the cabinets. Actually these cabinets were just about a deal-breaker for me, but I finally thought I’d just live with them for awhile and then have them ripped out and replaced. (For $30,000 or so!) Anyway, the bathroom turned out fantastic. So then I did the guest bath, and finally the kitchen. My one and only complaint is that Rustoleum doesn’t provide NEARLY enough glaze. They’ve gotta be kidding with that teeny little can – no WAY would it cover 100 feet. I called their Customer Service number to find out how to get more glaze, but was told that the product was so new that even the agent couldn’t get components separately. She directed me to just go buy another whole kit, and said Rustoleum would reimburse me. I’m on my last section of kitchen cabinets now and it’s clear that I’m going to run out of even THAT glaze before I get done. Does anybody know where to get that type of glaze? Lowe’s only has oil-based wood stain and I think the “glaze” is just a water-based wood stain, essentially. Incidentally, I bought a total of four kits for $79.99 apiece, the last one ONLY to get more glaze. At this point I have TWO unopened containers of deglosser and three cans apiece of base coat and top coat. This kit is the world’s greatest idea, but it is just proportioned SO WRONG!!! Can anybody help? Thanks!
Connie, I have emailed Rustoleum — let’s see what they say! I’ve also emailed you — I’d love to get photos of your project. Glad to hear that except for this glaze issue, it’s going well!
Hey Pam: Have you heard anything from Rustoleum about the glaze issue? I’ve just put the second base coat on my second-to-last bank of cabinets and will surely use up the little bit of remaining glaze tonight. That leaves me with four large lower cabinets at the opposite end of the kitchen – I have way more than enough deglosser, base coat, and protective top coat, but no glaze at all. If Rustoleum can’t sell me some extra glaze, do you think that maybe they’ll tell you how to substitute for it? I think the stuff is just glorified water-based wood stain, but I need to know for sure before I try it. Thanks for your efforts!
BTW, I cruised around your links and I see that you’re into retro mid-century homes and decorating. Here in the Palm Springs area, they’ve been having a great big “mid-century homes” thing this past week. All kinds of tours, daily articles in the Palm Springs Sun and whatnot. This area has a TON of neat mid-century homes, and most owners have tried to restore them true-to-the-decade rather than charging in and installing granite countertops, recessed can lighting, etc. Sounds exactly like your cup of tea. I hope you had a chance to either be here or at least follow the whole thing online.
Later….Connie
Hi Connie — Rustoleum responded to my email last night saying someone would check, but I have not heard yet specifically any response to your question/issue…
Connie – I am so sorry that you ran out! As with any new product there is always room for improvement and comments like yours help us deliver better products in the end.
With that being said, at this time there is not and option to purchase the glaze on its own at a retailer, and we do not recommend any other product as a substitute.
As a result to consumer demand we will be adding an additional 1/2 pint of glaze to our small Cabinet Transformations kit going forward.
Rust-Oleum will also be offering additional glaze, in the near future, if someone happens to run out of the product. This option will be available shortly by calling our Customer Service line and requesting extra glaze.
The two options are:
1. Purchase another kit and Rust-Oleum will reimburse you for it
2. Contact Customer Service and they will ship you the extra glaze when it becomes available.
We do apologize that you ran out of the product, and really appreciate the feedback. Thank you – Rust-Oleum Cathy
Hello again, Cathy: I took your advice and bought another Cabinet Transformations kit to get my hands on some extra glaze, and sent in the receipt for a refund, which I received promptly. (Thank you for that!) My problem now is that even that extra 8 fl. ounces was not enough glaze to finish my project. When you think about it, that’s the same amount as a small cup of coffee – no surprise to see that it doesn’t cover 100 square feet if used as directed. Anyway, I called the Customer Support line again last week to try to get more glaze. Of course it’s not an option to buy yet another whole kit and get a refund, which I wouldn’t want to do anyway. Mainly because it would be such a waste! I already have a ton of leftover deglosser and base coat and top coat – I just want some glaze so I can finish my last bank of cabinets. (About 24 square feet – it’s a 3′ x 8′ section). Your CSR took my name and address and said RustOleum would send some this week, but I haven’t received it. Do you know if more glaze is on the way? My kitchen and baths turned out GREAT – you can see for yourself on Pam Kueber’s blog this week. I would be more than happy to pay for the glaze, I just need to get my hands on it. Can you help? Thanks…Connie .
Connie –
Sorry you ran out! Can I ask how much glaze you are initially putting on the cabinets? A thick layer or thin layer?
I spoke with the team and the individual glaze components are now available, they just arrived Friday. You should get it this week. Please let me know if you do not.
Thank you,
Rust-Oleum Cathy
I wish there was a way for people to sell their extras since they’re buying for glaze…I’d love to get my hands on everything EXCEPT the glaze!
They should definitely sell them separately because I don’t think I should have to buy glaze that I don’t want to use.
Now, if anyone has any of the white they don’t want…………….
I’m a big fan of rust-0-leom products. However I am in need of extra top coat. Why can’t they sell this product by itself. When you want to just pain a small project you you can still use the top coat for protecting paint I would assume. So why not sell it by there can paint. I don’t like high gloss. This product looks like factory quality. So I wish they would think of the consumers and not there pockets and always make us buy the whole kit. I don’t have any left over from my cabinets but would like to use it one a chair and not have to buy a whole kit for it. Crazy. Sell some stuff separate.
My Formica countertop has a gouge in it about the size of a dime. Can this be repaired before using Countertop Transformations?
hi, my kitchen cabinet and washroom are kind a pink melamine, can i used that product to paint them in other color?
grace, i recommend that you contact rustoleum customer service to ensure the applicability of their product to that surface. good luck!
Has anyone used their leftover paint/glaze for exterior doors (metal)? BTW, just finished doing our kitchen trasnformation and must say I’m very happy with them! Well worth the time and effort to save thousands. Took me about 2 weeks doing on weekends and a little here and there after work. Based on my question, you can see that we had plenty of paint & glaze.
I do not believe this product is specified for outdoor use. Check with Rustoleum, though…
I read through this twice and I’m a newbie at home renovation. Here’s my question: I have white wood cabinets. The previous owner of my home painted these wood cabinets white. I have been in this house six years now and its looking ikky. My daughter and I were planning on stripping and then, repainting white.
So, can I use this process on white wood cabinets and then repaint with another color okay?
I just need that validation.
THanks!!!!!
I think that is correct, Anne, but to be sure: Contact Rust-Oleum, I am sure they will have an answer for you.
I am in the process of using this product in my master bathroom. One question: two coats is not enough to entirely paint over the cabinet (the original color is showing through). Do I continue to add base coats until I get a solid “white” color, or just move on to glazing after two coats?
Hi I puchased and started my cabinets,everything went great until i got to the protective top coat, its very milky foamy does not work on the dark color I picked it dried up and looks terrible pllease help and im applying just a bit but around the molding of the doors the foam dries up since its a dark color u can see it
wendy, you need to contact rustoleum
s customer service, i am sure they can help you….
Hello,
My kitchen cabinets have some type of covering, either laminate or melamine. So, i can use your product? what about the glaze? Will the cabinets have a solid look after they are complete, or is it possible to have them looking antiqued?
thanks,
Holly
I might be mistaken but I don’t see how this product from from Rustolem will never work on laminate.My definition of laminate is formica or FRP for example.Laminales are noy porous so they can not absorb this product or any other product.It alsio would not work on my kiychen cabinets because they are pressed wood with photo paper on the exterior only.(it is a manufactyred home).Don’t get me wrong Rustoleum makes great products.but I think the lady in questions need to find out exactly what her cabinets are.She probably has laminate on the counter top.
This may have already been answered in the comments but how do you get the color that you want. I see that you can the dark or light kit but not how to get the color that you want. Do you have to mix something to get the required color?
Angela,I believe that it said somewhere in the article you have to take a sample of the color to your paint store and have them experiment with it..Most paint dealers have a scanner that will tell them it takes to make that color..
Thanks toolman. I did stop by my local Lowes today. Although they do sell the product, the people in the paint department didn’t know anything. I asked if I could see a sample of tint and was told no. They were not very helpful so I will call the company. Based on my calculations, I would need 106 kits definitely not in my budget. I have a very large kitchen with cabinets almost all the way around. I’m going to doublecheck those measurements because I would really like to try this product.
Hello:
Actually the employees at the paint counter have to mix your base shade. This would be at Lowe’s or Home Depot or anywhere that you can buy Cabinet Transformations by Rustoleum. Just check out the finished colors on both the light and dark kits, pick one, and take your box to the paint counter. The many available colors are shown on the boxes themselves. The paint folks clearly know how to mix the colors accurately. I bought a total of four kits, two in the light shades and two in the dark shades. I bought each kit separately and was pleased that I had absolute consistency of color every time. BTW, I’m still very pleased with my cabinets! I can hardly believe I was so close to ripping them out. Good luck with your project…Connie
I am liking what I am reading here. Quick question, I have a crack that needs filling with wood putty and a few worn areas that will need sanding first. Will this effect the outcome?
Thanks,
Jon
I am considering trying one of these kits on our 1961 maple slab kitchen cabinets. Like Jon who last commented, our cabinets have cracks and worn edges. The original varnish is crackled, pitted and raised in some areas, especially near the sink and stove. I would imagine I would have to do some extra prep work with sanding and putty. Has anyone had to deal with these issues before trying the rustoleum kits? If so, have they had a good outcome? We have the white formica countertops with flecks in them. But the flecks are discolored and rusted near the stove and sink. There are also scratches, cuts and gouges. Has anyone tried the countertop kit over old countertops in rough shape?
Thanks,
Martha
i currently have darker blue cabinets (have been painted) i am wanting either a creamy antique color or a chocolately brown color! What are you suggestions??
I have found alot of good information in the above questions and answers. Thankyou for that.
I have dark brown (walnut ) malamine kitchen cupboards that were painted light peach doors and drawers and the back of the cabinets are black. I don’t know what they were thinking!!. Anyway, the 3 questions I have are would it be better to sand down the paint a bit first because it is a high gloss paint almost looks like car paint, or just use this product without sanding?
And the second question there are also cupboards up top that are a beautiful honey oak in colour (stained and varnish on top) will they turn out the same colour as the lower painted ones?
The last question is have they solved the problem of not having enough of a glaze coat in the kits? I would not like to go through what the other lady went through.
I am very much looking forward to doing this and sending you before and after pics
Thanks again
Kathy
Kathy, please head over to Rustoleum’s website to get these answers… Good luck. Pam
Kathy,
First of all, thank you for choosing Rust-Oleum! I can help answer your questions.
The deglosser in the kit should take care of the high gloss that you currently have on your cabinets. Simply apply the deglosser with the scrub pad that is included in the kit to both the painted cabinets and the cabinets with the varnish.
Both your upper and lower cabinets should turn out the same, even though one is painted and the other has a varnish on it. Just make sure to degloss all cabinet components as instructed in the kit directions.
As for the glaze, that challenge has been resolved and there should be an extra can of glaze in your kit. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call our product support line at 1-888-577-8459.
I am wondering…how hard this would be to do with 3 cats in the house…we would have to do the doors in the garage, but I am more concerned with the cabinets being wet with cats around…and of course, cat hair sticking to the cabinets…anyone have any experience/tips…? There are no doors to keep the cats out of the kitchen, just doorways.
It is my understanding these Rustoleum products contain whale oil, something I refuse to purchase. Is this true?
Hi:
I inherited a home from my parents and planning to rent. It is an older home and there is some build up of dust and grease on kitchen cabinets. It caught my eye “no sanding” is that true? We have cleaned the cabinets with normal household cleaner but was not sure if paint would adhear to surface?
I have done both of my bathrooms with the cabinet transformations and love it. Very easy to work with and no smell. I have covered them with the last step – the protective top coat and would like to know if I can put two top coats on. Would this make them more durable?
Does this work on lacquered cabinets? Also, I am going to be adding decorative trim which I’d imaging will be raw wood. How do I make the new trim look the same as the old cabinet base?
I am getting ready to redo my kitchen and want to know if you can use this on white cabinets to get them to look more like wood or oak. Hope this makes since
I have white kitchen cabinets (painted with 2 coats). Can I transform to the glazed beige look and do you follow the same steps for the outside casing of the cabinets?
Do you think that I could use it on rough wood paneling? And you did have a color preference on the lighter shades? Wish that we could see a sample -
My husband and I bought the “light” color kit. We have deglossed and are ready to put on the bond coat. How do you tint it? There was no tint in the kit.
Debbie, I will also let RustOleum respond officially, but it’s my understanding that you get it tinted where you bought it.
Debbie,
I was probably one of the first customers who bought and used Cabinet Transformations here in the Palm Springs area, and I wound up having WAY too little glaze. Pam took up my cause with Rustoleum and now there are two cans of glaze in every kit. Anyway, Pam is correct. You do have to get your base coat tinted at the store. Just take the kit back to the store and they’ll tint it for you. That’s included in the price. By the way, I used Cabinet Transformations on every cabinet in my house over a year ago and they still look great! Good luck with your project.
Connie
Debbie,
You do in fact get the product tinted at the store. If you have any other product questions, we encourage you to call us at 1-888-577-8459.
I want to do my bathroom cabinets that are now oak. I would like a high-gloss finish. Would I just be able to use a high-gloss paint for this effect and would it look as good as a semi-gloss finish. I plan to paint them light grey.
Thank You.
How long do you need to let glaze set on one side of doors before flipping them over and glazing the other side?
i’m looking at their website and do not see the avocado option. where do i get it? thanks!
jessica, you have to have the avocado done as a custom color — you CAN do this with the Cabinet Transformations, you just have to get a mixer who’s willing to play along
Has anyone used this on a laminate cupboard door?
I am interested in this product. Would I be able to turn deep chocolate brown (already painted) wood cabinets into white cabinets using this system?
My cabinets have been painted. Can I use this product on painted cabinets without having to strip the paint?
I would like to know if I can use this product over high gloss oil painted cabinets or do I have to strip them down first?
KL, Rust-Oleum seems to have good customer service, I recommend you check in with them. Good luck.
Hello, KL…Pam featured my Rustoleum cabinet project in one of her first articles about it, after she visited the factory. About the oil-based enamel, I would advise you to give it a good scrubbing with TSP before you use the deglosser provided in the kit. Then just follow the rest of the directions exactly. I had thick, awful white latex paint on my cabinets, which was easy to degloss with the Rustoleum product. I didn’t realize that the paint underneath the white was oil-based enamel until the latex paint layer started peeling off in strips! I had to completely peel a couple of cabinets and then degloss them. TSP has always been the answer for applying water-based paints over enamel. Good luck!
We just finished the final step of the Rustoleum Cabinet Transformation Kit & have been happy with everything except the top coat. It is really difficult to get it on evenly & without little tiny bubbles. As it is drying, we are seeing areas that look like we missed with the top coat, but I know that we did not. I’m thinking the wood is just dryer in those areas & absorbed the paint differently. My question is whether I can use Liquid Gold on these cabinets like I do on my other cabinets? We live in the AZ desert where our climate is very dry, so I use Liquid Gold on my cabinets & wood furniture to add moisture. Will that harm the cabinets that I just used your product on?
Thank you,
Carol
Hello, Carol – I was wondering if you shook the can of top coat, instead of stirring it. Shaking it will cause bubbles – you have to stir it very gently. I also missed a couple of small areas with the top coat. I don’t know if that was my fault or if the top coat was at fault. At any rate, it was easy to touch up. I’m not sure about how well Liquid Gold would work on this finish. It seems to me that the top coat might prevent the wood from absorbing the oil, but I really doubt whether it would harm the finish. I used Cabinet Transformations on every cabinet in my house, and they still look great. I live in the desert, too – Palm Springs area, so my climate is just like yours. Hope this helps….Connie
Can you tell me what color was used in the tutorial at the top of this page please..I love it!
Like Tiffany, what color was used in the demo photos? I think it would look nice in my kitchen.
I have standard contractor, white cabinets. Will these kits work on them?
If we have older oak cabinets will this be thick enough to cover up the grain of the wood if we choose to go with a white color?
Pete, see the info I recently obtained from Rustoleum about this issue, it’s featured in this page: http://retrorenovation.com/rustoleum-cabinet-transformations/ under “If you are using a light color kit”
I love the look of glazed cabinets, but mine have no molding on them so it wouldn’t look as well. Does the paint hold up well. I mean no chipping after awhile?
I would like to do my bathroom cabinets that are oak and paint them black as my summer project. Does this come in black?
Can I do this in a cherry wood look. I have light beige cabinets right now.
My cabinets are glossy white and I believe they are laminate, want to do an antique destress cream, but some of the cabinets have been water loged and some are so warn at the bottom and especially around the stove will this process work and would I need to sand the rough edges?
Peggie, I think you need to contact Rust-Oleum directly with these questions. Good luck!
I have cabinets that have undergone several paint jobs and they continue to wear and chip. The examples I see are cabinets that are just stained. What is the prep for cabinets that are already sanded?
kathy — you should contact Rust-Oleum directly to get this information. Good luck.
Oak Cabinets,
Good afternoon, my name is Andrew and I am currently participating in a complete home remodel. We bought an REO property that fits all our needs and wants, however NEEDS work! We are going through the process now, but one thing we decided to keep was the oak cabinets. They are in great shape, but my wife and I hate oak, it screams 80′s! We want a white or off white transformation. I just left Lowe’s and believe I was reading the label on this product, but it stated in a disclaimer that this product does not change colors but only enhances. I guess I am looking for a clarification, can this product turn my cabinets into the updated white look that I have been searching for?!?!?!? If not, maybe a suggestion would be great!
Thanks again,
Andrew
Andrew — I think you might have their product for wood restoration — not the product for painting.
Hi, very helpful website.
Do you know if this works on pressboard?
I thought my cabinet doors were laminate until the some of the cabinet door started to peel of (adhesive). So the doors are a pressed wood (or maybe its called particle wood). The frame is wood.
Thanks for any info!
Nice article! I have ugly fake wood laminate cabinets that I would love to paint, however, I’ve read through some comments regarding using this on laminate and I can’t seem to find an answer. Has anyone tried the Rust-Oleum kit on laminate? pictures, advice, etc.? Thanks!!!
sara, you should contact Rust-Oleum directly with this question. As I recall, yes, this can be used on laminate cabinets, but there are different steps. Good luck.
Can you use this on wood trim? I have two large pantry doors (which match my cabinets that I want to paint also) but the wood trim matches the doors, fruitwood color.
Also wood trim inside around windows.
I would think so. Please contact Rust-Oleum directly if you have specific concerns. Good luck.
Thank you so much for this post! It helped me a great deal on remodeling my own kitchen! I have used Rest-Oleum and I am very satisfied with design. For those who are interested you may check out the results here http://liveincolorz.blogspot.com/2013/05/updating-kitchen.html.
I used the white kit on my honey oak cabinets over the weekend. The “bond coat” streaked with a brush, bubbled with a roller, and dripped and ran with a sprayer. To top it off the clear coat dried with a yellowish tint! So much for a clean white finish. I’ll be spending weeks stripping, sanding, and refinishing my cabinets and hope they are not ruined. Don’t use this kit as a shortcut… it could end up making your project much longer and more expensive!!! Sand, prime, paint, laquer, it’s worked forever and I wish i’d done it this time.