Let me start off by saying that although my experience wasn't the greatest, I know people who have used the product and their results were much nicer.
Also, after speaking with a representative at Rustoleum, we were refunded and given instructions on how to fix the issue.
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I can't think of an easier way to do cabinets. This kit requires absolutely no sanding which is worth it on it's own. Pretty much everything you need is included in the box. All you do is choose the color and have it tinted in the paint department.
There are tons of colors to choose from too!
The steps are as follows:
1. Number your doors with painters tape before you remove them and all hardware. This will help in the end when it all looks like one big puzzle.
2. Clean cabinets and use the degreaser provided with a scrub pad and scrub the heck out of them. This will leave a sudsy residue that you need to wash off and dry using a lint free rag. USE GLOVES! This stuff will destroy your hands. I had skin peeling off the spots that were touched.
3. Start with the frames and apply the first coat of your base color. The kit claims it only needs two coats (letting each coat dry 2-3 hours before the next) I was on coat four and still thought it could use more but I wanted to keep the look of the grain.
4. Next is the doors. I suggest that you get a saw horse and set them up like an assembly line. We ended up setting up our doors on the garage floor on top of soup cans and we had sore knees from kneeling on the cement. Start with the front of the door because it will drip down towards the back and cause buildup if you don't catch it. It's better to have that on a part that's not always visable.
5. After the bond coats (which is your base color) are completed and dry, you have the option to apply the decorative glaze. I skipped this process because I wanted a clean, white look. My Grandpa did their cabinets in a darker color and used the glaze and said it was the hardest part. You use cheesecloth to apply and drag it down the cabinet and it can be difficult to keep a consistent look.
6. Next it's time for the clear coat. This is where things went down hill. The clear coat is a milky white color and a bit temperamental to work with. Once you brush it on theres no going over it. Think glue. I found that long, consistent strokes worked best and using a light to shine on the cabinet prevents you from going back over parts that already have a coat. As it dried it started turning yellow in spots, especially in corners or nooks where it collected. On the darker cabinets it drys a milky white instead of yellow. This is a crucial part and you have to work quickly and carefully making sure not to leave any behind. When I woke up the next morning the cabinets had a yellow hue reminiscent of a smokers home.
**I called the company in a panic and before I could even finish, the representative knew what I was talking about. He apologized and told me that using the White kit on Light Oak wood does this and they just started marking the boxes to explain that you would need to use a strong primer before starting the process. Cue sadness! All of my hard work and I had to start all over and add an extra step!!!**
They suggest Zinser Primer which is the thickest, stickiest paint I've ever used. After that dried I started the process all over and it ended up white...whew!
Like I said, I'm not totally anti-Rustoleum but I wish that they would've been more proactive in informing customers that this would happen if you choose white. What's done is done and they were quick to refund us and help out. I think the dark colors turn out great and are probably more forgiving.
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