Today we’re going to talk about the Behr Cabinet and Trim Enamel paint you can get at Home Depot.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Behr Cabinet & Trim
Workability
I had a good working time with the Behr Cabinet & Trim paint. It did not dry too quickly and had a nice even flow. It is not necessary to add any conditioners.
Rating 10 out of 10.
Coverage
The coverage of this paint is average at best. I spoke to a Behr Rep, and he encouraged me to ask the person behind the paint counter to add a couple drops of white to improve the coverage. Or if you really want to help improve the coverage, you add a couple of drops of black (my suggestion). Adding a couple drops of black is common for all paint stores. It still looks just as white, but the coverage improves dramatically.
Rating 7 out of 10
Self-Leveling
A Pro painter expects cabinet paint to be able to be brushed with only minimal brush strokes visible, and the Behr Cabinet Paint will not disappoint. The brush strokes are only barely noticeable under certain light angles.
Rating – 10
Will Behr Cabinet & Trim Last For Years?
We have oils on our fingers and food on our hands when we open up those doors and drawers. Those oils get transferred on top of the paint. With some paints, they start moving their way through the layers of paint, and they can break the adhesion between the primer coat and the topcoats. When this occurs, the paint can be scratched off.
Durability
It is therefore vital to evaluate this paint to see if it holds up to the oils that will inevitably be on the kitchen cabinets.
I primed lacquered piece of mahogany wood with shellac primer.
Next, I applied two coats each of Behr products Scuff Defense, Cabinet & Trim, and Dynasty, and let it cure for 28 days.
After curing, I wiped a thin coat of olive oil on top of all three samples and let it sit for two weeks.
Now it is time to see if the adhesion has broken on either of the three paints!
Behr Cabinet & Trim Enamal was the only paint that scratched off, and it did so easily. Scuff Defense had the hardest finish of the three. And though I wasn’t able to scratch the Dynasty, I was able to pick one little bit of paint off with my thumbnail.
Behr Cabinet & Trim Paint Conclusion
It is not a bad paint, but it has some weaknesses that would prevent me from recommending it for kitchen cabinets. However, go ahead if you want to use it on trim, mantles, and bookcases. Remember, ask to have a couple of drops of white or black added to it for extra coverage.
Kitchen cabinet paints that were also tested: