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We are always looking for the best products at affordable prices. Materials add up on cost if you are not cautious with your spending. That is why we try to shop around before committing to a purchase. On this page, you will find the products and tools we use to deliver top-quality results. 

Primers

Oil-based primer

oil based primer

Use for:

Kitchen Cabinets, Bare Wood, Blocking Water Stains, Smoke Damage,

Zinsser Coverstain is an oil-based primer that blocks stains and tannin bleed almost guaranteed.

It is our go-to primer when painting bare wood, oak kitchen cabinets and old varnished furniture that can potentially bleed through your topcoat.

Pros: Stain blocking, easy to sand, great adhesion

Cons: High odor, needs to dry overnight for best results

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31n7rGD

Overall:
5 out of 5

Oil-based primer

coverstain

Use for:

Kitchen Cabinets, Bare Wood, Blocking Water Stains, Smoke Damage,

Zinsser Coverstain is an oil-based primer that blocks stains and tannin bleed almost guaranteed.

It is our go-to aerosol primer when painting bare wood, oak kitchen cabinets, and old varnished furniture that can potentially bleed through your topcoat.

Pros: Stain blocking, easy to sand, great adhesion

Cons: High odor, needs to dry overnight for best results

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vAPsLd

Overall: 5 out of 5

Synthetic Shellac

insl-x seal lock plus synthetic shellac primer

Use for:

Non-Oak Kitchen Cabinets, Bare Wood, Blocking Water Stains, Smoke Damage,

Insl-x Seal Lock Plus is an alcohol-based synthetic shellac primer that dries super fast and adheres to almost everything. It is great for priming wood cabinets other than oak. It also encapsulates odors and works great for smoke damage.

It is our go-to primer when painting non-oak kitchen cabinets and smoke-damaged surfaces.

Pros: Fast dry time, easy to sand, blocks smoke damage

Cons: High odor, doesn’t stop tannin bleed.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31n7rGD

Best used with a Nylon brush (See Paint Brushes Section)

Overall: 4.3 out of 5

Urethane Acrylic Primer

inslx stix bonding primer

Use for:

Kitchen Cabinets, Laminate, Tiles, Back Splashes

Insl-x Stix is a urethane acrylic that will stick to tile and even glass! With the right prep, this primer will stick to pretty much anything. Unfortunately, you will have to let it dry for at least 3-4 days to achieve maximum scratch resistance. You can however topcoat it after 3-4 hours but that will prolong the drying time up to 7 days. We usually let it dry overnight before painting.

It is our go-to primer when painting laminate cabinets, bathroom tiles, and backsplashes.

Pros:  Sticks to almost anything, easy to sand, 

Cons: Long dry time

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Isa15u

Best used with a Nylon brush (See Paint Brushes Section)

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Paint brushes

Natural Bristle Brush

natural bristle brush for oil based paint

Use for:

Oil-based paints and primers, shellac and alcohol-based primers

Natural bristles are best for solvent-based paints and primers. Oil-based paint and primer can be difficult to work with and clean up. Natural bristle brushes clean up real nice with Acetone or Mineral Spirits. They also make applying your solvent-based paints and primers less difficult.

With proper cleanup, natural bristles might cost more than your average paintbrush but they will last a good while

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Wob1wl

eBay: Natural Bristle Brush

Overall:
5 out of 5

Chip Brush

chip-paint-brushes

Use for:

Oil-based paints and primers, shellac and alcohol-based primers or Epoxy

Chip brushes are inexpensive and great for one-time usage. They are good enough to get the job done and toss out. We use them for oil-based and shellac-based products or when working with epoxy resin. They lose bristle hairs easily but are not a deal-breaker at this price point.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31yGL5E

Overall:
3.2/5

ePOXY

Epoxy Resin

counter top epoxy

Use for:

Oil-based paints and primers, shellac and alcohol-based primers or Epoxy

Stone Coat Countertop makes an Epoxy Resin kit that is a bit higher priced than other kits but it is the easiest Epoxy resin to work with. It has a work time of roughly 45 minutes and is very forgiving. It cures to a super durable finish that is great for kitchen countertops and other high-traffic areas. Absolutely worth every penny. 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31Xi9CQ

Overall: 5 out of 5

Spray Equiptment

Graco 17D163 Pro210ES Stand Airless Paint Sprayer

It’s a good little pump. I’ve used a lot of different sprayers. I was concerned at this sprayer would not keep up while spraying ceilings but it did very well. The inline filter makes it really easy to clean. Some of the Lesser Magnum paint sprayers don’t have this.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34BkRkN

Overall: 4.6 out of 5

Hinge Hole Plugs

Paintingspray booths

Perfect to keep over-spray out of your hinge holes and it makes sure you have a perfect fitting hinge.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2GKjAfn

Overall: 4.4 out of 5