Painting cabinets

[D'Olier]

I want to change the color of the cabinets in our bathroom. At the moment they are raised panel natural oak. I often hear of people going through the nightmare of stripping their cabinets before changing the color. Is that just for re-staining? I would like to simply use a primer and then paint them any color I like. Is there any reason that I can't use a normal primer and the paint?

Thanks.

Paul

[B]

Sherwin Williams has something called ProBlock primer that comes in different formulations. One is just for your purpose -- dulling the shine on a cabinet (or similar surface like window frames (so that the finish paint will stick to the cabinet instead of remain stuck to the brush). I imagine other stores have something comparable, but ProBlock works well.

-B ($35 please. Just stick it in the slot.)

[Rodger]

Is there any reason that I can't use a normal primer

We just clean the cabinets with 409 or Fantastic, dry, then lightly sand entire surface, to rough it up. Etchant - liquid sandpaper - can also be used, but it smells cancerous. Any good interior primer will work, altho we prefer using Zinzer or Bullseye alcohol or thinner based primes. They also make acrylic, water soluable prime, but we find it doesn't lie as flat when fully dry, showing some brush strokes. Once primed, lightly sand, then paint the topcoat.