A cabinet paint can look excellent on day one and still disappoint if it scratches, sticks, or shows every brush mark a few weeks later. That is why an Advance paint review needs to look beyond colour and first-coat coverage. Benjamin Moore ADVANCE is designed for projects where a smoother, furniture-like finish and lasting durability matter, particularly cabinets, trim, doors, and built-ins.
For homeowners and painters who want the look associated with traditional oil-based enamel without the same solvent-heavy experience, ADVANCE is a compelling option. It is not, however, the fastest product to apply and recoat. Its slower drying schedule is part of the trade-off, and planning around that schedule is what separates a polished result from a frustrating project.
What is Benjamin Moore ADVANCE paint?
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE is a waterborne alkyd interior coating. Put simply, it combines waterborne application and cleanup with alkyd resin technology intended to level well and cure to a hard, durable finish. It is commonly chosen for high-touch surfaces that need more resilience than a typical wall paint, including kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, interior doors, baseboards, window trim, and painted furniture.
The product is available in several sheens, including satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. Satin is often the practical choice for cabinets and furniture because it offers a soft, refined sheen while being less revealing than a glossier finish. Semi-gloss remains a popular option for trim and doors, where a little more sheen can make profiles and millwork stand out.
ADVANCE is not intended as an exterior coating. For exterior doors, siding, shutters, or trim, use a product specifically formulated for outdoor exposure, temperature swings, moisture, and ultraviolet light.
Advance paint review: where it performs best
ADVANCE earns its reputation on projects where appearance and touch durability carry equal weight. A cabinet door is viewed up close, handled constantly, and exposed to fingerprints, cooking residue, cleaning, and occasional impacts. The same is true of a front hall bench, a built-in bookshelf, or a bedroom door. These surfaces benefit from a coating that can flow out smoothly rather than drying too quickly under the brush.
When applied properly, ADVANCE has strong leveling characteristics. Brush strokes and roller texture have more time to settle before the paint sets, helping the finish look more even. That makes it especially useful for detailed trim, flat-panel or shaker cabinets, and furniture pieces where a standard wall-paint texture would be distracting.
Its practical strength is its cured finish. After it has had appropriate time to cure, ADVANCE is well suited to everyday use on interior woodwork and cabinetry. That does not mean the surface is indestructible. Sharp impacts, harsh abrasives, and aggressive cleaners can damage almost any painted finish. But for the right interior project, it provides the harder-wearing result many people expect from an enamel-style coating.
The trade-off: patience is part of the system
The biggest consideration with ADVANCE is drying and recoating time. It does not fit every schedule, especially when a painter needs to complete multiple coats in a single day or a homeowner needs a kitchen back in service immediately.
Its longer open time contributes to the smooth finish, but it also means each coat needs adequate time before sanding or recoating. Temperature, humidity, ventilation, colour, and film thickness can all affect drying. A cool, damp basement or a poorly ventilated kitchen can extend the process further.
This is where many rushed cabinet projects go wrong. Paint may feel dry to the touch before it is ready for hard use. Cabinet doors rehung too early can stick to frames, and drawers can scuff where painted edges rub together. Build curing time into the project plan, leave doors and drawers undisturbed where possible, and treat freshly painted surfaces gently until the coating has fully developed.
For a small piece of furniture, the slower workflow may be easy to accommodate. For a full kitchen, it can mean temporarily setting up a different meal routine and giving the project a realistic timeline. That is not a flaw so much as a decision point: ADVANCE rewards careful scheduling.
Surface preparation matters more than the topcoat
No premium cabinet coating can compensate for grease, unstable old paint, glossy surfaces, or poor adhesion. Preparation is the foundation of a durable finish.
Start by removing cabinet doors, drawers, hardware, and hinges when practical. Label each door and its hardware so reinstallation is straightforward. Clean every surface thoroughly, particularly around handles, stove areas, and lower cabinet doors where oils and residue tend to build up. A clean surface allows the primer and paint to bond as intended.
Next, sand to dull the existing sheen and create a consistent surface. You are not necessarily trying to remove every existing coating. The goal is to eliminate gloss, smooth flaws, feather chipped edges, and give the new system a sound surface to grip. Vacuum the dust and wipe down carefully before priming.
Primer selection depends on the substrate and the condition of the existing finish. Bare wood, repaired areas, tannin-prone woods, laminate, and previously coated cabinets can each require a different approach. A suitable Benjamin Moore primer can improve adhesion, block stains where needed, and create a more uniform base for the finish coat. If you are uncertain whether your cabinets are wood, thermofoil, laminate, or a factory-finished material, get advice before coating them.
Application tips for a smoother ADVANCE finish
Good tools make a visible difference with enamel-style paints. A high-quality synthetic brush is useful for detailed edges, profiles, and corners. For cabinet faces and broad flat areas, many painters prefer a fine-finish microfiber or foam roller selected for smooth coatings. The objective is an even, controlled film - not a heavy coat.
Work methodically and avoid over-brushing. ADVANCE needs time to level, so repeatedly going back over an area as it starts to set can leave marks rather than remove them. Maintain a wet edge, apply thin, even coats, and let each coat dry fully according to the product instructions before sanding lightly and recoating.
A light sanding between coats can make a major difference on cabinets and trim. Use a fine abrasive to remove tiny dust nibs and imperfections, not to cut aggressively into the fresh coating. Then remove all sanding dust before the next coat. Two properly applied finish coats over the right primer will usually look better and perform better than one overly thick coat.
Spraying can deliver an exceptionally smooth appearance, especially on removed cabinet doors, but it requires proper equipment, masking, ventilation, and technique. For many homeowners, brushing and rolling doors laid flat is a more manageable route. Professionals may choose spraying when the workspace and schedule support it.
Is ADVANCE right for your project?
ADVANCE is a strong match when you are painting interior cabinets, trim, doors, or furniture and can allow time for preparation, recoating, and curing. It is particularly worthwhile when the finished surface will be seen closely and touched often.
It may not be the best choice when speed is the overriding priority, when the project is outdoors, or when the existing surface has adhesion concerns that have not been addressed. In those cases, the right primer, an alternative coating, or a different project schedule may matter more than choosing a specific sheen.
Colour also deserves attention. Whites and soft neutrals remain classic choices for cabinetry, but darker colours can look striking in ADVANCE when the prep work is careful. Keep in mind that deeper colours and higher sheens can reveal surface imperfections more readily. A test area is useful before committing to an entire kitchen or built-in.
For project-specific advice, Colour Company can help homeowners and professionals choose an appropriate Benjamin Moore coating, primer, sheen, and application tools. As a local Benjamin Moore London Ontario paint store, the team can also help assess a cabinet or trim project before the first coat goes on.
The best reason to choose ADVANCE is not simply that it is a cabinet paint. It is that it gives a careful painter time to create a finish that feels deliberate. Prepare thoroughly, apply thin coats, respect the drying window, and let the surface cure before putting it back to work. When your project is ready, shop online or visit a Colour Company location in London, Ontario for the paint and supplies to finish it with confidence.