Proper Caulking and Priming for Cabinets

What happens here

For cabinet painting, particularly when dealing with floating panels, it's advisable to caulk *before* priming. Use a flexible acrylic caulking product that can expand and contract without cracking. If a water-based urethane product (like Emerald Urethane) is being used, it offers enough flexibility to typically caulk without priming over the caulk itself. However, if working with hard lacquer coatings, avoid caulking or priming over the caulk, especially in climates with significant expansion and contraction. Lacquers are less flexible and priming over caulk can lead to cracking of the paint along the caulk line over time. Always ensure the caulk is fully cured before proceeding with painting.

Goal: When painting cabinets, caulk floating panels and other areas before priming with a flexible acrylic product, but avoid caulking or priming over hard lacquer due to potential cracking; water-based urethane products are more flexible than oil-based primers.