Cabinet Painting

A fresh finish without the cost of new cabinets.

Putting a fresh new look on your kitchen cabinets can improve the value and usefulness of your cabinets without the cost of cabinet replacement. Cabinets can account for about 40 percent of a kitchen’s cost, and if your cabinets are in good condition, then refinishing or painting your cabinets is likely your best option to upgrade your look and extend the life of your cabinets.

Paint and Finish Selection

Traditionally, oil based paints were the first choice when repainting cabinets, but latex paint formulations for performance have come a long way in the last 20 years. In some cases oil based paints are the better option, but may take more time to properly prep, apply, and cure. While the finished product is wonderful, it can also add cost over latex paint. Oil based paints tend to dry harder, but even latex will take up to 3 weeks to fully cure, and in the meantime, your cabinets are still susceptible to surface damage, so you’ll want to be careful with them until they fully cure with either type of paint.

Regular or faux finish is another point to consider. A regular finish is just that, with a gloss, satin, or eggshell for a solid look and feel. Newer options with faux finishes such as Crackling Glaze, Distressed, or Antiqued can add a lot of accent and premium look to your kitchen or bath. High gloss or flat matte varnish coats can also add an extra layer of protection while adding some pop, or finishing those flatter looks too. Make sure to ask a professional about the layers involved to really make your finished kitchen cabinets look outstanding upon completion.

New Hardware Selection

When repainting your kitchen cabinets, it’s also a good time to check all of your hinges, and hardware. In many cases, you’ll want to look for a set of pulls to accentuate your new cabinet color. Matching the hinge color to your door and drawer pulls will be important too, as you don’t want them to clash when the cabinets are opened. Plus, new hinges will help shore up any poorly hanging cabinet doors to make sure everything looks square and new when completed.

Steps to take Before Refinishing your Kitchen Cabinets

Setup a temporary kitchen nearby. Since the highest traffic room in your home will be offline for at least a couple of days, setting up another room with a microwave, hotplate, toaster oven, and a table to prepare food at is very helpful. Paper plates and plasticware help cut down on the dishes, and a cooler may be necessary if your refrigerator will not be accessible.

Prepping your kitchen is the next step, and this is where you’ll want to clean out your cabinets. Not only does this allow for proper cleaning and preparation of the cabinet surfaces to be painted, but it gives you a chance to clean out, and reorganize all of those utensils and other things you’ve accumulated over the years.

In some cases you may want to look at cabinet door replacement. This isn’t always the easiest as different manufacturers use different sizes, or you may need custom doors made. While this is still a lower cost option than fully replacing your cabinets, it does take some planning ahead for lead time in production to get them to your home. Talk to your painting contractor to help with selection and scheduling.

After Repainting your Kitchen Cabinets

Make sure to spend the first few weeks being delicate with your new finish. Minor bumps and nicks are bound to occur over time, but those first few weeks are an important time to be gentle with them to let the surfaces fully cure. If any major dings happen, a good touch up job can make it go away, but with certain faux finishes, this can be a little more complicated, so it’s best to handle them with care. It’s only a few weeks, and then you’ll be able to fully enjoy them for years to come.

How We Can Help

The average American spends about 3.5 hours per day in their kitchen. It’s a space you want to enjoy being in with your family and friends.

Putting a fresh new look on your kitchen cabinets can improve the value and usefulness of your cabinets without the cost of cabinet replacement. But, before you spend a couple of weekends of your time, consider all of the steps involved, and contact the experts at Van Tuinen Painting in Kalamazoo. We have the expertise to apply premium grade paints and stains to your cabinets, and can always accommodate your time frame to provide you with a superior finished product.

With all of the steps that go into a great cabinet paint job, consider hiring a professional like Van Tuinen Painting. We’ll take care of the prep, stripping, painting, finishing and hardware replacement with a finished look that’s guaranteed to last.

Steps to consider before starting your project:

Assess Cabinet Condition — In many cases your cabinets are not the problem, just the age of the finish. However, if your cabinets are worn, broken, warped, or in otherwise poor condition, consider buying new cabinets. Naked cabinets are much less expensive, and VanTuinen can help you finish them with a custom look to match the rest of your home.
Paint Type and Finish Selection — Spending the proper amount of time researching and deciding on color and finish type will ensure you smile every time you walk into your new kitchen.
Cabinet & Drawer Hardware — New pulls, and even hinges will provide great accents to the new look of your kitchen cabinets.
Temporary Kitchen — Make sure to set up a temporary kitchen somewhere close by in your home. A microwave, toaster oven, and hot plate, along with some table space will really help get through your project easily while the busiest room in your home is out of commission for a few days.
Empty your Cabinets — Prepping your kitchen is the next step, and this is where you’ll want to clean out your cabinets. Not only does this allow for proper cleaning and preparation of the cabinet surfaces to be painted, but it gives you a chance to clean out, and reorganize all of those utensils and other things you’ve accumulated over the years.