Many people on a budget may think that painting their cabinets themselves might save them some money and still deliver them with a beautiful product. We find the original stained or manufactured finish to be far superior to what can be done in your home and here’s why:
During the original manufacturing of the cabinets the builder applies several coats of paint and resin onto the cabinet, giving it the professional finish that is more durable and clean looking than if done by someone at home. They use high quality paints and finishes to give it the professional look and feel. It’s also more difficult to scuff, easier to clean and maintains its color and sheen. Some also use a UV heated gel that seals the paint in – ladies who get their nails done, this is a similar process.
Painting cabinets is a lot of work – first you have to sand or remove the existing coating/painting, have to prep the area, mark hardware, tape off areas you don’t want to get paint on them. You also need to choose the right type of paint – do you need oil or latex based paints… depends on your door and the finish you have in mind. Whereas your average Joe doing the job at home may put on a single coat of paint and rarely a clear coat on top of it. This doesn’t provided the more durable protection that a professional job does and you’ll soon see scuff marks and scratches from just brushing up against it, especially near the hardware where there is frequent use. Oils and dermis from you can also end up on the product, which wears away at the paint and can end up corroding the finished product.
I’m sure we have a few readers that can and would do a job as well as the professional cabinet makers, but, this article isn’t for them. If you have the time, patience and quality paints then go for it. If you’re a novice and unsure of what to do there are other options, not limited to new cabinets. Give us a call to talk about kitchen design and our in-house designer would be happy to talk about some of our ideas.
Photos by Bremtown Cabinetry
Written by Jamez Ronald Prudlick
