If you want to tamp down the wood grain on your kitchen cabinets, you have a couple options – painting or replacing them. Obviously, painting is much simpler. But, the question is: Can cabinet painting really reduce the appearance of grain?
This is a common question we get at N-Hance® – and the short answer is “Yes!”
Here’s everything you need to know about wood grain, and how our cabinet painting can mute its appearance.
Types of Wood Grains in Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet grain is the texture, pattern and orientation of the wood fibers on the surface of cut wood. It can look quite different from one type of wood to the next. However, most grains fall into one of the following categories:
Light Wood Grain
These are cabinets made from fine grained wood, such as maple, cherry, white oak, or another light-grain variety. The surface of the cabinet looks and feels smooth to the touch, while delivering a large, loose, visual grain pattern.
Medium to Heavy Wood Grain
Cabinets made from these woods tend to have a tighter, more dominant visual grain pattern. Typically, you can also feel the texture of the grain when you touch the surface. Common types of wood with medium to heavy grain include walnut, hickory, and red and golden oaks.
Knotted Wood Grain
Whether your cabinets are made from alder or hickory, knotted wood has the most distinctive look. It’s instantly recognizable thanks to the knots throughout. The spots where knots occur can be deep, however, the rest of the surface is smooth.
How Our Cabinet Painting Reduces Signs of Grain
Whatever kind of kitchen cabinets you have in your home, painting can certainly mute the look of the grain. In some cases, it can reduce it drastically.
At N-Hance, we even have a unique and proprietary coating system to provide superior results in the process. Our approach relies on a specialized urethane primer that has nearly twice the filling properties of a typical primer. This means, when compared to other primers – like those you buy in a store – the primer we use will create a better bind to the wood, thereby covering the grain and making it much harder to see.
Not only are the filling properties better, but so is the adhesion. In fact, our level of coating adhesion actually exceeds the strength of the wood. This means our paint coating system won’t chip or peel over time.
With other products, the oil and grease transferred from your fingers along with impact from fingernails can damage the cabinet coating. However, our high-performance products produce superior adhesion. This enables the coating to stand stronger against all kinds of wear and tear, even around the pulls and handles.
Want 100% Grain-Free Cabinets? Reface Instead of Painting
If just muting or reducing the grain on your cabinets isn’t really what you want, then your next most economical choice is cabinet refacing. With cabinet refacing, N-Hance will remove the doors and drawer fronts on your cabinets and replace them with new, custom-made ones. We’ll then paint the cabinet boxes to match. The final look will be seamless, stunning – and grain-free.
Likewise, if you want a different style for the cabinet doors or drawer fronts, then refacing is the way to go. You can choose from many options with N-Hance, such as shaker, solid wood, or other classic designs. You can also select from a variety of colors, so you get a final look that fits your vision, all without any grain.
With refacing, we apply the same specialized coating to the doors, drawer fronts and boxes as we do with cabinet painting. So, whether you opt for painting or refacing with N-Hance, you’ll get the same durable cabinets you want. Our coating system will stand up to all kinds of wear and tear as long as cabinets are properly maintained. Plus, you’ll get that sleek, grain-free look you want.
In the end, the main difference between cabinet painting and refacing comes down to your preferences and budget. If you’re comfortable with muted wood grain, cabinet painting can work wonders and is the more budget-friendly choice. If, however, you want to eliminate the grain completely, then consider refacing instead.
If you need help making a decision, let us provide an in-home estimate. We can take a look at your cabinets, explain more about the difference we can make, and provide a quote, so you can make an informed choice about cabinet painting or refacing. Whatever you do decide, you’ll get beautiful and durable kitchen cabinets that look brand new.
Ready to reduce or remove the wood grain on your cabinets? Turn to the team at N-Hance for cabinet painting or cabinet refacing services. Call (855) 642-6230 to set up a FREE consultation.