Many factors incline a homeowner to redo their cabinetry: deterioration due to age, damage from heat/grease/oil, outdated trends, fading colors… the list goes on! The first thing to deteriorate is the protective finish on the wood. Once this layer is tarnished, damage begins to penetrate into the decorative coatings on the cabinets surface and effects the stain or solid color that once shown beautifully! Your shiny, beloved cabinets now appear dull. While there are many aspects of home improvement that can be easily tackled by the home owner, some projects are best left to professionals!

Today, I’m writing about kitchen cabinet painting, why it seems like a valuable option, and what consequences to expect from painting cabinetry.

Let’s start at the beginning of the timeline: your kitchen/vanity cabinets need a change! Whether you’re tired of the color or its faded and damaged from time and use, all you know as a home owner is it is time for them to change. Maybe you’ve painted a few rooms, maybe you’ve painted a shelf or two, and thought, “Well, that went smoothly enough! Honey, let’s paint the cabinets!” You’ve done a little research, perhaps, and you’ve had your eye on the subtle warmth of Behr’s Cottage White or the trendy Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams. You know what you want and you’re ready to give this a try! Here are some things to consider:

  1. Are you willing to completely strip down the existing finish and reveal the raw wood, ensuring a proper surface for adherence? Stripping agents are harsh chemicals and dangerous to work with, easily able to burn off skin and have extremely dangerous levels of VOC/odor. The process is time consuming and dangerous.

  2. Are you sure that the paint you are using is manufactured for cabinetry? Was it made with the right compound of ingredients to properly adhere to cabinets and have the durability of a factory finish?

  3. Are you prepared to spend a week or more on this project? Cabinet painting is tedious. It requires precision and attention-to-detail. Without that right tools, one will leave brush strokes and uneven surfaces. Too little coverage will result in bleed through of the grain and existing color. Too much coverage causes drips and chipping. It’s best to always remove all doors and drawer fronts and perform the work in an area free of dust and with climate control.

  4. Have you considered what your plan will be if you completely botch the project?

If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, awesome! You’re confident and ready to give it a try! On the surface, cabinet painting seems like a valuable, money-saving option. Whether you’re planning on doing the work yourself or having a painting company do the job, let us now consider the final results.

Yikes! It’s only been a few months and your hard work and money spent is now wasting away! It is sad to say, but no paint and no painting company can bring the results that cabinet refinishing can. 

Proper cabinet refinishing is a specialized process, that incorporates numerous steps prior to and after applying a coat of color. N-Hance has taken years to develop a unique, quality method to ensure professional, factory-like results that do not chip or wear over time like painting. We ALWAYS properly prep the surface: degreaser, PH neutralizer, and wood sealer- to name a few. We ALWAYS use product developed by a department of chemists that are specifically for cabinets, both raw and manufactured wood. We ALWAYS use precision tools and sprayers to ensure accurate, consistent, and professional coverage. We ALWAYS allow proper curing time to ensure there is no bleed through of wood grain or existing color. We ALWAYS ensure family safe products, with low VOC/odor, and rapid results. We ALWAYS finish with a factory-like coating that protects your investment. And we ALWAYS go above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction.