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Revive Your Kitchen with Cabinet Painting
Paint is one of the easiest ways to completely change a space without spending a fortune. In kitchens, this is a welcome relief from the average full renovation cost of around $26,000. Even if you hire professional painters and have tons of cabinets, you’ll be hard-pressed to spend more than a couple thousand dollars to refinish them. This is why many homeowners may opt for a coat of paint on their kitchen walls and ceilings, instead of a full-blown remodel. Cabinet painting can transform your entire kitchen and elevate it to another level.
In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of cabinet painting, how to prepare your kitchen, choosing paint colors and finishes, and more. By the time you’re done, you’ll have all the information you need to reach out to the professionals or put on the painters pants yourself!
Why Paint Cabinets Instead of Replacing Them?
There are several reasons to paint your kitchen cabinets as opposed to replacing them all. Perhaps you have a layout that you like, and your cabinets aren’t that old, but you want a fresh look. Maybe you don’t want the huge demolition and renovation that comes with cabinet replacement. Whatever the case may be, this is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to update your space.
Some people take it one step back and only paint the cabinet doors and drawer faces. That’s also an option, provided that the base cabinets are still in presentable condition. If you refresh the doors and drawers and the original material is a bit worn, it’s not going to create an eyesore. The good news is that this is simple to assess, even if you don’t have much of an eye for this type of thing.
Can All Cabinets Be Painted?
This is a question that gets asked a lot, and for good reason. Although it’s uncommon, there are instances where painting cabinets isn’t possible or just doesn’t make sense. For example, if your cabinets are excessively worn or damaged, a simple coat of paint might not do much for you. Keep in mind that cabinets often require a higher sheen paint as they are more durable. These higher sheens are less capable of hiding imperfections in the surface so your worn or damaged cabinets may be difficult to save without additional repairs like heavy sanding and filling.
Laminate cabinets can be painted, but they require a primer that helps the paint adhere. The condition of the laminate also needs to be good, or the result may not look as you’d hoped. Cabinets that are made of metal, vinyl, or other engineered materials may not take paint as easily and might also require a high-quality primer.
If painting is not an option, you might have to find another alternative to a full kitchen remodel. The good news is, however, that most people do end up being able to paint. You just have to know what you’re getting into first. Ask yourself some questions to make sure this is the right choice.
- Are the cabinets in relatively good condition? Sturdy frames are essential, as are base cabinets without damage or missing parts. Damage and serious blemishes on the cabinets may require repair before painting can begin. If the damage is too severe, experts might advise that replacements are the better option. You’ll also want to consider your budget.
- Do I like my current style and layout? There’s no need to install brand-new cabinets if you’re comfortable with your current layout and your existing ones are in good shape. A simple coat of paint can give them a fresh, new look without totally upending the space.
- How long do I want this update to last? Painting is a great way to update a kitchen. However, the kitchen is a heavily used space, and the cabinets see a lot of wear and tear over time. Food and liquid spills, grease, and dirt buildup in a particularly busy house might only get you 3-5 years out of this paint job before you may want to consider painting again. In a house without kids or animals, you can usually expect to get more time between repaints.
- What material do I have? As mentioned above, the material is a big part of whether or not you can even paint cabinets in the first place. Plus, if you have outdated metal cabinets or cheap laminate cabinets, an upgrade to new, higher quality cabinets may be worth it.
- What are my goals? Painting cabinets isn’t going to make better use of your space or open up your kitchen floor plan. You need a full renovation, and somewhere between $20,000 and $60,000, for that. However, if you just want to refresh the space or make it fit with the rest of your home better, paint is a great way to go.
Another reason people choose to paint their cabinets is that they’re going to sell the home, but they don’t want to invest in a huge remodel. A simple paint job can refresh the kitchen and attract buyers, who can decide later if they want to remodel the kitchen once they’re living in the home.
The Pros and Cons of Kitchen Cabinet Painting
We’ve already covered a lot of information. However, we’re not quite done yet. As mentioned above, there are definitely pros and cons to consider when you are looking at your kitchen cabinets painting. You may have your own list in mind, too, but here are some perks and disadvantages.
Pros
- Less expensive. New cabinets can easily take up more than half of a renovation budget, but cabinet painting will cost a fraction of that. This will allow you to upgrade the space without spending a fortune. Then, you can make other changes or buy those new appliances you’ve been wanting, depending on your budget.
- Neat and simple. Painting can be a clean, simple process. There’s no huge demolition involved or mess to clean up. All the work is done on the cabinets directly and any mess is cleaned up by you or the painters when the project is done.
- Quicker than full remodels. While a traditional renovation could take weeks or even months, cabinet painting can take you as little as a day or two. You can also still go on about your daily life, although you may not be able to cook meals or use your kitchen space for a few days.
- New design or style. Painting allows you to embrace a new style or color scheme without making big changes. You will be able to pick and choose color combinations to create the perfect finished look, no matter what you have in mind.
Cons
- You keep the same cabinets. If your cabinets are damaged, worn, or dated, it might just be time for a replacement. Painting is ideal for those who are fine with keeping their existing cabinets, but it’s not for everyone.
- Doesn’t change the layout or function of the space. If you want to completely redesign your kitchen, you’ll need to replace the cabinets, or at least have them reconfigured.
- A cabinet repaint with a color change might mean your hardware doesn’t match with the color anymore. Hardware replacement can become expensive quickly, depending on the pieces you purchase.
These considerations should help you decide how to move forward with your painting project. Speaking of which, let’s talk a little about kitchen prep.
How to Prepare Your Kitchen
If you are having professional painters come in and paint your cabinets, you’ll want to make sure that the space is ready for their arrival. Typically, your painters should advise you on how to prepare when you discuss the project with them, but we’ve got some tips and insight that will give you a head start.
Empty the Cabinets
Even if they’re only updating the exterior of your cabinets, painters will need the cabinets to be empty so that they can tape off any areas with ease. This also protects your dishes, pans, and other kitchen items from any potential damage or paint dripping/overspray.
Wipe Cabinets Down
Although painters will typically sand the cabinets and drawers before they apply fresh paint, it will make their job easier if you wipe your cabinets down first. This removes at least some of the grease and kitchen buildup and gives them a better surface to start with.
Cover the Floors
If you’re doing this repaint yourself, don’t forget your floor coverings. If the base cabinets and upper cabinets are being painted, you need to protect the floors from paint spillage and drips, as well as your counter tops. Make sure that you protect the tops of your baseboards too, these can be drip magnets.
Plan to Dine Out
Though we did say above that you don’t lose the use of your kitchen completely; it may be easier to eat out a bit more often during your cabinet repaint. Cabinet painting is going to take about four or five days for full jobs, so you should be prepared to eat out for a few nights. If you don’t want to dine out, make dinner plans with family and friends and do some table-hopping while your kitchen is being painted.
What about DIY Kitchen Cabinet Painting?
Anyone can paint, right? If you’ve ever painted walls, furniture, or other surfaces in your home, you might feel like this cabinet upgrade is just another project you can add to your DIY repertoire. It’s not really that simple, though. If you do the job yourself, you will have to:
- Plan the entire project and budget. Even if this isn’t your strong suit, this is an essential part of any DIY project. Do your research, create a plan, figure out your budget, and do your best to stick to it.
- Buy all the paint and supplies, including tape, tarps and protective other coverings, brushes and rollers, etc. The costs do add up quickly, but if you’ve budgeted appropriately, there shouldn’t be too many surprises. Not buying certain materials is not recommended; if you’re doing a repaint, its best you do it right.
- Remove all the cabinet doors and drawers so that you can paint the base cabinets and the facings separately. This requires removing the hardware, keeping track of which cabinets and drawers go where, and finding a place to store them. Make sure that if you’re doing any puttying/filling to not fill in the holes for your hardware screws.
- Sand down all the surfaces that are being painted and keep the dust from getting into your appliances. This is a laborious process and for the inexperienced, it can lead to issues with the painting process if you don’t sand correctly. This guide won’t go into many details about proper sanding process and paper grits, but this will be an important part of your research.
- Re-install all the cabinet doors and drawers, along with the hardware. If you’re also upgrading the hardware, you’ll have to select a new style and then replace the hinges and handles on every single cabinet and drawer in the space.
DIY projects like this take a lot of time and effort, which you may not have to spare. The other concern is expertise. Cabinets are unique and not quite as simple as wall painting projects. With professional painters, you can guarantee that the project is done right, right on time, and without the stress and personal responsibility. If you’re sticking to DIY, it’s very important to do your research and do a lot of it. The more you know, the better the outcome of the project will be.
The Bottom Line of Cabinet Painting
Kitchen cabinet Painting can revive an old, outdated, or dull space with ease. There are a ton of options for paint colors and combinations, and you can even upgrade the hardware while you’re at it to create a new aesthetic. It only takes a few simple changes to make a big impact, which is why many homeowners love kitchen cabinet painting.
If you’re considering updating your kitchen with a cabinet painting project, reach out to the experts at Elite Trade Painting. We are here to help you plan your project, Plus, we’ll be there to answer your questions and guide you through the project to completion. Bring new life back to your kitchen in no time – contact us now to get started.
