Why Materials Matter

You’ve been thinking about painting your cabinets. So like many people do, you start the google search to see what it takes. Maybe you can save some money and do it yourself. There are hundreds if not thousands of DIY blogs out there that can teach you how to paint your cabinets for just a couple hundred bucks! That’s great, right! Easy as pie and a new kitchen over a weekend. There is only one problem.

Those blogs are all wrong. 

Now, before we get too deep, let me explain something. I’m not against anyone doing their own work around the house, aside from highly skilled trades like plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc. Always hire a pro for those. Painting is a very popular DIY project and a skill most people can pick up (generally speaking). It’s not that I think these blogs are wrong for encouraging you to pick up a paint brush, it’s the why, what and the how behind it. 

Let’s start with the why. There are usually two parts to this. The first, of course, is saving money. After all, who wouldn’t rather spend a couple hundred dollars rather than a couple thousand? I mean, those pros are so expensive. 

The second part is the sense of accomplishment one gets when finishing a medium to large scale home project.You can sit back, look at what you’ve done and be proud. Who doesn’t like that feeling? I know I do, which is why I do what I do. 

Now, let’s get into why these blogs are misleading you. It’s really simple. Let’s start with the what.

Materials. 

There’s really nothing wrong with off the shelf primer and a gallon of good paint from your local home center or paint store, unless you use that paint on cabinets. I’ve seen these posts sing the praises of everything from latex paint, to milk paint to even chalk paint, and all of those are terrible choices for an environment like kitchens and baths. For instance, chalk paint needs to be waxed, and do you want a wax coating over everything in a steamy, moist environment like a kitchen? I know I don’t. These coatings will wear, flake and chip and before you know it, your cabinets look worse than before they were painted. (maybe we can call it rustic?)

And lastly, the how. I know not everyone has access to spray equipment so a brush and roller may be the only option. But only the correct brush and roller combined with the right coating will give you a smooth, glass-like finish. That’s not an easy thing to do and is most likely going to leave you disappointed. And remember that money you saved? It may not be a savings at all when it comes time to refinish again. And if you decide to hire a pro, it will most likely cost more due to the increased time needed to prep those cabinets for a stellar coating.

When we refinish cabinets, we remove the doors and drawer fronts from your home and spray them off site using high quality water based industrial grade coatings that meet or exceed the standards of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association.
Unlike some other companies, we also spray your cabinet boxes. This is usually a two to three day process and while that may seem like a disruption to your daily life, we do our best to leave your most used items accessible during this time. This process allows us to give you the best quality finish possible. 

If you’re interested in renewing the look of your kitchen contact us for an estimate. 






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