Can I paint my cabinets?
Sure. You can do anything you want. Will it look nice? Eh.
Technically in this day and age you shouldn’t be painting your cabinets. Every time we have had a customer who has painted their cabinets they have always regretted it. The main reason is because the texture and quality is going to look just like that: paint. Whether it’s brushed or rolled on, or even sprayed, paint is going to make what were nice, pre-finished cabinets into, well, painted cabinets. So yes, you can paint your cabinets. But please make sure your expectations are correct.
The difference between Resurrect Wood Refinishing and Joe’s Paint Shop (or Home Depot), is we utilize a process called “Refinishing.” The procedure is about the same as painting in that our technicians mask everything up and go over your existing cabinetry with a new coat of product. But that product is a very thin, durable, and eco-friendly water based chemical called a Polyurethane Acrylic. You know that nice shiny coat of finish on hardwood floors? That’s our product, just engineered for your cabinets. So essentially you walk on your cabinets if you really wanted to.
The best part of our process is that the finish is tintable, meaning that that paint color you fell in love with, we can copy! So you still get the beautiful color you wanted without the terrible end results of a paint job.
Can you just paint over cabinets?
Yes, but unfortunately, that ruins the cabinets for if you want them refinished later. Let’s say you are an expert painter. Let’s say that somehow you are able to do a beautiful job painting your cabinets and you are satisfied with the results. Well, the next issue is durability. That paint you used has a lifespan of about 2-3 years, unless it’s continually worn out in high traffic areas, like your cabinets. Then you could be looking at less time and needing a do-over. The problem now is with paint, you can only now cover up with more paint. If you wanted to refinish, then we have to sand/strip the existing paint you used, because our polyurethane acrylic can only adhere to wood-finish, not paint.
So just be careful. That quick-buck decision could end up trapping yourself from future renovations should you wish to maintain the existing cabinetry, and likely saves you no money at all.
Can you paint cabinets without sanding?
You can paint cabinets without sanding if the cabinets are pre-finished. However, you cannot refinish painted cabinets without sanding. As we mentioned above, it’s sort of like a one-and-done type of thing if you decide to paint. With refinishing, you have the flexibility to still paint in the future if for whatever reason you don’t like the amazing durability and odorless finish.
Now can you refinish builder grade cabinets without sanding? Absolutely. That’s one of the best things about the process we use at Resurrect Wood Refinishing. There is no sanding which means none of that awful saw dust floating around in your kitchen. Also if there’s no sanding then there is no risk losing that beautiful profile in your existing cabinetry.
Can kitchen cabinets be painted professionally?
If by professional you mean, “can cabinets be painted by someone who I can pay money to do it?” Yes. Yes they can. If by professional you mean if painting your cabinets will look good, then no. As explained, painting, in our opinion, ruins perfectly good cabinets. A lot of painters may say they are able to do it, but first off, painting cabinets is a completely different process than painting your wall or ceiling. There is a lot of attention to detail required since you are working on a three dimensional surface versus a solid flat wall. Second, wall paint is not the same as wood paint. And wood paint will look like wood paint and not nicely refinished cabinets.
While there are many painting professionals who claim that they can paint your cabinets, it is a completely different skill set and product and we strongly recommend researching in order for you to set realistic expectations.
How much does it cost to paint existing kitchen cabinets?
Resurrect Wood Refinishing only offers refinishing services. The market for refinishing an average sized, 10×10 kitchen is going to be about ⅓ the cost of purchasing new cabinets. The value of our service increases with the larger the project. From our experience with painters who try to compete with us, they usually charge about the same they would for a wall or ceiling project. So while in the short term you are getting a better deal, you are paying a cheaper price for a cheaper service.
Paint is not durable on cabinets, it chips and peels even with a common polyurethane clear coat on top. Once the painter is done with the project, that it is. There is no guarantee and you will have to hire them again to repaint the entire kitchen should it need a refresh. With Resurrect Wood Refinishing, we do offer a touch-up service just in case in the next couple of years there’s an accident or excessive wear and tear. We get it! It’s your kitchen not a museum. We also leave touch up products upon request which covers most small bumps and dings. We understand that investing in your kitchen is not only a commitment, but it is going to be well used and well loved throughout many years. That’s why it’s very important to us at Resurrect Wood Refinishing to ensure that every customer is aware that we continue to keep communication open for future projects. Once our customer, you are always a customer. We like to say we don’t make customers, we make friends, especially with your fur babies.
