To Paint or not to Paint (Yourself)!

If you ask what is the heart of the home - you'll probably get a unanimous response that it’s the kitchen. It's the only part of your house that has a natural way to bring people and families closer together, gathered around kitchen tables and islands, and is often the most utilized room, for sure. Cooking sessions can be a bonding time with your kids or spouse and meals shared with friends is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones. What is more gratifying than enjoying moments of deep conversation and laughter while sharing a meal in your kitchen?

Kitchens are undoubtedly well loved and because of that, they are often the first place to show wear and tear or become dated. Kitchen cabinets in particular are often subject to the changing trends of home décor, from everything to the color to the hardware. Making sure your kitchen displays the vibe that you want will not only inspire you to cook more meals at home, but it is often the first impression given when someone walks through the door and one of the places you can get a great return on your investment if you sell. 

Kitchen Cabinets: Should You Replace them or Paint them?

Over time your wood cabinets will wear and tear.  Your cabinets and drawers are perhaps the most used (and abused) parts of your kitchen aside from the countertops and stoves. Chips, dings and scratches will inevitably appear. If you start to notice wear and tear, or you still have the same cabinets the house had in the '80s, that means it’s time for replacing, painting or cabinet refacing.

You may be wondering which is the better approach - cabinet refacing, replacing or re painting outdated or worn- in cabinets. The good news is that solid wood cabinets often just need some TLC to look brand new again and repainting cabinets is a much less expensive choice than replacing them entirely. 

With that said, there are many factors to consider before deciding to repaint your kitchen cabinets. DIY painting might sound like a simple process - a fresh coat of paint and you are done! However, the process of painting cabinets takes quite a few steps and expertise to get the job done and get it done right.

There are many types of paint you can use for painting kitchen (and bathroom) cabinets. At Kristina's Cabinet Refinishing we use self-leveling water-based paint is what we use.  It is  formulated to level out evenly over the  surface as it dries, resulting in a smooth yet very durable rock hard finish once fully cured.

If you're considering your options, here is a compilation of the factors to consider if you want to pursue the benefits of cabinet painting, whether you are considering DIY or professional cabinet painting or cabinet refacing.

The Pros Of DIY Kitchen Cabinet Painting

1. It saves money! 

The costs go way down when you paint your own kitchen cabinets. Labor charges are a big thing to consider when reaching out to painting experts.

2. You get the satisfaction of painting your own kitchen

You do the painting yourself, all you need to do is prepare the materials and start the job whenever it is convenient for you - and finish it up when you want. You think you can paint cabinets and you are good at it! Painting kitchen cabinets can be a lot of work but in the end, you'll have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

3. The control of the outcome is in your hands

You are the one to decide what the outcome should be, and you can change your mind of color choice or style along the way, and at your own pace

The Pros of Professional Kitchen Cabinet Painting

1. You'll save yourself the frustration in selecting the right kitchen cabinet paint, color, and style.

You’ve been browsing through catalog after catalog of paints and colors to get ideas for your kitchen cabinets. But you can't find anything that will match your décor.

A professional cabinet painter will be able to look at your kitchen layout and cabinets and give you advice concerning paint color and style choices. A professional painter will also pick a durable option for paint, as there are a plethora of paint choices out there. 

2. You'll need professional expertise to repair chips, dents, and blemishes in your cabinets

It may take more to revive your cabinet than just applying a few coats of fresh paint, there are instances that require a more expert set of eyes. Some areas are already chipped and damaged due to old age - a new layer of paint will make it look a lot better yet blemishes and dents will still be evident on the cabinet surface.

3. Cabinet painting is time-consuming 

Painting a large number of kitchen cabinets is a big job and you have to work at it for many long hours. The reality is that professionals do this daily and are much quicker at all of the tasks required!

You need to remove cabinet hardware and cabinet doors, sand every side needed to be painted, prime all cabinet surfaces, tape, and paint finally. You will also have to wait for it to dry completely and then apply some finishing touches as well. and let's not forget the additional time you need to clean up the area and equipment as well.

Ask yourself, can you paint your cabinets despite your busy schedule? The whole process might take months if you are a busy person.

4. Cost of Materials 

The cost of materials you likely won't use again - but will need to paint your kitchen or bathroom cabinets could be really high, especially in today's economy. 

First of all, there is a long list of quality supplies you would need. And only a professional knows the complete list and which items are of good quality.

• Durable and quality paint
• Drop cloths
• Quality paint brushes
  
• Paint trays
• Paint rollers and refills
• Ladders
• Detail brushes 
• Face masks

You'll need to buy these things yourself to accomplish proficient outcomes. If you are into saving money, spending so much money on painting equipment will cost you a lot more than what you might anticipate.

As you might have noticed, kitchen cabinet paint cost has skyrocketed like all building and construction materials.

5. Professionals have the right tools for cabinet painting

Not only do professional painters have skills and experience, but they have the right tools to get the job done as well. Tools that a normal person may not have access to or that would be expensive to buy or rent.

6. If you DIY, your cabinets might not turn out with a professional look

It takes many years of professional experience to be able to apply an even and smooth coat of paint to kitchen cabinets and do a quality job.

Professional cabinet painters' technical skills are needed to tackle a job like cabinet-painting tasks.

Have you decided yet? 

There is certainly nothing wrong with DIY cabinet paint jobs, and sometimes, it is the better approach. But as we established - painting cabinets could be quite a complicated process. 



When deciding to update or refresh your kitchen, it is good to be aware of the pros and cons and to consider the time, energy and skills needed to complete your job! 

Kristina's Cabinet Refinishing will skillfully guide you through the design process when updating your kitchen or bathroom cabinets, saving you time, money and frustration. 

We are just a call away - contact us today!