Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Ideas: Painting, Staining, or Refacing?

Are you bored with your kitchen? Do you walk into the kitchen and wish you had one of those beautifully designed magazine-cover kitchens? You’re not alone! Many of us end up moving into a house and just accept the fact that the kitchen cabinet colors aren’t exactly what we hoped for but they are sturdy enough to hold your dishes so you just deal with it because the alternative is either too time-consuming or expensive.

The three most popular methods to updating your kitchen cabinets are painting, staining, and refacing.  Painting is by far the most traditional option, but for those working on a budget, staining your kitchen cabinets may be the way to go.  Refacing cabinets is perfect for giving your kitchen the appearance that you spared no expense for new fixtures, yet only you know the truth!  For more information on each of these methods, including the pros and cons, and step-by-step instructions, keep reading.

Did you know that a minor kitchen renovation is one of the projects that you can do for your home where you actually get the most return on investment? Don’t take our word for it; Remodeling Magazine put out this report in 2021 on the Cost vs Value of home projects and the number one project was a Minor Kitchen Remodel.

A minor kitchen remodel can be as simple as updating the color or finish of your kitchen cabinets, maybe adding a backsplash. We are not talking about gutting your kitchen and starting from scratch.

Painting Kitchen Cabinets for a Cost Effective Upgrade

The first option to consider is Painting. Painting your cabinets will give them a fresh look. It is going to be one of the cheapest options and the color options are as endless as the color cards at a Sherwin Williams store.

  1. Before you paint be sure to remove all door and drawer fronts. You want to have no obstacles in the way of that paintbrush.

2. Select a paint color with a primer already mixed in it.

3. Sand all the surfaces so that your paint and primer will adhere to the surface evenly.

4. You may need to reapply another coat for an optimal finish.

5. When every surface is painted and dry, reattach the door and drawer fronts.

Now, painting is the cheapest option but it does require plenty of dry time. You may have your kitchen out of commission for a couple of weeks while you let the paint dry, and let’s face it, the paint vapors are going to permeate through your house for a while. This is not something you want to attempt in cold weather.

Lastly, DIY-er beware, the paint will not hide any problems you may have with your cabinets such as dents, scratches, misaligned doors, incorrectly sized doors or hide woodgrain.

Staining your Cabinets for a high-end Traditional Kitchen Look

Staining is similar to painting in terms of steps but the colors are obviously more limited and the process can be much messier, so roll up your sleeves for this one! The benefit of staining is that you can adjust the color of the stain as you go. You can start light and go dark for a shade that suits your kitchen best.

  1. Before you stain be sure to remove all door and drawer fronts. You want to have no obstacles in the way of that staining cloth.

2. Sand all the surfaces so that your stain will adhere to the surface evenly.

3. You will need to reapply multiple coats to get the desired color. Remember, you won’t be able to go lighter than your original wood color, so this process is best if you want a darker kitchen cabinet.

4. When every surface has dried, you will need to apply a coat of polyurethane to protect the stain. This product is very harmful to breathe in so be sure to wear the appropriate protective gear.

5. When all surfaces have fully dried, reattach your door and drawer fronts.

Like painting, staining has some hurdles. The stain will not hide any underlying issues that you already have like dents and scratches, etc.

And I would say the biggest concern is the vapors that you are breathing in. You can attempt to stain the cabinet fronts outside in a garage but you will still have to stain and seal the cabinet frames attached to your kitchen walls, and those vapors will leave everyone in the house feeling like they took a trip to the funny factory.

Refacing your kitchen cabinets for that brand-new kitchen look

Cabinet Refacing is the last option and our favorite because it really does the most for transforming your kitchen into something that looks brand new and out of that Home Decorator magazine.

Now, you can’t do this yourself, you will need to have a kitchen remodeling contractor come and do it for you but it will increase the value of your kitchen and address many issues that you may have with your current cabinets.

Kitchen Cabinet Refacing allows you to pick from a wide selection of colors and finishes. You are not limited by any means by what you already have in your current kitchen.  Many kitchen cabinet refacing companies operate in different ways with different qualities of materials.

Our process is simple

1. All door and drawer fronts are removed from your cabinet frame.

2. All surfaces are sanded down so that a bonding agent can be applied to the cabinet frame.

4. The bonding agent is applied twice to the surface as well as the laminate so that it ensures maximum contact.

5. After the laminate is applied and rolled with a sturdy rubber roller, it is trimmed with a router and hand-filed for perfection.

Instead of laminating and reattaching the old door and drawer fronts we, at Calahan Bath and Kitchen, give you a brand new Duracore door and drawer fronts that are a perfect match with your laminated cabinets.

The best part about this project? It can be completed in as little as 3-5 days! And there are no fumes or vapors that you are breathing in. It is a clean job that doesn’t leave you kitchen-less for more than 3-5 business days.

Now with all these options, isn’t it time to end that long-term relationship with your kitchen cabinets that you’ve settled for all these years? Whether you paint, stain or reface, get that kitchen of your dreams! You have many options and they will only enhance the value of your home.

We hope these helpful tips we provided will go a long way in bringing new life to your kitchen cabinets, but if you want some additional advice or a professional’s opinion on your upcoming project, reach out to us today! Our Kitchen designers will show you the endless customizable options we have to offer.