Think for a second… you want a new look for your kitchen cabinets. You’ve thought it through, and it makes sense. You need a new colour and a new style so that your home can look renovated. Or perhaps you are thinking of selling. What would you consider doing: repaint the cabinets or replace them?
Many of you would instantly think ‘Repainting of course’. It sounds cheaper and less stressful, and it will look the same. Right? Well, not really. In this article, we will talk about what repainting entails and why it may not be the best solution for you.
Let’s dive in.
The Cost and The Stress
They say time is money, and that’s true. Repainting your entire kitchen cabinets will take a lot of your time (which is valuable) and money for materials.
First, you have to prep the cabinets for repainting. This means removing all cabinet doors and the hardware; then remove or sand off the old paint or stain. For repainting to look like new, the surface must be literally squeaky clean (as squeaky clean as a new cabinet), otherwise, the paint won’t stick to it. Cleaning like that could take much time and money.
After preparing the cabinet, it’s time to apply the paint. You need to buy really good quality paint because it will take a beating in the kitchen, and quite a few layers. With this COVID-19 pandemic, paint is scarce and expensive! You don’t want your new paint peeling off after a month.
First, you apply the primer, then sand all surfaces, then apply at least two coats of paint, with sanding in-between coats. If you don’t want brush marks on your cabinet, then you have to use a paint sprayer. A sprayer will require you to have a spare room to work in, to avoid getting paint everywhere.
When you finish painting, you have to reassemble the doors. Let’s say you love fixing things yourself – it’s still a lot of time. And probably more likely – it’ll mean paying someone else to do this stuff. And with all the work it involves, it will be very expensive.
So What Are We Saying?
We’re saying that repainting your kitchen cupboards may not be the best solution! And what if you also don’t like the cabinet style you’ve got? It’s dated, and you’d like modern kitchen upgrades like clever storage solutions or pull-out drawers. Maybe there’s wasted space where you could add a pantry if you bought new cabinets instead.
In all these situations, repainting is not ideal. When considering working on your kitchen cabinets, talk to the pros at Spectrum Cabinet Gallery. We can provide you with a free quote, and lots of design advice too. Give us a call – we’d love to work with you!