Why so many are painting their kitchen and bathroom cabinets these days
Do you have dated or even old fashioned cabinets? You know, the ones that look like wood with dark graining? Are they dark and dingy and just not your style? There are so many great reasons to transform your tired cabinets into updated cabinets that you’ll absolutely love. It’s a kitchen makeover that makes a huge difference and can transform your kitchen from drab to fab.
I’m going to share the benefits of painting your cabinets, as well as the right products to use. I have a companion article below that shows the method to paint your cabinets, and I will walk you through the process step by step.
Related articles:
Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
5 reasons to paint your kitchen cabinets
1. It will give your kitchen a whole new look
It’s amazing what a difference painting your cabinets can make. Just check out this before and after transformation. Painting your cabinets will make your kitchen more modern and up to date. And, you’ll find that your space will look lighter and brighter. It will often make your counter top look better, too!
2. It will improve your home’s value
Yes, kitchens sell home…and well dated kitchen don’t. Painting your cabinets can improve your home’s value (in fact, it has a great return on your investment), and it will help your home sell faster. Conversely, old, dingy, dirty and dark cabinets will cause your home to sit on the market longer.
Potential buyers will factor in that they need to remodel the kitchen, and most buyers these days know that can cause a fortune. And, most don’t have the budget for that, especially 1st time home buyers (think about all their closing and moving costs, not to mention that they saved up for the deposit on the house).
When you paint the cabinets, you make the space look nicer…and importantly it will also look larger and more inviting. Then, just add a fresh coat of paint on the walls and voila, you’ve created instant value.
3. It’s affordable…and way less expensive vs replacing your kitchen cabinets
Painting your cabinets is way less expensive when compared to replacing your cabinets. In fact, cabinets are the most expensive item in the kitchen, so if you can avoid having to purchase new ones, you will save a big chunk of change. Of course, there is also the cost of removing and disposing the cabinets, as well as installing new ones.
And, don’t forget that if you replace the cabinets, you will also need to replace the counter top and the sink and hire a plumber. Yes, it’s a domino effect when it comes to cost.
So, painting your cabinets saves you a lot of money. And, if you can do it yourself, it will save you even more money. The key is using the right painting products (see my recommendations below).
4. It much faster and less of an inconvenience
When you remodel your whole kitchen, it can take a long time. At a minimum, it’s 6 weeks, but more often it’s 10-12 weeks…and at times much longer (as something inevitably goes wrong or causes a delay. This means a long time without a kitchen, and it’s not fun as it feels like your house is a mess and all of your “stuff” is in other rooms.
When you paint your cabinets, it’s a much shorter process…usually, it can be done in a week. And, then, you can get on with your life. In addition, you avoid the lead times for ordering cabinets and/or waiting for contractors to be available.
5. There are now much better paints on the market
As the demand for painting cabinets have increased, manufacturers have reacted and introduced new and better paint products specifically designed for cabinets. They go on better and are much more durable.
As you’ll read in this article, How to paint cabinets the RIGHT way, there are a LOT of inferior and “quack” products out there (e.g. chalk paint, Rustoleum, etc.) that promise you that you only need 1 coat, or you don’t need a primer. Do NOT fall for these gimmicks. They simply DON’T work. And, if you can get them to actually adhere (good luck), they won’t last long (i.e. they may only hold up for 6-12 months…if that). And, by the way, the paint is NOT the major cost for this project…the labor is.
So, do yourself a favor and read the above referenced article to see the 2 best methods for painting cabinets, as well as best paints and all the right tools. You can either do-it-yourself or hire a professional. I’m not here to judge. But, at least use the right products.
Here are the paint products I recommend (and you can buy them on Amazon).
Paint:
- Mohawk Duracoat Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer. (for spray method)
- Benjamin Moore Advance Waterborne Alkyd Paint (for brush method)
- Multipurpose oil based primer (for either method)
Tools/Equipment:
- Titan Paint Sprayer (for spray method)
- Corona Chinex 2.5 inch bristle brush (for brush method)
- Palm sander – DeWalt
- shop vacuum
Accessories:
- Degreaser – Krud Kutter
- Tack cloth – Super Tuff
- 120 grit sand paper
- 220 grit sand paper
- 600 grit sand paper
Painting bathroom cabinets
Of course all of these products can work equally well on your bathroom cabinets. Once you see what a difference you’ve made for your kitchen, you will probably be energized to tackle the bathrooms.
In kitchens, white is the most popular followed by gray, but in bathrooms, gray seems to be even more popular than white.
Kitchen cabinet fixtures
And, don’t forget the finishing touches…update your hardware. It can make a big difference.Here are a few suggestions for kitchen cabinet fixtures and hardware. You can find many similar options (e.g. different colors and finishes) on Amazon.
Conclusion:
Painting your cabinets can have a huge impact on your kitchen. It will refresh your space and make it lighter and brighter. It will almost feel like you’ve moved to a new home (without the hassle or expense). It’s a great project that you can either do yourself or give to a professional painter.
Related articles:
- How to paint cabinets the RIGHT way
- 13 Kitchen hardware trends
- How to install kitchen cabinet hardware
- Most popular farmhouse sinks (and how to choose the best one for you)
- How to paint wood paneling
- Most popular shades of gray paint
- Paint colors that are best if you’re selling your home
- Best places to buy tile that looks like wood
If you live in Westchester County NY, I offer color consultations to advise customers on paint colors and stain choices. My designer discount at the paint stores usually more than offsets the cost for the hour consultation. Read more here. Due to popular request, I’ve started to offer phone consultations as well.
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