Kitchen cabinets--paint or reface?

5 years ago

I have just moved to a home with a long, narrow kitchen. The cabinets are pickled oak. The floor is engineered wood. The counters are a tan/white/dark brown granite. The paint is brick/barn red (definitely want to change) There is no backsplash (I'd like to put in glass or tile--maybe smoked quartz subway tile???). I don't love the granite but there is a lot of it so I'd like to keep it. I don't want to change the footprint so I'd like to reface or paint the cabinets. I like white or off white with a dark glaze. I also like maple or ash. The room tends to be dark. Where do I start? I'm not tackling this myself. Between drawers and cabinets there are 54 doors/fronts.. I don't know the pros/cons of refacing v. painting.

Featured Answer

PRO

Hal Braswell Consulting

5 years ago

Look at the VALUE not simply the COST. In practical terms, refacing makes sense only if you have lots of drawer bases, like the layout, the cabinets are mid-grade or better and the proposed replacement cabinets are expensive.

Refacing does not address functionality. Virtually all of your base cabinets have one shallow drawer over 1-2 doors. Few if any 3-drawer bases. If you were to reface, to improve functionality you likely need to spend thousands to retrofit roll out trays and interior organizers.

A pro paint job is much less expensive than refacing. Use the savings to address functionality.

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Comments (13)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
Refacing is hardly a money saver it costs almost as much as new cabinets but saves the mess and hassle of a redo. Painting by a pro that does cabinet refinishing, not a painter that paints walls, is not cheap either but if cream is what you want probably ythe best choice . I would strongly discourage you from a glaze of any sort since that is a dated look but more to the point they always look dirty.
acm
5 years ago
Everything that Patricia said!!
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ninigret
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
prime the wall to get rid of the red and then you can think about what you want to do next. you just cant think with that color on the walls. more importantly, you cannot assess how much 'glow' from the red is distorting the color of everything else in the room.
apple_pie_order
5 years ago
Prime and paint the walls. Live with the kitchen for a year. You may find that the floor plan needs changing or works just fine.

Plain backsplashes are trending up in my area. Busy ones are losing popularity.
PRO
Eagle Thunder Housing Development Corporation
5 years ago
This kitchen has great bones. I can see why you want to keep your existing cabinets. Plus you've already got neutral granite countertops, always a plus.

I'm on board with the others, prime and paint the walls first.

I'm not a fan of resurfacing, it can be so costly, especially when changing your doors and drawer fronts out.

This leaves me with the paint option. Personally, I love painted cabinets. A very popular choice right now. I must admit, I do prefer neutrals in paint choices, maybe a color on an island. I've had too many clients regret a dramatic color on their cabinets.

I'd also hire a pro to come in and spray the cabinets, prime 2 coats, then 2 coats of paint. Preferably oil based, this would give you a more durable and better finish over all.

Love the idea of glaze too, provided it's done well, everything in moderation.

Saving money on the cabinets by painting will afford you to splurge a little on a great backsplash! You'll be able to set the "style" of your kitchen by your backsplash choice.

My rule of thumb is to stay neutral on the big ticket items, cabinets, backsplash and counter tops, this tried and true rule has always worked for my clients.

Play up your color in accessories, fabric and wall color. Those are always easy to change in the future.

Post photos of the finished project!
PRO
Milcasa
5 years ago
Hello.For anybody not a secret that a kitchen renovation can be a difficult and expensive project. If your kitchen cabinets are in good condition, updating or radically changing their color, you can freshen up the interior and save money.Update kitchen nowadays can be quite simple. This requires only the painting of the facades of the dishes, after which the lockers will gain a second life and will please the owner more than one year.
lrweber
5 years ago
We refaced our old kitchen but the reason being is there were very few changes that affected the cabinet layout AND they were solid oak. Our full price tag to reface and paint (using wood on the sides, not using any veneer) and a few changes/additions was $12k. To put the same quality cabinets back in would have been well more than that. We probably could have put new cheaper cabinets in for the same price but couldn't justify tearing out such quality cabinets. If interested, I can add photos.
PRO
Beth H. :
5 years ago
get an estimate from a cabinet painter. should be in the 5K range. ask him detailed explanation on his prep and finish work.

No glazing. just get a white, cream or whatever color you like. do the island in a darker tone if you want.

reface will be more but don't go through big box stores. find a local cabinet maker and ask him for estimate.

don't know if the floors are as orange as they appear, but you may want to look into refinishing those. they may have yellowed over time.
Beth Hommes
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for all the cabinet suggestions. I think I will prime and paint the walls first and then get an estimate for painting the cabinets. Any suggestions on colors for wall paint? There is a porch in front of the windows so the rooms doesn't get tons of light
tqtqtbw
5 years ago
I would remove the square white tiles, fix the walls behind and paint the walls a color found in the granite. With the tiles gone, you can do an off-white without it looking dirty next to the white tile.
PRO
Beth H. :
5 years ago
wall paint would depend on what colors you may want for cabs and if the flooring will be refinished.

But, a neutral always works.

these will work w/that oak flooring

I also like Pale Oak and Simply White.
PRO
Milano Doors
5 years ago
Hello. I would advise you to paint your kitchen white color.