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Custom cabinets wrong color

5 years ago

We are in the process of a kitchen renovation. I order custom cabinets and have now waited over 17 weeks for them given issues getting the paint. They were finally delivered yesterday and the paint was all the wrong color. The cabinet makers will fix them because they messed up, however my question is what is the appropriate fix? My sister had her cabinets repainted and there are areas the paint is already peeling/chipping…..I am concerned that the quality will be less by them repainting the cabinets over the existing color. I obviously want it corrected because I have invested too much time and money to not have them right, but I want to make sure that I am getting the quality that I paid for as well. Just wondering other thoughts on this as I have never been through this whole process. Thanks!

Comments (14)

  • 5 years ago

    Kearra. I am so sorry the paint error happened to you. You have some valid concerns. I suggest you call your cabinet makers to discuss your issues.

    Remodeling1840. You are quite the planner and I applaud you❣️❣️I was very involved with my kitchen designer and custom cabinet maker too. I had the luxury to work from home and be there when my kitchen, bathrooms, and floors were renovated. I asked lots of questions prior to all work being done. I also did so much research prior to my renovations, and it all paid off.

  • 5 years ago

    My cabinet maker did a 2 step color confirmation. The first was 8"x8" samples painted in the colors I picked. Once we confirmed those colors were good, they then made a full door and drawer front sample in the main color. This confirmed the main color and door style. I kept the door and sample paint boards and get to use them to verify the final product.

  • 5 years ago

    I am hoping a pro will step up and answer Kearra’s question about repainting and the steps it will require to give her the color and durability she was expecting. How will repainting affect the outcome?

  • 5 years ago

    Remodeling1840, thank you! That’s what I was hoping for as well…just don’t want to make anymore mistakes at this point!!

  • 5 years ago

    Without knowing the product it is difficult to comment, but if they are taking the cabinets back to their shop and respraying there, then you have a much better chance of the cabinets taking the paint well.


    If they are spraying in your home, I really need to know what they are spraying and what the topcoat on the cabinets is to provide any meaningful input.

  • 5 years ago

    I’m interested in your thread. My daughter had custom cabinets done and the white paint on them stains, even a drop of coffee immediately wiped off leaves a slight stain! Not sure what type of paint they used. They offered to repaint but, she is hesitant to a) have all this repainting done in home, or b) remove it all after just getting settled in, or c) the additional paint layer chipping off after.

  • 5 years ago

    I just had custom inset shaker cabinets installed. I went with BM Swiss Coffee, sadly my kitchen cabinets were not all painted with the same batch of paint. I have 3 shades of swiss coffee on the cabinet framing, inset doors and drawers. I went with panel ready subzero fridge and panel ready dishwasher, the panels are very white and not close at all to swiss coffee. I paid over $20,000 for the cabinets, the cabinet owner says he doesnt see the color difference, basically dismissing me. I've had the cabinets installed going on 3 months, at first I thought it was me....But as my kitchen was coming together, white oak flooring, marble counter tops and back splash, waterstone faucets and pot filler, I began letting family and friends see the progress and they pointed out the color differences. Now that all of the can lighting is in, it's obvious that my kitchen cabinets were painted with different batches of BM Swiss Coffee....... What should I demand, ask of the cabinet maker?

  • 5 years ago

    To the initial question, if repainted properly, there shouldn't be anymore chipping than not repainted (that being said, not all paint methods and products are created equal), and peeling should never be an issue unless the surface was imprperly prepped or an upper coat was incomptible with a coat below it, which is really still just improper prep, as incompatibility and potential adhesion challenges should be identified resolved during prep. The repaint should probably be done back at their shop if possible, though if that's not practical, some pros can probably give details on how the job should be done in place.


    Lizzie, generally best to start your own topic if you want the best answers. Anyways Anyways, this is a perfect example as to why painters doing large spaces/objects ideally mix all the paint they need for the job in a large bucket - dump multiple cans into a single vessel and mix if they can't get the proper volume mixed from the get go. As for getting the cabinet maker to understand the issue, since it sounds like they can't see the differences (they may really just not have the level of perception), you might need to hire a 3rd party color consultant, or I don't know if one of those color analysis tools is sensitive enough to detect and indicate the difference. I assume you've already taken a drawer and a door outside and shown them to the cabinet maker in natural light, directly adjacent, and on the same plane to best demonstrate the difference.

  • 5 years ago

    @LizzieInCali - I would suggest that you take this out of the subjective realm and into the objective realm. There are various ways to get a color report done, from hiring someone to renting or buying a color photospectrometer. Once you have evidence that there is an objective color or sheen difference, then it is no longer a matter of him seeing it or not.


    I strongly suggest resisting the urge to tell your cabinetmaker what he should have done. It isn't your job to explain what went wrong, you paid for something that he represented he could do and he didn't do it. The reason why is immaterial to you, you only need know what he suggests for remedy. Before accepting an in-home spray I would want to know what he is planning to spray in my home. Post back and let us know.


    Note: If you walked into my shop talking about blocking (mixing together) paint I would ignore everything you said afterward. Blocking was designed for house paints, industrial coatings are much thinner and much harder to get an even mix out of large containers, so mixing together paints can do more harm than good unless you are mixing from small to large and back to small. I have enough room to topcoat everything from one can so there is no reason to mix anything more than enough paint for one coat. This is why it is simply better to present the problem and not offer conjecture on the reason it happened.

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you for all of the responses. I am waiting to get in writing what the repainting process is going to be but it sounds like the cabinet maker will sand off the existing paint, re-prim and re-paint all of the cabinets back at his facility.

  • 5 years ago

    Sorry to have hijacked the someomes elses topic. My marble guy recommended a painter who he has worked on several projects with over the years. My initial conversation with the painter leaves me hopeful about getting my newly installed cabinets repainted, I will keep you posted as to what the final resolution is. Thanks again to all for replying to my situation.

  • 5 years ago

    Alright this is what I received from them…does this seem appropriate??

    cabinet refinishing steps.
    All the case edge banding was removed resurfaced with the proper edge band color/material.
    All the doors, drawers, mouldings, accessories and cabinet finished ends will be prepped in the same manner as if the cabinets and the accessories, etc where originally finished.
    They are being scuffed and repainted, which is in line with proper refinishing procedure.
    Same warranty applies as before, no changes, unless the product is abused or neglected. Those types
    Of instances are not warranted items

  • 5 years ago

    @Kearra Harden - I would probably consider that to be best practices in this situation. So yes, it seems appropriate.