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kitchen cabinet material

2 months ago

Hi, I’m having trouble deciding what to do with my cabinets oak cabinets, they are in amazing shape for reference. Do I get them professionally painted, replace with painted mdf or replace with thermafoil product.

Comments (18)

  • 2 months ago

    Are you maintaining the same configuration? If you go for new cabinets, you can change things for better function. Check the pricing for Ikea cabinets to compare prices to getting a skilled painter to refinish your existing cabinets. They'll require grain filling and cabinet paint. A house painter is not qualified.

  • 2 months ago

    I was planning on keeping the same configuration since we don’t want to pull up the floor. I did get a quote from a painter that specializes in cabinets and it’s more than the other 2 options but I like the character of the wood.

  • 2 months ago

    If you can post a scale floorplan of the floor, people will offer configuration options You can then decide if you want to make changes.

  • 2 months ago

    If they are in amazing shape, what needs changing?

  • 2 months ago

    You want a change, I get that.

    I think changing the floors would be a better choice than painting the cabinetry. That red brick is going to fight almost any color you might choose. If you really want to paint something, paint your crown to match your wall color.


  • 2 months ago

    Yes I’m worried about peeling of thermafoil, why I’m asking for opinions on others. I would love to update the kitchen with a different colour as the oak looks dated to me. The floor is brick and not a job im looking to tackle at this point.

  • 2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    Well, then it sounds like paint is in your future. If the brick is staying you need inspiration images of kitchens with brick floors to help you choose your color scheme.



  • 2 months ago

    I agree, I think reconsidering the floor. I know you don't want to get into it, but it might be a more impactful place to spend your money. Re: dated, now natural finish wood cabinetry is like the biggest trend in kitchens... your cabinet doors have the arched tops which signal older, but it's subtle. The floor (including the tile around the toe kick!) and the wood crown around the room read more dated to me than the cabinets, so I think there are little things you could do to "refresh" with paint, hardware, pendants, adding more lighting, runner rugs etc if you want to minimize the disruption.

    If you are not going to reconfigure the cabinetry, looking into refacing cabinets rather than full replacement. A thermofoil product would be a big downgrade from what you appear to have now.

    If you are open to reconfiguring you could add more drawer bases and take the cabinets to the ceiling.

  • 2 months ago

    Thanks for the suggestions, I’m definitely having issues with the idea of replacing with a thermafoil. What do you think adding extension above the cabinets to bring them up to the ceiling? Then repainting the crown around it??

  • 2 months ago

    My house is very dated but was all custom built. It’s hard to decide where to put my money without an overhaul.

  • PRO
    2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    Leave the cabinets be. Concentrate on adding better lighting. The lighting in there is atrocious. See if you can get the cooktop OFF of the island with a layout tweak. Add a real hood. That's it. The entire rest of the house, and the cabinets, works together as a whole. Stained wood, and stained trim, is once again the popular upper end choice. Not that it was ever out for the right house, and yours would always be the right house for that type of everything that you have. There is no world where that house does anything but remain a classic look that doesn't need massive overhauling. Tweaking, sure. But not much of anything needs really changing.

  • 2 months ago

    That’s lovely feedback, I just can’t justify downgrading my cabs. Can you recommend where to put more lights?? I don’t have them all on in those pics. Maybe some LED above the cabs??

  • 2 months ago

    Agree on needing much more lighting. I would want to add several recessed light (not wafer lights!). Lots of dark corners in your rooms.

  • 2 months ago

    Some people will reface their cabinets if the boxes are well built. Many people on here will jump in and tell you that the doors are the most expensive part and will cost you almost as much as replacing the entire cabinet (that will come with new doors). That isn't true based upon what I've been told by four people who have done it (one a very respected pro here on Houzz who refaced her kitchen instead of replacing the cabinets).


    You also could decide to only replace the upper cathedral style raised panel cabinet doors with ones to match your lower doors - or you could decide to replace all of your doors with a shaker style or whatever style you'd like.


    Kendor Woods (look up on FB and Instagram) used to sell doors on Amazon also - they had a TON of great reviews. They still are open - just no longer selling on Amazon. They are very reasonable + good quality five piece doors.


    There are other sellers on Amazon and Etsy that sell replacement doors at reasonable prices. There is a shop that is located in St. Francis, Kansas (I cannot remember the name of it - but can find out if you want) that my niece used to have all new doors made for her kitchen. The doors can be purchased unfinished, but she had them professionally finish her doors with a professional cabinet finishing instead of doing it DIY. Her kitchen looks like she put in all new cabinets.


    Here are some customer photos of doors sold on Amazon by The One Stock Store:


    Shaker style red oak doors:


    Raised panel doors (they have red oak + I think maple ones):





    Just a thought if you want a change - updating your doors (especially the cathedral uppers) would have a big impact on your kitchen.

  • 2 months ago

    Just checked this out on Amazon!! Do you think replacing the arch tops with these and leaving wood would be enough of a difference?

  • PRO
    2 months ago

    Kendoor is to the trade only. And no new doors can ever match the existing wood with it's age changes. The arches are also coming back big time, led by arches in home construction being hot. There's no need to change anything about the cabinets at all. Under cabinet, more recessed, and a changeout of the pendants, would be really beneficial to SEEING the wood. The recessed on the wall of tall should be positioned to wash down the front of the cabinets, without creating a hot spot of light. That needs a BR fixture, not a PAR.

  • 2 months ago

    We are getting a quote for lighting:) thank you for your help

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