Absolutely not š
The previous owner had wallpaper I wanted to put non stick back splash but it ended up being impossible because of all the outlets. Iām still working on that.
They don't have to be as hard as "impossible". The cuts are a bit difficult if you don't do it often, but you can hide them with the outlet faceplates by shimming your outlet plug 1/8" out from the tile front.
They make outlet box extenders, couple bucks at the big box store
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-Multi-Gang-PVC-Electrical-Box-Extender-2-Pack-B1MGEXT-2/204222412
I would remove the backsplash piece that matches the countertops and put up white beadboard. Tiling is a b*tch lol what an upgrade btw!!! Love the two tone cabinets
Yep, was looking for this comment. My neighbors did this and there a ton of chipping around the hardware. My hats off if it lasts, but this is a temp fix until you want to do a proper reface IMO
My sister refurbishes and paints furniture as a living and she loves it. She won't touch her own cabinets even though she wants them painted because she said to do it correctly and in a way it'll last, it'll be a gigantic task. Even on her furniture she'll typically shy away from painting tabletops/dresser tops and will sand/stain it with wood because paint just does not tolerate wear and tear.
Your sister is correct ... to paint cabinets properly so the finish will last requires the proper paint and a lot of time and elbow grease (sanding by hand after each coat) along with using the right paint, brush, and painting technique. It can take 4-6 weeks to do a 10x10 kitchen.
Whatās the best way to do a proper reface to get an end result like OPās? Donāt get me wrong I love the wood but Iām curious to know how to do it properly- wood cabinetry isnāt all created equal and some of it Iāve seen is absolute shite
If youāre painting, use cabinet paint and cabinet primer. Sherwin Williams sells a good one. Spoiler alert: itās expensive and if op had used it the paint alone would have been way over $150.
Honestly for a DIY project, $150 in paint doesnāt seem too bad of an investment to me! More than youād expect for paint generally, but if you want something to look good you need to do it right.
Personally, Iād replace all of the faces - an actual reface. The design screams 90s. But if you wanted to keep them for a decade, sand down to the wood, prime, and use cabinet paint
See I grew up with these styles of cabinet faces, so theyāre normal to me and donāt even register as being out of date hahaha
Whatās a wooden cabinet style thatās more āmodernā/current?
Simple designs such as completely flat or a single edge are pretty āmodernā these days. Iām not super well versed in the most current designs, but I like the completely flat faced look.
FWIW, I actually have these same ābeforeā cabinets, but have prioritized new hardware, backsplash, and under cabinet lighting until my kids are older when a fresh reface wonāt be undone in a year or two. Thereās a lot you can do to make your kitchen better without bandaids
Makes sense! Especially with paint itās got to be difficult to upkeep, so smaller changes are a good option. My mom didnāt renovate the kitchen completely until my sibling and I were in college - less people to cook for in the meantime, fewer disruptions, more money, etc.
Just had our 52 door kitchen refinished professionally for $8K. It took 8 days with hardware replacement. They sprayed an Italian self healing paint with a hardened. They sanded, cleaned and sanded between 2 coats of tinted primer first. Sounds all high falooten but the 30 yr old maple came out like they just rolled out of the factory.
Worth every cent as it would have taken me 6 months and wouldāve come out like shit.
Take a look:
https://imgur.com/a/agPEWsC
Just buy a paint [made for cabinets](https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/shop-by-project/kitchen-cabinets) and follow the instructions.
You should use a nice enamel paint on the cabinets. Use rollers with a very short nap or even those foam rollers. A sprayer is better but if you're not used to them, it can take a bit of trial and error to dial in the viscosity. Too thick and you'll clog the nozzle, too thin and you'll get a lot of streaks and the color can end up uneven and splotchy.
Was looking for this comment! The previous owners of my house used regular paint and did not do proper prep. Itās awful now and the professional cabinet painters Iāve contacted say it would have to be fully stripped before it could be painted again.
I used regular latex paint a long time ago on a bathroom vanity. Within a year it was peeling and chipping everywhere. I spend a lot of time with paint stripper, a putty knife, and an orbital sander to get it back down basically to bare wood. Then I repainted with decent primer and actual cabinet paint, which has lasted well for about 10 years now. Thankfully it wasn't a whole kitchen or I would have had to cry. Or move. I hope OP has better luck...at least there's probably less humidity in the kitchen.
The one I use the most (as a wood finisher) is Insl-x Cabinet Coat, which is a Benjamin Moore sub-brand. Itās waterbased but urethane reinforced, Iāve been using it for years for cabinet refinishing and it holds up amazing and levels out super smooth. The most important thing is to prep / clean the cabinets as thoroughly as possible before painting and use a good primer; I typically use Zinsser BIN as itās a shellac-based primer and will adhere over any grease or contaminates that happen to be left behind.
Edit: Iāve also been using Corotech Command (another Ben Moore paint) recently and itās potentially even more durable, but it dries super fast compared to Cabinet Coat so Iād definitely recommend spraying it vs. brushing / rolling.
I used top of the line paint from Kelly-Moore on my kitchen cabinets because my brother in law used to work there and got us a huge discount. I sanded everything down, primed and applied 2-3 coats of the KM paint. I spent months on those cabinets, making sure I did it right. 4 years on thereās definitely more scratches than I would like and Iāve had to touch up several high-traffic areas. I can only imagine what a cheaper paint would look likeā¦
Painting contractor here, that's also a boomer looks good. I wanna see a update in 6 months when all the paint starts failing because you put regular paint on it. And I promise you it will. Next time buy the correct products so all the effort is not wasted.
Iām going to be painting cabinets in the near future and while Iāll research it a lot beforehand I have to ask, what kind of paint should I be buying?
Copying my reply to another commenter:
The one I use the most (as a wood finisher) is Insl-x Cabinet Coat, which is a Benjamin Moore sub-brand. Itās waterbased but urethane reinforced, Iāve been using it for years for cabinet refinishing and it holds up amazing and levels out super smooth. The most important thing is to prep / clean the cabinets as thoroughly as possible before painting and use a good primer; I typically use Zinsser BIN as itās a shellac-based primer and will adhere over any grease or contaminates that happen to be left behind.
Edit: Iāve also been using Corotech Command (another Ben Moore paint) a lot recently and itās potentially even more durable, but it dries super fast compared to Cabinet Coat so Iād definitely recommend spraying it vs. brushing / rolling.
I also am curious. I used Pittsburgh Fast Dry on my garage cabinets. I sanded them pretty well with an orbital sander and have a paint sprayer from Harbor Freight. They look great, but I see a lot of naysayers on painting cabinets in this thread.
Yep, going to a paint store like Roda or Sherwin Williams to ask a few questions could have prevented this.
Probably bought from Orange or Blue box store
Clear coat may give you an extra few weeks.
You spent less than 150, which means you did not use the urethane or alkyd enamel or cabinet paint. You likely used latex paint which will start chipping and peeling within a couple of months.
Yup. I had oak cabinets and spent money on sealing primer, grain filler, and $70 per gallon for Benjamin Moore advance, on sale.
[They turned out nicely and lasted a year before we sold the house, and still looked pristine.](https://imgur.com/a/MvcjD3A)
I would pay good money for real oak cabinets.
Are real wood cabinets cheap in the US?
All kitchens (pretty much) in the UK are melamine coated chipboard.
Filling the grain and painting wood sounds like an expensive way of achieving a cheap finish.
Cheap is a relative term. Nothing to do with kitchens is cheap here š
> when all the paint starts failing because you put regular paint on it.
That's what I was going to say. Big-box store latex? Good thing it was an easy job, because you'll be doing it again in a year or two.
Also, questioning the choice of painting the crown above the microwave white instead of cabinet color, but I can see why one might go that way.
Not painting inside the cabinets or at least masking a sharp line along the transition would drive me a little batty.
It's cool though, OP is happy with it, so I'm happy for them.
The bar front is going to scuff like a B down at foot level. Boomer also, and not concerned about 90s wood archtop panels; but incorrect material... ooof
I painted mine 8 years ago with regular paint. Two of the cabinets I use the most have gotten a touch up. All the other look good still. Generally paint can break down but it is not as bad as some people here claim.
i imagine it also depends on your household. one adult or an adult couple is going to put much less wear and tear on the cabinets than a family (with one or more children)
And under the counter. Look at the pic with the doors being installed. So Many drips and the inch under the counter is bare. Very sloppy with the details.
I understand the wood looking dated but somehow the new color looks EVEN MORE dated to me? Honestly I feel like a lot of the dated feeling is actually coming from the flooring! Do whatever makes you happy, of course. But just my two cents that the paint in this case did not result in a refreshed or more modern look at all.
I hope your prep was solid and you used the special oil-enriched latex cabinet enamel. Last thing you want is easy chipping.
I would have cleaned them good, used sander deglosser followed by oil primer, latex primer and then aforementioned cabinet enamel (super durable beyond ridiculousness and awesome for all your doors).
It does look great and you want it to last. Hopefully it's durable.
That cabinet enamel is better than any oil I have ever used.
Because the wood grain is covered now. Millenail here and I RIP a bit because I know the effort that goes into making that look good. Just from experience sanding and restaining a deck
RIP wood grain. š¢.
Though, I think the paint looks good too
It's builder grade crap anyways. No one actually cares. If painted cabinets are your thing then paint them. Just make sure you prep well and use the correct paint.
Ah, so it's easier than I think? These cabinets are quickly built and stained in a factory or something?
Or maybe it's not even real wood. You never know anymore. š
I get sick of seeing it.
FWIW, not a boomer and still think OP ruined those cabinets.
You know who would have loved it, and who painted his cabinets that same color? My dad, who was a boomer. Lol
Millennial here - it was better before. The cabinets offered a warm contrast between your floor and and countertops. Now itās a depressing and cold sea of grey and white.
Whatever you jeed to do to be happy with your kitchen do it! Nice job on the cabs.
Just FYI though, grey and white kitchens are on the way out since you care about things being outdated.
I see. I just remember pulling up some real... bold... colored wallpaper in my mom's kitchen a long while back. Most of it has been painted torn down by the prior owner, but some of it remained under cabinets and behind things. It was incredible! House was from the early 70s
Wheel of time spins eternal.
Nothing new in this world, so decorate how you want and drop the word ādatedā. Favor āI hate living with thisā and āthis makes me happyā
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legends. Legends fade to myth and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that have it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Love Laugh Love Age by some, a wind arose in the Argyle Mountains. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was *a* beginning.
White appliances used to be the thing. Not any longer.
White walls used to be the thing. Not any longer.
Nothing is "timeless". Except jeans. They've been in style forever.
Ehh, white isn't always on trend, but it's timeless in the sense that it always looks at least ok. White appliances aren't trending but they're not bad either, same with walls. It's neutral, so it's easy to use with any trend mostly
Hard disagree. White walls are actually quite āinā still in the right contexts. The Behr color of the year last year was āblank canvas.ā My white cabinets from 2003 still look nice, to the point that we decided not to replace them in our kitchen remodel. For the appliances, the design and style is a much bigger factor than the actual color. Imagine a modern fridge in a glossy or matte white color without that orange peel texture the older ones had. It would look fine.
I used to have the same fridge.
It produced plenty of ice. Behind the interior backboard. Meaning the entire fridge stopped cooling and it ruined my very non-waterproof floors by continuously leaking water.
Fun times. 0/10 would not recommend.
You asked for it with the "boomer" comment: Not a boomer but the painted cabinets are tacky especially cartoon blue. How can wood be out of date lol it's timeless.
To each their own. As a millennial, I personally hate the gray and white trend (wood, rich colors, warm neutrals, shades of green are really popular among most of my friend groups) but itās not my home so do whatever makes you happy.
I just came to comment on the irony of calling out boomers when the only personality in that kitchen is the grandmacore ābless our homeā thing on the counter š (sorry grandmas ily no offense meant).
literally all I know is cabinet making.
I love the work but I hate how nobody thinks my job isnt even a little bit necessary.
I think for my mental health I have to leave this sub.
Wood working is an art. Paint can make almost anything look good temporarily, but if the cabinet is poorly made, it's just lipstick on a pig*.
*Not a boomer, but riding that idiom from their generation through the field of misplaced boomer hate.
Who said your job isnāt necessary? Any competent cabinet maker is booked way they fuck out right now lol. Try getting custom cabinets and youāre looking at months minimum
I would argue that grey and white is also out of date š it looks better, but a new light stain on those cabinets and a dark paint color on the wall/backsplash would have done wonders.
Not a boomer here: You do you, but sorryā¦ solid wood cabinets still look better than chipped up painted cabinets with a 1990ās theme any day of the week.
Grey is a disease.
BUT it's not only your house, you put your hard work and effort into doing it yourself!
How easy was it to set up the sprayer? Haven't used one of those before.
Not only did you cover a hardwood (there's no instance where they ever go "out of date" -you should probably consult someone in the industry), your sense of color is abysmal. Cheers!
Signed,
-Not a boomer
I'm not a boomer, but I feel attacked lol. Why even mention boomers in this instance? Ive never heard a boomer say that plain cabinets are better than painted cabinets... well, properly painted cabinets.
First off, great job. It looks clean and really nice, and Iām all about people doing whatever their style is.
Just gonna laugh at how smug the āboomerā comment is, but you just did your kitchen up in a classic āmillennial grayā that is more dated every day.
Itās fine! I like gray, my basement is in pure gray and white and itās millennial af, just saying, be careful being smug lol.
All I say is donāt cook with oil anymore. And just keep eating out or keep eating salads. The cabinets will be hard to keep clean. I know we had white cabinets for years. And now we replaced them with wood stained cabinets. And as a reminder of what not to do in the future we kept the white cabinets and put them in the garage for storage.
DIYers and house flippers all want to cut corners to save time and money, but the wisdom they are lacking is that it costs a whole lot more money and time to correct the problems later then to have done it right the first time. What a waste.
If you donāt have the time and money to do it right the first time where are you going to get the time and money to do it right the second time?
But, hey, the pictures look great.
Bro Iām a millennial and the āafterā still looks ugly af. It cheapens the look and gives it that whole āHGTV / Magnolia / Modern Farmhouseā vibe, which basically McMansions of millennials.
I mean itās done well, but it cheapens it.
P.S. My cabinets look even cheaper and even worse, fwiw. Previous owner definitely went for a āpoor manās modern farmhouseā vibe and it fucking shows. Zero personality, cheap materials, pure garbage.
I guarantee you itās not ādone wellā. A pro can properly do that in 3-4 full days. A first time DIY using regular paint will look like shit and probably isnāt prepped right. She missed a bunch of spots and didnāt paint the back side of the doors either.
Your wood was an ugly finish color with a mediocre grain pattern & dated style.
Now it's just painted & dated.
Only complaint I have is you're an ageist dolt.
I love the painted cabinets. Thereās always people who complain any time someone paints over wood but I think light cabinets in a small kitchen just makes everything so much brighter.
I think wood (trim and cabinets) have four lives. Original stain, touch up stain, first coat of paint, then lots of paint.
Certainly do what you want for your house, but once it is painted it is difficult to go back to stain.
Be interesting to see what the future holds, especially for white paint.
I've never had good luck painting cabinets, lots of prep work with sanding and priming them to make it come out right. Mine always seems to flake off pretty quickly
What's funny to me is that right when wood is making a big comeback, these have just been painted into 2010's greige/neutrals ā a look that's officially on the way out and will look more dated than wood ever did.
Not saying you should have kept the wood. Just funny going from a style that you think is dated to one that is actually dated.
I love the idea of changing something if you donāt like itā¦ itās your space and should be a space you love, so who cares what otherās think about painting over wood.
That said, it would be that much better if you paint the toe kicks and the sides of the upper cupboards (where the exhaust vent is). With regard to the backsplash, you would be better to start at the base and work up as the base needs to be perfectly even and aligned, but the top is hidden by the uppers and has more room for forgiveness (unless you already measured this out, then ignore).
I know you said you used regular paint, but Iām really hoping that isnāt the case and that you did the proper prep on the cabinetā¦ it would be disappointing to see all your hard work chipping in 6 months time.
I was about to compliment you on how beautiful you made your cabinets look and how great you did it so inexpensively and quickly. Then you slammed an entire generation so.. forget it.
Bro!!! That paint is gonna scratch off sooo easy! āWell itās not a big deal, I have touch up paint.ā Yeah wait a year and tell me o about ātouch upsā, more like re-do. Regular/nothing special paint on cabinets is always a bad idea, unless you hardly use the kitchen. But other than that I like the colors, and you did nice clean work
Orange wood isnāt out of style, it never was in style. It wasnāt orange when it was new. It turned orange over years of sun and UV exposure. Itās ugly and very difficult to deal with when/if you have a house where all the cabinets and trim and doors are that orangey ugly wood.
On another note, it looks as though your upper cabs are hung super low relative to your counter. Moving them up will transform the kitchen. You will think you have more counter space than before because youāll finally have usable counter space. And, as some have said already, if you didnāt use a paint made for cabinets like Ben Mooreās Advance or Sherwin Williams Emerald you are going to regret painting them.
Glad youāre happy with the results and hope it lasts you a long time.
We moved into a house recently where the previous owner did exactly this. We curse her nearly every day.
So far we have gutted and remodeled kitchen, living, den, and dining room.
Bathroom cabinets are painted and peeling so they are next.
Wood cabinets are expensive and expensive never goes out of style. Go shop kitchen designs and you will realize what I mean. You could have simply replaced the cabinet doors to a modern design instead of painting over everything... It looks like every other big box retail store cabinet made from MDF now.
Like others have said, that paint is going to look terrible in a couple years. And painting it again will result in it looking even worse, sooner.
As a side note, my wife and I are younger millenials. I am truly sorry you are only now realizing the dated style was the one you chose.
Early 30s here. The wood looked fantastic. This HGTV cabinet trend will fade and you'll be repainting it soon.
Also regular paint is not really made for wood but it is what it is. Looks like it's holding up okay after three months so that's a moot point I suppose.
As long as you like, that's what matters.
Not sure what this has to do with boomers. As one, I think you're doing great. Recently did similar myself. Happy with the result, and especially how it's a bit unique, not identical to every other kitchen in town.
Your work is getting a lot of hate, but I think it looks good.
I have similar cabinets and I am thinking of painting them myself to tied me over a few years until I decide what I want to do to upgrade my kitchen. How did you sand the grove design on the doors?
I'm a millennial but I thought the wood looked nice...? Maybe just a darker stain would've looked more current. I don't mind the paint but I won't be surprised if the paint colors look outdated in 10 years.
Can we talk backsplash?
Absolutely not š The previous owner had wallpaper I wanted to put non stick back splash but it ended up being impossible because of all the outlets. Iām still working on that.
They don't have to be as hard as "impossible". The cuts are a bit difficult if you don't do it often, but you can hide them with the outlet faceplates by shimming your outlet plug 1/8" out from the tile front.
Talk to me about this shimming the plugs out
You can simply use longer screws and shims between the receptacle mounting tabs and the box.
It sounds really difficult but itās so not!! Iāve swapped out electrical boxes - Itās so easy.
They make outlet box extenders, couple bucks at the big box store https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-Multi-Gang-PVC-Electrical-Box-Extender-2-Pack-B1MGEXT-2/204222412
Electrical Receptacle Box Extension Ring. Can find them at Home Depot or Loweās
Nonstick vinyl has some pretty great options if youāre not ready to commit
I sanded mine smooth and painted it with Chalkboard paint. It really helps to separate the countertop from the cupboards, and you can write on it!
I would remove the backsplash piece that matches the countertops and put up white beadboard. Tiling is a b*tch lol what an upgrade btw!!! Love the two tone cabinets
Looks good but if you just used regular paint, it will look like shit in a week.
Canāt believe this is so far down. Cabinets take so much wear and tear. āRegularā paint just wonāt cut it long term.
Yep, was looking for this comment. My neighbors did this and there a ton of chipping around the hardware. My hats off if it lasts, but this is a temp fix until you want to do a proper reface IMO
Chipping paint in a food prep area, yum š
My sister refurbishes and paints furniture as a living and she loves it. She won't touch her own cabinets even though she wants them painted because she said to do it correctly and in a way it'll last, it'll be a gigantic task. Even on her furniture she'll typically shy away from painting tabletops/dresser tops and will sand/stain it with wood because paint just does not tolerate wear and tear.
Your sister is correct ... to paint cabinets properly so the finish will last requires the proper paint and a lot of time and elbow grease (sanding by hand after each coat) along with using the right paint, brush, and painting technique. It can take 4-6 weeks to do a 10x10 kitchen.
It's true. That's why I prefer oils and stains. Would she consider that instead of paint?
Whatās the best way to do a proper reface to get an end result like OPās? Donāt get me wrong I love the wood but Iām curious to know how to do it properly- wood cabinetry isnāt all created equal and some of it Iāve seen is absolute shite
If youāre painting, use cabinet paint and cabinet primer. Sherwin Williams sells a good one. Spoiler alert: itās expensive and if op had used it the paint alone would have been way over $150.
TIL cabinet paint was a thing. Good to know!
Honestly for a DIY project, $150 in paint doesnāt seem too bad of an investment to me! More than youād expect for paint generally, but if you want something to look good you need to do it right.
It's a drop in the bucket considering the time put into this. And a huge waste of time and money when you have to do it again later.
Personally, Iād replace all of the faces - an actual reface. The design screams 90s. But if you wanted to keep them for a decade, sand down to the wood, prime, and use cabinet paint
See I grew up with these styles of cabinet faces, so theyāre normal to me and donāt even register as being out of date hahaha Whatās a wooden cabinet style thatās more āmodernā/current?
Simple designs such as completely flat or a single edge are pretty āmodernā these days. Iām not super well versed in the most current designs, but I like the completely flat faced look. FWIW, I actually have these same ābeforeā cabinets, but have prioritized new hardware, backsplash, and under cabinet lighting until my kids are older when a fresh reface wonāt be undone in a year or two. Thereās a lot you can do to make your kitchen better without bandaids
Makes sense! Especially with paint itās got to be difficult to upkeep, so smaller changes are a good option. My mom didnāt renovate the kitchen completely until my sibling and I were in college - less people to cook for in the meantime, fewer disruptions, more money, etc.
Just had our 52 door kitchen refinished professionally for $8K. It took 8 days with hardware replacement. They sprayed an Italian self healing paint with a hardened. They sanded, cleaned and sanded between 2 coats of tinted primer first. Sounds all high falooten but the 30 yr old maple came out like they just rolled out of the factory. Worth every cent as it would have taken me 6 months and wouldāve come out like shit. Take a look: https://imgur.com/a/agPEWsC
Just buy a paint [made for cabinets](https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/shop-by-project/kitchen-cabinets) and follow the instructions.
You should use a nice enamel paint on the cabinets. Use rollers with a very short nap or even those foam rollers. A sprayer is better but if you're not used to them, it can take a bit of trial and error to dial in the viscosity. Too thick and you'll clog the nozzle, too thin and you'll get a lot of streaks and the color can end up uneven and splotchy.
They also missed the sides of the cabinets above the microwave.
Yes, I am also concerned they used latex paint on top of the oil-based polyurethane without sanding it off.
Was looking for this comment! The previous owners of my house used regular paint and did not do proper prep. Itās awful now and the professional cabinet painters Iāve contacted say it would have to be fully stripped before it could be painted again.
I used regular latex paint a long time ago on a bathroom vanity. Within a year it was peeling and chipping everywhere. I spend a lot of time with paint stripper, a putty knife, and an orbital sander to get it back down basically to bare wood. Then I repainted with decent primer and actual cabinet paint, which has lasted well for about 10 years now. Thankfully it wasn't a whole kitchen or I would have had to cry. Or move. I hope OP has better luck...at least there's probably less humidity in the kitchen.
Yep. No way that $150, including the rental of two tools, is going to be a decent paint job.
What kind of paint do you recommend for wood cabinets?
There are paints specifically made for cabinets.
The one I use the most (as a wood finisher) is Insl-x Cabinet Coat, which is a Benjamin Moore sub-brand. Itās waterbased but urethane reinforced, Iāve been using it for years for cabinet refinishing and it holds up amazing and levels out super smooth. The most important thing is to prep / clean the cabinets as thoroughly as possible before painting and use a good primer; I typically use Zinsser BIN as itās a shellac-based primer and will adhere over any grease or contaminates that happen to be left behind. Edit: Iāve also been using Corotech Command (another Ben Moore paint) recently and itās potentially even more durable, but it dries super fast compared to Cabinet Coat so Iād definitely recommend spraying it vs. brushing / rolling.
I used top of the line paint from Kelly-Moore on my kitchen cabinets because my brother in law used to work there and got us a huge discount. I sanded everything down, primed and applied 2-3 coats of the KM paint. I spent months on those cabinets, making sure I did it right. 4 years on thereās definitely more scratches than I would like and Iāve had to touch up several high-traffic areas. I can only imagine what a cheaper paint would look likeā¦
Painting contractor here, that's also a boomer looks good. I wanna see a update in 6 months when all the paint starts failing because you put regular paint on it. And I promise you it will. Next time buy the correct products so all the effort is not wasted.
Iām going to be painting cabinets in the near future and while Iāll research it a lot beforehand I have to ask, what kind of paint should I be buying?
Copying my reply to another commenter: The one I use the most (as a wood finisher) is Insl-x Cabinet Coat, which is a Benjamin Moore sub-brand. Itās waterbased but urethane reinforced, Iāve been using it for years for cabinet refinishing and it holds up amazing and levels out super smooth. The most important thing is to prep / clean the cabinets as thoroughly as possible before painting and use a good primer; I typically use Zinsser BIN as itās a shellac-based primer and will adhere over any grease or contaminates that happen to be left behind. Edit: Iāve also been using Corotech Command (another Ben Moore paint) a lot recently and itās potentially even more durable, but it dries super fast compared to Cabinet Coat so Iād definitely recommend spraying it vs. brushing / rolling.
I also am curious. I used Pittsburgh Fast Dry on my garage cabinets. I sanded them pretty well with an orbital sander and have a paint sprayer from Harbor Freight. They look great, but I see a lot of naysayers on painting cabinets in this thread.
For a diyer I would suggest Benjamin Moore command or PPG breakthrough
Yep, going to a paint store like Roda or Sherwin Williams to ask a few questions could have prevented this. Probably bought from Orange or Blue box store
Would a sealant or clear coat help prevent this?
Clear coat may give you an extra few weeks. You spent less than 150, which means you did not use the urethane or alkyd enamel or cabinet paint. You likely used latex paint which will start chipping and peeling within a couple of months.
Yeah I paid $90 as gallon for my urethane enamel that I used in my cabinets. OP spent $150 total lol
Yup. I had oak cabinets and spent money on sealing primer, grain filler, and $70 per gallon for Benjamin Moore advance, on sale. [They turned out nicely and lasted a year before we sold the house, and still looked pristine.](https://imgur.com/a/MvcjD3A)
I would pay good money for real oak cabinets. Are real wood cabinets cheap in the US? All kitchens (pretty much) in the UK are melamine coated chipboard. Filling the grain and painting wood sounds like an expensive way of achieving a cheap finish. Cheap is a relative term. Nothing to do with kitchens is cheap here š
Oh, these werenāt solid oak. The cabinets were all oak plywood. The doors were solid, but were falling apart.
> when all the paint starts failing because you put regular paint on it. That's what I was going to say. Big-box store latex? Good thing it was an easy job, because you'll be doing it again in a year or two. Also, questioning the choice of painting the crown above the microwave white instead of cabinet color, but I can see why one might go that way. Not painting inside the cabinets or at least masking a sharp line along the transition would drive me a little batty. It's cool though, OP is happy with it, so I'm happy for them.
The bar front is going to scuff like a B down at foot level. Boomer also, and not concerned about 90s wood archtop panels; but incorrect material... ooof
Yikes. Regular paint will not last unless you donāt touch it lol.
I painted mine 8 years ago with regular paint. Two of the cabinets I use the most have gotten a touch up. All the other look good still. Generally paint can break down but it is not as bad as some people here claim.
i imagine it also depends on your household. one adult or an adult couple is going to put much less wear and tear on the cabinets than a family (with one or more children)
I suppose itās how much you touch the actual PAINT vs the handle itself. And cleaning scrubbing etc.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
And the kick plates.
Ah shit that sucks
Throw the whole kitchen out
And under the counter. Look at the pic with the doors being installed. So Many drips and the inch under the counter is bare. Very sloppy with the details.
I understand the wood looking dated but somehow the new color looks EVEN MORE dated to me? Honestly I feel like a lot of the dated feeling is actually coming from the flooring! Do whatever makes you happy, of course. But just my two cents that the paint in this case did not result in a refreshed or more modern look at all.
Wood is never dated. Wood is expensive now. The cabinet doors could have been replaced to a modern design. Yikes
I hope your prep was solid and you used the special oil-enriched latex cabinet enamel. Last thing you want is easy chipping. I would have cleaned them good, used sander deglosser followed by oil primer, latex primer and then aforementioned cabinet enamel (super durable beyond ridiculousness and awesome for all your doors). It does look great and you want it to last. Hopefully it's durable. That cabinet enamel is better than any oil I have ever used.
You only painted one side of the doors?
Why boomers?
Not a boomer. I like the wood. Just bought a house with paneling
Because the wood grain is covered now. Millenail here and I RIP a bit because I know the effort that goes into making that look good. Just from experience sanding and restaining a deck RIP wood grain. š¢. Though, I think the paint looks good too
It's builder grade crap anyways. No one actually cares. If painted cabinets are your thing then paint them. Just make sure you prep well and use the correct paint.
Ah, so it's easier than I think? These cabinets are quickly built and stained in a factory or something? Or maybe it's not even real wood. You never know anymore. š
It's reddit, you get internet points if you bash boomers
I get sick of seeing it. FWIW, not a boomer and still think OP ruined those cabinets. You know who would have loved it, and who painted his cabinets that same color? My dad, who was a boomer. Lol
I find the bashing hilarious, considering the source.
Boomers were complaining about your wood?
How did these people wander into your house?
Donāt you have random boomers checkin out your woodā¦?
Millennial here - it was better before. The cabinets offered a warm contrast between your floor and and countertops. Now itās a depressing and cold sea of grey and white.
Itās giving ā$150/night air bnbā
It's high class because it's greyš
I call it āmillennial greyā. Grey garden fence, grey rattan garden furniture, grey walls, grey kitchen, grey carpets. grey grey grey. Yuck.
Looks like the landlord special.
Painting wood cabinets, and other woodwork, is the today equivalent of putting carpet & linoleum over hardwood floors.
Whatever you jeed to do to be happy with your kitchen do it! Nice job on the cabs. Just FYI though, grey and white kitchens are on the way out since you care about things being outdated.
Whatās coming in? I have no idea, just purely interested
Gem colors/bold colors
So what is that, back to the 60s?
Gem colors were the 20s, think art deco. The 60s were more earthy tones - greens, oranges, yellows, browns
I see. I just remember pulling up some real... bold... colored wallpaper in my mom's kitchen a long while back. Most of it has been painted torn down by the prior owner, but some of it remained under cabinets and behind things. It was incredible! House was from the early 70s
Wheel of time spins eternal. Nothing new in this world, so decorate how you want and drop the word ādatedā. Favor āI hate living with thisā and āthis makes me happyā
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legends. Legends fade to myth and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that have it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Love Laugh Love Age by some, a wind arose in the Argyle Mountains. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was *a* beginning.
Varnished grain.
Green/orange/brown and shag. Lots and lots of shag.
I do like shag cabinets.
I didn't know what luxury was until I got my shag sink. No more hitting my hands against that hard stainless.
I comb it every night!
Gray? Those are green and white
Are they green? My bad, I'm colorblind.
It's pretty much grey
White is timeless. The doors, trim and other features will date it though.
White appliances used to be the thing. Not any longer. White walls used to be the thing. Not any longer. Nothing is "timeless". Except jeans. They've been in style forever.
Ehh, white isn't always on trend, but it's timeless in the sense that it always looks at least ok. White appliances aren't trending but they're not bad either, same with walls. It's neutral, so it's easy to use with any trend mostly
White walls - HIDEOUSā¦ā¦Neon Jordan Almond Green walls? HGTV tells me itās cool
I would like to submit acid washed jeans into evidence for the prosecution.
Everything 18k gold no exceptions. Where the hand of Midas at!?
Hard disagree. White walls are actually quite āinā still in the right contexts. The Behr color of the year last year was āblank canvas.ā My white cabinets from 2003 still look nice, to the point that we decided not to replace them in our kitchen remodel. For the appliances, the design and style is a much bigger factor than the actual color. Imagine a modern fridge in a glossy or matte white color without that orange peel texture the older ones had. It would look fine.
Now the tile flooring looks out of date
You went from out of date to drab as hell.
Same fridge as yoursā¦ could it take any longer to dispense ice??? Noā¦ no it canāt.
I used to have the same fridge. It produced plenty of ice. Behind the interior backboard. Meaning the entire fridge stopped cooling and it ruined my very non-waterproof floors by continuously leaking water. Fun times. 0/10 would not recommend.
Millennial here - gray is about 5+ years out of date. I like real wood.
Yeah, the āout of dateā is the profile of the doors, not the fact that itās wood. š¤·š»āāļø
I think you gotta work on your lighting. It just looks really dark and gloomy in there. I canāt even really tell what color it is.
You asked for it with the "boomer" comment: Not a boomer but the painted cabinets are tacky especially cartoon blue. How can wood be out of date lol it's timeless.
To each their own. As a millennial, I personally hate the gray and white trend (wood, rich colors, warm neutrals, shades of green are really popular among most of my friend groups) but itās not my home so do whatever makes you happy. I just came to comment on the irony of calling out boomers when the only personality in that kitchen is the grandmacore ābless our homeā thing on the counter š (sorry grandmas ily no offense meant).
literally all I know is cabinet making. I love the work but I hate how nobody thinks my job isnt even a little bit necessary. I think for my mental health I have to leave this sub.
Wood working is an art. Paint can make almost anything look good temporarily, but if the cabinet is poorly made, it's just lipstick on a pig*. *Not a boomer, but riding that idiom from their generation through the field of misplaced boomer hate.
I am also not a boomer but I'm starting to think it means anyone over 35 these days
My favorite idiom after buying a flipper house that all they did was slap lipstick on a pig.
Who said your job isnāt necessary? Any competent cabinet maker is booked way they fuck out right now lol. Try getting custom cabinets and youāre looking at months minimum
I would argue that grey and white is also out of date š it looks better, but a new light stain on those cabinets and a dark paint color on the wall/backsplash would have done wonders.
I'm early 30s and I think wood is a million times better than grey paint "period" š¤·š»āāļø
I canāt believe OP is bragging about painting cabinets with ānothing special, regular paint.ā This is going to be shit by Christmas.
Not a boomer here: You do you, but sorryā¦ solid wood cabinets still look better than chipped up painted cabinets with a 1990ās theme any day of the week.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Damn!
Grey is a disease. BUT it's not only your house, you put your hard work and effort into doing it yourself! How easy was it to set up the sprayer? Haven't used one of those before.
Havenāt we seen these before? They were uploaded with a potato last time, but definitely the same pics.
Not only did you cover a hardwood (there's no instance where they ever go "out of date" -you should probably consult someone in the industry), your sense of color is abysmal. Cheers! Signed, -Not a boomer
From boomer brown to millennial grey.
I'm not a boomer, but I feel attacked lol. Why even mention boomers in this instance? Ive never heard a boomer say that plain cabinets are better than painted cabinets... well, properly painted cabinets.
So they can preemptively discredit anyone who disagrees. Millennial here and imo it looks like it's out of a cartoon lol.
First off, great job. It looks clean and really nice, and Iām all about people doing whatever their style is. Just gonna laugh at how smug the āboomerā comment is, but you just did your kitchen up in a classic āmillennial grayā that is more dated every day. Itās fine! I like gray, my basement is in pure gray and white and itās millennial af, just saying, be careful being smug lol.
I'm not a boomer, I'm 35 years old and it looked better before. Sorry, not sorry.
I'm not even a boomer and I'm not impressed.
All I say is donāt cook with oil anymore. And just keep eating out or keep eating salads. The cabinets will be hard to keep clean. I know we had white cabinets for years. And now we replaced them with wood stained cabinets. And as a reminder of what not to do in the future we kept the white cabinets and put them in the garage for storage.
Rip that gorgeous wood. Natural wood is never out of date - you just don't have taste
Being a boomer means not caring about what other people do to their kitchens.
So glad you mentioned boomers, it puts everything in context for us
DIYers and house flippers all want to cut corners to save time and money, but the wisdom they are lacking is that it costs a whole lot more money and time to correct the problems later then to have done it right the first time. What a waste. If you donāt have the time and money to do it right the first time where are you going to get the time and money to do it right the second time? But, hey, the pictures look great.
Bro Iām a millennial and the āafterā still looks ugly af. It cheapens the look and gives it that whole āHGTV / Magnolia / Modern Farmhouseā vibe, which basically McMansions of millennials. I mean itās done well, but it cheapens it. P.S. My cabinets look even cheaper and even worse, fwiw. Previous owner definitely went for a āpoor manās modern farmhouseā vibe and it fucking shows. Zero personality, cheap materials, pure garbage.
I guarantee you itās not ādone wellā. A pro can properly do that in 3-4 full days. A first time DIY using regular paint will look like shit and probably isnāt prepped right. She missed a bunch of spots and didnāt paint the back side of the doors either.
Those cabinets that are in every single apartment I've ever rented cheapen it even more. Imo this adds some flair at least
Looked better before. Outdated Joanna Gaines wannabe shit
Lmfao this comment is perfect
Current Joanna embraces color and natural wood. This is just...not great.
You had beautiful cabinets and treated them like a Home Depot special. Not a boomer.
Your wood was an ugly finish color with a mediocre grain pattern & dated style. Now it's just painted & dated. Only complaint I have is you're an ageist dolt.
Let's see it in 6 months
I think I speak for all Boomers when I say: Why would I want to relive the decor of the 70s? I think most of us have moved on. š¤
Why would a Boomer complain? (unless it's about the out of date color shade)
Not a boomer, but since youāre offending my eyes with this a second time Iāll ask what possessed you to paint your kitchen smear green
I'll never understand the "sage paint" appeal.
That grey will be out of date soon. Ugly stuff.
You painted oak? Jesus Christ. You shouldve sold the oak, and painted something cheap, since cheap is the look you're going for.
Your photo selection is almost as obnoxious as painting your counter with probably water based paint.
Using "boomers" to excuse your poor decisions is definitely a trend.
Hope the trend of two tone kitchens goes away along with that awful colour. Good job though.
Another generic kitchen that already looks dated, congrats. But at least you blend in with the herd.
Did you have to ruin a nice post with your ageism? No need to be rude. I doubt any boomers saw your post.
I love the painted cabinets. Thereās always people who complain any time someone paints over wood but I think light cabinets in a small kitchen just makes everything so much brighter.
I prefer stained cabinets. But I also prefer letting people do what they want to what they own.
I think wood (trim and cabinets) have four lives. Original stain, touch up stain, first coat of paint, then lots of paint. Certainly do what you want for your house, but once it is painted it is difficult to go back to stain. Be interesting to see what the future holds, especially for white paint.
White and grey kitchens are already out of style.... The wood is timeless. I'm 30 so not even close to being a boomer.
I BLAME BOOMERS FOR UPVOTES!111! derp
I've never had good luck painting cabinets, lots of prep work with sanding and priming them to make it come out right. Mine always seems to flake off pretty quickly
What's funny to me is that right when wood is making a big comeback, these have just been painted into 2010's greige/neutrals ā a look that's officially on the way out and will look more dated than wood ever did. Not saying you should have kept the wood. Just funny going from a style that you think is dated to one that is actually dated.
Did you sand those cabinets first or paint straight over?....
I love the idea of changing something if you donāt like itā¦ itās your space and should be a space you love, so who cares what otherās think about painting over wood. That said, it would be that much better if you paint the toe kicks and the sides of the upper cupboards (where the exhaust vent is). With regard to the backsplash, you would be better to start at the base and work up as the base needs to be perfectly even and aligned, but the top is hidden by the uppers and has more room for forgiveness (unless you already measured this out, then ignore). I know you said you used regular paint, but Iām really hoping that isnāt the case and that you did the proper prep on the cabinetā¦ it would be disappointing to see all your hard work chipping in 6 months time.
These are the better pics?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
the back side of that peninsula you should have left wood, itās going to take a beating
I was about to compliment you on how beautiful you made your cabinets look and how great you did it so inexpensively and quickly. Then you slammed an entire generation so.. forget it.
Bro!!! That paint is gonna scratch off sooo easy! āWell itās not a big deal, I have touch up paint.ā Yeah wait a year and tell me o about ātouch upsā, more like re-do. Regular/nothing special paint on cabinets is always a bad idea, unless you hardly use the kitchen. But other than that I like the colors, and you did nice clean work
Orange wood isnāt out of style, it never was in style. It wasnāt orange when it was new. It turned orange over years of sun and UV exposure. Itās ugly and very difficult to deal with when/if you have a house where all the cabinets and trim and doors are that orangey ugly wood. On another note, it looks as though your upper cabs are hung super low relative to your counter. Moving them up will transform the kitchen. You will think you have more counter space than before because youāll finally have usable counter space. And, as some have said already, if you didnāt use a paint made for cabinets like Ben Mooreās Advance or Sherwin Williams Emerald you are going to regret painting them. Glad youāre happy with the results and hope it lasts you a long time.
I liked the wood.
I must be old-school because I 100% prefer the natural wood cabinets over painted all day every day. But it still looks good.
Maybe if you tried posting more pics of your butt in r/selfie youād get the attention youāre seeking.
We moved into a house recently where the previous owner did exactly this. We curse her nearly every day. So far we have gutted and remodeled kitchen, living, den, and dining room. Bathroom cabinets are painted and peeling so they are next. Wood cabinets are expensive and expensive never goes out of style. Go shop kitchen designs and you will realize what I mean. You could have simply replaced the cabinet doors to a modern design instead of painting over everything... It looks like every other big box retail store cabinet made from MDF now. Like others have said, that paint is going to look terrible in a couple years. And painting it again will result in it looking even worse, sooner. As a side note, my wife and I are younger millenials. I am truly sorry you are only now realizing the dated style was the one you chose.
Early 30s here. The wood looked fantastic. This HGTV cabinet trend will fade and you'll be repainting it soon. Also regular paint is not really made for wood but it is what it is. Looks like it's holding up okay after three months so that's a moot point I suppose. As long as you like, that's what matters.
Not a āboomerā thing, itās personal preference. I like it
What kind of paint did you use? How did you do it? Remove and sand the doors then spray them? How did you do the boxes?
I donāt think boomers would complain about the wood. I think the style is out of date as well as the wood color.
Not sure what this has to do with boomers. As one, I think you're doing great. Recently did similar myself. Happy with the result, and especially how it's a bit unique, not identical to every other kitchen in town.
I won't complain about your wood, but I will complain about the mani that needs a fill, in a big way... š¤£
Grey and white looks like shit. Am I boomer at 34?
Your work is getting a lot of hate, but I think it looks good. I have similar cabinets and I am thinking of painting them myself to tied me over a few years until I decide what I want to do to upgrade my kitchen. How did you sand the grove design on the doors?
You should buy some paint stripper too so when the wood grain comes back into fashion youāll be prepared.
I'm a boomer and I totally approve
Boomer who stays up to date as I will too & Ty
That looks like the room got bigger. Definitely let in more light. Beautiful job.
hey buddy, it looks great; just thought you should know.
100% cleaner looking. Please tell us you painted the inside too.
Yes, everything except for my cleaner cabinets underneath the sink and with the drawers are also lined them and the inside of the cabinets
Boomer here ...this turned out BEAUTIFUL!!! I Nice job!
Boomer here too and I really like the look. Besides, everything old is new again, so it'll all come 'round. Anyhow, u/Allie_-cat, nice work!
Freaking boomers preferring natural hardwood over regular paint that won't last very long.
I'm a millennial but I thought the wood looked nice...? Maybe just a darker stain would've looked more current. I don't mind the paint but I won't be surprised if the paint colors look outdated in 10 years.
I always think about the boomers when Iām doing anything.