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REFINISHING KITCHEN CABINETS
A kitchen makeover is more costly now than ever before and this is why many homeowners are seeking more cost-effective alternatives to entirely new cabinets. So whether you are starting a renovation, you recently purchased your home, or you are thinking of selling your home, we would always suggest starting with cabinet refinishing as this can save thousands of dollars. This is also a great option if you are happy with the cabinet door style and the current kitchen layout. Exploring the option of refinishing your old doors before purchasing new cabinets is also an eco-friendly decision.
Our clients are amazed at the professionally smooth finish that our team is able to achieve when we refinish your doors and drawer fronts. Between the attention to detail, the thoroughness of our preparation process, our spray facility, and the dedication of our team members, it is hard to find a company in Calgary that provides a better finish than New Look Cabinets.
It is our goal to always provide the best quality finish while saving you money.
When is it time to refinish kitchen cabinets?
The best time to refinish kitchen cabinets is when your cabinetry and hardware are in good condition but you are looking for an inexpensive way to increase or improve the feel of your kitchen. We often speak to people who think that because the existing finish on the cabinetry has diminished over the years, they are under the impression that their only option is to replace their old kitchen cabinets but that is not true. Cabinet refinishing or cabinet painting will bring new life to your kitchen while providing added protection to your cabinet doors.
Here are some examples of when refinishing kitchen cabinets is right for you:
- Cabinets are looking old and tired
- They have water damage and are swollen
- Topcoat has started to wear
- Change of colour
- Just needs a fresh coat
- Doors are solid wood
- Painting walls in-home and cabinets need a change
- Selling your home
- Planning a renovation
What is the most common cabinet door style?
It is always best to ask the company who is completing your project for their professional opinion on the most popular styles or trends.
Cabinetry is not functioning properly?
Over time the weight of the door can impact the way the cabinet hinges or drawer slides function. You can install new hinges or drawer slides installed will improve the feel and the way that the doors and drawers function. You usually have the option of soft-close or self-close hinges or drawer slides.
Which service is a better option for a tight budget?
An entire kitchen renovation is very costly and often is not required to achieve the kitchen that you have dreamed of. The cost of lumber has impacted the price tremendously. Kitchen cabinet refinishing is the most economical option available and quite honestly, will solve most concerns.
How to select the right colour of paint?
Having trouble selecting a new colour for your kitchen cabinets? Let our professional colour consultant help guide you with the correct colour to compliment your home. Our team will help guide you through this process because we know the difficulty of choosing the right colour and the pressure that can come along with this decision. Our team will help guide you towards colours that make accents like your countertops pop. Paint colours also can impact just by having the wrong colour of shade. Lighter colours will make the space feel larger and darker colours will make the space feel smaller.
Cabinet preparation and refinishing process
The preparation of the cabinetry is very important and is quite often overlooked especially if you don’t have the right tools or systems in place. Over the years, we have been able to develop a system and implement processes to ensure that every project completed consistently.
Cabinetry requires a lot more than elbow grease, lightly sand, and a good cleaning before you can start sanding the top coat. The prep work also depends on the previous coating whether it is oil paint, alkyd paint or latex paint and depending on the coating will decide on method required for removal of second coat.
The cabinet doors will be sanded thoroughly prior to the paint application to ensure that the paint is to the wood prior to being painted. Once the wood has been sanded, we then modified the doors for the proper hardware.
The doors and drawers will then be placed into our controlled spray area to be primed and painted. Different types of wood do require certain products, depending on the desired finish or outcome. After one coat of primer is applied, the doors and drawers are checked one last time for imperfections prior to applying the first coat of lacquer.
After the doors and drawers have been painted, they will remain in a heated room for a few hours to allow the fresh paint to dry completely and cure properly.
Our team will then contact you to complete the install of your kitchen cabinets.
How to properly clean cabinet doors and cabinet boxes?
We recommend cleaning your kitchen cabinets with water and a damp microfiber cloth. Do not use bleach or abrasive materials to clean your kitchen cabinets. When painting, it is advised to allow 30 days before cleaning which will allow for the top coat to cure properly.
Recommendations for cleaning materials when cleaning kitchen cabinets
- Denatured alcohol
- Mineral spirits
- TSP (Trisodium Phosphate Powder)
- Soapy water
- Tack Cloth
- Let them dry completely before sanding
Is it better to stain or paint kitchen cabinets?
Both coatings provide a durable finish and if applied correctly, and both are good options. The type of coating will vary depending on things such as the style and color story throughout your home. These things will usually play a large role in the coating selection for the kitchen cabinetry. The type of coating that you choose really depends on the color story throughout your home. Both coatings are very durable and a good option if they are applied correctly. Stain finishes do have limitations and are a good option for brand new or previously stained cabinetry. If the cabinetry is currently stained, your options are limited to a darker stain or cabinet stripping. Staining or painting cabinets is a great option because you can achieve any color and usually while repairing any deficiencies.
How should we plan our kitchen project?
Kitchen renovations can be challenging especially if the work is not completed in the correct order. Quite often the cost of any reno can double or triple if work is completed in an incorrect order. Planning and scheduling of any project is crucial to the outcome of the project. For example, if you are painting cabinets and you replace your countertops, we would recommend installing your countertops first.
Can any style of kitchen cabinet doors be painted?
Wood cabinet doors are probably the most common along with MDF doors. The majority of wood cabinets can be refinished but the process of application may vary. Cabinets that have been painted will oil paint, alkyd paint, or latex paint may require to be stripped prior to the paint application. Even though the cabinet frames are not real wood, they will match the cabinet doors.
Can kitchen cabinets be completed in a garage or basement?
Refinishing kitchen cabinets is a daunting task and can be very tricky and time-consuming for people with basic DIY skills. Without the proper equipment or facility, the chance of having a successful paint job is very slim. Some common issues that a homeowner will come across if they choose to take this type of project on wood be:
- Appropriate space
- Lack of Ventilation
- Dust Control
- Temperature Control
- Lack of Tools
- Paint Sprayer
- Experience with Alkyd paint or Water based paint
What type of paint is best for cabinets?
We recommend using lacquer for paint for the majority of wood. Lacquer allows you to achieve a glass-like top coat.
I have discolored cabinets but the structural integrity is good, can we replace the doors only?
Replacing the cabinet doors without replacing the cabinet boxes is referred to as cabinet refacing. Refacing allows you to choose a new door style and upgrade the cabinet hardware as well. This option is more cost-effective than new cabinets altogether.
The eco-friendly solutions of kitchen cabinet refinishinG
Refinishing kitchen cabinets does reduce the amount of garbage going to the landfill. You never like to do anything that increases carbon footprints. As you avoid remodeling your kitchen furnishings, you can protect the environment. If your cabinets are in perfect condition, why throw them away? The disposal of cabinets adds waste to the environment, so we always recommend to you can choose cabinet refinishing as an environment-friendly option.
LOTS OF OPTIONS TO MANAGE AESTHETIC
You will find several options while choosing colors and finishes. Repaint your cabinets using a color that matches other shades of your home decors. Moreover, you may add different finishes, like stressing, glossing, and antiquing. Based on your personal taste, you can choose the best finish.
SHOULD YOU STRIP CABINETS BEFORE PAINTING
Stripping cabinets is only necessary if the previous coating was not applied properly or if you want to stain the cabinets with a lighter color of stain. Stripping cabinets can be beneficial if removing multiple layers of paint.
What are the most popular colors for kitchen cabinets?
Whites and Off-whites are the most popular colors chosen for kitchen cabinets. Color selection often depends on the decor and the decorative style throughout the home. A professional color consultant who understands how paint colors react to lighting, furniture, and the design of the space is key to any painting project.
Our spray facility
When working with spray equipment, you are only as good as the environment that you are working in. It is imperative that you control over certain things like air movement, exhaust, temperature control and dust control. Our spray center allows all of these things. This is what allows our company to provide the best finish possible in the market.
Quality is our top priority
We strongly believing in providing the best quality in the market by using a thorough preparation process, top-quality spray equipment and a team with decades of experience in this field. We use top quality paints, lacquers, stains, along with other coatings.
Why choose New Look for your kitchen project?
With the rising cost of living these days, homeowners are constantly seeking more economical ways to increase the value and look of their homes. Refinishing is one of the most popular choices for kitchen renovations. We will help you save money while increasing the value of your property. Your neighbours will think that you have a newly constructed kitchen.
CONVENIENT AND TIMESAVIN
Entirely new cabinets are very costly especially with the rising cost of lumber as of late. To avoid this problem, you can refinish your kitchen cabinets. Repainting is one of the simplest options. Moreover, the in-home refinishing process takes only 2 to 3 days, and then you are able to reuse your kitchen. The cabinet doors should take approximately 2-3 weeks to be completed properly with the proper curing process.
Is it better to strip or sand kitchen cabinets
The choice to strip the finish will vary depending on the type of coating that will be applied next. Sanding is definitely the safest and most popular option.
Looking to maintain the classic wooden look?
Some people will prefer a stain finish over a painted finish. Stain will show a more natural wood look and a solid lacquer is more of a solid paint finish. There are a lot of options with stain finishes and our team is here to help you. Our team of experts have years of experience working with stains and various coatings and will be more than happy to work with you to help you achieve your desired finish.
A frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it better to strip or sand kitchen cabinets?
– The choice to strip the finish on your cabinets versus sanding the finish really depends on a few things. Some things to consider are:
- what type of material are your cabinets?
- Can your cabinets be stripped?
- what type of coating are you applying?
- Is the new coating able to be applied to the in-home portion of your kitchen project?
What is the most popular color for kitchen cabinets?
– Whites and Off-whites are the most popular colours chosen for kitchen cabinets. Colour selection ultimately depends on the decor and the story throughout the home. A professional colour consultant who understands how paint colours react to lighting, furniture and design of the space is key to any painting project.
Is it better to stain or paint cabinets?
– Both coatings are very durable and a good option if they are applied correctly. Stain finishes do have limitations and is only option with brand new cabinets or if your cabinets currently have a stain finish. If your cabinets are stained, you must choose darker colour stain for your cabinets. Painting cabinets is a great option because you can achieve any colour while repairing any deficiencies. Lacquer is the best paint to use for your cabinets.
Should you strip cabinets before painting?
– Stripping your cabinets is not necessary if the cabinets will go through a proper sanding process. Stripping cabinets can be beneficial if removing multiple layers of paint or if you are looking to stain your cabinets a different colour.
