Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets The Right Way

 

Don’t Ruin Your Cabinets When Painting

January 4, 2023 at 2:29 pm | Category: kitchen cabinets

Painting kitchen cabinets can be a great way to refresh the look of your kitchen and increase the value of your home. It can be a big undertaking, but with proper planning and the right tools, you can achieve professional-looking results.

Kitchen Cabinet painting

Before you begin, it’s important to prepare the surface of your cabinets. This means thoroughly cleaning and sanding the cabinets to ensure that the paint will adhere properly.

You may also want to remove the hardware, such as handles and hinges, to make painting easier.

Next, you’ll need to choose your paint. There are a few options to consider:

• Latex paint is water-based and easy to clean up, but it may not be as durable as oil-based paint.
• Oil-based paint is more durable and resistant to moisture, making it a good choice for kitchen cabinets. However, it is more difficult to clean up and may require the use of paint thinner.
• Chalk paint is another option that is easy to work with and requires minimal prep work, but it may not be as durable as other types of paint.

Once you have your paint, you’ll need to decide on a finish. A gloss or semi-gloss finish will be easier to clean and more durable, but a matte finish may give a more modern look.

To begin painting, start by applying a coat of primer to the cabinets.

This will help the paint adhere better and provide a smooth base for the paint to sit on.

Once the primer is dry, you can begin applying the paint. Use a brush or roller to apply the paint in thin, even coats, making sure to cover all surfaces evenly. It may take several coats to achieve good coverage, so be patient and allow each coat to dry fully before applying the next.

Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Once the paint has dried, you can reinstall the hardware and enjoy your newly refreshed kitchen cabinets!

Keep in mind that painting kitchen cabinets can be a time-consuming process, but the results are worth it. With a little patience and attention to detail, you can transform the look of your kitchen and give it a fresh, new feel.

Have your kitchen cabinets refinished

 

What to expect when having your kitchen cabinets painted

Having your kitchen cabinets painted whether you choose to do them yourself or have them professionally painted can be a big leap of faith.

But one thing that will help make that choice is to price new cabinets installed.

We are referring to quality cabinets installed, not the low end mass produced cabinets of today

Most likely you have quality cabinets already installed and for less than half the cost you can have them professionally refinished in most cases.

Your first decision will be who is going to do them?

Having a company who does this day in and day out is a great choice as opposed to a painting company who also "does" cabinet painting

It is a better choice to have someone who does cabinet refinishing every day touch your kitchen cabinets

They will be more experienced with the preparation needed and if anything goes wrong during the process, easily being able to adjust

Preparation is key to any kitchen cabinet painting project, preparing your existing cabinets for a new coating is most important

This can be done many ways, whether chemically with solvents and cleaners or mechanically with sanders or sanding by hand.

We like a combination of both of those methods

After preparing your cabinets you have a few choices here.

A standard paint job using readily available products. This will give a you a very nice job although one that will need slight maintenance down the road in the form of touch ups. We would expect a good 5 years before possible having to fully recoat and yearly touch ups possible after they are painted

This is due to simply the use they will be under, from water, soap, hands, and more. Anyone who promises you more than this is not being honest with today's traditional paints from any manufacturer

Your second option is to move into a high end two part product. This is not one anyone used here locally except for us, this is a more costly option but over the long run it will simply last longer.

Specialized equipment is needed to apply a coasting to get a beautiful finish, usually a combination of special sprayers and in some cases brush and rolling with very smooth rollers.

In the case of brushing and rolling the applicator is most important, they can make or break your project.

There is nothing worse than seeing heavy brush marks or roller marks on a cabinet project. This can significantly be diminished with the proper application.

Here are a few things that could go wrong

Improper pre from an inexperienced painter or crrew

Bad prep can be disastrous for a project, the entire job is only as good as it's base. This is the reason it is hard to come fix someone else's work

The wrong materials were used, without using the proper primers and top coats your project is doomed again.

Not explaining the true expectations of a cabinet refinishing project. The cabinets will not be bulletproof. No coating is, just like your car or existing cabinets they can be scratched, dinged and dented.

How to have a great project

Let the painters paint, they have been trained for this

Know the expectations of the project and what products are being used

How do you touch them up? Does the painter offer a maintenance program such as our three year or lifetime touch ups?

Enjoy the process, talk to the painters, enjoy the amazing before and after

Why paint your kitchen cabinets?

Why paint your kitchen cabinets?

Why is kitchen cabinet painting so hot and in right now? 

The easy answer is it saves so much money vs replacing or refacing and you can get a tremendous transformation of your kitchen in way less time then replacing or refacing your kitchen cabinets.

There is no way to replace your kitchen cabinets with quality ones for the same or even near the same price as painting them.

You can get a great job that will stand up over time by having a professional do them the right way.

This includes preparing them correctly, using the right paints and coatings and simply doing the right thing.

Painters can lie

Unfortunately doing the right thing and the painting industry does not always go hand in hand. It is easy and affordable for someone to go out and but a ladder and a few brushes and say they are in business.

Let's start a business

It is simply not that easy and professional companies know this, that is why it is laughable when customers will try to compare estimates from many different painting companies while some are barely companies. You may be able to get away with this painting a wall but certainly not with kitchen cabinets.

The process is straight forward but it is when something goes wrong that professional painter with all their experience can save the day, they can adjust and be the superhero of your job.

Painting can be easy but it can also be hard and confusing. 

Years of experience is where a true professional painter shines. That does come with a cost, a fair cost. To simply compare estimates based on price does away with all those years of training, working and the experience gained.

So what will you do?

Will you simply take the lowest price and cross your fingers and hope for the best or be assured your project will come out correctly? It's your choice.

Kitchen Cabinet Painting FAQ'S

We are asked questions all the time about the kitchen cabinet painting process and why not? Painting your kitchen cabinets can save so much money vs replacing or refacing them.

At typically more then half the cost you can dramatically change the appearance of your home and kitchen in a few days.

Using the top of the line materials and the proper preparation procedures are vital to this type of painting. You want to make sure the company you choose has a vast knowledge of this process and that includes what to do when something goes wrong. From cleaning to priming and painting there are many steps that can go the wrong way and experience are vital so you can avoid or correct these issues should they happen.

Do you have other questions that we can answer? Please reach out to us Email Us We would love to hear from you and help answer painting questions you may have.

www.ryanamatopainting.com

Kitchen Cabinet Painting Changes Your Kitchen

Kitchen Cabinet Painting

Have you wanted to change the look of your kitchen and do it without having to renovate your entire kitchen?

Painting your kitchen cabinets can dramatically and affordably paint your kitchen cabinets using a professional painting contractor who has experience painting and refinishing cabinets and has successfully done so many times.

This is not the type of job to take lightly and hire the cheapest price that comes along, sometimes looking for that low price will equal low quality.

Types of products

The quality of the products you use  will make or break your project, using low-quality products will have a direct effect on washability, longevity and the quality of the finish itself (how it looks)
using low-quality paint products can make a surface impossible to be scrubbed or washed when dirt and oils get on it. Remember you're going to be using them every day and they will take heavy use from you and your family. It is important to take this project seriously

Can I do it myself?

Yes, you may be able to do this project yourself if you have good experience painting and repairing surfaces, you still may not be able to achieve the finish a professional would be able to offer not to mention the time it will save you so you can do what you do best. I would take every precaution if you decide to take this project on yourself and do your homework. One wrong move and you could have peeling paint or runs and sags in your finish. A professional will have the experience should somethign go wrong and know how to correct it

Top ways to get a good painting estimate

The top ways for you to get a good paint estimate

You have decided it's time to paint inside your home, maybe it's a few bedrooms or possibly the trim or maybe your just going to paint your entire interior. 

So now what?

You will find out quickly when you start calling around, many companies will either not call back or it will take a few days if they call back at all. Once your lucky enough to get someone either pick up the phone or call you back now your issue will be them showing up at all. 

One of the comments I receive all the time is "wow you showed up on time just like you said" Sounds crazy right? People are in business but won't call back or show up.

If your lucky enough to have someone show up now the issue is they won't be honest and tell you they are not either interested in your project or capable of doing it, so they will never send a proposal over or price it very high so you never call them.

So this is why it is very important on your end to be prepared when your ready to call a painting company or any trade for that matter. Here are some things you should be prepared with.

1. Know your budget and don't be afraid to share it, when asked. A good company can generally work within any budget but without having an idea of what it may be you may receive prices all over the place. With painting there are varying levels of quality, no two companies will paint a residential project the same. 
2. Know exactly what you want to be done, are all the ceilings being done or can they be left out to help reduce costs? Is the trim being done? Again by not having all these details, your pricing will be all over the place and you may be surprised with the end result
3. What is important to you? Is quality most important or is the cost? You typically will not be able to get a low priced job with top quality work but if you're real about your expectations and budget missed expectations can be avoided
4. Be at the estimate, the person who will interact and "judge" the work should be the person at the estimate. I can't tell you how many times people don't take this seriously and leave a parent or babysitter home to show the work or even the other spouse who when the job starts isn't the person judging the work, another area where you will have missed expectations
5. Be realistic, it will rain, people will call off or be sick, other things will come up. Every company does it's best to make sure everyone works each day all year long but we will all be disappointed with workers who are not responsible, all anyone can do is make it right and move forward. Remember things can always be worse, have patience and understand everyone has a story and things going on in their life.

There are no apples to apples

When you say you want to compare apples to apples what you're really implying is every company does the exact same thing, the same quality, the same training and the only thing separating them is the rice they are about to give you.

Let me let you in on a little secret, you could put 5 painting estimators in a room, using the same paint, same application and you will get 5 different prices, don't assume each company knows what they are doing and certainly you cannot compare this with price alone.

Don't forget about the things not said, communication, the extra value they bring, will they be around if you need something down the road? Or once they are paid are they gone and forgot your name. Trust me I am involved heavily in the painting industry and there are some very questionable workers and companies out there, just as there are some great people and companies out there, but if a bunch of estimators cannot agre on a price what makes you think you're qualified enough to be able to compare them?

Things may still go wrong

Even after all of this, you may have some things go wrong, they may spill paint, or have drips or not prep as you think they should or the color may be wrong. The mark of a good company is just to correct these things if it was their fault. There is no need to yell and scream, no one wants to work for anyone like that, the painters end up trying gto go faster to get out of there, the client is upset and the office is tired of those "phone calls" Remember it's a team effort that includes the painters, the office and the client. Everyone must be on the same page for a successful project

Ryan Amato

www.ryanamatopainting.com

484-821-7112

Painting The Interior Of Your Home

Painting The Interior Of Your Home

Painting The Interior Of Your Home

In painting the interior of our homes, most of us tend to procrastinate a lot, and this has to do with the fact that it gets really stressful when you have to select the ideal colors to make the home look appealing.

Most people tend to complain that choosing just one color gets tricky, and they cannot imagine the stress of picking colors for the entire interior painting.

Others have wondered if the colors they picked will match or where they can start with both the house painting and paint colors.

If you are going through similar stress and procrastination, then this is the place for you.

Steps In Choosing The Right Colors For The Home

It is finally time to get into painting the interior parts of your home, and you are lost as to the colors to select from. Well, some of the steps that can help you out include:

• Take note of the rooms that are visible to each other

Here, you will have to walk all-around your home and take notes of the spaces that you can see from each of the rooms. Also, you can make use of a floor plan or probably a rough sketch to keep track of all this.

Furthermore, the adjoining rooms are included, although, with them, you may likely be able to see much farther like down the hall and even the kitchen.

These notes you are taking will be the ones to form the basis of the entire color plan for your house.

• Select the color for the largest and centrally located room

After taking your notes, the next step is to pick out colors for the largest room in the home that is centrally located. This room is either your living room or the kitchen. These are the best places to begin the interior painting.

If you are stressed with the whole color picking, you can go for a soft and natural color for your main room. This makes selecting the colors to be used for painting easier and you know, you can never go wrong with white color.

• Paint the room you want to have a bold color 

For people who love colors a lot and actually have a particular one in mind when house painting, you can begin from a specific room you have in mind and this can be your bedroom.

Most of us love when our rooms are painted boldly and so, you can select from bold colors, and the next room can be painted with a softer color. However, two rooms next to one another can be painted with bold colors.

• Have a plan when selecting colors for an open space

When your house is visible all at once, you must pick colors that go together. Here, you can make use of either dark shades or tints that are lighter, from the same color. This is sure to work well for houses with open spaces.

To Wrap It Up

While interior painting may not come off as so easy, following these steps will help you see the bigger picture in selecting the right colors. For your halls and even landings, you can go for beige and even white colors but, if you are using soft neutrals or white for your rooms then the halls should be painted with richer colors.

Amato Painting donates over $4000 in our annual Paint It Forward event

Amato Painting Donates over $4000 to Animal Shelter

Amato Painting with the help of Gleco Paint and Benjamin Moore held our annual Paint It Forward event. Together we were able to donate well over $4000 in paint and labor to The Center For Animal Health and Welfare of Easton.

It was a great day with a big turnout from each company as we added new colors to areas of the facility that was in desperate need of new paint.

On our initial visit, we saw peeling paint on handrails, doors and door frames that had to be removed and properly painted for the traffic the facility gets each day while helping dogs, cats and other animals.

Jeff from Gleco was key in planning and making sure everything came out as planned even running back to the store to retrieve some other items we needed to complete this project in one day.

one of the owners from Gleco was on hand showing us he can paint as well as he can run a paint store and Benjamin Moore had a representative on had as well supplying us with breakfast and lunch which everyone appreciated.

Our painters and office staff helped out, painting the large handrail and fencing that leads to the area where all the dogs are while Ryan painted the bathroom a new fresh bright color.

Putting all of our other projects on hold for one day is no easy task, it takes understanding from our clients, the painters donating their time and everyone putting their phones down to help others.

But the feeling you get from doing this is a reward in itself.

"We hope we can continue this and even expand it in the coming years," said Ryan

Painting Kitchen Cabinets Can Change The Look Of Your Kitchen

Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets Can Dramatically Change The Look Of Your Kitchen

When you think painting normally you think of your walls, ceilings or the exterior but one area we have seen explode is kitchen cabinet painting and refinishing.

When properly done you can quickly and affordably change the entire look of your kitchen for dramatically less cost vs replacing or refacing them.

Using the proper procedures by cleaning, dulling, sanding and the proper paint coatings you can correctly get the job done.

This is one area you should not skimp, that lowest priced contractor may be that for a reason. By skimping on materials or steps it could be a disaster and a tough one to correct.

By using time tested methods we train all of our painters we can be assured each project turns out the way it was estimated and expected by the client.

Cabinets can look great when painted and last

The pride and training it takes to do this work is not for every painter or every company. Choose one that has done many many sets of cabinets and knows what to do if something out of the ordinary should happen,

Remember doing it wrong the first time takes a lot to correct as far as kitchen cabinets

By hiring a professional painting company you are paying for their skill, knowledge and more important their experience, that experience comes in handy as each job is different, they may have to switch products, worry about humidity, dry times, coverage or the countless other things no one thinks about. 

Choosing a professional to paint your kitchen cabinets

Why choose a professional to paint your kitchen cabinets?

Sure you may be able to paint your kitchen cabinets but I assume you don't have a $5000 sprayer we use to paint them? Or a few of them. Painting kitchen cabinets is about the proper surface preparation, choosing the correct materials throughout the entire process and knowing what to do when small issues arise or how to change products for different types of cabinets.

A professional cabinet painting company has done hundreds of cabinets and has seen issues and know how to avoid them and correct them if they pop up. They have the proper professional equipment to accomplish the finish we consider top of the line.

We are always testing new products, new primer, and finishes, new equipment to be able to offer the best finish in the area. Without keeping ahead of the industry and paints and coatings changing so frequently a paint company could be using outdated applications or worse yet products that are old and have been improved.

Trained Staff

We have written procedures so we can assure each set of cabinets is done in the same way so there are no surprises. Our painters and applicators take great pride in what they do, I have been told many times by them how they will be doing projects to make them the best looking cabinets in the Lehigh Valley. No corners would ever be cut with these guys and the results show in the before and after pictures and tons of happy clients.

If you have thought about painting your kitchen cabinets we can take all your worries out of this process, from the initial site visit to the day we arrive, you will be taking care of and your cabinets will be in the great and capable hands of our trained staff.

What could go wrong?

We have seen and gone back to jobs that other contractors were hired, not using the proper primer, not cleaning the cabinets, overspray all over the ceiling runs and drips in the finish are just some of the things we have seen. Once a job is ruined, it is very costly to come back and correct them. Sometimes as much or more than the original project.

A Kitchen Makeover

A kitchen makeover.

We hear it all the time when we finish a kitchen cabinet refinishing project. "It totally transformed our home"

It is something we love to hear also "we saved so much money" That savings comes from not having to install new cabinets.

Refinish don't replace

Refinishing a solid cabinet set is a great way to go, why rip them out only to put in the same or a lesser grade?

We did this project for a great client of ours in Easton, Pa

I could tell when I went out to the estimate this was an important project for them.

From timing to the materials and the color it was all equally important to them. I took all these notes down and once they approved the cost which was approx $2000 I set up the job folder and turned it over to our guys.

The job

The job starts way before we step foot on it, a kick-off meeting in the shop going over how we estimated it to the colors and what was expected from the client.

Once we do that a crew leader does a walk through before the job begins to make sure everything is as planned.

Once the project starts there are no surprises, we properly prepare the cabinets and I cannot stress that enough. With our team, they all know how a project will go as we have a very detailed written system.

We train this system all the time and no one can touch the cabinets until they pass the training.

The paint

Paint selections are key, now is not the time to skimp on costs, we have tested every paint we use in our shop to make sure it performs as expected out on the job.

I think you can tell from the pictures this job turned out awesome.

What will the price be to paint my home?

How much will it cost to paint my cabinets?

This is the main question we are asked everytime someone calls in to inquire about painting their kitchen cabinets.

We used to go our and estimate every project and then I realized almost every project is the same one. So we streamlined this process by being open about our pricing, we are so confident our work and value are superior we post all of our pricing for everyone to see.

You see the price in itself is not what you should be judging a project by, there are more things behind it, the value, the commitment to your project, the training the staff receives.

In the event something would happen on your project it will require all of this un said values to come in to play, where will the other companies be at that time? We stand behind our projects and with the areas best training program for kitchen cabinet painting you can rest assured anyone who steps foot near your cabinets is fully trained and certified by us to do so.

You can save thousands of dollars by painting your cabinets vs replacing them. That is a fact.

So what does a typical kitchen cost to be painted?

Take this kitchen for instance, what we can see shows about 30 openings, we count each drawer and door, so that is $2250 not including the island or the overhead area above the stove, to add those we would charge around $450. This would include our standard application, fully prepared, scuff sanded, wiped clean of all dust, grease and deglossed. A full solvent based prime coat and two full finish coats to give you a beautiful finish.
Remember these are new cabinets, a lot can be done with old worn out cabinets and they look like night and day when done but they are older cabinets and will show dents, age from all the years.
We like to explain the expectations. A 30-year-old painted set of cabinets may not look like a set purchased right from the store, no matter how much work is involved. Also if there is a textured wood grain, that will show through the paint job. It can be made smooth but that is a much more labor intensive project.

We love working on cabinets and have done so many we cannot count them all, if you need a free no hassle quote visit www.amatopainting.net and we will get a proposal right over to you or call 484-821-7112

Top three paints to use when painting cabinets

Kitchen cabinet Paint Choices

When we are hired to paint kitchen cabinets we take a close look at the project. What is the current condition of the cabinets? How much use and abuse will they receive?

What does the client expect and do they have children or pets?

These are all great questions and will help determine which paint we will use on the project.

One paint may be easier to clean or be harder when dry. Another may offer an easier application or faster dry time.

Without knowing or seeing the cabinets beforehand it is impossible to diagnose and offer a solution to the homeowner on which paint we recommend. There are no two cabinet jobs alike and we tailor each project for what it needs for a trouble-free application and long-lasting one.

Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and PPG Offer great products and one of which we would use on a cabinet job. There may be others that can be used but these are the ones we have used many times with great success.

Here is a recent video we did explaining our process. Please visit our YouTube channel for more great videos of a behind the scenes look at our painting company.

How to easily paint kitchen cabinets you will love

Painting kitchen cabinets don't have to be a thing you only dream about or a scary painting project that you have been scared to do or either your husband or wife claims all the paint may fall off or chip off.

Under normal circumstances, this is like any other painting project assuming you take the time to prepare them correctly. There are many different types of cabinet doors so there are variables. In my painting life, we have only had one paint failure, it was due to a cleaner that wasn't able to be removed from the doors that the homeowner didn't tell anyone they were using before painting started. So a contamination of the surface, even with that we were able to fix them better than before.

Step 1 Preparing The Surface

When getting ready to prepare the surface your goal is to create an acceptable surface for paint to adhere, this is the most important step and one not to take lightly.

We will assume we are doing a standard kitchen cabinet painting job.

We would wash the surface first using an all-purpose cleaner, one without oils, tsp is a good cleaner to use here. we do not want to introduce other contaminants.

We also want to wash first rather than sand because if we sand first we may sand any dirt or oils directly into the cabinet which would not be good for adhesion. Once cleaned we let dry and use a very fine sandpaper to lightly scuff the surface. We hear a lot from clients that it doesn't look like anything was done. Remember we are scuffing not stripping the surface. We are not being aggressive here. A light scuff will create a surface that is ready to accept an adhesion primer.

Step 2 Primer

This is where you will get differences in opinions and where you may need a professional to do this project for you. We prefer an oil based primer for this task. An oil based primer will seal, bond and accept the top coats the best. Sealing out contaminants that may be left, stains, tannins from wood.

Now we may not use this on each situation, sometimes we prefer an water based or shellac based primer.

Step 3 To Spray Or Roll

We have done a lot of cabinets and one question we get all the time is do we spray or roll and the answer is yes.

We go by a case by case basis on our cabinet painting and it depends on the time frame, budget, types of paints we are using and expectations of the client.

In our experience the differences are slight and brushing and rolling can accomplish a close finish as compared to spraying vs all the masking, covering and mess associated with spraying.

You will see very minor brush marks with some products, they are minimal and almost nonexistent

Step 4 The Paint

Here is another professional choice and you may get different answers. There are so many great products out right now. What we want is something that dries hard, doesn't yellow, holds color and sheen, can be fully scrubbed and is durable.

Typically we will go to a pre-catalyzed epoxy or two great products, one from Benjamin Moore and one from PPG. Your doing a very important project, don't skimp out on a cheap paint

Step 5 The Process

Ok we're ready to paint after the prep is done we are primed were ready to apply two coats to the cabinets. So once done you will have three total coats protecting the cabinets.

We remove the door handles and doors, the doors will be painted in another location such as the garage, a shop to make more room for the other work inside.

Typically one coat a day will be done depending on temperature, conditions, humidity. It is possible some days to do multiple coats. On most jobs, there will be one master painter applying the finishes, sometimes two. The other painters are helping assist. Most of the jobs this is a two painter job. Putting more manpower on a cabinet job is not recommended. You want one or two hands touching your cabinets to make sure the finish remains constant

What To Expect

You can expect a great job with an even finish if it is something you take on yourself keep in mind you may see brush marks, look for runs, lap marks or misses.

Once done you will have a very durable finish but not one you may never have to touch up or that cannot be chipped if someone bangs into it just like your current cabinets can be scratched paint is simply a coating.

What to expect on the first day of your painting job

The first day of your painting project is coming up and by now hopefully, you have expressed all of your expectations and have turned in your color selections. So now what?

A good company will call and confirm the start of the job a few days beforehand and introduce either your foreman or project manager at this time, he would be your point of contact throughout the process, one thing this person hates is clients calling the office when he or she can easily solve almost any problem on site and much  faster.

On the day of the job you should have your breakables moved out of the rooms being painted, furniture put into the middle of the room and a nice breakfast ready for the painters (ok just kidding on the breakfast)

Your crew or painter will arrive and the person in charge (your foreman) will walk through the entire project with you and go over each color and all of your expectations based off of the scope of work. If there are any issues this is a great time to bring them up and resolve any unmet expectations after the job is complete.

They will go over job sequencing and scheduling to let you know how they will manage your job when certain rooms will be done and if they see any issues

As this is going on the rest of the crew is setting up a shop area somewhere you said would be a good spot such as the basement or garage, you should also let them know where they can clean their tools and what bathroom facilities to use.

Once your walk-through is complete your general spackling will begin and masking off of baseboards, plastic covering the furniture and drop clothes placed on the floor.

Now the expert work will begin, our painters are highly skilled and trained and do not need other supervision on the site, remember you hired professional, you must let them work. They may do things you're not accustomed to, remember just because you read it online doesn't make it true or the professional way to do things. Nothing is worse the client disrupting the painters, it distracts them, cause ill will and may make them rush your project.

A few days before the project is over the foreman will walk it with you, address any concerns at this time, hand you, our invoice and let you know payment is due on the completion day.

Once payment is made we will ask for any referrals, reviews and take some pictures of our work. No is a great time for a video review of our work and helps tremendously with our future work

Proper expectations or painting your cabinets

Proper expectations when deciding to paint your cabinets

Deciding to paint your kitchen cabinets is a huge decision and one usually based on saving money from replacing them totally or refacing them. 

No question painting your cabinets will save you a ton of money but with that does come some maintenance on your end occasionally as with any painted surface.

Even when doing the proper prep and using the top of the line materials as most professional companies use any surface rubbing against each other or getting hit will be a weak link and you could see some chipping, scratches, and marring. 

The great thing now that they are painted is you can easily touch them up when needed. We are not talking about paint failure here or anything the painting contractor did wrong. As with any painted surface, there is maintenance such as decks, walls, all exterior painted surfaces. Heck with decks we tell people to expect to do the floor and horizontal surfaces each year.

I know when deciding to paint the cabinets no one wants to hear they may chip but even with your unpainted ones they will scuff, scratch and nick when hit or bumped, paint is no different. No matter how many coats or thickness put on.

To have the expectation once they are painted they will last forever is a wrong one and one that will bring feelings of disappointment and unhappiness with the project.

Painting your cabinets can make a dramatic difference no doubt and will totally change the look of a room, remember painting is one of the cheapest investments that can bring the most value back into your home.

Now that we have that understood let's talk about application

To spray or not to spray that is the question

Spraying can be great for many reasons such as 

• It is usually more productive
• Smoother finish
• Works great for solvent based material

Some cons of spraying in your home

• It will atomize the paint much more making the smell much worse
• Heavy covering of surfaces and may not have access to the kitchen for a few days
• Harder to touch up
• Requires more product
• Produces dust and requires more cleanup
• More costly 

Brush and rolling cabinets can easily achieve the finish your looking for at less of a cost and less mess if any

Some pro's

• Less covering up and prep
• Less equipment needed
• Less material used
• Fewer fumes and particles in the air
• Easier in an occupied home
• Faster return to service

Cons

• May see brush marks, this is hand workmanship 
• Does not work with all paints
• Will not be the ultra smooth look as sprayed

As you can see there is a decision to be made, we have done many both ways and honestly, for me, it is hard to tell the difference with the products we use when brushing and rolling and sometimes that helps to get the price within the budget of the customer

Also keep in mind the touch-up factor, when spraying a surface you will need to touch it up eventually and it will be a bit harder but not impossible