Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am really on the fence about painting my kitchen cabinets.We moved to our house last June,have been busy renovating and updating.The cabinets are basic builders oak,medium stained.I really love the look of off white cabinets.We are not planning on selling the house for another 8-9 years,but my husband worries about the resale value if we paint the cabinets.I think that they will look better and more updated if they are painted.I can live with them.I don't hate them anymore now that we have new hardware,flooring,counter tops and backsplash.I guess I'm looking for opinions on the resale standpoint,if you think it would hurt,or help? I know you can't please everyone,but what do you think?
Well, if you're not planning on selling for at least eight to nine years, I would do what I wanted with the cabinets. After all, it's your kitchen, and you should be able to enjoy it. As far as re-selling, so long as it was a nice paint job, and well-kept, I can't see that white cabinets would be a major problem for anyone looking at your house.
If I were buying, my first thought, concerning a kitchen, would be the actual lay-out of it, not the cabinet color, (unless it was something horrible). I'd figure that if I liked the basic kitchen, I could worry about the color later, if indeed, there was even a concern about it. If you were planning on some god-awful color, that might be different, but I don't think a nice off-white is any kind of a problem.
Of course, I may be biased, as I like white, myself, but I think it's a nice clean, simple color, that can open up, and lighten a room, (which I think is an advantage, in a kitchen). Not a stark white, of course, just the nice off-white, like you're speaking of.
I agree....do what you want. In 10 years you may want to replace them anyway.
I too have the same ugly (IMO) oak cabinets and I would LOVE to paint them, however, there is white corian countertops and the white on white with the white appliances would be too start for me. If my countertops were any other color I would so paint them. Just paint the correctly...ask someone how to do it...Like sanding and prime and then paint well.
I think it will be lovely!
LK, other than the bit about the new countertops, your post could have been written by me. We bought our house last spring. I've been thinking about painting our kitchen cabinets white just to make the room lighter (and so that the appliances will blend in more), but my husband would rather we keep the builders oak as-is. Lately I'm feeling torn & I'm not sure what I want to do.
My only advice is not to worry about what may or may not be popular in 10 years. Nobody knows. Ten years is a long time. You might as well have a kitchen that you enjoy during that decade, right?
By the by, what sort of countertops did you get? Since your kitchen sounds so much like mine, I'm intrigued by your choice.
maybe instead of painting them, you can sand off the top coat of stain and lighten them up more. the last home we bought, the cabinets were original to the 45 yr old house and were very very dark. so dh sanded them down-caninets and doors, and then applied a polyeurithain. we also went from very dark almost black hardware to brass colored ones. the previous owner came by and thought we had gotten new cabinets. he was very impressed.
i always wanted to paint them a fun color, but when i looked at homes to buy i realized it made such a difference. i was always thinking "why are they painted--what's wrong with them".
I just responded to this same question on another thread--great minds must be thinking alike. You might want to consider "resurfacing" them rather than "painting." You can select an epoxy or a semi-gloss specifically for this type of surface that dries into a very super hard finish, in any color you want. Tubs and counters can be resurfaced and so can kitchen cabinets and bath vanities. Check your area for someone who does resurfacing or in some locations it's called "refinishing." The applicator will use an HVLP machine instead of a regular paint sprayer. Be sure to get references because there some applicators just glob the stuff on and don't prepare the surface properly resulting in early peeling or just a bad job.
The cost is about $300, depending upon your area, including materials. The surface can be cleaned and will last a long time. If you can't find someone, call Sherwin Williams and ask for a referral. Be careful though, sometimes the person answering the phone doesn't really know and they may try to hook you up with a regular painter who will claim he/she can do the job, that you don't really need an HVLP, etc. The applicator should mask and tape/cover all your appliances. sink and floor. If they don't, it will be a terrible mess.
Also, if they don't super clean/prepare your surface, peeling can occur. Unique cleaning is required because, as with any kitchen, oils/grime get into the surface that a Mr. Clean-type product just can't clean properly.
I just responded to this same question on another thread--great minds must be thinking alike. You might want to consider "resurfacing" them rather than "painting." You can select an epoxy or a semi-gloss specifically for this type of surface that dries into a very super hard finish, in any color you want. Tubs and counters can be resurfaced and so can kitchen cabinets and bath vanities. Check your area for someone who does resurfacing or in some locations it's called "refinishing." The applicator will use an HVLP machine instead of a regular paint sprayer. Be sure to get references because there some applicators just glob the stuff on and don't prepare the surface properly resulting in early peeling or just a bad job.
The cost is about $300, depending upon your area, including materials. The surface can be cleaned and will last a long time. If you can't find someone, call Sherwin Williams and ask for a referral. Be careful though, sometimes the person answering the phone doesn't really know and they may try to hook you up with a regular painter who will claim he/she can do the job, that you don't really need an HVLP, etc. The applicator should mask and tape/cover all your appliances. sink and floor. If they don't, it will be a terrible mess.
Also, if they don't super clean/prepare your surface, peeling can occur. Unique cleaning is required because, as with any kitchen, oils/grime get into the surface that a Mr. Clean-type product just can't clean properly.
Good luck with your decision.
yes,that thread was me also!Thanks for responding twice!I just recieved an add in the mail from a company that does the resurfacing.They call it "glaze" It looked great! Do you really think the cost is only $300? Is that for all the cabinets? Seems cheap! Thanks!
I think $300 is a little cheap for a contractor to do it...300 is what you'd spend on material doing it yourself i'd think, if you and hubby are up for a little project..this is definetely the one.
I'm in the building and remodeling business and I would say that if you are going to be in the house for a while then do what pleases you, but if you are looking at resale as well then I would say that oak cabinets are not popular, so go ahead and paint them, but I would recommend an off-white instead of stark white. White cabinets have been out of favor for several years now, but painted cabinets in other colors such as off-white, taupe, black, espresso, are not only popular but are an expensive upgrade.
I'll try to post a picture of a kitchen that was medium brown oak cabinets. I painted and "glazed" ( its not really glaze, its a brown sharpie) them and spray painted the hinges and hardware to give it an updated look.
Okay. Here is a picture of what I described above. Basically, for the price of a can of primer and a can of paint you can completely change the look of your kitchen (in this case it was also the price of some moldings from Home Depot as well)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). I'd figure that if I liked the basic kitchen, I could worry about the color later, if indeed, there was even a concern about it. If you were planning on some god-awful color, that might be different, but I don't think a nice off-white is any kind of a problem.
as I like white, myself, but I think it's a nice clean, simple color, that can open up, and lighten a room, (which I think is an advantage, in a kitchen). Not a stark white, of course, just the nice off-white, like you're speaking of.
