If you just happened to move into your house and love everything except the dated colour that adorns your kitchen cabinets, what are your options? I mean really, besides learning to live with them or painting them, the only other option is a kitchen remodeling project � and that means more money spent to get the home you�ve dreamed of. While replacing cabinetry can become costly, don�t be fooled by the seemingly simplistic alternative of repainting your existing fixtures to elevate your kitchen; as many homeowners can attest, repainting cabinets can be unexpected money sink in its own right.
Whether cash is tight (and it probably is, if you just bought a house) or not, you�re probably not ready to break the bank on a home improvement project purely for the sake of enhancing the aesthetic of a room � at least, not without considering all the variables (and rightfully so).
Painting Only Addresses One Issue
If your house is a few years old, it�s not going to be showroom perfect � and that�s okay. The imperfections that make up any home become part of its character. If your plan is to merely repaint your existing cabinetry, there is no doubt that you�ll succeed in giving your kitchen a much needed facelift, but you might want to consider the state of the cabinets before reaching for those colour swatches.
If each and every frame is structurally sound and all the doors close and open properly, a decent paint job can make your existing cabinetry look as good as new. If however any of the frames seem warped, lose, or show any other signs of degradation, it�s only a matter of time before the cabinets will need replacing; and if that�s the case, the added expense of repainting cannot be justified.
Depending on the size of the kitchen, number of cabinets, and the type of paint (among other things) repainting your cabinets could cost anywhere between $300 and $800; and while that doesn�t seem too steep, this is the DIY cost. It�s safe to say that if you�ve never undertaken a project like this before, you should also probably set a few extra bucks aside for cleanup � because there will be cleanup.
Examine Your Kitchen � What Other Improvements Are You Considering?
Does the backsplash or countertop need replacing? What about lighting fixtures? If there are multiple projects that need to be undertaken in your kitchen, it would be wise to consider the bigger picture. After all, it would be a shame to drop $800 to repaint a portion of your kitchen today, only to consider replacing the backsplash or countertop in a couple of years. There are a couple of inherent problems with repainting cabinetry in the greater scheme of kitchen upgrades:
? If you don�t upgrade the cabinetry, it may limit your style choices when updating your countertop or tile work
? In some cases, a paint job is merely a Band-Aid solution. Many homeowners who opt to paint in lieu of replacing their cabinets eventually decide to update their cabinetry just a few years down the road
Hiring a Professional
Hiring a professional to repaint your cabinetry will ensure a certain degree of quality. The work will be done quickly, and in all likelihood, it will look great. Unfortunately, hiring a professional to paint your existing fixtures can be costly. While there is nothing wrong with hiring a professional to do the work for you, do a quick comparison on what it costs � you might be surprised by what you find.
Be Warned � Paint Will Not Hide Damage
It�s important to remember that paint can only do so much to hide damage to drawers and cabinet doors. If your hope is that a fresh coat of paint will hide gouges and other imperfections, you�re as likely as not to be disappointed; in some instances, certain colours can actually accentuate cracks and pitting in the wood - clearly in this case, painting will provide the opposite to the desired effect.
Still Going To Paint? Why Not Go White?
If after it�s all said and done you still opt to paint your cabinet doors rather than replace them, there is no better starting point than going white. White is clean, sophisticated, and bright � all characteristics you want people to associate with your kitchen. White paint is also very easy to paint over so when the time comes to update your kitchen, painting over it will be a snap.
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