It’s not surprising that homeowners create troubles when they re-paint their kitchen cabinets without first preparing their workspace and materials. If you don’t mark the cabinet parts first, you just might spend frustrating hours trying to match them up when re-installing them. And, if you don’t carefully prepare your kitchen workspace, you’ll end up with a nasty clean-up job.

So, before you rush headlong into self-inflicted misery, clear out your cabinets and remove nearby small appliances.  And, by all means, get everything off of your kitchen countertops. You’re going to paint your cabinet doors and drawer fronts in a separate, clean workspace with ample ventilation.  However, if you’re going to paint the boxes themselves, you’ll need to:

•    Mask windows, walls, and backsplashes with painter tape
•    Drape your sink and countertops
•    And lay a drop-cloth on the floor.

Marking Cabinet Parts for Assembly

Numbering each cabinet door and drawer front is essential prep work. Use a small tag from a strip of masking tape to number each cabinet and corresponding door, and each drawer front with corresponding drawer.  I like the idea of putting the same identifying number on a zip-lock bag and put the screws, pulls, and other hardware in it.  That’s a great way of creating sets for re-installation.

Once the doors and drawer fronts are tagged and the hardware is off, you can begin the prep work of washing the cabinet parts with soap or TSP.

Now you can patch the dents or cracks sand with 120-grit paper to ready them for paint. It sounds like a simple process, and it is. Only poor planning can create a nightmare when it’s time to put everything back where it belongs!

Ever wonder why most commercial cooking establishments use stainless steel for their countertops?  Durable and easy-to-maintain stainless steel is the material of choice for battling bacteria and providing protection for people who have sensitivity to kitchen chemicals. And, when combined with chromium and nickel, stainless steel countertop materials for residential use can resist stains.

Countertops manufactured for home use are typically made of 16-guage stainless steel. Scratches can be rubbed out and then finished with nonabrasive scouring pads. Stainless has been around since 1913, but has been combined with finishes that create bold and attractive patterns for your countertops. You can also install stainless-steel backsplashes to complement the countertops, stove hoods, and metal appliances.

Prices vary from $50 to $75 a square foot, installation extra.

Stainless steel is not necessarily limiting. The stainless countertops can also mix well with craftsman or other transitional cabinet styles. The metal is considered non-toxic and can hold up well in use with outdoor stoves and cooking areas.

Metal Countertop Magic

For those who want a warmer appearance, consider copper.  Softer than stainless steel, copper molding or glass inserts can soften the stainless effect. Or going full copper means your countertop will develop a rich patina with age.  It’s also highly resistant to bacteria and, while it scratches, the blemishes can add to the overall appearance of the material. Copper, along with zinc or pewter, can complete the look of a period kitchen.

Copper is also “green” in that it’s recyclable. If you’re performing a complete kitchen makeover, why not combine your choice of countertop metal with the materials for your sinks? The overall appearance creates a stylish, uniform appearance.

If you’ve decided to repaint your kitchen cabinets, you should take precautions to prepare the best possible surface to take the new stain or finish.  The procedure typically requires you to clean the grime and grease from existing cabinets, doors, and drawer fronts. Then, once dry, you can touch up the surface with medium-grade sandpaper.

What if you have dents in the wood? Many woodworkers use a hot iron and moist cloth to raise dents from unfinished wood, but you won’t have that luxury.  You’ll need to patch them up. You’ll find a wood filler at your home improvement store that’s perfect for repairing chips, dents, and dimples.

Some carpenters use an oil-based primer which dries as a shell over open-grained varieties of wood. But in most cases, you’ll need to apply putty before staining.

Choosing Your Cabinet Patching Materials

You’ll find latex-based wood patch products on the market that can do the job nicely, although they’re tougher to clean up after than water-based putty. Patch works only on clean surfaces that are pre-moistened just prior to application. Use less than you think you need at first until you get a hang of the material. Too much putty will blob up and raise the surface, increasing your sanding effort. Also, if you use too small an application, you can add a second patch. Of course, you need the filler to be slightly higher than the level of the surface so it can be sanded smooth.

You may want to take a drawer front to the store to match up the color of the patch, although many products come in a neutral tone.  Meticulous prepping will bear out after in a smooth, attractive paint surface.

The quick answer is absolutely yes. It’s not an endorsement, but an invitation to do all your homework before leaping at any cabinet refacing solution.  Weigh the cost, durability, and maintenance advantages for wood, vinyl, and rigid thermofoil (RTF) laminate.  Compare your cabinet materials for versatility, and resistance to heat, scratching, dents, and scrapes from everyday use.

If money is a large concern, you should know that wood veneer will cost more than plastic laminates and RTF products.  And RTF laminate can be manufactured to look like granite, wood, or marble— at a dozen feet away.

How Does RTF Work?

Rigid thermofoil laminates are pressure-molded in styles that match-up well with plain, traditional kitchen designs. One benefit of the material is that it’s manufactured in a wide variety of colors and textures.

RTF is:
•    Easy to clean with standard kitchen products.
•    Seamless, resistant to mold, mildew, or rot.
•    More sensitive to heat than wood.

What About Wood?

Wood can cost more than 25 percent over the price of other veneer products.  But you do get an attractive surface that can instantly transform your kitchen.  Of course, the price depends on the kind and quality of wood veneer that suits your budget.

Wood treatments are made by sandwiching particle board with a back and face wood veneer. You can choose hardwood and softwood surfaces with matching panels in symmetrical, random, or slip-matched sections. Some manufacturers specialize in exotic veneers with burls, knots, and textured patterns.

When it comes down to it, most homeowners will balance taste and ease of installation and maintenance against the cost. Right?