pro tips Keep your kitchen cabinets in great condition for years.
Prevent water damage.
Plumbing, ventilation issues, or water from your kitchen counter can result in water damage.
Bottom cabinets: Try vinyl floor tiles. There are adhesive and easy to cut and fit to your cabinets.
Upper cabinets: Consider moisture-absorbing shelf liners.
Protect from heat and steam.
Keep appliances which produce high heat and steam away from cabinets as much as possible.
This includes items like indoor grills, high-heat slow cookers, instant pots, and bathroom wall-mounted heaters.
Alternatively, use a heat shield.
Ventilate.
Run the kitchen exhaust fan during cooking.
Bathroom cabinets: Turn on your vent fan before you shower and let it continue to run for at least 15 minutes afterward.
Protect from direct sunlight.
Over time, exposure to UV rays can cause discoloration and fading.
If your cabinets are in sunny location, consider installing sunlight-blocking drapery or blinds.
Use caution with self-cleaning ovens.
If possible, when you utilize the self-clean feature, pull the oven outward 8 inches before running the cycle.
Be gentle.
Wipe cabinetry with a soft, clean microfiber cloth, either dry or lightly moistened.
Avoid abrasive cleaning products and any type of wax.
NEVER USE FANTASTIK. Over time it can yellow white cabinets and make the vinyl surface brittle in thermofoil cabinets.
the kitchen cabinet renovation process
Typically, the cabinet painting process takes about a week; you will not have access to your kitchen during this time.
- PREP - Your appliances, countertops, floors and walls will be covered in protective paper, drop cloths and plastic. There is a slight change that wall paint can peel when the plastic and tape is removed – should this occur, we will touch up the affected surfaces. Please make touch up paint available to our team, should they need to make a minor touch up.
- PRIMER - We clean up doors, drawers and cabinet frame with a degreaser and lightly sand to ensure paint adhesion. Then we apply one coat of a stain blocking bonding primer tinted 70% to the final color by high volume commercial sprayer. We lightly sand using two different sandpaper grits, in preparation for a smooth finish. A festool HEPA certified vacuum is connected to the sanders at all times, to prevent dust dispersion.
- PAINT – We apply stain blocking primers using high volume sprayers, followed by a light sanding with different sandpaper grits in preparation for a smooth finish. We then apply an ultra-durable, pre-catalyzed, fine finish paint (color of your choice) by spraying method.We use Milessi and ML Camplbell paint - these products cannot be found at your local hardware store; they are made specifically for cabinets. The finish will resemble a factor applied finish and it is durable, cures fast and wears well. Your kitchen can be returning to normal use within 4 hours of application. We use industrial filtered air extraction units onsite to remove dust in the air to reduce the odor and dust.
- LABOR - Labor makes up the majority of a cabinet painting project’s cost. The time required to transform a kitchen can range from 50- 180+ hours. You cannot cut corners in the cabinet painting process and deliver the quality in appearance and durability.
- SKILL - In addition to the time required to perform our painting and re-finishing process, we also know it takes unparalleled skill- people who are experts in the application of high-end fine finishes. When your cabinets are completed, you will know that you have partnered with highly skilled craftsmen and women who are passionate about what they are doing. We spray all of your cabinet surfaces to get the factory finish that isn't achievable with a brush and roller.
PAINT SHEEN - Unless otherwise requested, our default is to apply a satin sheen, as this is most popular and most commonly used.
COLOR TRENDS - White is, by far, the most popular kitchen cabinet color. "In" colors include: Simply White, White Dove, Chantilly Lace, Pure White, Decorator’s White and Snowbound. Cool, gray-blues and warm grays are the new neutrals. Gray, greenish blues are gaining popularity.
Torn between a couple of different colors? We can order your preferred color selections in Samplize® peel-and-stick, oversized paint samples to "try on" colors before making your final selection.
The Kitchen Cabinet Renovation Process (con’t)
LIGHTING
The type and amount of light in your kitchen has a SIGNIFICANT impact on how your paint color will look. Paint color WILL APPEAR TO CHANGE depending on the time of day, season, natural or artificial light sources, and the direction of the light.
In the morning, sunlight is warmer because it's lower on the horizon, and gives a yellowish cast to a space. As the day progresses to midday, sunlight develops a cool, bluish cast. Remember you’re not really seeing the paint color that’s on the cabinets, you’re seeing the color of the light that’s reflected off the cabinets.
Wood
The beauty of wood cabinetry comes from the natural qualities of wood itself, with variations of grain. The textures of those natural grain patterns often remain visible with paint finishes and should be accepted as natural characteristics when selecting painted cabinetry. Wood is a product of nature, therefore slight variations in color, grain and texture are to be expected.
Deeply grained wood (oak)
Oak cabinets have the special distinction of having a very prominent wood grain. Most wood cabinets (maple, pine, cherry) don’t have this issue. With deeply grained oak, the pattern may still be seen (although subtle) after painting. If you can’t tolerate ANY wood grain pattern, we can provide additional processing (e.g. applying fillers and sanding surfaces) at an additional cost.
Refacing
We replace existing door and drawer fronts with new wooden ones, insert new, state-of-the-art, Blum soft close hinges on all cabinet doors, and paint all cabinet frames, side panels, doors, and drawer fronts. Our estimates are based on new maple frame shaker doors, and we source from local mills in Connecticut and North Carolina. Decorative doors with applied molding, glass panels, etc. will be priced specifically based upon your selected door profile and style.
Change Orders
Our scope of work is specified and written into our invoice and contract. If it is not listed in writing, it is not included in the project.
Sometimes, there are unforeseen conditions on a project that could not be planned for at the time of the initial scope of work; should this occur, we will communicate any modifications to you (additions, omissions or substitutions and charges) in writing (via email or text) for your approval, prior to commencing the work.
Kitchen Cabinet hardware guide
Visualize and select the right size knobs and pulls for your cabinet doors and drawers.
