Cabinet Painting Dilemmas

There are some cabinet dilemmas which present challenges even for an expert. They aren’t insurmountable; you’d be amazed at what the right set of skills and tools can fix. But, they’re items which can require a little extra care or even creativity during the painting or restoration process.

Changing hardware

If you’re tired of your hardware and want to change it up, this can often be done, mainly if you’re painting the cabinets.  If you’re refinishing the cabinets, it’s a little trickier and may depend a lot on the screw pattern of the old hardware vs. new. Some cabinets have never been outfitted with handles, which means they have to be added by drilling holes, etc.

Oak grain

We touched on this in a previous blog. Many people paint their oak cabinets, but then they’re startled when the grain of the wood shows through the paint.  But, oak is a deeply grained wood, and if the homeowner wants the grain eliminated, it will need to be filled and smoothed, which is no small consideration. If the cabinets have a lot of detail, it may not be possible to omit 100% of the grain grid. Some homeowners enjoy the look of the grain through the paint and don’t want it eliminated.

Damage

Many things can cause chipping, cracking, or splinter damage. Depending on the level of damage and the intent of the finished product, almost all of these can be repaired or covered up. 

Sometimes children or pets will damage cabinet faces, such as when Fido claws or even chews on the cabinets, or the former tenant’s kid has carved a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle into the wood. Damage of that type may only be repairable if the surfaces are going to be painted, rather than varnished. A new trend among some homeowners is to use more than one type of finish, including stain and paint, in the same kitchen, although that may not be suitable in every situation.

It would be remiss not to mention that if the current family pet or child is still in the habit of scratching or gnawing the cabinets, having them painted is not going to cure this habit, only create a new surface to damage.

Sagging doors and broken drawers

In the process of refinishing or painting cabinets, sometimes there may be one or more cabinet doors or drawers which are broken or don’t hang properly. It’s essential to repair these as part of the project. Even if you don’t think anyone will notice, pieces which do not fit smoothly will not fix themselves over time, become less noticeable or cease making a pile of sawdust in the next drawer. They will also damage the new paint, so it’s worthwhile to fix them.