We need to decide if we are replacing our old cabinets with new cabinets or painting the existing cabinets.

10 years ago

We have a very small budget. Our house is about 20 years old. The kitchen floor has been replaced. The cabinets work ok. The cabinets are the basic oak cabinets put into new homes back in the early 90's. I was told if your cabinet doors are not solid wood you shouldn't paint them. I have also been told if you change the counter, and sink you will have to start over if you later want to change your cabinets. Is that true?

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PRO

reDesign LLC

10 years ago

With a tight budget, I would definitely recommend changing the countertops over the cabinets, if you have to choose one or the other. I think the oak could look nice painted with some hardware, and maybe even replace a panel or two with glass to spruce it up.

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Comments (21)

PRO
Brickwood Builders, Inc.
10 years ago
Whether or not any of the material can be salvaged and reused if you later decide to replace the cabinetry will depend upon what materials are used and whether all items stay in exactly the same space as they are currently. If I were advising a client, I would say don't count on being able to reuse materials. If it works out - then it's a bonus.

If the cabinets work for you right now, go ahead and have them painted. We do recommend having a professional painter do the work and we try to spray the cabinets rather than use a brush. For heavily grained oak such as yours, we also like for the painters to fill in the grain as much as possible before painting. Make sure the cabinets are cleaned well and primed prior to painting.
PRO
User
10 years ago
Dear 918arrowhead,

If you get new counters and want to reuse them in the future you will have to replace your cabinetry exactly as it is now. Two drawbacks are you won’t be able to change your current kitchen layout or the counters won’t work. And the color of granite you choose will become the tail that wags the dog, because your new cabinetry will have to work with the granite you already have.

We uninstalled granite counters we installed in 2004 in Mantoloking, NJ. After super storm Sandy hit we removed them and are re using these existing counters because the kitchen cabinetry is being installed exactly where it was when the kitchen was built.

Unless you are thrilled with your current kitchen layout, because your kitchen works so well day to day and when you entertain, I would advise you to hold off on new stone tops and remodel your kitchen, when you can, so it gives you more benefits than your current kitchen does. If you’re going through the trouble of living through a kitchen remodel you should get all you can into and out of your new kitchen. If you do it right it will definitely change your life and how you feel about your home in a positive way.

According to the photo you have more kitchen items than you have places to store them and a remodel should cure this problem for you. It’s hard to tell from the photo you supplied what’s going on. If you supplied a floor plan of your kitchen with all of the adjacent space you might get more constructive feedback.

I hope this has been helpful.

Sincerely,

Joe Brandao

P.S.: Follow this link to see an example of how to measure your space if you need it. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29411363/How%20To%20Measure%20Example.pdf
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PRO
ProSource Memphis
10 years ago
You'd have to quantify exactly what "small" is, but for a 1K budget, I'd shop at a local box store for new laminate counters, pulls, and a gallon of paint for the walls, all done DIY. For an additional $500, I'd paint the cabinets as well. But, only if you have scads of time, and have realistic expectations of the outcome. That should hold you until you have a larger budget to tackle a more extensive redo that addresses the functionality issues. Like the soffits, site built cabinets, etc.
PRO
Sustainable Dwellings
10 years ago
I would paint those cabinets, add new hardware, and put my money in new countertops.... You will get more bang for your buck. Kitchen renos are not a small budget item if done right.
leelee
10 years ago
If you do decide to paint the cabinets, which seems to be the consensus, then also change the hinges to hidden hinges. That alone will make a huge difference and it's not very expensive.

Add knobs.

Agree with new counters and sink--skip backsplash.

Counters below are Formica!
PRO
Budget My Build
9 years ago
I agree with Sustainable Dwellings, painting your existing cabinets can save money and add the needed update to your kitchen. If your the do-it yourself type we have a blog about painting cabinets that may help.
http://budgetmybuild.co/remodeling/how-to-paint-kitchen-cabinets/
You may also consider buying the cabinets and installing them yourself, we also have published a blog on that that may help.
http://budgetmybuild.co/kitchen-design/install-hanging-cabinets/
Raelyn Davis
9 years ago
I just recently updated my laminate counter tops with stone looking laminate and floors in my 90's kitchen, and added new hardware,back splash, and window. I left the Oak cabinets in due to financial restraint and I am planning on selling soon. It it still far from a showroom kitchen, but it doesn't look as dated as it did. If you do plan on redoing the cabinets later on, then maybe stone looking laminate might be in the short term budget until you can get something nicer when you get new cabinets.
jacksonbeth
9 years ago
This is a predicament we find ourselves in all the time! As custom home flippers, we are always looking for ways to make the best investment with the best return on investment too. The CHC line of cabinets from Web Don are amazing. They have some great options for door styles, use great materials and then we have also used their custom premium paint options before too. Everything looks amazingly custom and all for a great price. Check out one we just finished below and view more about them at their site ( http://carolinaheartwoodcabinetry.com/our-products/premium-paint/)
PRO
VT Industries
9 years ago
So many great laminate options that give you the look of real stone, at a fraction of the cost. Additionally, the finishes and edge profiles available are endless. Saving on the countertop allows for you to stretch out your remodeling dollars in other areas of the space. Take a look at the VT Dimensions collection: www.vtdimensions.com and let us know if you have any questions! Best of luck.
PRO
Dura Supreme Cabinetry
9 years ago
A few things you'll want to consider, could you improve the layout and function of your kitchen if you replaced the cabinets? What is the current condition of your cabinets and how many years do you think they will hold up in good condition? Could they last you 40 years, or will they hold up for just 5-10 yrs? Weigh these and see if it's worth spending on new cabinetry or not. Also, compare the cost it is for a professional to paint your cabinets, the process is very time consuming and sometimes comes close to the cost of purchasing new.

Also, If you choose to paint your cabinetry, make sure to have a professional do it. Most cases where a homeowner paints their own cabinetry the finish wears at a faster rate and they then need to replace their cabinets.

I see nothing wrong with replacing the counter and sink before replacing the cabinetry, as long as you are OK with being limited to where your sink will be placed and the shape of your cabinetry once you replace down the road. Although, a lot of times homeowners will regret later when they see the options they could have had if they could be flexible when redesigning... Good luck on making your decision! Mandi @ Dura
PRO
Thompson's Cabinets
8 years ago
painting the cabinets will only instill the look of outdated (70's-80's) era cabinets. I would advise you to invest in all new cabinetry and countertops.
PRO
DIY Cabinets
8 years ago
Painting would be OK as long as you do proper prep work
Brandi Nash Hicks
8 years ago
Good ,lord...just paint them..it's easy use Annie Sloan chalk paint...easy no sanding,google it...do not feel that you have to have a brand new kitchen right now...do not let anyone tell you it won't be an improvement enough...you want them painted and painting is the easiest upgrade and affordable.you can do it.Annie Sloan comes in all colors and I promise a third grader can use it.
Christina Quist
8 years ago
Having had painted cabinets, I don't recommend it in frequent use parts of the kitchen. It would chip off in tiny spots and annoy me. I have had it done both professionally and DYI.
PRO
Carol's Cabinets and Stone
8 years ago
Sometimes the refacing could be more expensive than replacing the new cabinets.
PRO
Jordons Cabinet Refacing
7 years ago
If you have more time than budget but want craftsman quality results I'd say:
Have a pro paint the doors and drawer fronts with a factory type satin finish (sprayed on lacquer or pre-cat). In my area if you take them doors refinishing goes for less than $10/sf.

Paint the boxes yourself with a matching color, using Cabinet Rescue, Advance, or similar paint. The cost of having a pro do the boxes is much higher than the doors because of the prep, travel, vertical surfaces, etc

Maybe new hinges to match appliances, new knobs and pulls, stain/seal countertop grout in new color
acm
7 years ago
three-year-old thread. offer the tips to somebody who's still figuring it out!
PRO
Jordons Cabinet Refacing
7 years ago
I've got a tip for you lol.. check the views, thread may be old but the topic is very relevant.
countbla
7 years ago
Here's one tip for future viewers : if you ever as much as contemplate changing cabinets don't redo your floor.
PRO
Christopher Scott Cabinetry and Design Inc.
10 months ago
How small is your very small budget? If you can’t afford to put in high-quality cabinets, either wait and save up for the new cabinets or, as you said, paint them. If you go the paint route, either pay a professional or know that the process of doing a great job painting requires a lot of research and time. As for your other question, if you paint the cabinets it will change the overall look and feel of the space, so yes, you might end up wanting to change the wall color, countertops, hardware, and flooring. Before you paint or replace the cabinets, settle on an overall budget, color pallet, and aesthetic for the space. If you can’t hire an interior designer, use your Pinterest boards, magazine clippings, and other sources of inspiration to come up with the basics of your design. No matter what way you go, don’t start painting or replacing until you have a solid plan. We have some ideas to get you started:

We need to decide if we are replacing our old cabinets with new cabinets or painting the existing cabinets.

reDesign LLC

Comments (21)

Brickwood Builders, Inc.

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