Author: David

That time of year has arrived- spring has sprung, snow has left us, and you are getting outside to start working on yard and home projects. As you look at your house and deck you see you need to clean it up or this is the year to tackle decks staining or house painting. Well then we are here to help with 3 ways to power wash your house Elgin!

Hello everyone I am David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper here in Huntly, IL. We help people in Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Lakewood, Elgin, Gilberts, Hampshire, South Elgin, and St. Charles. These are some of the areas we serve. Today we are discussing power washing in relation to preparing the exterior of a house for painting.

What is the purpose of power washing your house?

the quick answer is to clean it. Your house is no different than your car- it gets dirty. Rain attracts dust, darker sides of the house can grow algae or mold. Power washing eliminates those issues.

Some power washing is just to clean the dirt off the house. In the 3 ways to power wash your house, we are reviwing what we do before painting the exterior of your house.

Cold wash power washing

A cold wash is a remarkably simple, fast way to get a house ready for painting. It can by done by almost anyone with a power washer. We are going to arrive, and use the power washer with low pressure to clean away.

• dirt
• griime
• cob webs
• loose paint
• bird droppings

An average house takes 2-3 hours to set up and clean. If the house is taller it may take longer. This process typically does not harm plants or vegetation.

Soft power washing of a house

Roofers actually use a soft wash to clean shingles. We use a soft wash to add water, light pressure and cleaning solutions to clean the exterior of your house. Soft power washing helps us remove:

• algae
• mold
• bacteria
• loose paint
• other organic matter

While we try to be careful, the extra pressure and soaps can affect plants around the house. We should cut back any overgrown trees or shrubs before we do our work to prevent them from rubbing on the house.

A soft power wash can take 3-6 hours depending on the size of the house.

Oxidation Power washing

Now we are into the more aggressive power washing for a house.

Oxidation washing can take more time than other forms of power washing. It also is typical of of aluminum and vinyl siding homes. Aluminum and Vinyl siding can get a white haze on it- we call oxidation. This needs to go away before exterior painting can happen.

You can easily remove it with higher pressure, soap, and pre-soaking. Since we are using higher pressure, you should protect any plants around your house from the high pressure.

The oxidation washes will take 5-8 hours depending on the size of the house.

Top issues with power washing a house

overall power washng is pretty simple but there can be isses that happen. The most common problem is too much water or too high pressure.

Excessive pressure can lead to issues by forcing water into or behind the wood, which slows down the drying process of the surface. If wood is not dry before painting, it can cause problems like flaking or bubbles. Water evaporating can create condensation and bubbles.

How can we help with your exterior house painting?

Have a question about exterior painting or staining? Let us know. We are here to help in the process of this investment! 

Are you in a home with older Wood cabinets? Are they cherry or cherry colored? Ready for something new? Then here is a quick article for –How to paint your Cherry Cabinets.

Hello Everyone, I am David With Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntley, IL. We provide interior house painting, exterior house painting, wallpaper installation, wallpaper removal and my favorite- cabinet painting services. Although we live in Huntley, we have crews that help us serve our surrounding towns of Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Elgin, Bartlet, Pingree Grove, South Elgin and St. Charles to name a few areas. Feel free to call us if your town is not listed, im sure we can get there!

SO !! Lets talk about How to Paint your Cherry Cabinets!

DIY VS Cost to have cabinets painted.

We have written few articles in the past on cabinet painting. Some articles have been on the cost to paint cherry cabinets, as well as the cost to paint cabinets in general.

There are some DIY kits you can buy for cabinet painting, I cannot speak to those products as we do not use them. I can give information on our process, which will work for you, and what you need to do for a long-lasting result you will love!

If you are painting cabinets yourself, be prepared for it to take longer then you expect. (personal experience) average about 2 hours per item you are painting. You can also scroll below for our fee Guide to paint cabinets- almost everything you need.

You can always book an estimate with us as well, we will give you the cost, but estimate between $130-175 per cabinet box we are painting.

If you are unsure of restaining or painting, then take a peek at this..

Free Guide- How to Paint your Cherry Cabinets

As promised…To help you, we are offering our proven way of painting cabinets (the same methods we use as part of our lifetime warranty) completely free to you! How? click the link, enter your email, and you will receive our multi-page document, one of the same training materials used to train our employees! We will cover:

• inspection
• cleaning
• mapping
• colors
• hardware
• primers
• paints

SO… what are you waiting for? Download it now!  When you are done- please share the before and after photos with us- we cant wait to see them!!

How to paint your cherry cabinets- Download the Guide

We hope that helps you, and as always let us know if you have any questions and how we can help.

Have you just bought a new home? Or have you been in your home for some time and ready for a refresher? This came from a customer in Algonquin, IL, but don’t let that stop you from reading. If you need your house painted, Then this article is for you, so lets dive into Repainting The Interior of My House Algonquin!

Hello everyone, I am David Cook With Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntley,IL. We are working hard to help home owners and busines owners improve the look and feel of the space they’re in with interior painting. (we also do exterior painting, wallpaper installations, cabinet painting) We work in the Pingree Grove, Elgin, Carpentersvillle, Bartlett, and St. Charles areas (to name a few towns).

Todays Blog post is coming from the fact we have been doing alot of estimates and getting alot of calls about house painting. Specifically, questions on Repainting the interior of my house. If you are buying the house, consider scheduling the painting of your house before moving in.

Can I just Paint Ceilings?

Usually, when we begin estimating a house painting job, the first question is whether or not to paint the ceilings. More frequently has been Can I only paint ceilings.

When painting only ceilings, we cover and protect all walls, furniture, and floors. Using drop cloths and plastic sheeting to cover everything. That takes the bulk of the time when we quote to only paint ceilings.

When we paint the walls, we don’t worry about getting paint on them. We will paint them after we finish the ceilings.

They also ask us if we can just touch up ceilings. The answer can be yes- if you have the same paint. I will say, some of the ceiling paint is not a true flat which can affect the sheen and ability to touch up.

Other occasions require painting all the ceilings. For instance, there are nail pops and cracks in the ceiling that need fixing. After repairs, you will have to paint the ceiling.

When ceilings are older, discoloration can start happening. This issue will typically require two coats of paint.

Another questions related to painting ceilings is “What color should I Paint ceilings?”. Color is extremely subjective. We typically use stock white, but there are alot of white colors you can choose from.

Repainting handrails in your home

When we get calls Repainting The interior of my House, one of the most popular things to do is refinish or repaint oak spindles and handrails. The number one color is black handrails and newel posts with white risers and spindles.

Here are traditional oak handrails

Here is the after of oak handrails being painted black

Repainting Handrails and or Spindles is extremely time consuming. You have to consider all the masking twith painters tape that will need to take place. You must clean all the wood trim. The wood must also be scuff sanded before we begin painting.

After cleaning and sanding the wood, apply a good primer to cover it and stop stains from showing through. Once the Primer is dry, then we can paint the wood. It may sound simple, but painting small round spiindles with a flat brushes and rollers talkes time.

Painting handrails and spindles can make your home look better when you repaint it. This will improve the overall appearance and atmosphere of your home.

Removing or stripping wallpaper in your home

If you have older Wallpaper in your home, you may want consider removing it. Removing or stripping wallpaper accounts for quite a bit of the work we do. Most of the time, we are removing the wallpaper to replace it with something new and modern.

Wallpaper is unique and personal. What worked for the past homeowner may not work for you. In this picture below, The colors and style are pretty outdated. As part of the house painting project, we stripped the wallpaper.

You can also remove outdated wallpaper and install somethng you like!

In this bathroom, we took off the wallpaper and had to smooth out the ceiling because it was hard to remove. The person who put up the wallpaper didn’t prepare the ceiling properly before installing it.

We will paint the ceiling this time. We also repainted the trim in the room, and the homeowner will repaint the vanity.

Repainting Both Ceilings and Walls in your home

For this home, we repainted walls, ceilings, and trim. The older color of an off brown, was about 15 years old. So we updated the trim to a new brighter white, painted the ceilings a flat pure white, then painted the walls Agreeable Grey. I think it was a huge transformation.

It sounds easy here, but I can assure it is not. You have to consider which room to paint in addition to moving furniture. If there are a lot of people in the house, people must be able to move where we are painting. That means we have to move the furniture as well.

I thnk if you painting your house, doing both makes the most sense and is a better value for your dollar and our time.

Before we started painting…

Repainted walls, ceilings, and trim

Rooms being prepped for paint

Painting Kitchen Walls

Kitchen before we painted

Kitchen after we painted

Painting a Living Room or Family Room

Family room before we painted

Family room with ceiling, walls, and trim all repainted

Repainting your entire home is never without drywall repairs

As in any repainting job, this home was not without the drywall repairs. Many of them were as simple as filling in holes from older pics. But some were a little more. When you move into a new home, you willl have reapir to make.

Walls damaged from fish tank water

Walls damaged from wallpaper removal

How do I pick colors for my home?

Belive it or not, selcting colors when repainting the interior of your home is the easy part. We help by offering free color consultations. We can have a designer come to your home, with color samples to help you selct the paint colors you want. The interior Designer can also help with selction what sheen of paint to use.

Are you ready to repaint your home?

Not a lot of words in today’s post. Sometimes, pictures just do the work for us.

The one question you may ask is how much it will cost to repaint my home. I would love to say here is the cost, but we can’t. We are a painting company, but each Contractor uses several factors to develop estimates on painting homes.

• Are we painting walls?
• Are we painting before moving in
• Will someone paint the ceilings?
• Do you want the doors painted?
• Would you like windows or window trim painted?
• Does the trim or doors require any repairs?
• Changing colors can require three coats to cover older colors.
• The type of sheen you want will affect the cost of materials.
• Do we need to make some, a lot, or no drywall repairs?

These are most, but not all, considerations considered when we are doing a painting estimate for you.

When you want to repaint your home, contact us for a free estimate. We can often provide a virtual estimate using online listings of your home. Either way, let us know how we can help you love the space you’re in! 

If you are buying a home, or moving into a new home, then nothing beats the look and feel of your home. Painitng your walls, gives you a clean, neat, and perfect Feeliing!

Moving to a new house? Most customers want new paint colors. And since you are moving you are asking about how Painting your house before moving in can happen.

Hi, I’m David With Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntley. We serve towns like Barrington, Elgin, Crystal Lake, Pingree Grove, St. Charles, and Bartlett. Today we are discussing a call we receive frequently – painting your house before moving in. We are here to see how we can help you love the space your in by helping with your interior house painting before moving

Scheduling your painting before moving in

One of the biggest obstacles that we hear from customers is can you get the painting done on a certain date. We would love to say yes to every single one. (Here is our link to schedule an estimate for you). It has been an extremely high success rate for us because of the amount of crews, people, and resources we have access to.

When are you closing? This is the biggest obstacle. Closing dates are not 100% for sure, so if there is a delay, it can wreak havoc on our schedule as well as yours. So the more notice you have the better.

Working around other contractors when we paint

The next biggest issue on paint jobs is working around other trades or contractors. Painting your home before you move in usually means we need to be quick cause you don’t have much time. So we are gonna ask you some questions that week absolutely do need to know before we start your interior painting;

• will you be doing any work to your cabinets?
• are you having new carpet or flooring installed or removed?
• is there going to be an electrician moving lights, outlets or switches?
• do we need to move furniture?
• do you want or take out any mirrors or vanities?

These questions affect when we can paint. If you are getting new floors, then we don’t want to paint until old floors are out. We have painted before new floors are installed- I just don’t recommend it – it can. lead to issues later (knick/dings in walls, scrapes on trim etc)

Are there holes for new lights, if so-you must fix those holes. It is better to paint after completing all other work so that you can make the mess, clean it up, and then paint.

Knowing your colors before you move in

I would say picking paint colors is the most difficult thing to figure out. What colors do you want to paint?

We have designers we use to help! Best of all these designers are free to you! It can be tricky if your bringing in items from another house, as they have a color or tone that has to be considered in their new location. We have done a few videos on popular colors, check them out!

Once you have colors selected it is easy for us to come in the house, cover the floors, and start painting.

Can you paint after moving in?

Yes of course you can! We can help with that as well. It may take a bit longer, as we have to cover everything or move items out of the way. Residential re-painting after you are in the home is the norm.

So if your moving in, moving out, repainting, or repairing- we can help with your house painting needs

If you own a home in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, Such as Crystal Lake, and you have a Deck or wood siding home, then you will be thinking of what type of stains to use at your house. Today we are sharing a video, about Best Exterior Stains for Decks and homes in Crystal Lake IL area.

I am David Cook, of Dfranco Painting here in Huntley, IL, and today’s question is about best stains to use for the exterior of your home, fencing, decks. So we will start with a video from the Store Manager at Sherwin Williams in Crystal Lake, IL. Even though Scott has some great information, you can use this information in other areas such as Elgin, St. Charles, Barrington, Bartlett, or Pingree Grove.

Transparent or Solid stain?

If you have wood decks, then odds are transparent stains are typically what are used. A transparent stain is basically is a clear finish with some color in it. It does a great job of adding a water resistance or water proofing to help keep water off the wood surfaces to protect the wood for years to come. Keep in mind with all stains in the Chicago area, this is a maintenance program. You will have to keep adding stain or coatings to protect the wood as the weather will wear and tear on wood surafces.

Solid stain is almost like paint. It is made to grab or bite, into the wood. It is kind of like paint to protect the surfaces, but it also gives a great barrier to keep the elements at bay. The stains are a richer look and feel compared to paints.

Should I use Oil based stains ?

Oil based stains can be a real pain to use. The smell, you have to use gloves, you need to have hazardous materials to clean up with, and they are difficult to dispose of when done.

That being said, Oil based products resist the elements much better than some of their water based or water borne products. Oil based products can become more fragile as they age- so they peel or crack after some years, where as the water based products usually will flake off just wear away (from our experience)

Oil based products also will need chemicals to strip them when they need to be redone, so there is more of an expense there as well.

Water borne or water based stains

The best part of these stains is that they are easy to clean up, easy to strip, and easy to get tinted. They are not meant for long-term use- not much is when it comes to water resistance and wood. The hybrid versions are waterborne, and they do offer a longer life than traditional water-based products.

I like the hybrids alot, and they seem to perfomr better over all, from our persective as painters at least.

What stain should I use?

This is a you get what you pay for, so answering what are the Best Exterior Stains for decks and homes, Crystal Lake, IL can be subjective a bit. Price, preference, color make a difference. However, the better the products used the better the life span of these products. We are Sherwin products for the most part as the stores are close to where we work, have good delivery, and great pricing, and they really do work with us to warranty their products.

Do you have question? Best Exterior Stains for decks and homes, Crystal Lake, IL

Spring 2024 is here!!! That means yard work, power washing and exterior painting season! If you have a house with wood, then you may be asking what ar the Best Paints and Stains for Exterior painting in Elgin, IL!

Hello Everyone- David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper Here in Huntley, IL , and today’s article is from a question on what re the best paints or stains to use on my home? If you live in the Pingree grove, Gilberts, South Elgin, Geneva, or Algonquin areas- here is some information for you!

Best exterior Paints from Sherwin Williams

So we had some fun with this blog post and leaned into the experts at Sherwin Williams! The store in South Elgin, store manager Austin, gave us some great information on paint and stains for your home and or business. You can hit this link for more information on paint from Sherwin Williams

These paints can be used (depending on surfaces) for painting:

• Aluminum Siding
• Hardy Board
• Wood Siding
• Cedar siding
• previously painted surfaces
• some types of vinyl siding
• garage doors

Get a estimate now!

Best Stains for Exteriors of homes

Living in the Chicago area, there are are many areas where wood siding is used for exterior of homes. Cedar siding is the most prevent wood siding, with cement or hardy board being close 2nd. We see a lot of homes with manufactured wood/copmposite type siding as well.

Using Stain is something made for wood. It has more adhesion properties, and gives a very unique look for wood surfaces.

Transparent oil stains for wood

If you have cedar siding and have used oil type stains, then you want to keep oil in the wood, if possible. Oil does provide the best protection for surfaces made from wood as it naturally repels water. Oil will fade just like water based products. The Greta thing about oil toning products such as Rymar, is that you don’t have to strip oils stain before adding more protection or color.

Ryman Is one type of oil, but Sherwin Also sells Super deck oil stain than can be used on decks, siding or wood/log surfaces!

Getting an exterior paint estimate for your home

aside from filling out our contact us page, you can call anytime- we would love to see how we can help you with your exterior:

• exterior painting
• Pressure washing
• Painting Siding
• Staining Decks
• Cedar siding Staining

God Bless!!

If you own a home, that means you have a front door. The front doors of homes usually take the brunt of weather and wear and tear of peoples homes. So it is important that you maintain it.

Hello Everyone! David with Dfranco Painitng and Wallpaper here in Huntley, IL, and as we are getting into warmer weather (March) it is time to start thinking of exterior projects that need to be done. Here is one door of many that will need attention this year, and if you are in the Elgin, Algionquin, St. Charles or other suburbs of Chicago, we can help breath new life in that door to give long lasting results.

What you need to stain a fiberglass door

So you have seen the video, maybe you skipped it, it is ok- here is a quick list of what you will need for your door staining project:

• a warm day with no rain
• rags
• masking tape
• inexpensive paint brush
• sandpaper
• denatured alcohol
• drop cloths
• rubber gloves
• Slotted and Philips screwdriver
• Gel stain
• a clear sealer for the door

Cleaning your door before you start staining

A warm day with no rain is a must. If it is overcast, that is the best. A bright sunny day is great for being outside but can make things difficult to use a gel stain. The sun will cause the stain to dry quickly. The drying will make it difficult to keep the stain flowing on the door eliminating spots or streaks.

Get clean! You can use a hose a few days before to wash the door off from cobwebs, dirt, and grime.  If you use water and soap give the door a full day to dry off. Otherwise, dust the door off with a clean rag.  Use your sandpaper to lightly scuff the door (if there are any areas that are peeling if must all be removed). Once the door is sanded, use the Denatured Alcohol to wipe the door off.

Staining your door

Are you Ready? Now we must get everything ready for stain. Use the masking tape and mask off the glass (if you have any). Mask the hinges if you are doing the inside of the door.  Mask the areas that will not be stained. Remove the door handle and lock set.

Get some color!  I am assuming at this point you already have the color of the stain that you want for the door. I use gel stain for the fiberglass doors. You can google the reason why you will see other methods -this is what works for Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper and what we will warranty.  The gel stain goes far. Most of the time a quart is twice as much as you need. Gel stains don’t go bad as fast as other materials so when it is time to do it again you have it.

GO! Taking your brush, find a spot, lower corners work the best, they are small for starting out to you can apply a SMALL amount of stain on the brush. Work the brush/stain back and forth on the door surface to see/feel the way it moves, how much you need, and you need to wipe it off etc.

I like using small amounts on the edge of the paint brush and just keep working it back and forth to get into all of the nooks and grains of the door. The excess will work it’s way into the brush as you go along. Section of the door and keep moving don’t go to lunch in the middle of this project. Keep the stain wet, working into the wet edges as you go don’t go from the middle of the door to an area you jut stained it will not blend as well.

Clear coating your exterior door

Once the stain is dry -THAT MEANS 12-24 Hours! , then you can apply a clear coat to the stained areas.  I like the Modern Masters clear UV coat. It is the blue can.  It goes on well and works with all types of stains and paints.  The other one I have started to use and am really liking is Epifans.

You can reach me at david@dfrancopainting.com or contact us for any wallpaper, cabinet refinishing, or wallpaper installation!

That is a loaded question! I assume you are asking because you have oak cabinets that you are looking to get painted. We are asked this question every time people call us about painting oak cabinets.

Hey Everyone- David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntly, IL. This year’s top on line Question is..Will oak cabinets show grain when they are painted? Yes and no. The answer really should be it depends. So if you are in the Chicagoland Suburbs such as Elgin, Crystal Lake, Pingree Grove, St. Charles, or Bartlett, the oak cabinets are pretty similar. The process and finish will be very similar so-Let’s get into it.

Why do I see the grain on oak doors?

Oak as a wood species is considered a very hard and durable wood. It is used in many different areas such as:

• doors
• cabinets
• toys
• floors
• furniture
• pallets
• wainscoting

Oak has a very definitive grain pattern. I would call it an open grain pattern as you can see the light and dark variations of the wood color throughout the wood. These different grain variations also create a less than uniform appearance. Compared to maple cabinet painting you see very little grain patterns and it is very smooth. This graining is great when you are staining the wood as it looks great and you know you have wood. Some woods are so dense they have a hard time taking stain, or have nothing special about them and would be better off painted.

Can I get rid of grain in my oak doors of they are painted?

Now we are getting into the meat of this one! When we are painting oak doors, we have to ask what is your expectations.

As you can see with the image, the oak grain really shows through after we have sanded this door. We have deliberately made this happen. When we are painting oak cabinet doors, we roll on the primer a bit diluted so it will penetrate into the pores and grains of the wood. After it has dried we power sand it smooth and the oak will be revealed while the veins of the wood stay white.

With the door now having its second coat of primer applied, you can kind of still see the oak wood grain come through. This is happening for a few reasons. First, when we sanded the last time we sanded pretty hard and it released the wood tannin which stains the wood. Second, the wood itself has a lot of texture, and that texture takes a few coats of primer to get rid of!

Right about now I can hear someone asking “this is great but will oak cabinets show grain when they are painted?”

How to get rid of the oak grain when painting kitchen cabinets

I kind of let the cat out of the bag above on this but here is our step-by-step process for prep and getting rid of grain in oak cabinet doors. (this assuming the doors are removed)

• Once back to our shop we are cleaning the doors before we do anything.
• Wearing rubber gloves, begin to spray cleaner to the doors to remove dirt, grime, etc.
• Once clean, we will wet sand the doors with a degreaser to get any residue off the doors.
• After the doors are dry, we will apply the first coat of bonding primer with a roller.
• When the primer is dry, sand the door smooth.
• Apply a second coat of primer and allow to dry.
• Get the sander out again and sand smooth.
• At this point we inspect. Some oak doors only need two coats, apply third if needed.
• Now oil prime to seal out stain and wood tannin.
• Allow to dry and start to paint!

Oak cabinets painted white with grain showing through

Believe it or not, there are some people that like the grain showing through the wood so they know it is a real wood door. We have never been asked to do that. We have reduced it, but never gone so far as to have someone want their oak cabinets to look like a white stain.

There is a really cool technique called ceruse. We have played with it but it has never really gone any further than that (for us).

So one thing we have done is clean, sand and apply a tinted clear urethane to make the doors look as though they were stained a darker color. If you do go this route, it is a much simpler process and quicker too!!

Best primers to use when painting oak cabients

Every primer has a purpose. While there are actual grain fillers you can buy and apply to the doors, we have found it isn’t worth the money and they are a real pain to sand smooth.

So we use primer. It is cheap. They dry fast. All of them are easy to sand smooth and we don’t have a lot of dust to worry about.

Those are the top three primers we use. For large cedar, pine and oak projects the oil odorless is the ticket. We never have to worry about any stains once we prime. We also have used this on oak cabinet projects where heavy cooking oils and hair care products were used.

Stix is just a great bonding primer. Stix it and forget it.

The spot primers are for touch ups. Sometimes the doors or cabinets have a stain that is stubborn and want to keep saying hello.

Oak cabinet door with no grain painted white

This is a drawer front we just painted, so it is shiny because it is wet. But compared to the first few images, the grain is pretty much gone.

The fun part of this project is you can have fun! Pick the color you want, it doesn’t matter. You can select how much grain you want or don’t want.

Painted Oak Kitchen Cabinets Before and After

So…will oak cabinets show grain when they are painted? You decide. You can show the grain if you want to, but then again they are your cabinets, do what you want!

If you are looking to have your oak cabinets painted or have any questions about cabinet painting, let us know how we can help!

So.. your home has cherry cabinets. You are ready for a new look and feel to your kitchen. Replacing cabinets is not in your budget. The next best option is too paint your cabinets! So if you are considering Painting Cherry Cabinets Elgin or the surrounding suburbs, this post is for you!

Hello Everyone, I am David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntley, IL. The top question and query we recieved over the past month has been regarding painting Cherry cabinets, so I thought I would revisit this topic for you.

Are you ready to paint your Cherry Cabinets?

If you are like many of our customers in the Chicagoland area, such as South Elgin, Hampshire, or Crystal Lake, you have a home that has these cherry cabinets. You been looking at Pinterest, Google images, watching HGTV or YouTube videos about painting kitchen cabinets. You are tired of how they look and make your kitchen so dark. Many of our family members, friend and other customers have this same question- so you are in the right place. Now we’ll answer the question- Should I paint my cherry cabinets?

How much will it cost to paint my cabinets?

The top two questions most people are asking when facing the question or problem of kitchen remodeling, is how much will it cost and will it last. For most people, it is the same answer.

• The cost is based on how many cabinets you have
• check our our pricing page!
• The process is proven to last- so we give you a lifetime warranty on our work
• We even come back in 1 year to do a check up if you need it

A common question- how much does it cost to paint cabinets? Right now, you can expect about $135.00 per cabinet to have it painted. That is an average so you can do some rough math by counting your cabinets. With the savings of painting your cabinets, you can replace your handles, get new soft close hinges, update your countertops, and change your sink and faucet!

The best part about painting your cabinets is YOU decide what color you want! You can go to any JC Licht Store, or Sherwin Williams store in the Chicagoland area, pick any color you want- you can even pick two colors if you wish!!  (If you select the whites from BEHR- we may not be able to match it 100%)

Larger jobs may come with a free color consult!

So, can I paint MY cherry cabinets?

Before the details of how we paint your cabinets, there are several questions you have to be able to honestly answer to know if painting your cherry cabinets is a good solution for you.

• Is there anything wrong with the cabinets you have? Is there any damage? Are there any broken doors? Do they have water damage? If you are saying no to any of these then so far you are on your way to painting your cherry cabinets!
• Do you like the look of a painted cabinet? Some people, my father being one of them, cringes at the sound of painting wood. If you are not sure then take a few hours and go to a home improvement store like Home Depot or Menards to look and touch. Ask yourself if you can see yourself with painted kitchen cabinets.
• If you are still feeling good about the idea then it is time for the next step!

Things to Consider Before Painting Your Cherry Cabinets

There are a few things you need to be aware of if you have never had a kitchen or any cabinets that are painted. Painted cabinets are not like stained wood cabinets. I know you are here because you want to know about cherry cabinets, however, if your cabinets are pine-stained cherry color, this is not for you. Pine cabinets are not good candidates for paint. But you have solid Cherry! Stained cherry cabinets have a finish that has penetrated the wood fibers themselves to bond into the wood. Paint on a cabinet is given a bonding primer to stick to the surface of the cabinet. Then the paint is put on top of the primer. This is the same in a new factory cabinet or a refinished one like you are thinking about now.

Keep in mind, at the end of the day this is paint. It is a hard shell, it will resist stains, it will be washable, it will look impressive. Paint on wood can chip upon impact and wood doors will not allow you to place wet towels or rags on them and not become damaged.  I have to give you that bit of informaton up front so you know.

I have painted my cabinets in my home, people are doing it every day, and I believe it a great way to not just improve the look of your kitchen but change how you feel about the most important room in your home.

It Worked For These People, And It Will Work For You

Here is our latest google review about our cabinet painting!

“Thanks to the Dfranco team for transforming our kitchen into a new and fresh look. Anthony’s attention to detail on the cabinets and doors was outstanding. Dave and Chad made sure that the job was done on a very timely basis. Thanks again to all of you.“

Response from the owner16 hours ago

Hey John! Thank you for choosing Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper for your kitchen transformation project. We’re thrilled to hear that Anthony’s attention to detail stood out and that Dave and Chad ensured the job was completed in a timely manner. We appreciate your kind words and are glad you’re happy with the new and fresh look!

Video…

Here is a Video testimonial from a great customer in Elgin, IL about painting cherry cabinets:

What are you getting when you paint cherry cabinets?

When you hire D’franco Painting & Wallpaper, you’ll have the peace of mind of …

• Having vetted workers of D’franco Painting & Wallpaper in your home that you can trust
• We carry workman’s comp and liability insurance.
• We have a system and process that has is used, always evaluated to improve and refine. And for over 15 years we still attend training annually to make sure we provide the best products for your home.
• Lifetime Warranty on our work.
• We use quality materials from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore. Their time-tested and award-winning finishes will last and meet the demands of the most used room in your house.

It’s Decision Time

You have a choice to make: Keep looking at your cabinets and wonder what if…or worse, do nothing at all. You know where that will lead (to another web search on cherry cabinets, frustrated about the look and feel of your kitchen). Is that really where you want to go? Take a new action, and get a new result. Finally, get that estimate and transform your kitchen – Love the home you live in! Which do you really want for yourself? So here are your next steps: Call or text us

• We will ask you for pictures of your kitchen
• We will give you a cost to paint your cherry cabinets within $100-$200. It includes removing hardware, cleaning, painting the outside of the boxes and both sides of the doors. If the numbers look like you want more information we will make an appointment with you. We will come to your house with a door sample that you can touch and see. We will inspect everything and then give you an accurate quote of the exact cost
• Receive a detailed description of how our process works and give you videos to show you of us in action.
• You receive a list of products we use
• You may qualify for a free color consult!
• You’ll have a lifetime warranty.

So, you have asked the question “should I paint my cherry cabinets?”, and you have read the answers, now you are ready to take action and get a GET AN ESTIMATE today!

We look forward to helping you love the home you live in!

Here are some other blog articles on painting cabinets we have for you:

• How Your Cabinets Will Look Painted
• Painting Cherry Cabinets?
• Painting Your Cabinets White and Grey
• Should I Refinish My Cabinet Doors or Replace Them?

If you are searching for a painter- you have landed in the right spot! know I have have used those same words for plumbers, electricians and septic contractors. Personally, I think D’franco Painting & Wallpaper is the best paint contractor in the Huntley area.  Here is a video that goes into one reason that we are different!

Is there a difference between painters?

As much as I hate to say this, the answer really is – It depends. Can there be that much of a difference? O Oh yes! . These are the top questions you should be asking:

• Are you insured?
• Do you use Subcontractors or have employees?
• Do you have workman’s compensation?
• How soon can you do our work?
• What kind of paints do you use?
• Do your crews speak English or can communicate clearly while the project is happening?
• Have you done ____ before?
• Does the company have any on line or Google Reviews?
• Finally, how much will it cost?

It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a paint contractor in Crystal Lake, Geneva, Pingree Grove, or South Elgin.  The right person for the right job is really up to you.  Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If you have one estimate that includes paint and the other does not, or if one person is quoting dutch boy and another is using Sherwin Willaims Emerald paint- there will be a difference in cost.

How should I pick a Painter?

I am speaking on behalf of D’franco Painting & Wallpaper, and what my wife looks for when we have to hire a contractor for our home.

Do they have a website, google reviews or referrals from the local paint stores? How long they have been in business? How much experience do they have? Most importantly – do I trust them?

Are you covered? We have to carry several types of insurance to protect our employees, our company and you the customer. In Illinois, some of these insurances can be expensive. Workman’s comp for example- if someone is hurt- who pays for that injury of it takes place at your home? Other trades need to be licensed – painters right now do not.

How much experience do they have? We pride ourselves in experience and our online reviews.  We want you to know how many times we have done a project. All you have to do is check out our Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and of course our website.

Do they have their information on their vehicle when they show up? Most of Our work vehicles have our logos, and company information. I like to see when people show up, they take pride in who they are as a business. It helps to establish trust as well, as you know who is in your driveway or parking in front of your house. Your neighbors can relax knowing who or what the car is in your driveway or in front of their house as to who is parking out front. (We do however use Subcontracotrs, that you can see on our team member page.)

Best ways to search for Paint Contractors?

Obviously, google is the top of the list but there are other ways to find good, reputable, and quality people. Don’t limit yourself when the “best painter near me” is not actually right in your home town. Good contractors travel. Google also varies search results so a top ranked contracotr may not sho wup today but will in 1 hour. Do they have google verified? That is another great thing to search for.

• Have you asked your local paint store, or a few in the area? I usually ask 3 people
• Ask people you know, work with or family
• I have called people from the number on a work vehicle before
• There are a lot of people using Facebook as well

Ready to get your house painted?

I hope this article helped. There are a lot of really great contractors and people to help you with your home. I hope we can be one of them, but I also know we may not be the best fit for everyone. We are here to help. If you need a good contractor- give us a call we will see if we have someone we know will help.

When the time comes for wallpaper, cabinet painting, or traditional painting, we hope we can Help. We serve the greater Chicago area and NW Suburbs including Hamshire, Huntley, Carpentersville, St. Charles, or other surrounding suburbs.  Give us phone call or text to help you love the space you are in.