Category: Kitchen Cabinets

If you are thinking of painting your cabinets or having them painted, then you are asking, “What paint should be used to paint my cabinets?”

I am David Cook, owner of D’franco Painting & Wallpaper, and I just wanted to get you some information about cabinet paint to help make your decision about cabinet paint easier. There are several types of paint on the market that can be used to paint your cabinets. This blog is to inform you about the products we have used, the products we do use, and the products we do not use.

Cabinet paint is made with oil/solvents, water based or an oil modified.

The oil/solvent paints we do not use at all. It is hard to use them in homes, the solvents are very bad in terms of smell and air quality, and the products to use in cleaning are hazardous waste type chemicals.

So, what do you choose?

What are waterborne paints?

Here is a great definition of waterborne paint:

“Waterborne paints have been evaluated as alternatives to solvent-based paints. The volatile organic compound (VOC) content of waterborne paints is significantly lower than conventional solvent-based paints, thereby reducing VOC emissions. Waterborne (or latex) paints are composed of synthetic resins and pigments that are kept dispersed in water by surfactants. They also contain small amounts of coalescing solvents. Waterborne paints dry by evaporation of the water. The coalescing solvents allow the resin particles to fuse together (coalesce) as the water evaporates to form a continuous coating. Waterborne paints must be protected from freezing and also applied at a minimum temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Waterborne paints reduce VOC emissions and worker exposure to hazardous air pollutants. These paints can also reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated, depending on the type of paint used.”

Confused? Yeah, me too. Basically, waterborne paints have oil based paints in micro particles encapsulated in a water. As the water evaporates the oil flattens out, and dries to a smooth finish.

What are the top 3 waterborne paints used for cabinets?

ML Campbell

This is our product of choice. Why?

• It dries to an amazing smooth finish.
• The clean up is easy.
• There is not an awful smell.
• Very easy to touch up if needed.
• The types of stains it is resistant to is amazing.
• Finally, it is readily available.

General Finishes

Although I have used this product, I cannot speak about it in a way that will give you much inforamtion. For us, there are not enough locations to purchase it in order for us to add it to our product offering. In our network of other painters, they do have many good things to say about it.

Benjamin Moore Advance

I will say that this is a awesome trim paint. It is my favorite for painting trim. In using this paint for cabinets, I am not a fan. This product is very thick, and takes a different sprayer in order to use. This product requires 16 hours to dry between coats of paint.

• If using a HVLP sprayer, like we do, this paint must be diluted to get a great finish.
• In the Midwest, we have high humidity. The humidity means that this paint takes much longer to dry.
• Since it takes 16 hours to dry, that means we cannot give you two coats of paint in less than two days. It can take almost a month to get the hard shell and finish needed on a kitchen cabinet surface.

The most important part of cabinet painting…

The products we listed above are amazing products. That is what allow us to give you a 5 year warranty on our process. Can you hear the “But”? The best paint in the world will not be of any good if the cabinets are not properly prepared. How is that achieved?

• Cabinets must be cleaned. Cleaners, fingers, as well as food will be on the surface of the cabinets in your Kitchen. We use some specialty cleaning products to make sure any and all oil, dirt, grime, etc are all removed.
• Then, cabinets need to have the surface sanded. There has to be something the paint sticks too. We use sanding to get rid of the gloss, and also make sure the primer has a mechanical bond to the cabinet surface.
• In addition, the right primer must be used. We use Stix Primer Paint. It does exactly as the name says. When used correctly and not diluted, the bonding primer makes sure that the paints used on the cabinets will last as intended.

How to get a estimate for cabinet painting

If you live in the Huntley, Elgin, St. Charles, Algonquin area, then you are in luck! All you have to do is call us. We will provide you an estimate of how much it will cost, how long it will take, and when we can start!

Are you tired of your glazed cabinets? Then it is time to consider painting over glazed cabinets.

We have just completed painting a kitchen in Downers Grove, IL where the kitchen cabinets were antique white with a black glaze. The homeowner and the designer decided to go solid white to give the kitchen a whole new look. Add to that, new counter tops and hardware and it really was a transformation.

Will the paint stick to glazed cabinets?

Some time ago we did a post about fixing problems with painted cabinets. These address the top issues we see when cabinets have been painted. Aside from these issues, glazed cabinets are just like a regular painted cabinet. The prep work for a glazed cabinet is the same as a stained or previously painted cabinet door.

• All the doors must be cleaned.
• The doors must be scuff sanded.
• Doors must be sanitized.
• Surfaces will need to be given a bonding primer and sealer.
• Finally, the paint is applied.

Will it last? Yes…BUT—always a but—cabinets are wood. Paint is paint. Take into account the above referenced blog article when you want cabinets painted.

• Consider if you have kids. Toys running into the wood cabinets will cause the wood to dent and paint to chip.
• Animals that chew wood will also be able to chew corners of doors, drawers or cabinet corners. (We have fixed those.)
• Your cleaning crew cannot run the vacuum under the cabinets and hit the kick plates under the cabinets or hit the bottom edges of the cabinets with the metal hose and think there will be no damage. (Those don’t get fixed.)

What colors can I pick?

This answer is our customers’ favorite—any color can be selected. Any color! Now, just like painting your walls…dark colors will take some extra steps such as a deep base or grey primer.  So there may be extra tint or material charges due to the colors, but if they make the paint…we can paint it.

Is there a big difference in glazed vs painted cabinets?

When we are painting cabinets that will be glazed, the difference is cost and layers. Glazed cabinets require:

• Primer
• Paint
• Application of glaze
• Removal of glaze
• Then a top coat over the glaze

When we paint a cabinet:

• Primer
• Paint

Each has the same life span, same durability, same materials. Expect to pay 30% more to glaze.

As far as looks, a picture is worth a thousand words…

The difference between a glazed cabinet and painted cabinet.

So what are you waiting for?

If you have glazed cabinets and are thinking of getting them painted, then give us a call, send us a text and we will get out to you for an estimate.

Call us now!

So you have oak cabinets, eh?

If you have a home that was built in the last 20 years you most likely have traditional wood cabinets. You have painted everything else in your home. You may have even replaced your countertops in your kitchen, but you still have traditional wood stained cabinets. Am I right so far?

You may be asking, “Should I replace these cabinets or paint them?” I am sure that if you are asking this question then you have seen images on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest on painted cabinets. Odds are you have someone you know that has already painted their kitchen cabinets. Now you would like to know:

Do I have to look at these oak cabinets any more?

I am here to tell you that you do not. Kitchen remodels can cost over $20,000.00! Why so much? Factor in:

• New cabinets
• New hardware
• Demolition
• Floor repair or replacements
• New sink(s)
• New faucets
• New countertops
• Wall repairs
• Back splash

These all add up to a lot of money and a lot of time that you will not have access to your kitchen. You can go that route.

Or you can be like Blake and Courtney that decided to have their Oak Cabinets Painted. Why?

• Painting oak cabinets is 1/3 or less of the cost to replace cabinets
• It could be done in 3 days (time varies depending on size of kitchen)
• They never lost the use of their kitchen!

But Can My Cabinets Be Painted and Look Good?

Let’s start with a simple yes. It is not much different than painted trim in homes. I did say much.

There are some things to keep in mind when choosing to paint your cabinets and especially oak cabinets. Some people like the good news first, some like the bad. Let’s start with the top 3 negative comments or concerns.

Concerns with painting oak cabinets

• You are painting wood. Wood can be dented and where wood dents, paint chips.
• Painted cabinets are not meant to be waterproof. If you hand a wet towel on a painted wooden door there will be water damage to the cabinet door.
• Oak cabinets have heavy grain. You will never get rid of all the grain you see in the wood doors but it sure can be made smooth and beautiful!

That is the bad news. Now, let’s turn that frown upside down and tell you why you can have your cabinets painted and love that kitchen all over again:

Reasons to paint your oak cabinets

• All wood can be painted and will last years when it is done correctly
• All of our cabinet refinishers have been trained with methods from cabinet makers and cabinet paint manufactures
• You can select any color you want
• The paint we use is the same paint as you would get if buying new cabinets. It is meant to last
• You get a one year touch up with us. We come back in 12 months and perform any needed touch ups.
• Not good enough? We warranty the labor for 5 full years!
• With the money you don’t spend on new cabinets, you can now buy new hardware, maybe appliances, or sink/faucet/counter tops.

Listen How Other People Have Transformed Their Kitchen by Painting Their Cabinets

I can talk or type all day of the benefits, longevity, how you will feel or like the process. I painted the cabinets in my home, you can ask for pics at any time. But here is one of our customers:

You can always listen to the other testimonials as well… here

Here is a Video on one of our cabinet painting projects:

You can also read a previous blog we did on painting cabinets here.

So after you read and see those videos, you can have a great looking kitchen like this one!

Let’s find out how we can help you love your kitchen again!

We will make this easy for you.

• Take pictures of your cabinets
• Text those pics to 847-553-1726
• We’ll give you a cost within $100-$200.
• If you give us your full name, address, and email, we will send you a written estimate that includes our step-by-step process that guarantees great results!

Get Rid of Your Traditional Stained Oak Cabinets Today

 If you have kitchen cabinets that have been in your house since the home was built, odds are you have oak cabinets.  They were great when they were installed (20 years ago) but now you ask- “Can I paint my Oak Cabinets.” The answer as I am sure you are aware is YES!

By now I am sure you have seen a few images online, maybe from this very website, of oak cabinets being painted white. If you have not, then read on and make sure you look at the links, pictures, and videos of oak cabinets we have already painted for other customers who asked the very questions you are asking now!

If You Don’t Paint Those Oak Cabinets, You will Never Like the Look and Feel of Your Kitchen!

Every day you wait is another day of regret or wishing I would have… There are many questions and reservations people have about painting their cabinets:

• Will the paint last or will it chip and peel away?
• How good is the paint that is used?
• How much is this going to cost?
• What colors can I choose?
• What colors can I pick?
• Maybe I should just get new cabinets?

Sound Familiar? Lets put your fear to rest.

Why You Should Paint those Oak Cabinets

In my home 5 years ago, I had kitchen cabinets that were painted orange. So I didn’t have the same problem you had -painting over oak cabinets- I had to look at a kitchen color that we did not like! I understand what it is like to have a kitchen that you do not like looking at.  So like our customers, I decided it was time for a change. So- how do we do it?

• Just like every other Kitchen cabinet job, we start with a degreasing cleaning process.
• To make sure the paint did not chip or peel, we use a bonding primer. This stuff will stick to glass! The cabinets are scuff sanded and then primed with another primer that is tinted close to the color you select. At this point- these cabinets are sealed. They are ready for paint!
• Just like the finish of your existing cabinets, we use a cabinet grade catalyst paint. It is hard, it is stain resistant and lasts! We spray anything and everything we can.
• We give you a 5-year warranty against workmanship, so peace of mind is there!

Now you may be asking, “Maybe I should just replace my cabinets.” Well, you can, and I am not here to stop you.  Have you ever seen or known anyone who has replaced their kitchen cabinets?

• it is messy!
• you will lose the use of your kitchen from 2-4 weeks
• you will spend 3-4 times more than to repaint your existing cabinets

Take a look at a few of our blog posts :

What Will My Cabinets Look Like Painted? (Oak Cabinets)

Why is The Paint Peeling from My Cabinet Doors

Painting Your Cabinets White and Grey

If It Worked for Chris It WILL Work For You!

Here are the images of the before during and after of our last Oak cabinet job:

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  There is kind of a play by play of how it looks before during and after- but don’t take our word for it- here is what our client had to say-

Here are other reviews and testimonials:

YouTube Testimonials

Google Reviews

Now It’s Your Turn!

Call us at 847-553-1726 and ask for a estimate!  You can even text us at the same number. We will ask you to send over some pics of you kitchen and give you a cost, within a few hundred dollars, of how much you can expect to spend.

• Our estimate will be in writing
• You will receive our step by step process
• You will see samples of doors we have painted before
• We will help you find the right color
• We will suggest the other ways to help you love your Kitchen, such as new hardware

No hidden costs. Once in writing- rest assured you know the cost!

5-year warranty on our work!

It is our part of our mission – to help you love the home you live in! Take a look at our reviews or testimonials- we are here to earn your trust first then hopefully your business- for life. We are NOT here for one job and never to be heard from again.

You Have a Choice!

Look at the kitchen you have now. You know what that means. Is that what you really want? Make that decision today and call us to get the ball rolling right now.

If you have wood cabinets, the question may have entered your mind- “What will my cabinets look like painted?”

Here is a video we put together using a time-lapse camera to show all we do to prepare, clean, prime, and paint kitchen cabinets.

Steps for Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Prepping

You will see how we tape off the walls, we cover the surrounds floor with plastic as well as the counters.

This kitchen was left pretty dirty by the previous owners. We had to use a degreaser to get rid of the grime from cooking oils and cleaners. Even then we had to switch to a very aggressive solvent in order to cut through the grease on the doors.

Once these were clean we could start the priming.

Priming

To get a maximum bond- we used Stix bonding primer and then smart prime to not just bond to the wood but to block out the oil in the wood from bleeding through the paint.

Believe it or not- oak is a porous wood- it has a lot of grain and can absorb odor, dirt, grease etc. My wife had an oak china cabinet. It was given to her by someone who smoked. Despite years of cleaning, charcoal, chemicals- after 6 years of being in a smoke-free place- it still smelled of smoke. That same thing will happen with grease and dirt.

Can you really get every piece of dirt from a sponge when you clean it? The same happens with certain wood.

So now that we have applied primer- we get to paint.

Painting

It’s time for painting oak cabinets white! Now that we are using an oil modified paints and primers, we can offer a longer warranty. A warranty of 5 years!  The oils will allow a better adhesion and better water repellent capabilities.  We still have and use traditional lacquer finishes. They are good products. They also have their place. Lacquer is very hard but I have found that it can be porous as well. Time will tell.

Water vs Wood

Wood and water just do not mix.  Cabinets will crack, expand, and contract when they are exposed to water and the worst-humidity!

Example of Paint Peeling/Water Damage

Keeping your humidity lower and consistent can be the best control of wood movement (this also includes wood floors).

Do you have MDF cabinets? Do you suffer from water damaged MDF cabinets?

Watch how we can repair your water damaged MDF cabinets.

Almost every kitchen has one enemy that is hard to beat-water. How kitchens are designed and used, water is ever present and ever ready to do some damage to your cabinets.

In the video, you will see some doors that had some really bad water damage. Admittedly, the customer knew they waited too long to get these fixed, but we were still able to make the repairs.

So how did we do it? Let the video below show…

As you will see there are several steps:

• Cleaning the cabinets
• Sanding/or cutting away the damaged parts
• Sealing the damaged areas
• Sanding
• Filling the damage with bondo or food filler
• Sanding
• Priming
• Paint
• Sand again
• Final coat of paint

Overall the process is pretty straightforward but it takes time and patience. If you are unsure how to make these repairs, let us know how we can help. The kitchen is the hub of the house-memories are made there! Don’t let unsightly cabinets ruin the fun of family time in the kitchen. We are here to help you love the house you live in.

Call to get started 847-553-1726 today! You can also receive a free estimate, just hit the green button at the top!

Did you know you can paint your cabinets? Do you have wood cabinets? Are you ready for a change in your kitchen? Then paint your cabinets!

We receive calls weekly from customers that have wood cabinets.  The number one complaint is that they do not like how their kitchen looks.  If your kitchen cabinets work and function, get a kitchen you want by painting your kitchen cabinets. We have hundreds of hours behind us to make sure you will get the look you want.

Our project was this: the kitchen that started out as honey oak stained cabinets.

Oak cabinets stained Honey Oak

Honey oak cabinets

If you have ever seen our past blogs or YouTube videos on cabinet painting, you will know our process. But I like to eliminate any confusion so let’s pretend you haven’t.

• The first thing we do is cover and protect. Countertops get wrapped in plastic and the floors will get covered in floor protector.
• Next, remove all door knobs, door pulls, screws or latches attached to the doors.
• Then, we number each door and record where they came from. As doors or drawers sit, they will move, bend a bit and conform to the cabinet box they are attached too. This means they may not exactly fit in another box so we have to make sure they go back where they came from.
• Now we remove all the doors.

Doors removed, counters and floors protected

Kitchen cabinets cleaned and counters protected

With all of the doors removed we clean! Again, our YouTube channel has a video on cleaning but here is the one from this job.

Once all of the surfaces are clean, they must be sanded. Use a degreaser and cleaner with 220 sandpaper, it has worked the best for us. Once sanded and clean then you have to clean again with denatured alcohol.

After you have done all the cleaning- start to apply primer! We have tinted the primer to have some white on the top of the cabinets and grey for the bottom.

Cabinet boxes painted. Protection added to new tile, counters, and floors

With all surfaces primed, we now start to paint. Two coats of paint are applied to the cabinet boxes, the underside of the cabinets, kickplates, and the front and back of each door. For this job, we removed the old knobs and handles and replaced them with new. You can see the picture with all of the doors replaced and new hardware installed. What do you think?

Oak cabinets with a two-tone paint job and new hardware installed

Now that you have seen them before, during and after, what do you think?

If you have any questions about painting your wood cabinets we are here to help! Call us to see what we can do to help you love the house you live in.

847-553-1726 or email us at david@dfrancofinishes.com

Oak cabinets with honey oak stain, now are painted with two colors and new hardware installed.

If you have kitchen cabinets, most likely they are wood and at some point, they will have water damage. At some point, you will ask “How can I fix the water damaged cabinets?”

Does this picture look anything like the problem you have? Water and wood are not exactly the best combination together.  In your kitchen, you have to be proactive to make sure this type of damage does not happen to your cabinets due to water. These images are all MDF cabinets that have been damaged.

The cabinets in these two pictures are more than the usual damage we see from the water.  This is what happens when you hang WET rags from the cabinet doors.

Once the water makes its way down the cabinet door, it settles either in the cabinet panel seams or in this case between the base trim and the base of the cabinets. Water caused the cabinet to swell and the glue broke open at the seams.

So How can you prevent this from happening to you?

• Avoid cleaning with excess water-use a 50/50 vinegar and water mix, wipe excess moisture away.
• If there is a spill clean it up! Don’t wait. this could result in damage to your floors as well.
• Do not use abrasive cleaning pads – if you would not clean it with your car don’t use it on your cabinets.
• Do a checkup! How often do you repaint or refinish your floors? Cabinets-especially those by your sink get 2-3 times more wear and tear than other areas of your home. Taking the time to call a cabinet refinishing professional to evaluate if the cabinets are worn or starting to deteriorate can prevent problems in the future.

How do you fix water damaged cabinets?

• Have someone inspect them for you.
• This could be a quick fix, by sanding the area, applying primer and matching paint.
• If you have MDF damaged cabinets-it gets tricky. You need oil-based primers, sealers, and a cabinet grade paint to resist the water.

If you think you may have some water damage to your cabinets -call and ask! Be sure.  Feel free to text or call us with what you are looking at, we are here to give you our experience on next steps to maintain the kitchen you love.

Call us at 847-553-1726 if you have any questions. We are here to help you.

Here are some other posts you may like to read on this subject:

Top 3 Problems With Painted Cabinets

Should I Refinish My Cabinet Doors or Replace Them

Repairing water damage to MDF cabinets

Are you considering refinishing a bathroom vanity?

If you are remodeling, moving into a new home, or just tired of the look of the vanity cabinets in your home, this blog is a quick before and after and what it takes to do it on your own or how you can reach us if it is something you are not ready to tackle.

While working in one of our last home redecorating projects, (with the help of  VARA design) the task was to refinish the bathroom vanity. New fixtures already in place, new granite installed, but the color of the vanity was not what the customers wanted not fit the new style of the home. So we had to do some cabinet refinishing.

Vanity and walls needing to be refinished.

First up, paint!

The walls being red, the first thing on the agenda was to paint the walls.

• We first removed all towel bars, toilet paper holders, mirrors, outlet/switch plate covers, and wall lights.
• Then we taped off the wood floor to protect it from any drips, accidental drips, as well as make clean up easy when we started sanding walls and the vanity.
• All of the walls were sanded, and small picture hanger holes were repaired.
• Once sanded, we dusted the walls with a wet rag and allowed them to dry.
• Then, we applied two coats of light grey paint.

With the walls down, we moved to the vanity cabinet to repaint it.

Painting a bathroom vanity

Grey walls and vanity refinishing in progress.

How to paint a vanity

The vanity was:

• Stripped of all hardware
• Removed all doors and drawers
• Cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner such as simple green TSP
• We masked off the granite
• Sanded all paintable surfaces with 220-grit sandpaper
• Then, the sanded areas were cleaned with a wet rag, allowed to dry, and wiped again with denatured alcohol.
• A coat of bonding primer was added (I like Duralac cabinet primer)
• Paint color was added (the same color as the walls, but we used cabinet-grade paint)

Once we painted the vanity and all its parts, we were reminded that the glazing needed to be done. So we broke out the glaze tinted as directed by the folks at VARA Design and set to glazing. Once dry, we added our favorite clear coat by Modern Masters. We have completed cabinet refinishing.

The bathroom vanity was refinished!

We added the drawers, hardware, outlet covers, and lights with everything dry, removed the tape, and took a picture. It is exactly what the client asked for. This project cost about 800 dollars, including materials and work.

So, what do you need refinishing? Kitchen cabinets? Furniture? Maybe a vanity of your own.

Give us a call at 847-553-1726 or Contact us on our page!

So you are going to paint a room? Thinking of having some wall coverings installed? Maybe textured wallpaper or grasscloth wallpaper?

Maybe when you did your search, your contractor also will be doing some cabinet touch-ups for you as well? Are you ready, and is your room ready for a contractor? Or maybe you don’t want to learn how to install wallpaper?

This blog is assuming a few things:

• You received other estimates, get 3.
• That the contractor has liability and workman’s comp insurance
• That you were able to find reviews on either Google, Houzz, or someplace such as Angie’s list, better would be if there were reviews on all of them.
• You have a contract in writing with details of the work to be performed

The date has been selected and as you look at your room, are things ready for work to start? Based on the questions below, what do you think? Are you ready?

• Are there any fragile items you do not want anyone to touch, mishandle or just get any dust on?
• Do you have bookshelves that would need a forklift to move out of the way? We normally move furniture that is relatively easy to move but if it loaded with knick-knacks and books we ask that it either be moved before we get there or have it so we can move it.
• Will there be any dust bunnies or dust large animals when furniture is being moved. We use sliders to move furniture out of the way, makes it easy. If there are amounts of dust, animal hair, it really is nice to have that gone before we use our drop cloths. We do wash the drops, but not having them filled with dust/hair etc helps us during the day.
• Are there any pictures on the wall? If so, will they stay where you have them? A good rule that has served our clients well is to take the pictures down and keep the nails on the wall where you want them to stay. If there are other holes we will fill them.
• Do you have any special hookups? By this, I mean a cable box that cannot be unplugged-tag it as such. Maybe an alarm sensor that cannot come off the wall to paint behind-let us know.
• Do your windows have special drapes or rods that need special tools to take them off, maybe you are changing out your curtains and or blinds so holes need to be fixed?
• Light and outlet covers, are they getting painted? I personally do not like them painted. I am not a fan of the look or feel of them, do not think they wash as well, and if they have to get repainted due to chips and scrapes they start to look cheap.
• If you are having wallpaper installed, the installers need the room to be room-ready for a contractor. When I say room, they need a good 8×8 area to use to set up a work table, have needed tools accessible, have the buckets of adhesive easy to reach, buckets of water to clean the walls, tables, and adhesive within reach.
• Air- this sounds odd, but paint, wallpaper primer, cleaners all have odors. They also need some air to dry properly. Closed off non-air circulating rooms will not only get hot to work in but be humid, and the odor from the products being used can be overwhelming to the homeowner, pets, and the contractors working. Being able to open windows, use ceiling fans, just turning on your furnace to circulate air will help everyone involved be more comfortable.
• What about cabinet touch-ups. We do some cleaning on site to remove cleaning products or fingerprints, but if the area to be worked on can free of spilled beverages, food, condiments, animal “stuff”, it makes things so that much smoother.

Armed with all of the above questions answered, you are ready to go and room ready for a contractor!  Enjoy the experience knowing you are getting what you want. 

If you have any questions or looking to get the wallpaper, cabinet refinishing done in your home, give us a call. We are here to help.