DIY Painting vs. Professional Cabinet Refinishing/Refacing
Giving your kitchen or bathroom cabinets a fresh new look is a popular home improvement project. Two common approaches are DIY painting or hiring professionals for refinishing/refacing. While DIY painting might seem like a quick and budget-friendly option and definitely someone could do. Professional refinishing or refacing offers distinct advantages in terms of quality, durability, and overall value. Let’s explore the pros and cons of each method to help you make the best decision.
DIY Painting
The Pros
- Lower Upfront Cost: Primarily saving on labor costs.
- Control Over the Process: You have complete control over the timeline and materials used.
- Temporary Fix: You are primarily focused on temporary cosmetic fix.
- Temporary Solution: The cabinets are in poor condition and you plan to replace them soon anyway.
The Cons
- Time-Consuming and Labor-Intensive: Proper preparation (cleaning, sanding, priming) is crucial and takes significant time and effort. Multiple coats of paint and drying time further extend the project.
- Not All Types of Cabinets Should Be Painted: Oak has a pronounced grain, so unless you are ok with the grain texture showing, they should not be painted. Laminate and Thermo-foil should not be painted especially if peeling or coming apart.
- Requires Skill and Precision: Achieving a smooth, even finish without brushstrokes, roller marks, stippling, shedding or drips requires practice and skill.
- Durability Issues: DIY paint jobs are often prone to chipping, peeling, and scratching, especially in high-use areas like kitchens. This is often due to inadequate preparation or using incorrect products.
- Limited Finish Options: Achieving specialized finishes (e.g., glazing, distressing) is difficult for most DIYers.
- Potential for Mistakes: Errors in preparation, inconsistent painting, or drying can lead to costly rework or even necessitate replacing the cabinets entirely.
- Mess and Disruption: Painting cabinets can be messy and disruptive to your daily life.
- Can Diminish Your Home Value: Having a finish on the cabinetry with brush strokes, chipping or peeling can detract from the home value.
Professional Refinishing/Refacing
The Pros
- Durable, Factory-Like Finish: Professionals use specialized equipment and techniques to achieve a smooth, durable finish that resists chipping, peeling, and scratching.
- Expert Preparation and Execution: Thorough cleaning, sanding, priming, and finishing ensure optimal adhesion and a flawless result.
- Wide Range of Finishes and Colors: Professionals can achieve various finishes, including stains, paints, glazes, and distressing techniques.
- Time Efficiency: The project is completed much faster, minimizing disruption to your home.
- Warranty and Guarantees: Many professionals offer warranties on their work, providing peace of mind.
- Increased Home Value: Refinishing and refacing can significantly increase your home’s value.
- Updated Hardware: New hardware further enhances the updated look.
- Refacing-Complete Style Transformation: Refacing allows you to change the style of your cabinets entirely by replacing doors and drawer fronts. This is also a great option if you have oak and do not want the grain to show, you can replace all the doors and drawer fronts with a new style and achieve a smooth finish.
P
The Cons
- Higher Upfront Cost than DIY: Hiring professionals does cost more than DIY painting as you are paying for professional quality and labor. However, refinishing and refacing is much less expensive than completely replacing all your cabinets.
The Bottom Line:
While DIY painting might seem appealing at first glance, the long-term costs and potential for problems often outweigh the initial savings. Professional refinishing or refacing offers a superior investment, providing a beautiful, durable, and long-lasting transformation that enhances the value of your home. Read more about our refinishing process and refacing process.