Saving Old Solid Wood Painted Cabinets - Pics included.

17 years ago

My kitchen cabinets and I have a love hate relationship. They're floor to ceiling custom made. Completely solid wood with about 3 million bad coats of paint. Ok, ok. Probably at least 5 coats. 2 of which are my doing.

I've never been one to do things the right way and now I'm realizing it's costing me big time. I'm not a primer or sander. I slap paint on and regret it later. So this time, if possible, I'd like to do things right.

Now this is where I need your help. I know the right person could make these cabinets look great instead of blah. My mind just goes blank when I look at them. I don't know how to fix what's been done and if it's even worth it.

Here's a couple pictures so you can get an idea.

I'd love to be able to paint the walls, put in a new sink and counter top, install a new floor and avoid brand new cabinets.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to salvage these 5 coats of really bad paint cabinets?

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Comments (7)

Michael
17 years ago
Sandpaper, a lot of work which is exercise, a quality primer, a quality cabinet paint, a few nice color choices, some new hardware and you'll be amazed at what you can do to turn it around.

If you'd like my Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing Booklet, simply email me. It's free.

Michael
laurine97
17 years ago
If a client brought me this problem and they were on a budget, I might suggest just a light sanding to smooth out, cleaning well, and glazing to an antique look...maybe even give them a once-over with some nails and chains to distress. Going for an older look can save lot of elbow grease trying to get back down to the original finish.

Then TOPCOAT everything so you don't have durability issues and have to re-do all over again in 5 years.
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Quartersawn oak cabinets? Yummm! That is a rare treasure and you should play it up for all it's worth. It isn't a matter of what color will go with your cabinets, but rather, what color will best enhance the beauty of the wood. When you find the right tone, it will make your cabinets come alive with warmth. Blue will bring out your oak's orange tones, which I don't think you want. Blue and orange together can say "cheap" (meaning inexpensive). That's why Taco Time uses it. Yellow brings out the wood's orange and yellow tones and emphasizes an overall warmth, but often it can fail to enhance the wood. A medium green can be very complimentary to oak. Try greyed or olive tones if you love green. Terra cotta or pale orange draw out the orange tones, but can be so similar your cabs could get lost in the walls. Warm neutrals, such as taupe, mushroom, or khaki highlight the warmth of medium brown woods. I start out looking at brown tones, either light or dark, depending on your preferance. Try Benjamin Moore HC-39 Putnam Ivory. Also, have you looked in the taupes and browns thread in our gallery? When you find the right color, it will make your cabs come alive and sing out in harmony. You'll see. Don't stop until you find that and you'll always be glad you kept looking. Your home is adorable!
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walkin: You are so kind. I'm in so over my head with this paint project. What was I thinking? I must have been having a Martha Stewart moment. You know when you get this hair up your you know what and think "I can do this". Well at least now I know painting is not a career option. I was following your post about your DS. I hope all is still well. I went through a similar situation when my DS was 5 and poor thing had to endure 2 spinal taps within 10 ten days. It's the worst feeling to be so scared and helpless as a parent. I'm so glad to read he's back to his old self. On a happier note, isn't it a great feeling to walk into your re-designed rooms and just smile? I'm so happy for you!! Please post pictures!! I still get a kick walking into my family room. Enjoy!!! yayagal: I would rather get a root canal w/o novacain before calling him back. I just wanted him out of my house, he was beyond creepy and gross. He came highly recommended, I later found out the recomnendation was 5 years old. Oopss!! You are so sweet to reply and thank you for your kind words. I'll post pictures of the newly painted PR (give me a few weeks, due to painters lead time) ASAP.
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Teresa, I never post here. Rudeness seems to be the M.O. I was raised way better. i did a refresh on my very small galley kitchen. Repainted the cabinets, new hardware, ended up replacing the floor (big leak and mold) in that awful trendy grey wood look tile, and non stone (I used a lighter shade of wood look tile) counters. New appliances (cheap and black). No backsplash (what are those actually for anyway) other than the counter material going up about three inches. All together way less than $10,000. And my "art" comes from generic places too lol. DIYer is so not me. I am good at using my phone. I have an EXCELLENT handyman. Through Home Advisor. I also have used Handy for putting furniture together. i also lived in a very dysfunctional kitchen before my divorce. Raised seven children and entertained for all twenty five years. Parties of well over one hundred. In a very ordinary 1800 sq ft home. I miss every bit of that. I am glad you went ahead with YOUR plan. I hope to see photos soon!
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Ina Plassa_travis
17 years ago
love those cabinets - especially if they're actual wood :)

definately need proper hardware, though - new handles would change the look as much as painting them, really.

if you're planning on living in the house forever and ever and passing it on down to your children? bite the bullet, and strip the cabinets, boil the hinges clean, and start fresh.

if you're planning on living here for 20 years, and then retiring somewhere when the kids are out of college, and they don't think of this home as their castle?

I'd take the doors off, clean up the hinges, sand everything smooth, find nice pulls and such (hinges are hinges, most of the time, and replacing them gets you in to drilling yet more holes in things more often than not) paint the inside something stunning, consider NOT replacing the doors on those lower cabinets (I like open shelves for my serving pieces and everyday dishes) and by that time, you should have a better idea of what specifically you want to do with the kitchen, and can paint them something appropriate - and like Laur said, topcoat the dickens out of them
bud_wi
17 years ago
Boil the hinges? What does that do, over just cleaning them, as you said in the second alternative?

Are they to be boiled in plain water or in deteregent or something else?
niki090909
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm going to run it by my husband and we'll see what we decide from there. I'm not looking forward to the work, but I think I'm going to atleast give ti a try before I throw in the towel. Thanks again!
mahatmacat1
17 years ago
chinacat mentioned not replacing doors on lower cabs--I'd also suggest considering the opposite--not replacing the doors on the uppers, and getting pullouts for the lowers--from a functional point of view, much friendlier to aging knees...
mahatmacat1
17 years ago
I wrote a ps to this and it ended up as a thread--what I wanted to say was that if you decide to take the doors off the top or bottom, definitely keep them around for the future owners or your future change of heart. They're precious.

Saving Old Solid Wood Painted Cabinets - Pics included.

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Comments (7)

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