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Question about painting cabinets

9 years ago

I think I want to have the cabinets in one of the bathrooms in our new build painted a light gray. The floor, countertop will be carerra, clawfoot tub. I've never had cabinets painted before, so I'm clueless to the process. I'm worried they will "look painted." Am I suppose to order a certain type of cabinet, what type of paint, etc? I just picture glossy, streaky cabinets that look painted. I'm sure my builder will know what he's doing, but I wanted to ask here. I've attached a pic of a color I like. Thanks

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Comments (5)

bbstx
9 years ago
All of my cabinets are painted in my new house. They are not glossy. I suppose the cabinetmaker used a satin finish. Also, they are not streaky. They were spray painted in the cabinet shop before they were installed.

They did have the slightest bit of roughness when they were first installed. I complained. The cabinetmaker sent his field crew out. They used brown paper bags to smooth them down. I thought they were nuts when they said that was what they were going to do, but it worked!

My builder had me meet with his cabinet sub. I just told him I wanted a painted finish. He did all the rest. I, of course, had to choose the color I wanted.

Don't worry your builder and your cabinetmaker will walk you through it.
User
9 years ago
Painted cabinets doesn't use paint like you'd buy from a paint store. It's a tinted high solids lacquer (sprayed) that then is clear coated with a conversion varnish. All done and cured in a specialty clean room with no dust or bugs. Or, it should be if you're dealing with a reputable cabinet manufacturer or true custom maker and not a site built hack.
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I have dining room chairs that are almost exactly like yours. Mine are gorgeous cherry wood and the only difference is my back dips down where yours curves up. I wouldn't paint them, the wood is gorgeous. Mine are sturdy as all get out. The set you posted is cheap on Craigslist because folks don't want "brown" formal furniture anymore. I have seen pictures and decorating shows that have those kind of chairs painted and considered painting mine. I decided if it ain't broke don't fix it. I am going with their beauty and positive aspects in my dining room. There's something cool about formal dining rooms. But if you don't like that look at all, why buy formal dining chairs and try to change them? Buy something informal that is made to look informal instead of trying to put a round peg into a square hole. On the flips side, my wood looks good, but if that set has old worn crappy finish then painting is not that much of a tragedy. Oh, and P.S. if you don't want the ones without arms, I would take them in a heartbeat, but I don't know where you live, probably too far away. I don't like the look of mismatched chairs and I am two armless chairs short for my set. My DR is too small for the armed chairs and I am thinking about taking off the arms of mine, but if I move I might regret it. Here's a photo of mine. Of course they will be recovered when I get the time. Those shorter modern ones I would paint in the heartbeat, the wood is nothing special. I'm not painting them because I intend to eventually rotate them out. These photos are just ones I posted for ideas on how to redo my dining room. It's not how I envision it right now, it is a work in progress.
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jackson2348
9 years ago
Ha! All the cabinets in our new house were site built by our extremely talented (hack) trim carpenter, then finished on site by our extremely talented (hack) paint crew. They look awesome. They are smooth and have a beautiful satin finish. The below pic is the only one on my phone, but you get the idea.

There are many, many different means to an end. What is customary in one area of the country may not be in another area. For example, my area has no tract builders. None. All the residential builders are local. Also, interestingly, they all, at every price point, use site built and finished cabinetry.

Chloe, I don't know what's the preferred method in your area, but I'm sure you'll be able to get beautiful painted cabinetry, whichever way your builder does things.
bbstx
9 years ago
In our area, site-built vs shop-built is locale-driven, very locale-driven. Where I live, most cabinets are shop built, even for the priciest houses. Two hours away, my nephew owns a hardware supply company. He tells me that there, most cabinets, except in the lower price ranges, are site-built.

Like jackson2348, there are no major/nationwide/regional house builders in our area.
jackson2348
9 years ago
Bbstx, your nephew and neice are great friends of ours, I think. Is it RSH? He's got all our hardware for the new house waiting as we speak.

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