Cabinet Refinishing San Jose CA breathes new life into your cabinets without a costly remodel. It’s a good choice for homeowners looking for a simple color change or historical preservation. However, it focuses on aesthetics and won’t fix structural or functional issues.
It’s important to understand the differences between refinishing and refacing. This will help you determine which option best suits your needs.
Staining
Staining is a good option for those looking to refresh existing cabinet doors and drawer fronts with a new color. It’s a cost-effective way to give your kitchen a facelift, and it works well on wood cabinets and those made of engineered or medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
Before staining your cabinets, you’ll want to prepare the surface by sanding it. Start with a medium-grit sandpaper, and then move on to a finer grit to smooth out any knicks or blemishes. After sanding, wipe down the cabinets with mineral spirits to remove any dirt or dust and to clean the surfaces.
Once the cabinets are ready for a new finish, you’ll need to apply two coats of gel stain. After each coat, you’ll need to wait a few hours for it to dry. Once it has, you can then reattach the cabinet doors and hardware. Before you do, though, it’s a good idea to label any screws or hinges in baggies so that you can easily find them again upon reinstallation.
Staining is great for those who love the natural look of their cabinetry, as it accentuates the grain and adds depth and richness. Stains are also more durable than painted finishes, and they’re less likely to chip or peel over time. If you’re looking for a more modern aesthetic, however, painting is the better choice.
While cabinet painting can be a DIY project, it’s important to work with a professional refinishing team like Furniture Medic to ensure that the job is done correctly and will stand the test of time. Our trained technicians use precision sprayers for a flawless finish, and we use high-quality products that dry quickly and last longer without cutting corners. This allows us to complete projects faster and cause fewer headaches for our clients. With the help of our skilled staff, you can get the beautiful kitchen you’ve always wanted without breaking your budget.
Painting
Cabinet refinishing and painting offer homeowners a quick visual refresh without the hassle or expense of complete renovations. Whether you want a total transformation or simply a simple color change, our cabinet painters will work with you to achieve the aesthetic you desire. Unlike refacing, the cabinet painting process requires less extensive prep and will give you results that last much longer.
During cabinet painting, we utilize a high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) paint sprayer to deliver even coverage across the entire surface area of your cabinets. This technique allows for a smooth, factory-like finish that is far superior to hand-painted finishes that leave prominent brush strokes. Once your cabinet doors and drawer fronts are painted, they will be sealed with Fusion Mineral Paint Ultra Guard, which is non-yellowing and reinforced with silica for added durability.
Painting for older or antique cabinets is a great option when you have a style that you love but need to update the color. Our painters are highly skilled and will use the highest quality materials to ensure a crisp, clean finished product.
Before painting, we will lightly sand your cabinets to prepare them for a new coat of paint. We will sand raised edges and corners and sand down any dings or dents that are still visible. Once your cabinets have been sanded and prepped, we will apply a primer to help the new finish adhere to the existing surface. This step is very important to ensure that your cabinets will hold up to the wear and tear of a busy kitchen.
Lastly, we will apply two coats of your choice of color to your cabinets. Between the primer and the final coat, we will allow your cabinets to dry for 24 to 48 hours before you are able to re-install your hardware and enjoy your new look!
Whichever update you choose, Furniture Medic’s expert cabinet technicians will work quickly and efficiently to minimize the amount of time that your cabinets are out of commission. Our refinishing team uses professional-grade tools and techniques to create a showroom-quality finish that will last for years. Contact us today to learn more about our cabinet refinishing services!
Glazing
There are a lot of decisions to make when you decide to reface or refinish your cabinets. Some of them involve the style of your doors and drawer fronts, color options, and more. Another decision involves the finishing techniques that are available for your project. Glazing and antiquing are both beautiful options for adding dimension and character to your cabinetry. However, they aren’t always the right choice for every aesthetic.
Painting is the most common way to update your cabinetry, but there are different finishes that can be achieved. The most popular is a sprayed finish, which is done using a high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) paint sprayer. This tool produces a smooth, factory-like finish that’s difficult to achieve with a brush.
This process also allows you to choose between a glossy or matte topcoat for your cabinetry. A gloss finish is shiny and reflective, which can lighten or brighten a room. A satin finish is more subtle and has a soft, non-glossy sheen. Both are durable and a great option for any kitchen, but it’s important to consider how these finishes will interact with your kitchen’s lighting and the rest of your design.
If you want a more traditional or rustic look, glazing may be the best choice for your cabinets. This technique accentuates the profiles, moldings, and edges of your cabinetry for a subtle, antiqued appearance. This style looks fantastic in farmhouse or cottage kitchens and pairs well with natural stone countertops and apron-front sinks.
Like staining, this isn’t a DIY-friendly project for most homeowners. It requires extensive preparation to ensure a flawless finish, and it can take up to 3-5 days for your cabinets to be fully ready. However, the results are worth it! Our skilled Omaha refinishing technicians can deliver a showroom-quality finish to your home.
Whether you opt for staining, painting, or glazing, you’ll have the flexibility to create a new look that perfectly suits your style and matches your kitchen’s existing architecture. If you’re interested in a complete design overhaul, but are worried about the expense or hassle of full cabinet refacing, we’ll be happy to discuss other remodeling solutions with you.
Refinishing
Cabinet refinishing involves stripping the original finish off your existing cabinets and applying a new stain or paint. It’s often cheaper and less time-consuming than a complete renovation, but it still can change the look of your cabinets dramatically. This is a great option for cabinets that have minor wear or cosmetic damage but are structurally sound.
Before beginning a refinishing project, it’s important to thoroughly clean and prep the piece. This includes sanding and using a degreaser to remove any dirt or grease. Harsh chemicals can also strip a finished piece, so it’s best to use natural cleaning products that are safe for wood. For antique furniture, it may be necessary to use a bit of water and lint free cloth to remove any grime or dust that has settled on intricate carvings or moldings.
Staining is a common choice for refinishing cabinetry. However, choosing the right color is essential. A light color will be easier to stain than a dark one, and it’s a good idea to choose a stain that is compatible with your existing cabinets’ current finish to avoid having the new stain chip or flake off.
Depending on the type of furniture you have, it may be wise to consider replacing certain components before attempting to refinish or reface it. This can be especially true for any hardware that’s worn out or doesn’t function properly. For example, if your drawer slides or hinges have become damaged or broken over time, replacing them with modern versions will help restore their functionality and ensure they continue to work well for everyday use.
Another factor to consider before refinishing an antique is whether the piece is actually made from solid wood or from a variety of different materials. If it’s made from pieces of various types of wood, for example mahogany and other rare wood fragments, the process can be much more challenging because the wood won’t take stains as easily as solid pine.
Refinishing can be done on cabinet boxes as well as their doors and drawer fronts, but it’s a better option for the latter since it’ll likely require replacement of the original door and drawer hardware to match the new finish. It’s also not the best solution if your cabinet boxes are in poor condition or have structural issues, such as misaligned doors or drawers.