Cabinet Era - Kitchen Cabinets - Bathroom Vanity

Difference Between Painted and Stained Kitchen Cabinets

Replacing kitchen cabinets is a good way to increase the value of your home and make the room look better. A newly redesigned kitchen can be more efficient with the cabinet placement more to your liking. The choice between painting and staining depends on the effect you want when the kitchen is completed.

The Effects of Painting

Paint will hide flaws in the cabinets that are the characteristics of the wood. Different grain patterns and knots will be covered with quality paint. This leaves a finish that is smooth and will blend in with the rest of the kitchen.

There are a lot more color choices if you decide to go with paint. Most stains will just accent the wood with different shades, from a dark, medium, or lighter color. Paint is thicker and sticks to the wood instead of blending in as a stain does.

Paint costs more than stain and is harder to match the color if it becomes chipped or damaged. Unless you paint the cabinets yourself and have leftover paint, touch-ups will be more easily noticed. If you want your cabinets to look flawless with colors that you can’t get with stains, painting is the way to go.

Staining is for Wood Lovers

Wood has a natural beauty that shouldn’t be covered with paint. The stain will soak into the cabinets and accent the features that paint will cover up. If you have natural wood floors, stained cabinets will blend in better with the flooring.

If a stained cabinet becomes chipped or damaged, it is easier to touch-up than paint. Since each piece of wood takes stain a little different, blending a touch-up will not be noticed as easily. Staining usually cost less than painting, saving you close to 15 percent.

The Double Effect

By mixing stained and painted cabinets, you will be able to blend them in together for a 2 tone effect. Painting the outer cabinets while leaving the center one stained will result in a unique look that will give you the best of both worlds.

Designing a new kitchen cabinet layout can be helpful with a professional opinion. They will help with cabinet placement and give you ideas on painting and staining. With a choice of many different cabinet designs to choose from, an expert’s opinion can solve a lot of problems by helping you visualize the kitchen, and using chosen cabinet faces in the design. 

Humidity is also a big enemy to the durability of your cabinets. If it is too low, the cabinets will dry out and possibly constrict and crack. With the humidity too high, it’s possible the wood will warp, swell, and split. Controlling the humidity in the kitchen will lead to a lot longer cabinet life. For more information on how you can get the best cabinets for your home, contact Cabinet Era today!

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