Standard Kitchen Cabinets: Stain, Paint, or Replace?

Are you wondering if your standard kitchen cabinets need an upgrade? You can go with the most expensive route of replacing your cabinets entirely, but you can also get away with staining and painting to give your cabinets the upgrade they need. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide whether you should stain paint or replace your cabinets.

When to Stain:

If you are looking to highlight the natural wood of your cabinets and the material is still in decent shape, staining is a good option to show off the natural wood. You typically only need about two coats of stain on cabinets. If you leave the stain sit on the cabinet for 5-10 minutes, it will darken more than if you wipe immediately after applying. Too much will stain will not only darken the cabinet but may not be able to dry properly.

Make prep/clean cabinets and remove any hardware pieces prior to staining. If your cabinets feel sticky and aren’t drying properly, you can apply another coat and wipe it off immediately, or coat the cabinet with mineral spirits.

When to Paint:

Adding a fresh coat of paint to your standard kitchen cabinets can spruce up your kitchen. This is a good option if again, your cabinets are in decent shape but need a revamp. You can apply paint to wooden cabinets to give them an update, no matter if they were stained or painted previously. Painting will change the color of wood cabinets so keep this in mind and stain cabinets instead to highlight the wood finish.

When to Replace:

Staining or repainting your standard kitchen cabinets is a great option if you are looking for surface protection. However, if your cabinets are falling apart then replacement is the necessary action. Any structural issues with your cabinets is the sign that replacing is needed soon. You can search for new kitchen cabinets at a local kitchen or bath showroom or browse products online. Replacing kitchen cabinets requires a fair amount of planning and decision making. Make sure to do proper research or ask your local kitchen and bath showroom expert to cover things like size, aesthetic, and installation.

Conclusion:

If your cabinets do not have structural integrity issues, you can save money by staining or painting your standard kitchen cabinets. If there are structural integrity issues with your cabinets, then replacing cabinets entirely is the way to go. Weinstein Bath & Kitchen Showroom in Broomall can work with you to complete your cabinet installation project. You can schedule an appointment or get in touch with a team member at (phone number).