Cabinet Painting & Refinishing Services in Denver

What Separates Professional Cabinet Painting From a Cheap Cabinet Paint Job?

The biggest difference is everything that happens before the paint is applied. Preparation is the biggest factor and it’s the easiest to skip and overlook, because you won’t notice poor prep work till it’s too late and paint is peeling a few months later. Then fixing it becomes a time-consuming and costly fix, since it will require extra sanding, more application and more paint.  Yikes!

 What makes us professionals is the preparation that goes into the project before paint is applied.  Preparation is key when it comes to a smooth long lasting factory finish. Our process includes cleaning the cabinets and degreasing thoroughly, sanding with a fine grit sanding sponge, applying a high-bonding primer and sanding between each coat. A good cabinet job will require at least 2-3 coats of paint that is sprayed on professionally.  Brush marks, roller texture, drips and uneven finishes are hard to ignore once you see them. For a smooth factory finish an experienced spray painter is a must for cabinet painting in Denver.

The product matters too. We do not use ordinary wall and trim paint on cabinets. Cabinets are constantly touched, cleaned and used every day, so they need a coating made for that kind of wear and that is easy to clean.

What is your exact cabinet preparation process?

Cabinet painting is detailed work. We have developed a process that gives us the ultimate control over the finish while protecting the rest of your kitchen. We start by removing the cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware while labeling each part to keep things nice and organized. Then we build an onsite spray booth that is enclosed with a filtered air system designed to pull contaminants from the air.

Before spraying begins we mask all exposed areas of the kitchen carefully. Countertops, floors, walls, ceilings, appliances, hanging lights and surrounding surfaces are protected with masking paper, plastic and tape. This step alone is a one-to-two-day process depending on the size of the kitchen.

Then the cabinet preparation begins.

We clean and degrease the surfaces. Every paintable surface is sanded with a fine-grit sanding sponge and cleaned again with a tack cloth.

Next comes a coat of high-bonding primer- a must have. After the primer dries, we sand again and clean the surface before spraying the first coat of cabinet finish.

Then we repeat the process.

The cabinets are sanded and cleaned again before the final finish coat is sprayed.

Once everything dries, we reinstall the hardware, doors and drawer fronts, remove the masking and clean the space.

It’s a lot of preparation. That is intentional.

We Spray Cabinets for a Smoother Finish

The primer and paint all get applied by spray application including the cabinet boxes.

Learning to spray cabinetry consistently takes time. A painter needs to understand spray technique, material flow, and how the coating behaves on the surface. This is where an experienced cabinet painter is very much needed to get the job done right the first time.

What primer and cabinet paint/products do we use?

We prefer a specific primer through a manufacturer called Insl-x, who is owned by Benjamin Moore, and the primer is called ‘Stix’, which is a very high bonding primer that sands to a nice smooth finish.  The cabinet finish we prefer right now is a Sherwin Williams product called ‘Gallery Series’, which dries quickly, and is smooth and durable like a lacquer finish.

Products change over time, and we are always paying attention to what performs well. We use products based on our experience with them and never use low-quality general paint. We value high-quality products we are not interested in cutting cost because in the end cheaper cost more later.

What cabinet problems do you commonly find in Denver homes?

After painting cabinets for three decades throughout Denver, we see some of the same problems repeatedly.

One is lower-grade cabinet paint the causes the wood underneath to swell after repeated exposure to water. Areas around the sink and other sources of moisture often need extra attention before we start painting.

We also come across cabinets that were painted previously and are now peeling. Sometimes the previous coating has failed badly enough that we need to strip it before moving forward. Painting over a failing coating does not fix the problem underneath.

Oak also presents another challenge because of the pronounced grain. Two coats of primer, and two coats of finish make the grain much less noticeable. We explain this before starting the project, so homeowners know what to expect. If you’re wanting the ultimate smooth finish and to see no grain, then wood-grain filler is another option. This process is more labor intensive, but the finished product creates cabinets that look smooth and brand new, as if they were never painted.

Going from Dark Cabinets to White

Changing dark or reddish cabinets to white is one of the more dramatic kitchen transformations that we have much experience with.

Primer is your friend here. Primer plays a major role in these color changes.

For a drastic change from dark to a light finish typically requires two coats of primer before applying the finish coats.

We repair Cabinets Before Painting Them

Painting alone will not hide every problem with an existing cabinet. When repairs are needed, we address them before painting.

We commonly fix everyday wear and tear, damaged areas from water, gouges, scratches, open wood knots and cabinet doors that have started to sag or fall out of alignment.

New Cabinet Hardware

We can also help homeowners update their cabinet hardware. New hardware details can be the wow detail you need in your kitchen. We can also change the location of the holes for pulls and knobs in case the client decides they’d like a different size.  This requires Bondo to patch the old holes, then we drill new holes to the size of the new pulls. We generally retain the existing hinges rather than replacing them.

How Long Does Cabinet Painting Take?

Plan 3 days for a small kitchen, 4-5 days for a larger kitchen and upwards of a week and a half for a very large kitchen. Most kitchens average 5 days altogether.

We would rather spend the necessary time preparing the cabinets than rush through the part of the job that determines the quality of finish.

What do you do inside the customer’s house to control dust, overspray, and disruption?  

There’s no way around the disruption, though the kitchen is still usable once we leave for the day.  You will still have access to your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and counter-top use (though we suggest maybe eating out or ordering food during the project).  We completely mask off the kitchen area to contain dust, and everything gets covered with tape, masking plastic and masking paper before we apply any coatings.

Cabinet Painting vs. Replacement

We start with an honest conversation with homeowners who are deciding whether their existing cabinets are worth painting or whether they should replace everything.

Often cabinets that are in good condition will always be worth keeping. Painting and new hardware can drastically change the look and feel of your kitchen at a more affordable price.

Roughly how much less expensive is painting compared with replacing good cabinets?

We’ve seen people spend $5,000 on replacing cabinets and I’ve seen people spend over $100,000 on top end cabinets.  Also, when you replace your cabinets, it snowballs into also replacing countertops, backsplash, flooring, appliances and anything else that applies to a kitchen remodel.  Not only the money spent, but the time it takes to paint cabinets vs. a kitchen remodel is a fraction of the time.

A Cabinet Transformation We still Remember in Hilltop

One of our more memorable cabinet projects was in Denver’s Hilltop neighborhood.

The kitchen had rustic stained alder cabinets, whish has a lot of natural knots. Those knots looked appropriate with the original stained finish but they became much more noticeable once the cabinets were going to be painted.

We did not just prime over them and hope they would disappear.

Our painters spent about two days working through the cabinets and filling the wood knots with Bondo to create a smoother surface before painting.

That project is a good example of why cabinet painting requires judgment. Prearation changes from one kitchen to another based on the wood, existing finish, damage and final appearance the homeowner wants.

Free Professional Cabinet Color Consultation

Choosing cabinet colors is harder than most homeowners expect. There are thousands of options, and cabinet colors interact with counter tops, flooring, backsplash, wall colors lighting and furniture. That’s a lot to think about and we want to make sure you are happy with the colors. That is why offer a free designer color consultation on all projects over $3,000. If you’re project is less than that we still discount the consultation to $250. Our color consultant usually charges $500 for this service, so it’s an excellent value.

Cabinet Painting Financing. Flexible terms and low monthly payments. For individuals who qualify there is a 0% for 12 months option

The kitchen is my favorite room to be in and “have you ever noticed that’s where the party tends to happen?” I want that room to look its best and it’s the number one thing that makes a home look amazing.

So don’t wait to get the kitchen of your dreams! Consider financing to spread the payments out and to pay on your own terms. We make it possible to get that high-quality lasting job at a price that is more doable and we are always open to price matching comparable bids (rules apply). We also discuss your budget and will help go over all your options so please come to us with all your questions and concerns. We want our customers to be happy and we only collect the bulk of the payment at the end (some material fees upfront) when the job is complete and your fully satisfied with the work.

Why Hire us?

We have been trusted with cabinet painting in Denver since 1995. We have 30 years of experience and are fully insured. All workers complete background checks too. Most of our painters have been with us for years and are very experienced. Some have 20 years of experience under their belt. Yes 20 years!

Painting cabinets is one of the most precise, knowledgeable skills you can have as a painter.  One false step and the product will fail everywhere, and you will see it everyday since it’s in your kitchen.  It takes months to years to understand and learn how to spray a perfectly smooth finish consistently.  And you need someone that knows the right products – not someone that’s going to go with a cheap primer and cabinet finish.  Redoing cabinets that aren’t done correctly the first time can end up costing 4x the amount of the original cost, so buyer beware! Hire a professional the first time I promise you won’t regret hiring, it’s very difficult to do.