Should You Stain or Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets? 

Kitchens can be one of the hardest rooms to update in the entire house. Because a kitchen remodel can be a particularly hefty expense, you want to be sure you get it done right the first time. This is especially true when it comes to your cabinets, since they take up a fair bit of wall space.

Luckily, you don’t always need to rip the cabinets off the walls and fully replace them, even if you’re changing your backsplash, appliances and countertops. If your cabinets are sturdy, you may be better off completely revitalizing them with a splash of paint or stain for a fraction of the cost. Which option you choose is going to depend on your existing cabinets and your personal sense of style.

This should be your first consideration when deciding to redo your cabinets because some cabinet materials take better to paint or stain than others. Paint adheres especially well to:

 · Plywood

 · Medium density fiberboard (MDF)

 · Poplar wood

However, you can potentially paint any wood that you want. Just be aware that the texture of certain woods may show through the paint.

By contrast, stains only work well on woods. Choose porous woods with a distinctive grain pattern for the best results. Popular woods for staining include:

 · White oak

 · Red oak

 · Ash

 · Chestnut

Hard maple, cherry, birch and pine may present some difficulties in the staining department. If your cabinet is made of these woods, you may wish to utilize the natural color of the wood or paint over your cabinets.

The thick consistency of paint allows for the application of sleek, solid colors to all types of cabinet materials. This is helpful for those seeking a crisp and modern look unmarred by the imperfections of stained wood cabinets. Several layers of primer and paint will ensure a brighter and truer pop of color. If you’re designing an all-white kitchen or want your cabinets to be a unique color like green or blue, paint is likely the best way to go.

Staining is better at creating richer, more varied colors. The natural whorls of wood grain will be enhanced by the stain, giving your cabinets a purposefully imperfect appearance with a lot of character and charm.

Although you can stain your cabinets white, gray or a bright color, you cannot achieve the same uniform color with stain that you can with paint. With stains, colors tend to look more muted, inconsistent or even washed out. Keep in mind that the natural undertones of the wood will affect the final color of your cabinets, regardless of stain.

The texture and finish of a painted cabinet depends largely upon the method of application. Most professionals will spray the paint across the surface of the cabinet for a uniform look. However, cabinets can also be hand painted with a brush. This results in a more uneven application, but may be necessary when trying to achieve a specific old-world or rustic look.

A stain brings out the natural texture of your wood, including variations in grain pattern, scratches and knobs. Cabinets must be sanded down before stain is applied to minimize unwanted blemishes.

This is one area where staining beats out painting every time. When cabinets are spray painted, it can be difficult to subtly cover up scratches or dings. This is partially because a brushstroke stands out starkly against a non-textured background, but it’s also because you may not have access to the original paint color. While you can try a paint match at the store, they might not have the exact hue you need.

Stains, on the other hand, are easily maintained with a stain marker or touch-up pen. These nifty little markers make scratches virtually disappear and come in a variety of colors, one of which is likely to suit your wood cabinets.

Your kitchen is the heart of your home, so you can’t leave it in just anyone’s hands – and that may include your own. Both painting and staining are arduous, time-consuming processes. Just one slip-up with sanding or paint application can ruin your beautiful cabinetry.

At Arizona’s Best Family Painting, our team has the experience needed to refinish your kitchen cabinets for a flawless look. Our high-quality paints will hold up against the wear and tear of a bustling kitchen. Visit our gallery page to see our results for yourself.

If you’re ready to breathe some life back into your kitchen, give us a call and get your FREE quote at (602) 606-2200.