Not Every Painter Is a cabinet painter....
Updated: Nov 30
Cabinet painting is a specialty......
Wall painting is not the same as cabinet painting. Cabinet painting is a whole different beast and requires a particular set of skills and equipment that not every painter has. I know there are plenty of excellent painters out there but ask yourself; would you let your wall painter paint your car? Think of your cabinets like you think about your car. They both take a particular type of paint specifically designed for them and they both require a specific type of prep and care.
A while back we were asked to do a consultation. She asked a lot of questions on the phone and said to be prepared to see her cabinets because the previous painter did not do a good job. When we showed up we were in shock. I asked if it would be ok to take pictures because I wanted proof of this nightmare that this sweet lady was going through.
The cheapest painter is rarely the best....
She had a basic kitchen from the 1960's but had decided to have the cabinets updated. She was advised to check on Home Advisor for a painter in her area and soon found someone. They quoted $800 to paint her cabinets and add some slide out shelves in the bottom drawers and she agreed.
From what we determined the painter didn't clean, they didn't sand, they didn't prime, and they used cheap latex paint. They didn't batch together the paint that was used so when they did touch ups the color didn't match.
From what we could determine the painter had never installed drawers in cabinets. They insisted on removing the center stile to make a large sliding out drawer which is something that can be done but they insisted that the 2 doors had to be attached together and created the Frankenstein monstrosity shown above which ruined several doors. Needless to say this was not necessary. With the right sliding drawers they could have avoided causing this damage.
Educate yourself on the cabinet refinishing process
When the painters were done they advised that the client owed an additional $2,000 for supplies and materials that she was never told about. Thankfully she refused to pay but now she is left with this mess.
Unfortunately we had to advise that all doors would have to be replaced due to the damage and that the boxes would have to be stripped down. A lot of work would need to be done to fix the damage and make her kitchen whole again. Although we ended up not being the right fit for her, we offered her tons of information on what to ask, what to look for, and what products were acceptable for her cabinets. She appreciated the advice and we hope she will be able to get her kitchen repaired and whole again.
I tell you this story as a warning because the cheapest painter is not always the best; you want to research and find the best cabinet refinisher for your project. You can review our Top 3 Things To Ask Your Cabinet Refinisher and use that as a starting point to help you find a reputable cabinet refinisher. We love keeping our clients informed and educated about the cabinet refinishing experience because they appreciate the work that goes into the project. Our goal is to help others avoid nightmares like this and I hope this post helps you with your cabinet refinishing project.
