Rental Property Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 876 votes
Redoing a couple of small kitchens. 20 years ago there was nothing wrong with basic light oak cabinets. Now everyone is doing painted, but I'm unconvinced that in 10 or 20 years it won't seem odd, and I'm also dubious how it will hold up. Wear and slight distresses on natural wood seems less shabby to me than chipped, flaking and discoloring paint. I have 12 year old semi-custom white thermofoil cabs in my own bath that the white painted carcasses are totally yellowed and disgusting.
So what do people think? These units rent ~$1700. If it were up to me I'd do middle tone natural shaker.
I am a painting contractor in addition to being an investor. I would stay with the stain/natural finish. As you note, paint will flake and chip. That often requires repainting all of the cabinets. Minor dings in stained cabinets can often be fixed with a dab of stain.
I am a painting contractor in addition to being an investor. I would stay with the stain/natural finish. As you note, paint will flake and chip. That often requires repainting all of the cabinets. Minor dings in stained cabinets can often be fixed with a dab of stain.
@Johann Jells I hate painting any woodwork that has been stained and finished-shellac, varnish or oil. I just know it is not right and I will regret it down the road. Once it is painted you can't unpaint it.
@Johann Jells I hate painting any woodwork that has been stained and finished-shellac, varnish or oil. I just know it is not right and I will regret it down the road. Once it is painted you can't unpaint it.
I meant buying new painted cabinets not painting old ones. It seems that most new kitchens these days are painted cabinets.
My gut says this is just designers trying to justify their existence. Just like they've now downgraded granite to lowbrow and to be cool you need synthetic quartz or some other countertop. Remember Corian? A completely stupid material for a counter that could scratch, stain and burn.
I don't think that it's just designers pushing the idea of painted cabinets. Much of my painting work is in high end homes, and they often have cabinets with dark stain. It can make the kitchen seem smaller, and if the client is replacing the countertops, stained wood may not work. They often want to brighten up the kitchen, and that is easier done with paint. As a contractor, I tend to like painted cabinets (we also stain them) because of my clientele. As an investor, I prefer stained. Very different contexts.
@Johann Jells I’d go with a light oak. Oak for the durability, light stain for brightness in the unit.
My preferred vendor of flatpack cabs Fabuwood has 23 door styles, only like 3 of them stained finish, all of those are dark. Light oak is so passe! I may have to give up my refusal to use pressboard and go with Ikea. At least if the doors get damaged I can simply buy replacements rather than needing to buy the whole cabinet.