When it comes to cabinets, there is a great deal of debate over the finish of the cabinet. Should you go with a sleek, clean-looking paint, or should you simply stain the cabinet so that the wood maintains its natural beauty? While neither option is wrong, both cabinet finishes present their own unique challenges and benefits that should be properly weighed before spending the money on cabinets and materials.
So, let’s get into the minutiae of this debate: Which cabinet finish is better, painted or natural cabinets?
Painted Cabinets
Maybe you don’t want a traditional kitchen. You might be looking to do something revolutionary with your color scheme, or maybe you just want something that is sleek and uniform, creating a calming sense of order and peace in your kitchen. There is a lot to be said about which color of paint is best for your kitchen cabinets, but if you are looking for a modern feel with options and order, then painted cabinets are the way to go.
Pros of Painted Cabinets
When choosing painted cabinets vs natural cabinets, you may be swayed to go with painted cabinets because:
- Painted is going to provide you with the most options. Whether you want to go with muted and classy or wild and bright, painted cabinets provide the owner with more opportunities to get really creative with their cabinet decor.
- Painted cabinets lend themselves to more modern looks and have the tendency to be more classic. If you are trying to increase the return on investment of your home (your ROI), then painted cabinets will give you more options considering the type of clientele you might be trying to sell to.
Cons of Painted Cabinets
While painted cabinets can provide you with lots of options for a sleek, modern look, there are a few things that make working with painted cabinets more difficult, like:
- Paint jobs are significantly more difficult, and so they will generally cost more due to the need for more materials and the more intensive labor.
- Due to the difficulty of painting, painted cabinets are a lot less DIY friendly.
- Painted cabinets may not last as long as natural cabinets. Natural wood cabinets show much less wear and tear from normal use. Also, the paint does not move with the wood, thus causing potential cracks and chips in the paint job.
Natural Cabinets
There is a natural beauty to wood, and the look of unpainted, solid wood cabinets is a classic, timeless look that has lived through many fashion revolutions. Applying a simple stain to wooden cabinets can not only provide you with a stunning kitchen, but it also can increase the ROI of your home significantly.
Pros of Natural Cabinets
There are a number of reasons why you would choose to go with a natural cabinet, such as:
- Natural cabinets require less finish materials, thus making them not only a cheaper option for cabinetry but also one that is easier to do DIY, which could save you thousands.
- Natural cabinets are best for hardwood cabinets, as the stain applied to the natural wood will bring out all those wonderful patterns and textures of the wood.
- Natural cabinets are more durable than paint jobs and will generally last double and triple the lifespan of a paint job. This is largely because the stain shows much less wear & tear and moves better with expansion and contraction of the wood.
- There are now stains available that look nearly like a painted finish without the wear issues associated with a painted finish.
Cons of Natural Cabinets
With this in mind, there are a few downsides to going the natural route, like:
- Natural cabinets do not provide as much in the way of color customization. You are much more limited by the grain of the wood and type of stain you are using for differences in appearance.
- You can’t really do a natural look with any kind of non-wood cabinet, so MDF Board will have to be painted.
Hire a Custom Cabinet Builder in Perry, NY
Regardless of your choice of cabinets, Kustom Kabinetry can give you top-of-the-line, quality cabinets, natural or painted, that can fit your budget and drastically improve the value of your home. Call us today at (585) 237-3733 or use our online form to get a free estimate today. We love making dream cabinets come true, so let us give you your ideal house today.
