The days of the oak cabinet are fast becoming a thing of the past. The problem is, if you had a house built in the last 50 years it seems like you are stuck with the old oak look unless you decide to enamel the cabinets. Even with that solution you are stuck with issue of the wood grain shining through the naturally smooth, flawless finish of the oil based enamel; which is the preferred finish for cabinets. Oil based enamel is the top choice for it’s durability, it’s ease of maintenance, and the general aesthetic appeal. The one drawback of enameling cabinets is that enamel naturally accentuates any defects. Our one goal in mind when enameling is to make the surface defect free.
Re-Surfacing Kitchen Cabinets
What some might not realize is that wood grain is not just a coloring in the grain. If you were to take a closer look at the grain in the right lighting, the grain is actually a bunch of recessed grooves the travel the entire depth of the wood, making it impossible to sand the wood grain out before applying the topcoats. After applying the top coats, the enamel naturally follows the contours of the wood grain. This has been the one drawback of enameling oak cabinets.
So that doesn’t leave many options for the millions of homes with the oak cabinets. Sure, you can buy a new set of custom kitchen cabinets. This may be an option for some, but for the majority, this is way out of the budget. Then we have the re-facing option; another costly process. Even with these options, you are still going to have to add the cost of painting on top of the manufacturing and installation of the cabinets. This can end up costing you well into the 5-figures just to have that smooth, fresh look of enamel, which we all know is a new and lasting style.
We have another solution here at Minneapolis Painting Company; resurfacing. With our exclusive resurfacing technique, we essentially eliminate the unsightly grain from the oak cabinets. It makes oak look as smooth as birch or maple. The resurfacing process is very technical, but the effect is amazing. It takes the chaotic feel of the grain out and replaces it with the natural beauty of higher end paintable woods. Expectedly, it is more time consuming and labor intensive than the traditional paint job, but the transformation is nothing short of amazing. Every customer who has exercised the option has been left speechless in their kitchen, and everyone has said that they are so glad that they went this route as opposed to just painting. The Minneapolis Painting company team will take your door fronts to their off-site shop to do a majority of the work in the company shop, complete with spray booth and top of the line equipment for a finish that will leave you in awe of your kitchen. Be aware though, that the updated look may inspire you to start entertaining more and going out far less.
Our resurfacing techniques are not limited to just cabinets. We can also turn dated paneling into smooth, trendy, enameled paneling; or wainscoting. Let us update the old oak trim in your house and finally have that fresh white look that is so sought after now, and notice how the feel of the entire house is softened up.
If you are interested in the grain minimization/resurfacing service, contact the Minneapolis Painting Company for a free in home estimate, where you can see samples of the finished product next to the non-resurfaced cabinets.