Cabinets are a major part of our homes. They’re in our kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, and even in the laundry room! They have the ability to change the appearance and ambiance in any room. We want to be sure that we have quality cabinets that cater to our needs, and reflect our aesthetic sensibilities. There’s a multitude of things to consider such as material, costs, size, door styles and many more. One major consideration you likely have is the look and feel. Should I paint or stain my cabinets?

How Does It Look?

Most homeowners lean towards one or the other when it comes to cabinet finish. One of the most important deciding factors is which appeals to you more. Both stained and painted cabinets can look amazing depending how it’s implemented in the overall design style.

Painted cabinets offer a clean and sleek aesthetic. The thickness of paint does great at hiding the wood’s natural grain. This shifts the focus from the cabinet’s texture to its color. Going this route opens up a wide variety of color options, which can work with various interior design styles from traditional to ultra-modern. You can go for a calm and somber ambience with white, gray, beige, and other muted colors. You can also go the other extreme with bright and lively feel using rich yellows, reds, and the like.

Stained cabinets offer the complete opposite, and put the natural wood texture at the forefront. Allowing wood’s natural characteristics to show also gives your cabinets a lot of uniqueness and personality. This is because no two pieces of wood will have the exact same knots and grain pattern. Staining works best for wood species that show a lot of grain. Think of all those beautiful oak cabinets or walnut cabinets you’ve seen in magazines and showrooms. If you’re someone who prefers the appearance and warmth of wood, then staining is your best bet.

How Much Does It Cost?

When it comes to the question of cost, it depends not just on the finish, but also the cabinet’s base material. If we compare a stained oak cabinet and a painted oak cabinet, then we can see the difference more clearly. A painted finish costs about 10 to 20% more than a stained finish, depending if you go for a standard color or a custom color. This makes sense as painting is more labor and material intensive. You need about two coats of primer, two coats of paint, and a protective topcoat. Compare this to two coats of stain and protective finish. Painting also has higher equipment costs for the cabinet company to ensure a smooth and even finish. Overall, it’s harder to achieve a high-quality finish with painting, which leads it to cost more than staining.

As we’ve mentioned, however, you also have to look at the cabinet’s base material. For example medium density fiberboard (MDF) is a common low-cost option that takes paint very well, but doesn’t work very well with stain. In a vacuum, painting is more expensive than staining, but you can balance this against the base material. Don’t let the price of painting dissuade you. There’s more nuance to cabinet costs.

How Long Does It Last?

The last major consideration we’re looking at is the durability and ease of maintenance. When done well, both finishes will last a long time, but a stained finish will likely outlast a painted finish. On average, a painted cabinet finish will last about 10 years, while a stained cabinet finish lasts about 20 to 30 years. This is because stain moves with the wood when it expands and contracts. Paint does not. This makes paint more prone to cracks and hairline fractures. It’s less of an issue if you live in an area that has the more or less the same temperature year-round. The less temperature fluctuates, the less wood moves. However, if your home experiences freezing cold winters and blazing hot summers, then don’t be surprised if you see paint cracks.

It’s also easier to touch up stained cabinets. Even if you don’t find a touch-up marker in the exact same shade, natural knots and grain of the wood helps it blend in. It’s much harder to do the same for paint, especially if you picked a custom color for your cabinets.

Stained vs. Painted

It may seem like that stained cabinets have the edge over its painted counterparts, but it’s ultimately up to your preference and needs. If you’re the type who refreshes their home regularly, then the added longevity of staining isn’t such a game changer anymore. If you really want a pop of royal blue in your bedroom, then paint is the way to go. Some designers and homeowners even mix both together to achieve the best of both worlds. How you envision your home will ultimately be the deciding factor.

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