Cabinet Refinishing In Lehigh County

Cabinet Refinishing in Lehigh County, PA

Kitchen cabinets take more daily contact than almost any other surface in a home. Hands land on them at every meal, every load of dishes, every time someone reaches for a mug before the coffee's even made. That kind of constant handling is why cabinet finishes wear out faster than walls or trim ever do, and it's why refinishing a kitchen calls for a different approach than rolling paint on a bedroom.

Refinishing or Replacing? Here's the Real Difference

Replacing kitchen cabinets means paying for new boxes, doors and hardware, and then for the installation. Refinishing the cabinets already in your kitchen costs a fraction of that, and it's the right move whenever the boxes themselves are still square, solid, and free of water damage underneath. Most of the time what's actually wrong isn't the structure, it's a finish that's gone yellow, chipped at the corners, or stopped matching the rest of the room years ago.

That said, refinishing isn't the answer for every kitchen. Swollen particleboard from a dishwasher leak, water damage under the sink, or doors that have warped out of square all need to be repaired or replaced before a new finish goes anywhere near them. We'll always tell you straight if that's what's going on rather than quoting refinishing work that's only going to mask the problem for a year or two.

What We Refinish

Cabinets and built ins we have refinished for customers:

• Kitchen cabinet doors, drawer fronts and frames
• Bathroom cabinets
• Basement bar cabinets and built ins
• Mudroom built ins and a bookcase
• An entertainment center

If your cabinets are structurally sound but the finish is dragging the whole kitchen down, refinishing is usually the more practical fix. Reach out and we can set up a time to come take a look.

How a Cabinet Job Goes

1. Walkthrough and a written price. We look at the cabinets with you, plan the color and sheen, and price the job per opening, meaning each door or drawer. The price is in writing before anything is scheduled.
2. Doors off. Doors and drawers are numbered and removed and the hardware comes off, so everything goes back where it came from.
3. Prep. Doors and frames are sanded, old holes are filled and gaps are caulked.
4. Primer. A bonding primer goes on first: Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond or Extreme Block, or a shellac or oil primer when the surface calls for it.
5. Two coats. Most of our cabinet jobs are finished in Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane, two coats, with the doors sprayed and the frames painted. Satin is the usual sheen, and semi-gloss or gloss is there if you want it.
6. Back together. The doors are re-hung and the hardware goes back on, or new handles and hinges go in if you want them.

Why the Finish Matters More Than the Color

Cabinets near a stove build up a thin film of cooking grease that's nearly invisible until paint tries to stick to it and starts lifting a few months later instead. That's why every door and frame is cleaned and sanded before primer touches it, and why the primer is a bonding primer made for cabinets, not wall primer.

From there, the products matter as much as the prep. Cabinet doors get gripped, opened, and closed thousands of times a year, so they need a harder, more chemical-resistant finish than what goes on a wall. We spray cabinet-grade finishes rather than brushing them on, which lays down smoother and avoids the brush marks that show up fast under kitchen lighting, since cabinets get viewed up close, every day, in a way most painted surfaces never do.

Cabinet Refinishing Questions

How do you price cabinet refinishing?

Per opening, meaning each door or drawer, after we walk the kitchen with you. The price is in writing before anything is scheduled.

What paint do you use on cabinets?

Most of our cabinet jobs get two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane over a bonding primer. Satin is the usual sheen, with semi-gloss or gloss on request.

Can you paint the inside of the cabinets or change the hardware?

Yes, on request. We have sanded, primed and painted cabinet interiors, put on new handles and hinges, and added magnetic strips where doors needed them.

Do you refinish more than kitchens?

Yes. Along with kitchens we have refinished bathroom cabinets, basement bar cabinets and built ins, a bookcase, mudroom built ins and an entertainment center.

Free Estimate

Tell Us About Your Project

Send the details and John will get back to you to set up a free estimate. If it is easier to talk it through, call or text (484) 705-4316.

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Painting Project!