I visit with homeowners frequently about painting their cabinets. Inevitably, that cabinet color consultation turns into discussions about countertop options, backsplash thoughts, and flooring ideas. From that one project, you now have 4 more in the works.
A kitchen spruce-up can add some serious worth to a home. According to a recent article from This Old House, In the current real estate market you should be able to recoup 85-125% of your investment. It’s a tedious task but one that will be well worth it in the end.
Have you wanted to tackle this monster of a job but just weren’t sure where to start? Well, I’m about to give you the order of operation from the painter’s standpoint. The flooring specialist may have different ideas about where to start. In fact, this is actually a tough topic to tackle because each contractor has an opinion on the order of making a kitchen update happen. However, after years of experience, with lots of kitchen remodels under our belt, this is our recommendation. This information is based on a kitchen remodel, keeping the cabinets. If you are completely replacing cabinets your order of operations may change (in which case, flooring would be first, then cabinets).
To maximize your remodeling success and lessen the drama, you’ll want to follow our handy order of operations guide below.
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Countertop/sink/faucet: If you are planning to replace your countertops, thickness is something to keep in mind.
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Backsplash: Once the countertops are installed it is time to add the backsplash. You may realize that your backsplash area may have changed depending on the thickness of the new countertop and type of tile you are using for your project. This is the reason you want to wait until the countertops and backsplash projects are complete before you tackle the wall paint.
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Flooring: Reasons the flooring should be done before your cabinets are painted:
- The process of refinishing hardwoods produces a lot of dust. Dust is an issue as fresh paint can’t be wiped clean until it’s fully cured.
- The base shoe around the cabinets will need to be removed during the refinishing process. This will cause many touchups on the base shoe itself as well as the lower cabinets. If touchups on the cabinet are necessary, they will always look touched up.
- There are cure times involved. In order to cover the flooring properly, the floor will need to be fully cured so the tape won’t pull the coating off.
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Cabinet Paint or Stain
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Wall Paint
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Knobs, Pulls, Hinges, Light Fixtures, and Appliances. These finishes are the final touches on your remodel. Knobs and pulls, though small items, can play a significant roll in updating the look of a kitchen.
You’re all done!! Woo Hoo!!! Your renovation is completely finished. Way to go! Now it is time to sit back and celebrate your beautiful new kitchen. Pour yourself a glass of wine or cook your favorite meal for friends. No matter how much you handled alone or hired a professional contractor to do, you now have a beautiful place to make memories in and enjoy that will add some bank to your bottom line.
