Discussions

Looking for advice from people who have tackled their honey oak kitchen cabinets.  
 
I am considering restaining just to spruce up the oak. Maybe go a slightly darker colour/tone. But I also like the look of cabinets that have been painted. I am thinking of doing it myself but wonder if there are companies that do this for you?  
 
Pros vs Cons of either process? I would love to hear your experiences/advice/dos and don’ts!

There are companies that do it: though I don’t know specifics.  
 
I’ve painted them from honey oak to white and here is my advice:  
-sand down as much as you can and wipe with TSP. I’ve tried scuffing them and over time they get so much use that the paint doesn’t stick. It’s best to do a lot of prep work.  
-pick good quality primer and paint that washes well. My favourite is the fresh start primer by Benjamin Moore and semi-gloss paint from there  
-if you can get ahold of a paint sprayer it’ll be easier than brushing and rolling  
-put handles on ASAP to lessen the amount of touching.  
 
Good luck! It’s worth it if done right but it is a lot of work!

I've painted cabinets before. A total pain, but a good way to give a facelift and extend the life of your existing cabinets without a lot of money.  
 
I also did a good sanding and washed with TSP. This step is critical - you won't get sufficient adhesion otherwise. The project is like 80% prep work, LOL.  
 
When it comes to cabinets and furniture generally, the tried and true paint type is melamine, but it's hard to find these days as it's not really an eco-friendly choice. It stinks, hard to clean up (I don't even try, I just used disposable everything and tossed it daily), and it has some pretty heavy-duty chemicals in it.  
 
BUT, melamine done correctly will last 10-15 years, and can be reapplied if needed. I've tried some of the newer substitutes based on the paint store's recommendations and have never been happy with the wearability despite following the recommended prep and application process. So do your research - there might be a better, more eco-friendly product out there now days but I haven't found it yet. Cabinets get a lot of wear and tear, so you want something that won't chip or wear too quick.  
 
Sanding it down and restaining will give you a nice finish with similar prep steps, and there's some good water-based stains and top coats (sealers) out there that are easier to work with. But it will probably be more coats (melamine will likely be 2-4 coats anyway, but stain will be 2-3 coats, then anywhere from 2 to 5 coats of top coat). But you also preserve the look of the wood, and you have the option of doing something like a pickle to change the colour but preserving the grain and giving you the same workability as the stain/top coat.  
 
That's my experience. I highly recommend you talk to a few different paint stores about their products to see if you can find what you want.

There is a Canadian brand of paint, Fusion Mineral Paint. If you are on Facebook, check out their page, called Paint it Beautiful. There are a lot of beautiful kitchen makeovers. I have used it on furniture but not on kitchen cabinets. Prep is a wash with TSP (Fusion makes a TSP alternative that does not need rinsed, and you don't need to wear gloves to use), scuff sand, then paint. Primer before the paint, only if you are worried about bleed through (use a shellac based primer) or if going from a dark to light color to use less coats of paint. Fusion has a top coat built in, but they also have a couple of products you can use for high traffic areas (Tough Coat for light colors, or Natural Stain and Finishing Oil for dark colors).  
Fusion also makes a Gel Stain. You don't need to strip back to bare wood, you can use it over the existing finish. So you could re-do your cabinets without having to strip them.