Four Signs Your Cabinets May Need New Stain, Enamel, or Paint
As cabinets experience wear and tear over time, whether in the bathroom, kitchen, or other spaces, you will start to see signs that the stain, enamel, or paint is breaking down. Sometimes you may not notice these signs because they appear slowly. Here are four signs that indicate your cabinets may need new stain, enamel, or paint.
Peeling
As cabinets age, the varnish, which protects stain on cabinets, can peel. Enamel and paint on cabinets can also peel. This is similar to when paint peels on a wall, but it looks different for cabinets. It often looks like a plastic film is peeling off the cabinet. It can look a little different depending on if your cabinets have stain, enamel, or paint.
If you see peeling, this means the covering, whether stain, enamel, or paint, is failing and no longer protecting the material of the cabinets. This exposes the material to damage, which could require replacing the cabinets.
Yellowing
You may notice your cabinets are starting to look yellow. This usually happens slowly, so it can be more difficult to notice than the other signs. Taking a moment to compare the color of the different cabinet doors in the space can help you determine if the cabinets are yellowing. You may notice that some cabinet doors are more yellow than others. This is a good indication that your cabinets need new stain, enamel, or paint.
Staining
Since cabinets are frequently touched, they can get stained over time by oil, dirt, and other debris on hands. Kitchen cabinets also often get splattered with food and need to be cleaned. If harsh chemicals are used to clean the food off the cabinets, it can cause stains. These stains usually look like dark spots. Staining can happen on cabinets that use stain, enamel, or paint. However, these stains typically appear faster on painted cabinets.
Surface Damage
If you are seeing that your cabinets have some surface damage, this is another sign it may be time to treat them to a fresh coat of stain, enamel, or paint. It’s common to see this type of damage on kitchen cabinets. You may see damage on the tops of frequently used drawers where people have placed utensils, pots, pans, or other kitchen items.
If a surface has physical damage, its stain, enamel, or paint will also inevitably be affected. The best way to deal with this damage is to fix it first and then apply new stain, enamel, or paint. It’s important to know that applying stain, enamel, or paint alone won’t fix the damage on the cabinet surface.
If you think your cabinets need new stain, enamel, or paint, JMJ Painters would be delighted to partner with you on the project. We can help you determine if your cabinets are showing these signs of wear and may need re-staining, re-enameling, or re-painting. You can schedule a free estimate online or by calling us at (612) 255-3351.