QUESTIONNAIRE: Is it Better to Paint or Restain Wood Cabinets

ARE PAINTED CABINETS BETTER THAN STAINED?

I love most 1990s oak cabinets. Crazy right? I know that 90% of you curse your oak, maple, or cherry cabinets from the 90s and early 2000s, while the remaining 10% love ’em and wouldn’t let a lick of paint go near them!

And it’s not that I don’t understand both sides; I do, having oak cabinets in our own home. HOWEVER, not all wood cabinets are created equal.

Remember…

Just because it’s wood doesn’t mean it’s good.

What does this mean?

This means that just because your cabinets are solid wood doesn’t mean they look good (insert angry husband emoji HERE). 

Based on my experience, more men love to keep their wood cabinets, whereas many women are a bit more inclined to paint them. If I hadn’t encountered this literally HUNDREDS OF TIMES in my daily Online Color Consulting work, I wouldn’t mention it…some men are sensitive about their wood (wink wink).

Now these are some DAMN pretty cabinets! 

Now. Before we get started with the questionnaire, these two questions could give you a quick answer…

1. WHAT STYLE OF CABINET DOOR DO YOU HAVE?

a. RAISED OR RECESSED PANEL/SHAKER

b. SLAB

c. ARCHED, CURVED, OR CATHEDRAL (either just the top edge or both top and bottom)

TOP LEFT raised panel – TOP RIGHT recessed panel – BOTTOM LEFT double cathedral – BOTTOM RIGHT arched

2. WHAT CONDITION ARE YOUR CABINETS IN?

There can be a big difference between cabinets that are in great shape and those that need a little work…

As it relates to your cabinets, which of the following applies…

a. They’re in GREAT CONDITION; they just need a basic cleaning.

b. They’re in GOOD CONDITION but need some stain touch-ups and cleaning.

c. They NEED SOME LOVE (refinishing of some sort needs to be done on a larger scale).

If your stained cabinets need some TLC, consider the cost/labor of staining vs painting. Also, decide whether the effort to refinish them is worth it if they will still look dated based on the other factors involved (hinge style/flooring/surrounding finishes/current trends, etc.)

Restaining cabinets is labor-intensive and expensive if you don’t do it yourself. Don’t get me wrong; painting is labor-intensive and expensive too, but it doesn’t hold a candle to restaining.

And in the end, if your cabinets don’t have the STYLE factors needed to look updated, a fresh coat of stain might not move you ahead – you’ll have done all that work for the same result – an outdated-looking kitchen.

DID YOU CHOOSE ‘C’ FOR BOTH QUESTIONS?

You’re welcome to do the questionnaire, but you may want to scroll down to the ‘MOSTLY Cs’ section. That’s right; the above two questions supersede ALL OF THE QUESTIONS BELOW because if you have arched, curved, or cathedral-style cabinet doors, no stain color will update them.

Sometimes, even paint can only take them so far, but it can be a step in the right direction.

At the end of the day, if your cabinets need to be completely rehabbed anyway, paint is likely the best way forward for an UPDATED MODERN look.

THE QUESTIONNAIRE: PAINT OR STAIN…

Is it better to paint or stain your wood cabinets? After finishing this questionnaire, you’ll have a better idea of what you should do. While this isn’t the holy grail for deciding what to do (you get the final decision), it will help you understand WHY stain or paint could be the best finish for you, your cabinets, and your home, regardless of what’s trendy.

Pick the best answer for you and your cabinets (even if it’s not bang-on)…

1. WHAT TYPE OF HINGES DO YOUR KITCHEN CABINETS HAVE?

A. Totally hidden

B. Partially exposed

C. Full-exposure (oh, you dirty bird)

2. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR STAINED CABINETS (referring to general stain color)?

A. Kind of a muted ‘brown’ color with a bit of warmth/color, but nothing overpowering

B. A stronger warm tone, but it coordinates with the surrounding space (i.e., flooring/trim/furniture)

C. A strong yellow, orange, red, or pickled (pink) finish

3. HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN ON STAYING IN YOUR HOME?

A. We’re going to have to drag you out

B. You don’t know, maybe the next four or five years?

C. No more than one or two years

4. HOW UPDATED IS THE REST OF YOUR HOME?

A. It’s not very updated; it still has outdated wood-stained trims*, doors, and other finishes that could be updated – and you don’t plan on doing them all!

B. It’s somewhat updated, but you still have more to do, and you WILL be doing it!

C. It’s pretty updated

*Not all wood trims/doors are outdated, but those from the 70s/80s/90s tend to lean that way.

5. HOW WELL-COORDINATED ARE YOUR FLOORS & CABINETS?

A. They’re well-matched

B. They’re tile or vinyl and coordinate well enough, but aren’t super updated

C. Your floors are wood, but in a different stain color than your cabinets, compete with them, OR they are tile/vinyl and aren’t updated, and you’re not prepared to change them.

6. HOW UPDATED ARE YOUR COUNTERTOP & BACKSPLASH?

A. both are updated in neutral colors

B. One or both of them are a bit dated, but you plan on changing them in the future

C. Not updated or are a color/non-neutral

7. HOW’S IT HANGIN’? YOUR DOORS, THAT IS…

A. Your cabinet doors aren’t totally plumb and level; there are some gaps that you can’t fix or straighten up.

B. Everything is more or less level and straight; only a few spots aren’t 100% (but are fixable)

C. Everything is top-notch and level, meaning if the cabinets are painted white, you won’t see a bunch of uneven black gaps between doors/drawers.

MOSTLY A’S: KEEP YOUR CABINETS STAINED

If you picked mostly A’s, you may want to keep your cabinets in their natural wood finish. Just remember, if you have arched, curved, or cathedral-style doors or if they need a lot of prep work, you might also check out the ‘C’ section; it’ll be like giving birth to a whole new kitchen—get it?

I’d love to see new lighting and an off-white subway tile backsplash in this kitchen. 

Ideas to Update Your 2000s Kitchen

Based on all of these A’s, you have great bones in place to support wood-stained cabinets, the first bone being the right door style. And while hidden hinges are best, exposed hinges are okay, as long as it’s the edge of them, not the full hinge, screws and all. Also, you’ll want to ensure the other factors (A’s) are in place.

But this doesn’t mean you get off scot-free. You might still have some serious work to do to update the look of your kitchen.

IDEAS TO UPDATE A KITCHEN WITH WOOD CABINETS

Based on how you answered the previous questions, consider the following…

• Replace your old countertop with an updated one in a neutral color – check out affordable laminate countertops, TRENDY WARM QUARTZ COUNTERS, or white or off-white quartz countertops.

• Add an updated subway tile backsplash that suits your countertop and general style (subway tile and travertine are popular choices with wood, especially oak – travertine is sloooowly coming back in style).

• Update your flooring so that it coordinates with your cabinets. This means that either a) your tile or vinyl needs to be updated to coordinate with the cabinet stain/countertops, OR b) your wood flooring needs to be better coordinated with your cabinet stain.

• Updated cabinet hardware and lighting that suit the style of your home. Finishes should be consistent and coordinated.

The oak cabinets in this next kitchen are STUNNING – moderate stain, moderate grain, hidden hinges, and a simple door profile…

MODERATE STAIN COLOR, MODERATE GRAIN, MODERATE STYLE

My client (above) wanted to paint the cabinets and the newly installed island. While she was open to painting only SOME of the cabinets, leaving some wood, I had to tell her how I really felt – THE CABINETS ARE GORGEOUS AS THEY ARE! Of course, the island could be painted, to break up some of the wood-on-wood, but it would hurt my heart to see these oak cabinets covered entirely.

As for this next kitchen, sure, it would look brighter and more updated with painted cabinets, but I absolutely love the rich depth of these cabinets and how the updated countertop and backsplash brighten the space instead.

Beautiful WOOD Kitchen Cabinets Updates: REAL HOMES, REAL BUDGETS! 

MOSTLY B’S: STAIN OR PAINT – THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

If you picked mostly B’s, your cabinets could be great contenders for stain…OR paint! The big decision will come down to personal preference and the overall appeal of your cabinets based on what you’ve learned so far.

You might also consider meeting your kitchen halfway by painting the island only, making some other smart kitchen updates, and keeping those beautiful wood cabinets in their glory!

These next kitchen cabinets have amazing bones, but the strong, cherry red stain wasn’t the homeowner’s taste. She was excited to change things up…

The black and white checkered floor, combined with the countertop choice and backsplash made it tricky, but we landed on a beautiful, dark navy blue-gray-black blend…

NOT SURE WHETHER TO PAINT OR STAIN YOUR CABINETS?

If you can’t decide whether to keep the stained look or to paint, here are a few things to consider…

• Do you plan on selling in the near future (i.e., five years or less)? Consider painting them. Painted cabinets are almost ALWAYS more appealing to buyers, especially in the younger demographic. (The exception would be if you have exposed hinges; that’s always a tough call unless you paint your cabinets a darker color.)
• If the cabinets are awesome but they don’t suit your floor (that you’re not replacing), I’d paint the cabinets a color that DOES work with the floor, or you’ll devalue both.
• If the countertop and backsplash are not updated/neutral, but you don’t want to change them, consider painting your cabinets a shade of white and updating your lighting and hardware to add modern elements to the room and to distract from the more outdated features.
• Start by painting your island (if you have one) and see if that shifts the energy of your space in a positive direction. If you love it, it could inspire you to keep on paintin’!

Painted Kitchen Cabinets: BEFORE & AFTERS of REAL HOMES! 

MOSTLY C’S: BETTER GET YOUR PAINTIN’ PANTS ON

If you chose mostly Cs, it looks like your kitchen is ready for a change – maybe YOU aren’t ready, but your cabinets are. Remember, just because it’s WOOD, doesn’t mean it’s GOOD.

And you know what? Even if your cabinets ARE good, as shown next, you can still paint them if you want a lighter and brighter look.

Don’t feel bad; they’re still WOOD; they just have a few coats of paint on them…

Sherwin Williams Pure White and Peppercorn

As you now know, many factors can devalue the look of wood, which can devalue your home. I know, there are oodles of hubbies out there who can’t understand how wood cabinets can be a bad thing; I mean, they’re SOLID WOOD, and you CAN’T PAINT WOOD! But just think…

If you paint them, they’ll still be solid wood – they’ll just look better. 

This next kitchen had a double-whammy (no, not Tim’s favorite Friday night move), but curved doors and a strong red stain. They also weren’t so hot with the orange hue of the flooring. It didn’t matter how much the homeowner may have wanted to keep their wood cabinets (which they didn’t); the ONLY choice was to paint…

While this project involved a huge facelift, including new door and drawer fronts, white was the way to go as the previous look would turn off the majority of buyers…

Want some SERIOUS inspiration? See this project and its listed finishes HERE

These next cabinets clashed with the flooring – something HAD to go. Each was pretty (although that orange is DAMN STRONG), but together they were a hot mess…

All the photos in my blog are from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, & friends— because real homes deserve to be celebrated (dirty laundry & all!) While not magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas & proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.

Painting kitchen cabinets is hugely satisfying, and if your kitchen suits white cabinets, they’ll INSTANTLY brighten your space. While the current trend is to paint cabinets in an off-white or light neutral, off-whites are often popular for updating a 2000s kitchen.

Painted Kitchen Cabinets INSPIRATIONAL BEFORE & AFTERS

How to Choose the Right White Paint Color for Your Home

PEOPLE ALSO ASK…

If your question isn’t covered in this blog post, please leave a comment. If it has mass appeal, I’ll add it!

WILL GEL STAIN WORK ON WOOD CABINETS?

I’ve been asked this MANY times, and as an answer, I have a few points for you to consider:

• Gel stain on wood cabinets is WAY less labor intensive than restaining, but still requires DECENT prep, including a light sanding, TSP or degreaser, and wiping with a tack cloth or clean rag to remove ANY residue). The long-term durability is also questionable; you’ll want to put one or two coats of a quality top coat on your cabinets.

• Gel Stain does not penetrate the same unless you have bare wood, meaning more product will sit on the surface. To sand enough so that the stain sinks in, well, that’s a heck of a lot of sanding, and it needs to be a CONSISTENT sand job so that you avoid blotchiness where the stain sits/absorbs. The more stain that sits on the surface, the more you risk the ‘painted’ look as you see more of the product and method of application (i.e., wipe marks/brush marks), and you also risk it wearing off sooner.

• You can only go the same color or darker.

• It can reduce the look of the wood grain. Why? Well, when the wood is unfinished, the stain will penetrate the wood, but the grain area doesn’t always take stain as well as the open wood areas. When you break up that sheen and restain a darker color, the open wood area will often take more stain, while the grain doesn’t always darken much more, so they start blending into each other a bit (I hope that makes sense…).

• It takes a steady hand and can look like a hot mess if you don’t do a great job.

To see some gel stain before and after projects on Pinterest, click here.

5 Questions to Ask Before Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets White

So there you have it! Hopefully, these tips and ideas have helped you determine the best choice for you and YOUR kitchen!

RELATED POSTS

6 Reasons Your Wood Cabinets Look Dated

REAL HOMES, REAL BUDGETS: Painted Kitchen Cabinet Projects

Beautiful WOOD Kitchen Cabinets Updates: REAL HOMES

4 Ideas to Update Oak Cabinets

5 Ideas to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets WITHOUT Paint! 

The Best Paint Colors to Go With Oak or Wood Cabinets

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WRITTEN IN 2019, COMPLETELY OVERHAULED IN 2025