If you have cabinets in need of refinishing, you have couple different options to choose from. On the one hand, you could take a do-it-yourself approach, tackling the job on your own or with help from family or friends. Or you could opt for professional cabinet refinishing, either from a traditional refinishing service or from a more modern refinishing company, like N-Hance®.
While a DIY approach might seem like a smart and cost-effective choice, a lot can go wrong on an amateur refinishing project. Between the costs of equipment and materials, the health risks of solvents and stains, and the potential for serious damage to your cabinets, refinishing is typically best left to the professionals.
The Risks of Amateur Cabinet Refinishing
When homeowners consider the cost of professional cabinet refinishing services, many ask themselves whether it would be more cost-effective to refinish their own cabinets. While DIY refinishing is cheaper, it’s important to remember the other, hidden costs of this approach.
First, there’s the matter of the time and elbow grease that refinishing takes. If you’re refinishing cabinets yourself, you’ll need to spend a ton of time researching the job, renting or purchasing the necessary equipment, and acquiring the appropriate solvents and stains. Then you’ll need to spend hours on stripping, sanding, prepping, staining, finishing, and cleaning.
Should you make a mistake during DIY refinishing, you’re also risking health problems and financial damages. Traditional refinishing methods produce high volumes of wood dust and toxic VOCs, both of which pose serious health risks if inhaled. Meanwhile, if you botch the job, the loss of value could exceed the cost-savings of a DIY approach. Plus, in the event of a mistake, you’ll either need to live with the results, or you’ll need to hire a professional cabinet refinishing service to correct the issue.
Below are just a few of the most common signs of amateur cabinet refinishing:
- Gouges, divots, and scratches caused by stripping mistakes
- Severe damage to molding and decorative elements during detail stripping
- Over-stripping wood, leading to inconsistent coloration
- Under-stripping wood, resulting in patches of old stains or finishes
- Dirt, grime, or sawdust trapped in the finish due to insufficient cleaning
- Airborne sawdust or contaminants settling in the finish as it cures
- Discoloration to surrounding areas caused by spills of solvents/stains
- Finish degrades more quickly, due to improper application
The Benefits of Professional Cabinet Refinishing
While professional cabinet refinishing services cost more than a DIY approach, they’re more than worth the investment. And thanks to new refinishing products and technologies, professional cabinet refinishing is now quicker and less expensive for homeowners — provided that you choose the right refinishing company.
Right now, the market for professional cabinet refinishing contains a mix of a traditional refinishers and more modern refinishing companies. Traditional refinishing will give your cabinets a like-new appearance, but the work will be time-intensive and may generate high levels of toxic fumes.
By choosing a more modern refinishing company — like your local N-Hance — you can enjoy the benefits of professional cabinet refinishing without these drawbacks. You’ll still enjoy all of the perks of traditional refinishing services, including the restoration of your cabinets’ true color, plus a smooth and pristine factory-like finish. But thanks to our Lightspeed® UV curing system, you’ll enjoy these benefits without the disruption, hassle, wood dust, and fumes that come with traditional refinishing.
Get a FREE estimate on professional cabinet refinishing services from N-Hance by calling us today at (855) 642-6230.