The Unfortunate Downsides Of Installing Unfinished Kitchen Cabinets

Many homeowners install unfinished kitchen cabinets with the intention of painting or staining them at home. This can help save money and maximize cabinet customization options. Given these impressive perks, you might assume that unfinished cabinets are the better option for your kitchen. However, there are quite a few unfortunate downsides you must evaluate before deciding whether or not they're actually the right choice for you. Unfinished kitchen cabinets require an overall longer and more complicated installation process, you must pay for additional materials to complete them, and they may not be covered by a warranty.

Unfinished cabinets aren't going to be the ideal fit for everyone. As a result, it's a good idea to weigh the pros and cons before installing the cabinets in your kitchen. If you find that the amount of money you would save by opting for unfinished cabinets is significant enough to make dealing with the downsides worth it, they might be a good fit. However, if you find these cons particularly bothersome, or if the cost of your preferred cabinet finishing materials is so high that purchasing unfinished cabinets just doesn't make sense, finished cabinets might be the better choice.

When it comes to unfinished cabinets, you must set aside time to sand, prime, and paint them — and that's not all. You'll also need to apply a top coat over the final paint layer. This is especially important in a kitchen because the cabinets will be exposed to staining, moisture from cooking, and other sources of damage. If you intend to stain wood cabinets instead, you'll need to sand them, apply a wood conditioner, apply your stain, and then finish off with a top coat. With all these steps, you'll spend a lot of time getting your cabinets completed.

Another downside of installing unfinished kitchen cabinets is that you have to dedicate a portion of your budget to purchasing the materials you'll need to complete the aforementioned steps. If you want to use a specific pricey stain or paint color, this might significantly increase your total costs. On the other hand, you can maximize your savings by finishing the cabinets using discounted products or materials you already own.

Lastly, unfinished cabinets are often not covered under a warranty. Sometimes manufacturers' warranty limitations even require you to finish the cabinets within a certain timeframe, so keep this in mind too. Now that you're familiar with these downsides, you are better equipped to decide whether unfinished cabinets are a smart idea for your kitchen remodel.