Updating a 1970's kitchen on a budget?
#1
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Updating a 1970's kitchen on a budget?
I have terrible old cheap plain light brown kitchen cabinets and cheap white old fashioned "stick-on" type countertops in the kitchen in of course a typical 10x10 configuration.
Is there any way to upgrade these without spending into the multiple $1000's?
What about painting the cheap cabinets and putting on new countertops?
Get rid of them?
I can post some pics if possible. BEWARE - You'll be transported back to the 70's! lol
Is there any way to upgrade these without spending into the multiple $1000's?
What about painting the cheap cabinets and putting on new countertops?
Get rid of them?
I can post some pics if possible. BEWARE - You'll be transported back to the 70's! lol
#2
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pics are often useful
Here is a guide for painting cabinets - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/pa...t-repaint.html
Improper prep or wrong primer will result in a less than satisfactory finish.
Here is a guide for painting cabinets - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/pa...t-repaint.html
Improper prep or wrong primer will result in a less than satisfactory finish.
#3
Here's a link to add pictures:
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
Paint and a new counter top would be the least expensive. Paint would be especially appropriate if you're happy with the doors and drawer fronts.
Here's a link to a cabinet paint:
Rust-Oleum Transformations Dark Color Cabinet Kit (9-Piece)-258240 - The Home Depot
I've seen this paint quite a bit lately on cabinets and it looks very nice, anyone can get a professional looking finish. I work on a lot of customer's homes where they only want a new top.
I would recommend you paint the cabinets and spend about $2500 or less on a nice solid surface or quartz counter with under mount sink.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
Paint and a new counter top would be the least expensive. Paint would be especially appropriate if you're happy with the doors and drawer fronts.
Here's a link to a cabinet paint:
Rust-Oleum Transformations Dark Color Cabinet Kit (9-Piece)-258240 - The Home Depot
I've seen this paint quite a bit lately on cabinets and it looks very nice, anyone can get a professional looking finish. I work on a lot of customer's homes where they only want a new top.
I would recommend you paint the cabinets and spend about $2500 or less on a nice solid surface or quartz counter with under mount sink.
#7
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Those look like birch cabinets, real popular back in the 70's. If you want to keep the wood look you could either strip the finish and stain them darker of apply a tinted poly like Minwax's PolyShades after sanding lightly. Otherwise, sand, apply an oil base primer and 2 coats of your choice of enamel.
#8
The base cabinets would look good with just new paint quality doors and drawer fronts, plus whatever upgrades you want to make to drawer slides and hinges. Even just painting the bases would look good IMO.
The uppers need modified IMO. I've torn out and installed many kitchens and can't understand why there's a 6 - 9" rail above the upper doors.
I like traditional face frame cabinets the best. You see mostly door and only about 1" reveal on the face frame.
The uppers need modified IMO. I've torn out and installed many kitchens and can't understand why there's a 6 - 9" rail above the upper doors.
I like traditional face frame cabinets the best. You see mostly door and only about 1" reveal on the face frame.
#9
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I would certainly at least price some new doors. It used to be that one would soffit in the space above the top cabinets with drywall, looks like someone did the same to yours with wood. I would see if that could be removed to open the space without creating a crap-ton of work to the remaining cabinets.
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Thanks for all the ideas guys!
Could I put in new countertops?
So, maybe new doors or trim? I don't understand all this stuff, it's all new to me and this is my first house 2 years ago.
What are "paint quality doors" and what are "fonts"? You mean like in ms office? lol just kidding
Could I put in new countertops?
So, maybe new doors or trim? I don't understand all this stuff, it's all new to me and this is my first house 2 years ago.
What are "paint quality doors" and what are "fonts"? You mean like in ms office? lol just kidding
#11
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Paint quality doors are doors that look good painted but not stained/natural. Cheaper than stain grade.
That means replacing just the front or face of the drawer. You'd keep the portion that slides in/out and holds stuff.
drawer fronts
#12
A new counter would be the best investment, even if you do nothing to the cabinets.
New doors would improve the look greatly, especially if you can enlarge the door opening height on all the upper cabinets before measuring for new doors.
Here's a typical design for an upper door. A paint grade door like this would cost about $70.00 for a 18" x 36".
So you will spend over $1K in doors and drawer fronts, but the kitchen will look new.
You can find cheaper doors also. For paint grade, all you really need is solid raised panel MDF that was cut on a CNC router.
New doors would improve the look greatly, especially if you can enlarge the door opening height on all the upper cabinets before measuring for new doors.
Here's a typical design for an upper door. A paint grade door like this would cost about $70.00 for a 18" x 36".
So you will spend over $1K in doors and drawer fronts, but the kitchen will look new.
You can find cheaper doors also. For paint grade, all you really need is solid raised panel MDF that was cut on a CNC router.
#13
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So do you think they'd look good just painted white or off-white and then upgrading the hardware and stuff? I've decided to keep the old cabinets and paint them I think. Also, eventually want to put in a new counter and backsplash. Any Ideas?
#14
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Personally I prefer stained/natural cabinets but many like painted cabinets and it's definitely doable. The biggest difference between a good cabinet paint job and a poor one is the prep and choice of primer.
#15
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Consider replacing the door and drawer pulls.
Yes, you could replace the counter tops.
Yes, you could replace the counter tops.
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Just curious. If I wanted to install sheet laminate as a new counter does that mean I just peel off the old (1970's) Formica and glue down new sheet or do you just go right over the old?
Does this end up looking ok?
I realize the sheet laminates most likely the cheapest way to go. How popular is sheet laminate these days? Would I still be stuck in the 70's? lol.
I think I like the idea of solid surface maybe better.
I'm not sure how expensive it would be to have it installed, but I think I only have around 20 to 25 square feet of counter really.
Does this end up looking ok?
I realize the sheet laminates most likely the cheapest way to go. How popular is sheet laminate these days? Would I still be stuck in the 70's? lol.
I think I like the idea of solid surface maybe better.
I'm not sure how expensive it would be to have it installed, but I think I only have around 20 to 25 square feet of counter really.