Similarly to birch, maple has a smooth, uniform surface that's perfect for a painted finish. In fact, maple wood is even smoother than birch in comparison! Making it arguably the best solid wood surface for painted cabinets.
The short answer is yes, you can paint maple kitchen cabinets. Kitchen cabinet painting contractors in Toronto can offer a variety of shade and finish options that will help modernize your existing cupboards so you don't have to replace them entirely.
When it comes to durability, there is a bit of a tradeoff between painted and stained finishes. Painted cabinets are more resistant to damage because the paint layer adds some protection from dings and scratches. However, stained cabinets are better at concealing the damage done to them than painted cabinets.
Oak, mahogany and cherry wood have a higher tendency to cause problems with bleed through. Although, I have experienced bleed through happen with pine and maple before. Regardless of your paint product, bleed through can happen as tannins are released in the wood through the paint.
Because wood dye is able to penetrate the wood and dye the wood cells themselves, rather than just sitting on top like a stain can with denser woods, you'll get a more even appearance. It will also highlight the beautiful wood grain in your maple cabinet doors. As such, it's often the best finish for maple cabinets.
For a refined, smooth finish, choose poplar or soft maple. These wood species are generally less expensive than other hardwoods, but are smooth and take paint well. Since poplar and maple are hardwoods, they will also resist warping and shrinking, and should stand up to wear and use better than a soft wood.
A maple kitchen can be turned into a modern kitchen simply with a coat of paint. You can't go wrong with painting them in a crisp white shade. Add some stainless steel appliances and hardware to that, combined with contrasting countertops, and you've got yourself a super stylish modern kitchen.
The Cons Of Painting Kitchen Cabinets
They'll either stand out more or make the paint crack more quickly. Painting is also not very DIY-friendly. It's a lengthy and complicated process. While dust hides on paint well, dirt and other materials don't.
But if the doors are smooth (not slick) to the touch, you can likely skip the sanding step, as long as you do a few bits of prep first! If you don't want to sand before you prime, use some mineral spirits and a rough sponge to clean and lightly rough up the cabinet area you're painting.
A creamy off-white like Ivory Lace by Sherwin-Williams is a pleasing backdrop for maple cabinetry, a little warmer than plain white but cool enough to provide contrast with the golden hues of maple cabinetry.
It costs $3 to $10 per square foot to paint kitchen cabinets, or an average of $30 to $60 per linear foot, including labor, materials, and supplies. This does depend on the condition of the cabinets and how much work is needed to remove doors and hardware.
Maple surfaces owe their light natural color to their clear oil finish, but this finish gradually breaks down as time passes and returns to its original oily yellow color.
Are maple cabinets outdated? Since maple wood kitchen cabinets are incredibly versatile, they're far from outdated. They're highly durable and with the right finishes, they can fit in perfectly with any aesthetic whether it's a traditional or modern kitchen.
Maple Cabinetry
More specifically, maple cabinets are the go-to natural wood in 2023. It's a wood that's just warm enough but also light enough to keep your kitchen looking updated and bright. Maple has a great tone that works with almost any paint color, from white to the trending bold colors of 2023.
When it comes to strength and durability, maple and oak are some of the best kitchen cabinet materials you can have. After all, they're both hardwoods. That being said, maple is a slightly stronger hardwood product than oak. Maple is one of the strongest and most durable natural wood options available.
Cabinets made from oak—also an open-grain—should never be painted. Once painted, the open grain of oak will give your cabinets an orange peel appearance and feel to them. Hard maple cabinets are another one to avoid painting as they change with the humidity and cooking can wreak havoc on these cabinets.
On average, this trend alone can boost a home's value by $1,547. By painting your kitchen cabinets and then pairing them with some new hardware that dollar amount can increase significantly.
Although properly painted cabinets will last 8-10 years, some factors may affect the longevity, requiring them to be repainted only 3-4 years after the initial painting.
2023 Wood Stain Trends for Cabinets
Amber toned wood in pine, oak and maple are the new trend for stained kitchen cabinets. The MIX of wood tones and solid colors is the most important kitchen design trend in 2023.
Tone down the orange. If your wooden cabinets are stained a shade that pulls orange, you can do this by changing your wall paint color and cabinet door hardware. Choose a paint color that works with the cabinets to tone down the orange. Lots of recommendations include greige or beige colors.
According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, the average cost to refinish cabinets runs from $1,500 to $5,000, with many homeowners spending $2,975 on average. The overall cost to refinish kitchen cabinets per square foot runs from $4 to $25, including labor and materials for painting, varnishing, shellacking, and glazing.
Many designers and home contractors swear by soft maple because it has a smooth finish, plus it's easy to learn how to paint maple cabinets because they don't show the wood grain through the paint.
Poplar absorbs paint more readily because it's less dense. It may need more coats of primer and paint. Maple absorbs paint as readily as poplar does but it only needs one coat of primer and then a coat of paint. Maple is sustainable and affordable, too.