Many Fargo and West Fargo kitchens from the 1980s and 1990s have solid oak cabinets that are worth keeping. Painting them changes the room for far less than new cabinets. We take the doors and drawer fronts off, degrease, sand and prime everything, then apply a hard cabinet enamel.
A lot of the kitchens we see around Fargo have oak cabinets that were put in during the 1980s and 1990s. The boxes are sound and the doors are solid wood, but the orange finish dates the room. Painting keeps what is good and changes what is not. Oak has open grain, so we ask before we start whether you want the grain to show through the paint or be filled for a flatter face. Either way is fine. It is your choice.
Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease and hand oil, and paint will not hold on either. So the work starts with cleaning. Doors and drawer fronts come off and are numbered, hardware is removed, and every surface is degreased, sanded dull and primed with a bonding primer. The finish is a hard enamel made for cabinets, applied in thin coats and sanded lightly between them. Frames are painted in place, with counters, floors and appliances masked off.
Plan for the kitchen to be partly out of use while we work. You can usually reach the fridge and the sink, but the doors are away drying and the shelves are open. Enamel is dry to the touch long before it is fully hard, so treat the cabinets gently for the first few weeks. Fargo's dry winter air can also open hairline lines at the joints of wood doors as the panels shrink. That is the wood moving, and it is normal on painted wood.
Cabinet painting in Fargo: common questions
Will the oak grain show through the paint?
Yes, unless it is filled. Oak has deep open grain. Some people like that texture under paint. If you want a flatter face we fill the grain before priming, which adds work.
Can I use my kitchen while the cabinets are being painted?
Mostly, yes. The room stays usable for basic things, but doors and drawer fronts are off and surfaces are masked. We go through the schedule with you before we begin.
Can laminate or thermofoil cabinets be painted?
Sometimes. Sound laminate can take a bonding primer and paint. Thermofoil that is peeling cannot be painted well. We look at your doors and tell you honestly.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.