Your kitchen is the heart of your home and we want you to fall in love with the space!

FAQ

Q: What's the difference between a typical airless paint sprayer and an HVLP Airbrush system?

A: You may get a lower quote from a guy who uses an airless paint sprayer (we only know of two other local companies that use an HVLP airbrush system), but want you to know why airbrushing is simply the best. An HVLP Airbrush system is a specialty tool developed for factory-finishing autos, furniture, and cabinetry. It can be difficult to master, but is so worth it when you want nothing short of the highest quality finish possible. With this system, we're able to use high-end lacquer instead of paint. 

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Q: Lacquer vs Paint...what's the difference?

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A: Paint intended for trim (Emerald Urethane is a common example) is excellent for trim, but there are reasons to be wary of using it on cabinetry. Only lacquer is an a KCMA (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association) approved coating. The KCMA testing process exposes cabinetry to stain threats of vinegar, grape juice, coffee, alcohol and even mustard. If your cabinets will be getting real-world use, the durability and beauty of lacquer is absolutely the best choice!

Q: What do I need to do before CCR arrives?

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A: We're here to help guide you through the process and always make an effort to keep things easy on you. No need to remove the contents of your cabinets except for anything behind glass doors (we'll paint the inside). It's best to clear countertops, the tops of cabinets, and shelves that will be painted. We prefer to have all furniture such as table and chairs moved out of the area and are happy to assist, but please note that we do not accept any liability for damage associated with moving your belongings to prepare the work area. If you're having us paint the parts of your cabinets that are hidden by your fridge, we'll need the fridge moved where it won't impede access for us to refinish any cabinet surface (this usually means the fridge needs to be moved out of the kitchen). Again, we're happy to help with that, but the same liability restriction applies. 

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Q: How do you keep the dust and overspray out of my home?

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A: We take this part of our job very seriously and want you to know you are in good hands! We are diligent about doing things in a very particular way to ensure we leave your home spotless. We "tent" your kitchen with floor-to-ceiling plastic walls and use a powerful ventilation system to send dust and fumes out a window. We only use the most gentle masking tape to prevent damage to your walls and floors, we utilize dropcloths to enter and exit your home, and we regularly hear from clients that they're surprised at how tidy we are (a point of pride for us)!

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Q: How long will the job take?

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A: The simple answer is typically 3-6 days. Most commonly, we start on Monday and finish on a Friday. We want you to be thrilled with the outcome, so if it takes a couple extra days to overcome some obstacle that presents itself, then we're willing to take the extra time required to make sure we've achieved perfection!  The most common shape a week takes is to start on Mon prepping, more prepping and sanding on Tues, begin spraying on Wed, finish spraying and start clean up on Thurs, install on Friday and receive payment. This is the most common timeline, but we can’t stress enough that finishing is chemistry and a lot of unseen and unforeseen things can come into play that require some extra time and troubleshooting to get our desired result. For that reason, we ask that you plan to be as flexible as you can that week and take confidence in knowing that you hired a group that has studied, planned, and prepared to overcome the obstacles that can arise to deliver an awesome result for you!  

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Q: Estimate vs Final Cost?

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A: Very seldom are they different and we take great pride in that! We strive to provide the best possible experience we can and believe that eliminating or limiting surprises, especially in the area of cost, is important. If we do encounter something that requires an additional charge (very unusual), we will discuss it with you as soon as we see that it is necessary.

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Q: Can I use my kitchen while the job is in progress?

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A: At the end of each day, we'll make your sink, microwave, and fridge are accessible (stove as well if we're able). You'll also be able to access most of your cabinet contents.

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Q: How long until I can use my cabinets?

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A: Right away! Our high quality lacquer dries very quickly, allowing reasonably normal use of your cabinets as soon as we're finished. Full cure time (the time it takes to reach peak hardness) is about two weeks, so avoid harsh scrubbing during this cure time. Dark colors may take up to one month to fully cure.

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Q: What if my cabinets are oak?

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A: We paint oak frequently and find that it is a great look! We "close" the open grain by filling small holes and/or squiggly black lines (seen in pic on left) with shellac primer, sanding vigorously, and airbrushing a second coat of primer. Faint grain patterns are still visible when light reflects on the doors (as in the door on the right). We do not typically use grain fillers as a method to make oak grain “disappear" because it's extremely time-consuming and usually not fiscally worth it, though grain-filling is available as an add-on if you'd like.

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Q: Why don't you have any reviews?

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A: Up until Feb of 2020, Amy and her crew worked for a major painting company refinishing a kitchen each week. We're brand new as a self-owned small business and very much wish we could include glowing customer testimonials from the work we did in the past for that company, but that wouldn't be very ethical. We look forward to making a solid name for ourselves and are motivated to continue growing and learning and loving what we do!

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Please feel free to call with any and all questions you come up with...we're always happy to geek out and talk cabinet refinishing!