Painted vs stained cabinets: which is better?
Neither wins everywhere; they suit different kitchens. Paint gives a solid, even color and hides the wood grain; it shows a chip on an edge sooner, but a chip can be touched up. Stain colors the wood and lets the grain show through; it hides small dings and wear better and keeps a natural look. Both are real finishes on real wood. Paper, thermofoil and melamine are something else: coverings bonded to the surface, which can peel or lift and cannot be touched up. RTA Cabinets Plus cabinets come only in real paint and stain finishes, never paper, thermofoil or melamine: five painted and two stained.
How paint and stain differ.
| Painted | Stained | |
|---|---|---|
| The look | A solid, even color. The grain is hidden. | The wood grain shows through the color. |
| Wear | A chip on a door edge shows sooner, most of all on a dark or a very light color. | Small dings and wear blend into the grain. |
| Touch-ups | Yes, with matching touch-up paint. | Yes, with a matching stain marker. |
| Best for | White, grey and dark kitchens, and a crisp, modern or classic look. | Warm, natural kitchens, and busy ones that take knocks. |
| Our finishes | Snow, Alabaster, Quarry, Caviar and Malachite | Wood Ridge and Coastal |
Paper, thermofoil and melamine: what they are.
These are coverings, not finishes. They are bonded over a particle board or MDF core and are common on low-priced cabinets.
- Paper
- A printed paper or foil, often a wood grain picture, laminated to the surface. It scuffs through and lifts at the edges.
- Thermofoil
- A vinyl film heat-pressed over MDF. It can peel near heat, beside an oven or under a toaster, and white thermofoil can yellow with age.
- Melamine
- A resin-soaked paper fused to particle board. The face is hard, but the edges chip, and none of it can be refinished.
How to pick between them.
- Pick paint for a solid color: a white kitchen, a soft grey, or a near black. Our painted finishes are Snow, Alabaster, Quarry, Caviar and Malachite; Malachite is on the bathroom vanities.
- Pick stain for warmth and grain, and for a kitchen that sees a lot of wear. Our stained finishes are Wood Ridge and Coastal: Coastal is a greige stain on genuine white oak, Wood Ridge a warm blonde.
- Or use both. A two-tone kitchen, painted uppers over stained bases or a stained island in a painted room, is an easy way to get both.
- See it first. A full sample door is $19.99 and a quarter door sample is $4.99, shipping included on both, and the sample price is credited toward your cabinet order. Every cabinet in every finish clicks together on a licensed system, with the finish already done.
What people ask next.
Which lasts longer, painted or stained cabinets?
Both last when they are real finishes on real wood. Stain hides everyday wear better because the grain disguises small marks; paint shows a chip sooner but is easy to touch up. A wrap such as thermofoil is the one that can peel.
Is thermofoil bad for kitchen cabinets?
It is a budget choice with known weak points: thermofoil is a vinyl film over MDF that can peel near heat and cannot be touched up or refinished. RTA Cabinets Plus does not sell thermofoil, paper or melamine; every finish is real paint or stain.
Can you touch up painted cabinets?
Yes. A chip in a painted finish can be filled and touched up with matching paint, which is one of the main advantages of paint over a wrap.
Which of your finishes are painted and which are stained?
Painted: Snow, Alabaster, Quarry, Caviar and Malachite. Stained: Wood Ridge and Coastal. Malachite is on the bathroom vanities only.
Can I mix painted and stained cabinets in one kitchen?
Yes. Painted uppers over stained bases, or a stained island in a painted kitchen, are both common, and they can go in a single order.
Who we areRTA Cabinets Plus is an independently owned retailer that sells ready to assemble kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities direct to homeowners, remodelers and trade buyers. Made by a manufacturer that builds cabinets for one of the largest semi-custom brands in the U.S.
What makes the best RTA kitchen cabinets?
How to judge ready to assemble kitchen cabinets: plywood or particle board, real finish or a wrap, drawers, hinges, how the box assembles, price and warranty.
What are RTA cabinets?
RTA means ready to assemble: cabinets that ship flat and go together at home. How they compare with stock, semi-custom and assembled cabinets, and what to check.
RTA vs assembled cabinets: which should you buy?
RTA or assembled kitchen cabinets: what differs in price, lead time, returns and work. Same cabinet, same build; the difference is who builds the box.
How much do RTA kitchen cabinets cost?
What RTA kitchen cabinets cost: a typical 10 x 10 kitchen (13 cabinets) runs about $2,480 in Sterling Snow before freight and tax, what moves the price, trade pricing.
How long does it take to assemble RTA cabinets?
Our RTA cabinet boxes click together in under 2 minutes each, about 10x faster than traditional RTA. What needs tools, what does not, and the order of work.
Plywood vs particle board cabinets: which is better?
Plywood or particle board kitchen cabinets: how each handles water, screws, shelf weight and repairs, where MDF fits, and how to tell which one you are buying.
Are kitchen cabinets safe? Formaldehyde, CARB2 and TSCA Title VI explained.
What CARB Phase 2 and TSCA Title VI mean for kitchen cabinets: the formaldehyde limits for plywood, particle board and MDF, the label to look for, and why it matters.
What is a shaker cabinet door, and which style should you choose?
What a shaker cabinet door is, wide rail or slim rail, how a door style differs from a finish, and which finishes our Sterling, Studio and Mantel doors come in.
What are the standard kitchen cabinet sizes?
Standard kitchen cabinet sizes: bases 34 1/2" tall and 24" deep, wall cabinets 12" deep in seven heights, tall cabinets to 96", vanities 21" deep, and every width.
How does a free kitchen design work?
How our free kitchen design works: what to send, what a designer sends back within 1 business day (floor plan, 3D renders, parts list and price), and what it costs.
Want a person to check your plan?(305) 782-7587, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm ET. Or send your measurements for a free design.