What Are The Best Kitchen Cabinet Finishes?
Explore the best kitchen cabinet finishes, from painted to thermofoil, and learn how to choose the right one for your dream kitchen.
You’re designing your dream kitchen. You’ve picked out styles, hardware and countertops, but now you’re stuck. Which of the kitchen cabinet finishes should you choose for your cabinet doors? Choosing the wrong finish could mean your kitchen doesn’t match your vision. Worse, your doors could wear out far too soon, leaving you to pay for their replacement.
At Cutting Edge, we work with hundreds of homeowners every year to help them find the right finish. Even if you don’t buy from us, we want you to make a choice you’ll love – and that lasts.
In this article, you’ll discover:
What Are The Types Of Kitchen Cabinet Finishes?
When it comes to kitchen cabinet finishes, there are two main categories to consider:
Each option has unique benefits and drawbacks. The right choice depends on your budget, style, and how you use your kitchen.
Prefinished Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Prefinished doors are worth exploring if you’re looking for a kitchen cabinet finish that’s affordable and easy to maintain. These doors don’t have a traditional finish applied by hand. Instead, the materials used to produce prefinished doors have a finish.
This type of door can be a great option if you need a budget-friendly solution. However, you’ll have fewer style choices compared to a custom finish. Let’s look at two popular prefinished options.
Thermofoil Cabinet Doors
Thermofoil doors have a vinyl layer heat-sealed to an MDF core. They’re affordable, smooth, and easy to clean, which is perfect for budget-friendly or rental kitchens.
However, thermofoil can peel or bubble when exposed to high heat or moisture. It also offers limited style options. Thermofoil works well as a low-cost option that looks clean and is easy to wipe down.
NEXGEN Cabinet Doors
NEXGEN is a newer alternative to thermofoil with better durability and more realistic textures. It’s a great choice if you want the look of wood with less maintenance.
NEXGEN holds up well against heat, moisture, and daily wear. While not true wood, it offers an attractive, modern finish at a mid-range price point. NEXGEN doors are ideal for busy kitchens where ease of cleaning and long-term durability are vital.
Custom Finished Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Custom finishes are the best option if you want a more high-end look and feel. With custom finishing, your supplier starts with a raw wood or MDF door, and you choose the finished look – painted, stained, glazed, or lacquered.
While custom finishes take longer to produce and often cost more, they offer many style options. You’ll also be able to perfectly match other design elements in your kitchen, from flooring to countertops.
Here’s what you should know about each type of custom finish.
Clear Lacquer Cabinet Doors
Clear lacquer highlights the natural beauty of real wood. If you love visible grain and want a finish that enhances it, this is a great option. Lacquer adds a matte or gloss protective layer. However, clear lacquered doors may yellow slightly over time when exposed to sunlight.
Stained Cabinet Doors
Stain adds colour while preserving the wood grain, giving cabinets a rich, timeless look. Each piece of wood absorbs stains differently, resulting in natural variation. This option is ideal if you value unique character over uniform perfection.
Stained finishes are completed with a clear lacquer topcoat to protect against wear and fading.
Painted Cabinet Doors
Painted cabinets provide a sleek, solid-colour finish. They hide wood grain, making them perfect for modern, bold, or bright kitchens.
However, paint can chip or scratch over time, especially on lower cabinets or around handles.
Glazed Cabinet Doors
Glazing adds a layer of depth and detail over painted or stained cabinets. The glaze highlights edges and accents, creating a sophisticated, custom look. It’s a popular choice for traditional or high-end kitchens.
Glazed finishes cost more, but are an excellent option if you want your cabinetry to stand out with decorative detail.
Which Of The Kitchen Cabinet Finishes Is Best?
There’s no one-size-fits-all finish. The best choice depends on your needs, style, and budget. You’ll want to think about how you use your kitchen and what you expect from your cabinet doors over time. Below, you’ll find a few common situations that will help guide your decision.
Prefinished Kitchen Cabinet Finishes Are Great For Tight Budgets
Thermofoil or NEXGEN doors make sense if you’re on a budget or renovating a rental. They’re affordable, easy to clean, and ready to install fast. You won’t get the same depth or warmth as a custom finish, but you will get great value. They’re perfect if you want simple, modern-looking doors without the extra cost or wait time of custom finishing.
Painted Kitchen Cabinet Finishes Are Perfect For Modern Looks
Painted cabinet doors deliver the best results for clean, contemporary kitchens. You can choose any colour to suit your style, whether it’s classic white or a bold feature colour. Painted finishes pair beautifully with modern hardware and sleek design elements. However, paint can chip or scratch with heavy use, so you’ll need to be prepared for occasional touch-ups to keep your kitchen looking sharp.
Stained Or Lacquered Finishes Are Ideal For Wood-Lovers
Stained or lacquered finishes are hard to beat if you love the warmth and texture of real wood. They show off the natural grain and add depth to your kitchen’s design. These finishes fit beautifully in traditional, rustic, or transitional spaces. They’re more of an investment, but they’re perfect for timeless kitchens with character and charm.
Glazed Finishes Are Best For High-End, Detailed Kitchens
Want your cabinets to feel custom and high-end? Glazing brings out every edge and detail, adding richness and sophistication. This finish pairs well with traditional designs, furniture-style cabinetry, and decorative mouldings. It’s not ideal for minimalist spaces, and it does add cost, but it makes a stunning statement in the right kitchen.
How To Choose The Correct Kitchen Cabinet Finishes For Your Kitchen
Still not sure which of the kitchen cabinet finishes is right for you? You’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions we hear from homeowners. And the truth is, there’s no one “best” choice – only what’s best for you.
Your kitchen is a reflection of your style. That’s why choosing a finish that looks beautiful and fits your lifestyle is so important.
Here are a few simple questions to help guide you:
- What’s your budget? Prefinished options, like NEXGEN doors, offer great value at a lower cost.
- How do you use your kitchen? Choose a durable, easy-to-clean finish if your kitchen sees lots of cooking and family traffic.
- Do you want to see natural wood grain? Clear lacquer or stained finishes highlight the beauty and character of real wood.
- Are you after a solid colour? Painted cabinet doors offer endless colour choices for a clean, modern look.
- What style are you going for? For modern designs, choose painted or NEXGEN doors. For rustic or traditional kitchens, stained, lacquered, or glazed doors create warmth and depth.
It’s OK if you’re still feeling stuck. It’s a big decision. But you don’t have to figure this out alone. Our team is here to help you weigh the options and find a finish that will make you smile every time you walk into your kitchen.
Cutting Edge Offers Many Kitchen Cabinet Finishes
At the end of the day, we’ve all encountered difficulties when it comes to choosing the right kitchen cabinet finish. This is especially true when you want your kitchen to look beautiful and withstand daily life and don’t want to waste money on a finish that won’t last.
Now that you’ve learned what to consider when selecting a finish, you’re in a great position to make a choice you’ll feel confident about. But, selecting the type of finish is just one part of the process.
Your next step is to discover the pros and cons of having Cutting Edge finish your cabinet doors. You’ll learn exactly what we can offer and whether we’re the right fit to help bring your vision to life.
