To paint or not to paint?

[motormaker]

I so agree with the painter. I was so happy when we removed the paint and got back to the natural wood finish. Also, if you wear rings with large mountings they will chip the paint.

Paint=maintenence.

[TKramar]

Minwax sells a lacquer...and I know there are other companies that sell an epoxy coating that goes on thick and dries hard. They use it on bar tops.

That would protect the cabinets from "dings".

[sskkc]

After having lived with painted cabinets, let me tell you this... the first time something gets spilled and is not cleaned right away, your cabinets will look awful. Scrubbing anything off painted cabinets (vs prof done refinished) will also scrub off the paint.

And from a prospective buyer's viewpoint: As we look at homes to buy, when I see painted cabinets I am figuring in the cost to replace them in our offer for the house.