Glazing Kitchen Cabinets
If your style preference for kitchen cabinets lies somewhere between distressed kitchen cabinets and painted cabinets, glazed kitchen cabinets may be perfect for you. The glazed look is very similar to some aspects of the distressed style, although it does not require any wear and tear on the wood. So if you can’t stand to rub your car keys on your cabinets or smack your cabinets with chains for the aged look, consider glazed cabinets. The art of glazing brings out the corners, edges, and recesses of the cabinet doors by defining the detail work. Basically, a glaze is placed over the initial stain and then wiped away. As it settles and dries the dips and grains of the cabinet begin to pop.
Glazing is different from painting because the coating is not as opaque. With a glaze, the finish is much more similar to that of a stain, but there is the dynamic effect brought on by the embellishment of the corners and edges by the glaze. Glazing definitely brings on an antique finish that would be impossible to create simply with paint.
There are actually quite a few different types of glazed finishes available. The specific color choices would depend on the cabinet maker/designer. Here are some common examples of color choices. A fairly common look is to have a grey glaze placed over an off white base coat. This gives a true antique look to white cabinetry. Other glaze choices include a black glaze over a grey base, chocolate glaze over red base coat, chocolate glaze over yellow base coat, or vanilla glaze or red base coat. There are many different options and of course, if you have your cabinets custom built you can have the ultimate say in your cabinets’ appearance. One thing to keep in mind with glazed cabinets is that no two are alike, so you don't have to settle for something common like white kitchen cabinets. Different manufacturers use different glazing techniques and strategies so you will want to search for one that best mirrors what you would like in your cabinets. For more information on doing it yourself take a look at this video on glazing kitchen cabinets.
Some popular brands of glazed cabinets include: Dura Supreme, Medallion Cabinetry, and Plato Woodwork. Glazed cabinets have a very artful and antique aspect to them so you may even be interested in finding a local cabinet maker that will custom design cabinets for you. Also, there is the option of purchasing unfinished kitchen cabinets and glazing them yourself. Regardless of your purchasing method, glazed cabinets are a gorgeous addition to any home.