Matching new kitchen cabinets to old ones can feel like a tough job. Homes change over time. Maybe you added an island. Perhaps you extended a wall. Now, you need more cabinets. You want the new parts to look just right with what you already have. This guide helps you figure out the best way to do that. We will look at colors, finishes, and how to make everything blend.
When you match existing kitchen cabinets, many things play a role. The age of your cabinets is key. Sunlight changes wood color. The type of wood matters a lot. The finish on the wood makes a difference, too. Even how clean the cabinets are affects the color.
Getting new cabinets to look like old ones takes care. It’s not just about picking a paint color. It’s about making the new pieces feel like they belong. They should look like they have been there all along.
Sometimes, matching is impossible. Then, you might change all the cabinets. Or you might just update the look of the old ones. We will explore all these ideas. Let’s dive in.
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Grasping the Challenge
Why is matching hard? Think about your favorite old T-shirt. Its color is not the same as a new one you just bought. The sun, washing, and time change things. Cabinets are the same way.
Old cabinets have a “patina.” This is a gentle change in color and look over time. It is hard to copy this perfectly. A new piece of wood, even if stained the same color, will look different. Its finish will be new and shiny, or smooth. The old cabinet might be less shiny. It might have small bumps or marks.
Also, finishes change color. Clear coats on wood turn yellow over years. This makes the wood look darker or warmer. Paint can fade. It can also get a little dirty or scratched. A new painted cabinet will have a fresh, perfect look.
The goal is not always to make them exactly the same. Often, the aim is for the new and old to look good together. They should complement each other. They should not clash. This is where blending new and old cabinets comes in.
Factors Affecting the Match
Many things make matching tricky.
- Age: Old cabinets have aged wood and aged finish. New cabinets use fresh materials.
- Light: Sunlight hitting cabinets makes them fade or change color over time. The parts of the kitchen that get more sun will look different from those that do not.
- Wood Type: Different woods take stain differently. Pine, oak, maple, and cherry all look unique with the same stain.
- Finish Type: Is it paint, stain, or a clear coat? Is it shiny (gloss), less shiny (satin), or flat (matte)? This affects how light hits it. It also affects how the color looks.
- Prep Work: How the wood was prepped before finishing matters. Was it sanded the same way?
- Application Method: Was the finish sprayed, brushed, or wiped on? This changes the look.
Knowing these points helps you decide what to do. It helps you set real expectations.
First Steps to a Good Match
Before you do anything else, look closely at your current cabinets. Study them. Touch them. What do you see?
Checking Your Current Cabinets
Get up close to your cabinets. Open a door or drawer. Look at the inside part if you can. This part has likely seen less sun. It might show the original color better.
Take photos in different lights. Use natural light and room light. This helps you see the color variations.
Think about the age of the cabinets. When were they put in? This gives you a clue about the materials and finishes used back then.
Identifying Cabinet Wood Type
This is a critical step. Different woods look very different, even with the same stain. Knowing the wood helps you choose the right approach. It helps you know if staining is even possible.
- How to check: Look at the wood grain.
- Oak: Has very clear, open grain patterns. It often has lines or swirls.
- Maple: Has a fine, smooth grain. It is less noticeable than oak.
- Cherry: Starts lighter and darkens over time, especially in light. It has a smooth, fine grain.
- Pine: Has knots. The grain is visible, but different from oak. It can sometimes look striped.
- Birch: Has a fine grain like maple. It can sometimes look wavy.
- MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard): This is not wood. It is a mix of wood fibers and glue. It is very smooth with no grain. It is often painted.
If you cannot tell, take a door or drawer to a cabinet shop. They can usually tell you the wood type. This step is important for staining cabinets to match. Stain behaves very differently on different woods.
Cabinet Finish Matching
Look closely at the surface. Is it smooth or can you see brush strokes? Is it shiny? Is it completely opaque (you cannot see the wood at all)? Or can you see the wood grain underneath?
- Paint: If you cannot see any wood grain, it is likely painted. Paint is opaque. It can be any color.
- Stain: If you can see the wood grain clearly, it is likely stained. Stain adds color to the wood but lets the natural grain show through. It is usually covered with a clear topcoat.
- Clear Coat: If the wood looks natural, but has a protective layer, it is likely just a clear coat (like varnish, lacquer, or polyurethane). The wood color you see is the natural wood color, plus any yellowing from the clear coat.
Look at the shine level. This is the “sheen.”
* Flat/Matte: No shine at all.
* Satin: A little bit of shine, a soft look. Common for cabinets.
* Semi-Gloss: More shine, reflects some light. Easy to clean.
* Gloss: Very shiny, like a mirror. Shows imperfections easily.
Matching the sheen is just as important as matching the color. A perfectly matched color will look wrong if the shine is different. This is a key part of cabinet finish matching.
Matching Cabinet Color
This is often the hardest part. Colors change. They are affected by light and the surface texture.
- Get a sample: If possible, remove a small door or drawer front. Take it with you when you look for paint or stain.
- Color matching tools: Paint stores have tools that can scan your sample and suggest a matching paint color. This is a good starting point for painting cabinets to match.
- Stain matching: Stain is trickier. You match stain by testing colors on scrap wood of the exact same type as your cabinets. You might need to mix stains. Remember that the clear topcoat will change the stain color slightly.
- Consider the light: Look at the color sample next to your cabinets in your kitchen light. Colors look different in different lights.
Color cabinet color matching techniques involve patience and testing. Do not guess. Always test on a hidden area or scrap wood first.
Methods for Matching Cabinets
Once you know what you have, you can decide how to make the new pieces match. There are a few main ways.
Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets
Sometimes, the best way to match is to make all the cabinets look similar. You can update the look of your existing cabinets and the new ones at the same time. This process is called refinishing kitchen cabinets.
Refinishing means changing the current finish. You might sand off the old finish and stain or paint them. Or, if the current finish is in good shape, you might clean, lightly sand, and apply a new coat of paint or stain on top.
Steps for Refinishing:
- Remove everything: Take off doors, drawers, hardware. Label everything!
- Clean: Use a good cleaner to remove grease and dirt. This is very important.
- Strip or Sand: If the old finish is bad, you might need to strip it off. More often, you sand the surface to make it smooth and ready for the new finish. For staining, you must sand down to bare wood. For painting, you often just need to sand enough for the new paint to stick.
- Repair: Fill holes, fix dents. Sand repairs smooth.
- Apply New Finish: Apply primer (for paint) or pre-stain conditioner (for stain) if needed. Then apply thin coats of your chosen paint or stain. Follow the product’s drying times. Sand lightly between coats if the product says so.
- Apply Topcoat: Add a protective clear coat. This is vital for durability.
- Reassemble: Put the hardware back on and hang the doors and drawers.
Refinishing gives you control over the final look of all your cabinets. It ensures they have the same finish type and sheen. The color match is easier because you are applying the same color to everything.
Painting Cabinets to Match
If your existing cabinets are painted, the simplest way to match is by painting cabinets to match the new ones. Or paint the new ones to match the old.
Painting Method:
- Prepare: Clean cabinets well. Remove grease. Lightly sand the surface. This helps the paint stick. Fill any holes or dents. Prime any bare wood or patched areas.
- Get the Color Right: Use a color matching tool at the paint store on a sample piece. Buy a small amount first to test.
- Test the Color: Paint a test patch on an old cabinet or a hidden spot. Let it dry completely. Check it in different lights next to the cabinets you want to match. Adjust the color if needed.
- Paint: Apply thin, even coats of paint. Use a good brush, roller, or sprayer. A sprayer gives the smoothest finish, often matching factory finishes best.
- Apply Topcoat: Use a clear protective topcoat over the paint for extra durability, especially on kitchen cabinets. Choose a topcoat with the correct sheen (satin, semi-gloss) to match the existing cabinets’ shine.
When painting cabinets to match, paying attention to the paint type (latex, oil-based) and the application method helps get a closer match to the look of the old finish.
Staining Cabinets to Match
If your cabinets show wood grain, they are likely stained or clear-coated. Staining cabinets to match is often harder than painting. Stain color depends heavily on the wood type.
Staining Method:
- Prepare: You usually need to sand down to bare wood for stain to work well. This means removing all the old finish. Clean the wood dust off completely.
- Identify Wood Type: Make sure the new cabinets are the same wood type as the old ones. If not, staining to match will be very difficult, perhaps impossible.
- Get Stain Samples: Buy small cans of stains that look close to your cabinet color. Also get pre-stain conditioner.
- Test on Scrap Wood: This is CRUCIAL. Get a piece of the same kind of wood as your cabinets. Apply pre-stain conditioner if using pine, maple, or birch. Then test stain colors. Apply the stain as you plan to on the cabinets (wipe on, brush on, let sit how long?).
- Adjust Color: The first color might not be right. You might need to mix stains. You might need to apply two different stains one after the other. Let samples dry and apply a test topcoat. The topcoat changes the stain color. Compare your test pieces to your existing cabinets. Keep testing until you get a good match.
- Stain Cabinets: Once you find the right stain mix and method on scrap wood, apply it to the new cabinets. Work carefully and evenly.
- Apply Topcoat: Protect the stain with a clear topcoat (polyurethane, lacquer, etc.). Match the sheen (satin, semi-gloss) to your old cabinets.
Staining cabinets to match requires patience and testing. Wood absorbs stain differently even within the same piece. This makes getting a perfect, uniform match challenging, especially if the wood grain is very different.
Cabinet Color Matching Techniques
Beyond scanning a paint chip, other cabinet color matching techniques exist.
- Bringing a Sample: As mentioned, a physical piece is best. Paint stores, stain suppliers, and cabinet shops can use it.
- Using Color Decks/Swatches: Hold large color cards or stain swatches next to your cabinets in your kitchen. Do this at different times of day.
- Considering Undertones: Colors have hidden undertones (red, yellow, gray, blue). Try to identify the undertones in your cabinet color. Look for paint or stain with similar undertones.
- Getting Custom Mixed: Paint and stain can often be custom mixed to match a sample. This is usually the best route for painted finishes. Stain mixing is more complex.
Remember that matching the color is only part of cabinet color matching techniques. You also need to match the finish and the sheen.
Blending New and Old Cabinets
If a perfect match is not possible, or even if it is, strategies for blending new and old cabinets help the kitchen look planned and cohesive.
Strategies for Seamless Integration
How can you make the new parts feel like they belong?
- Placement: Put the new cabinets in places where a slight difference is less obvious. Maybe on a different wall or in an island. Avoid putting a new cabinet right next to an old one if the match isn’t perfect.
- Hardware: Use the same knobs and pulls on all cabinets. This gives a sense of unity.
- Countertops: Keep the countertop the same across all cabinets. This connects the different sections.
- Backsplash: A continuous backsplash helps tie different cabinet areas together.
- Paint other elements: Make sure the trim, walls, and ceiling colors work with both the old and new cabinet areas.
- Lighting: Good lighting helps colors look consistent.
- Open Shelving: Mix in open shelves with cabinets. This breaks up long lines of cabinets and can make small differences less noticeable.
Blending new and old cabinets is about creating harmony, not just perfect replication.
Making New Cabinets Look Old
If you want the new cabinets to have some character, you can try techniques for making new cabinets look old. This adds a lived-in feel.
- Glazing: Apply a thin, darker liquid over a base color (usually paint). Wipe most of it off, leaving color in corners and details. This adds depth and an aged look.
- Distressing: Lightly sand edges and corners to show the layer underneath or the bare wood. This mimics natural wear and tear. Be careful not to overdo it.
- Applying a Patina Finish: Use special products designed to create an aged metal or wood look.
- Using Antiquing Wax: Apply dark wax to painted surfaces and wipe back. This settles into crevices and gives an aged appearance.
Techniques for making new cabinets look old are artistic. They work well if your existing cabinets already have some wear or decorative finishes. They can help new, plain cabinets feel more like the older, character-rich ones.
Alternatives to Full Replacement
What if matching feels too hard or the existing cabinets are in poor shape? You have options besides tearing everything out.
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets
Refacing kitchen cabinets is a popular choice. It changes the look of your kitchen without replacing the cabinet boxes.
What is Refacing?
You keep your existing cabinet boxes (the frames and insides). You replace the doors and drawer fronts. You cover the front of the cabinet boxes with a new material. This material might be a thin wood veneer or a rigid thermofoil (RTF) material.
Benefits of Refacing:
- Less messy than replacement.
- Faster than replacement.
- Costs less than replacement.
- You get brand new doors and drawer fronts in the style and color you want.
- You can often update hardware, hinges, and add accessories like pull-out shelves.
How it helps matching: If your old cabinets are structurally fine but look dated or the finish is bad, you can reface all your cabinets. You choose a new style, color, and finish for everything. This bypasses the need to match new pieces to old ones, because all the visible parts (doors, drawer fronts, and box fronts) will be new and matching.
You can choose a wood veneer and stain it, or choose a painted finish. Refacing kitchen cabinets gives a fresh, unified look without the cost and mess of a total gut job. It is a great way to get a consistent finish and matching cabinet color throughout the kitchen.
DIY vs. Professional
Can you match cabinets yourself? It depends on the task and your skill level.
- Painting cabinets to match: DIY is possible if you are good at painting. Getting a smooth, factory-like finish is hard without spraying. Color matching paint requires care but is doable.
- Staining cabinets to match: DIY staining to match is very difficult. It requires deep knowledge of wood types, stain properties, and testing. Getting a uniform look is challenging. This is often best left to pros.
- Refinishing kitchen cabinets (full sand down): This is a big, messy job. It needs patience and proper tools (sanders, respirators). DIY is possible but takes a lot of effort.
- Refacing kitchen cabinets: This is usually a professional job. It requires precise measurements and special tools to cut and apply veneers or RTF.
- Blending new and old cabinets (installing new boxes): Installing cabinet boxes is moderately difficult. Ensuring they are level and fit correctly takes skill.
For a perfect, seamless match, especially with stains or high-quality finishes, hiring a professional finisher or cabinet maker is often the best route. For simpler tasks like painting or if “close enough” is okay, DIY might work.
Step-by-Step: Common Matching Tasks
Let’s look at simplified steps for painting and staining new cabinets to match existing ones.
Painting New Cabinets to Match Old
Assume your old cabinets are painted and in decent shape. You have new, unpainted cabinets.
Goal: Make new cabinets look like old painted ones.
- Clean and Prep New Cabinets: Wipe down new cabinets to remove dust or grease from manufacturing. Lightly sand if they have a smooth finish already. If they are bare wood, sand smoothly.
- Prime: Apply a good quality primer. If the new cabinets are wood, a stain-blocking primer is wise. If they are MDF, use a primer made for MDF edges.
- Match Paint Color: Take a sample of your old cabinet door to a paint store. Get the color scanned and mixed. Buy a small test can.
- Test Paint: Paint a piece of scrap wood or a hidden area on a new cabinet. Let it dry fully. Compare it to the old cabinets in place. Adjust color if needed. Buy the full amount of paint.
- Prepare for Painting: Set up a clean, dust-free area. Protect floors and walls.
- Paint: Apply the first thin coat of your matched paint color. Let dry completely. Lightly sand with fine sandpaper (e.g., 320 grit) if needed to smooth out any bumps, then wipe clean. Apply a second thin coat. More coats might be needed for full coverage. Allow proper drying time between coats.
- Match Sheen with Topcoat: Once paint is fully cured (check paint can, might be several days), apply a clear protective topcoat. Choose a topcoat (like polycrylic or polyurethane) with the same sheen level (satin, semi-gloss) as your old cabinets. Test the topcoat on a painted sample first. Apply 2-3 thin coats of the topcoat.
- Cure Time: Let the cabinets cure fully before heavy use (might be 1-4 weeks depending on product).
This method focuses on painting cabinets to match both color and shine.
Staining New Cabinets to Match Old
Assume your old cabinets are stained wood. You have new cabinets of the same wood type.
Goal: Make new cabinets look like old stained ones.
- Clean and Prep New Cabinets: Sand new cabinets down to clean, bare wood. Start with medium grit (120-150), then move to finer grit (180-220). Sand in the direction of the wood grain. Remove all dust.
- Identify Wood Type: Double-check the new cabinets are the exact same wood as the old ones. This step is non-negotiable for successful stain matching.
- Get Stain Samples: Buy small cans of stains that look close to your existing cabinets. Consider different types of stain (oil-based, water-based).
- Prepare Test Pieces: Get scrap pieces of the same wood type. Sand them exactly how you sanded the cabinets.
- Test Stains: Apply pre-stain conditioner if recommended for your wood type (e.g., pine, maple). Then apply stain samples to the test pieces. Use the same method you plan to use on the cabinets (wiping on, brushing, how long you leave it before wiping). Label each test.
- Test Topcoats: Once stain samples are dry, apply samples of clear topcoats with different sheens (satin, semi-gloss) to the test pieces. Let them dry.
- Match Color and Sheen: Compare the finished test pieces to your old cabinets. This is the hard part. You might need to:
- Try a different stain color.
- Mix stain colors.
- Apply a light wash of one stain, wipe it off, then apply another color stain.
- Adjust the amount of time the stain sits on the wood before wiping.
- Test different topcoat sheens.
- Stain Cabinets: Once you have found the right stain and topcoat combo on your test pieces, apply the stain to the new cabinets. Work on one section at a time. Apply evenly.
- Apply Topcoat: Apply the chosen clear topcoat with the matched sheen (satin, semi-gloss). Apply 2-3 thin coats for good protection.
- Cure Time: Allow plenty of time for the finish to cure before heavy use.
This process for staining cabinets to match highlights the importance of testing and patience. It’s a form of cabinet color matching techniques specific to wood.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Work in the right light: Match colors and apply finishes in the same kind of light that will be in your kitchen.
- Cleanliness is key: Dust and grease ruin finishes. Clean cabinets perfectly before starting. Keep your work area clean.
- Thin coats are better: Apply multiple thin coats of paint or finish instead of one thick coat. This dries better and gives a smoother look.
- Sand between coats: For painted finishes, light sanding between coats helps the next coat stick and makes the surface smooth. Wipe off all dust afterward.
- Test, test, test: Never skip testing paint, stain, and topcoat on a sample piece or hidden area.
- Consider professional help: If the match is critical, or the technique is complex (like stain matching different wood species), get quotes from professionals.
- Manage expectations: A perfect, invisible match is very hard, especially with old wood. Aim for a look that is pleasing and harmonious. Blending new and old cabinets is often the real goal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I just paint new cabinets to match my old stained ones?
A: Yes, you can paint new cabinets. If your old cabinets are stained wood and you want the new ones to match them exactly in look (showing grain), painting is not the right method. Painting covers the wood grain. However, if you want the new cabinets to match the color of your old stained cabinets but be opaque (not show grain), you can paint the new ones using a paint color matched to the stain color. This changes the style though. If you want the new and old to match in style and finish type, you would need to either stain the new cabinets (if they are the same wood) or paint all the cabinets.
Q: My old cabinets are stained oak, and the new ones are maple. Can I stain them to match?
A: Staining different wood types to look exactly the same is extremely difficult, often impossible. Oak has a strong, open grain, while maple has a fine, closed grain. Stain absorbs differently into each. A stain color on oak will look very different on maple. Painting all the cabinets is a much more reliable way to get a uniform color and look in this situation.
Q: How can I match the shine of my old cabinets?
A: The shine is called the sheen (flat, satin, semi-gloss, gloss). You match the sheen by choosing a topcoat (like polyurethane or polycrylic) that has the same sheen level as your old cabinets. You can test topcoats on a sample piece to see how shiny they are when dry. Most kitchen cabinets use satin or semi-gloss.
Q: Is it cheaper to match existing cabinets or replace all of them?
A: Matching existing cabinets by adding new ones and finishing them to match is usually cheaper than replacing all cabinets. However, if the matching process involves extensive professional refinishing of all cabinets, the cost might be closer to replacement. Refacing is often less expensive than both full replacement and extensive professional refinishing.
Q: What is the best way to make new cabinets look like they aren’t brand new next to older cabinets?
A: Besides matching the color and sheen, you can use techniques like glazing, distressing, or applying antiquing waxes to the new cabinets. This adds character and makes them appear less perfect and more lived-in, helping them blend with older cabinets that have naturally aged. This is part of making new cabinets look old.
Q: How long does the matching finish last?
A: The durability depends on the type and quality of the finish (paint, stain, topcoat) and how well it was applied and cured. A professionally applied, high-quality finish should last many years. DIY finishes may not be as durable. Also, remember that the original cabinets will continue to age and change color over time, so a perfect match today might be slightly off in several years.
Conclusion
Matching existing kitchen cabinets is a detailed process. It requires careful checking, understanding materials, and choosing the right method. You need to look at the wood type, the finish, and the exact color. Whether you decide on refinishing kitchen cabinets, painting cabinets to match, or staining cabinets to match, testing is key.
Remember that a perfect match is often less important than creating a kitchen that feels cohesive and intentional. Blending new and old cabinets using consistent hardware, countertops, and backsplashes helps a lot. If matching seems too hard, consider refacing kitchen cabinets for a fresh, unified look across your whole kitchen.
With careful planning and execution, you can add new cabinets that look great with your existing ones, making your kitchen feel complete.