Colorwheel produces the beautiful painted cabinets you desire! And it’s done at roughly 1/3 to 1/5th the cost of getting all new cabinets. Add in our countertops and you’re really set for a big impact makeover! Our minimally disruptive process comes with an unbeatable warranty too, 5-years, pro-rated, nobody offers better. To see photos of some of our cabinet painting we’ve completed in Milwaukee, including Menomonee Falls, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, and Waukesha County, please scroll to the bottom of this page and then contact us when you’re ready.
As for how it all happens…
We visit you. During the meeting, we determine your wants and needs and let you know what is possible. At this time, we also educate you on the process and point out key differences from our competitors. On top of that, we show you actual samples of our work! These are not doctored or overly done. Instead, they are accurate. In fact, some of these samples are from real jobs in our shop that will be installed in just weeks. After we answer any additional questions, we take information with us and write up a proposal off-site. That’s right, no in-person pressure sales. Once sent, you’re given time to review it. Dialogue and revisions occur as needed. Finally, when you sign, we help you choose a color and run through other logistic questions. Once that’s done, the rest falls on our team of expert cabinet painters in Milwaukee.
As for some recognition on our expertise…
Click here to see an interview with our owner that aired in Spring of 2020 about cabinet painting:
https://www.wisn.com/article/think-spring-at-nari-home-improvement-show/30929989
Or view this article recently published
April 5 JS Homes Section NARi Article
The process is tedious and detailed, and many details are overlooked by standard DIY efforts.
With years of experience, and pulling from the expertise of our team, Colorwheel has developed a cabinet painting system that brings you the results you desire from cabinet painters in Milwaukee.
In a nutshell, this is our process for cabinet painting in Southeastern Wisconsin (we’ll share much greater detail with you in person):
This work has an unbeatable, unmatched warranty (don’t worry, you’ll get a copy of it). And more so, we are there within 2 weeks to handle any issue that can arise!
Just reach out to your sales rep who’ll be more than happy to help.
You don’t hire just anyone to paint your car, and you don’t hire just anyone to paint your cabinets. This is PRECISION work. Often the lack of expertise, understanding process, product, sheer impatience, and not having a strict system in place turns an exciting update into a horrible nightmare. You can trust Colorwheel and our team of dedicated cabinet painters in Milwaukee—we have even been called in as expert witness on projects gone wrong! We can’t say it enough, be careful in who you hire!
Paint hardness is a topic that few paint companies or consumers look at. So, congrats! The hardness test is done in the manufacturer lab, using one of two (or sometimes both) universally accepted systems. One is the Wolff-Wilborn Pencil Hardness test, the other is Persoz & Konig test. Each has its own scale. The results are usually buried in the product literature, and sometimes not disclosed at all without asking. Anyhow, most of our product is around a 5 in hardness. That’ll survive a lot of wear and tear.
We do not have a formal show room in the way larger remodel firms have. However, we do have our “Tradeshow” display set up on a wall in an area of our shop. BY APPOINTMENT, you are welcome to come and see this. The setup shows the step by step process of our cabinet painting, going through stages. You’d also get a great feel (literally) for how our grain reduction appears and feels on oak. This is the concern of many consumers we help. At the same visit, you can get a first hand look at the process in the back workroom too. Please contact us if this is something that interests you!
Remember, these are averages. Please review the notes on additional costs below.
Remember, these are averages. Please review the notes on additional costs below.
Painting services have a wide range of cost from provider to provider. And Colorwheel’s prices are very competitive with other QUALIFIED and SKILLED cabinet painters. Of course, defining what qualified and skilled mean may mean a lot more to us than it does to you…. So, we’ll even give you competitor names, because frankly, we want you to choose the best fit for you.
Generally, we are on the higher end of prices people receive because they haven’t really called true competitors. Be wary, a low price should scare you! Like it or not, this is capitalism. Lower prices may mean you’ve found:
Colorwheel will provide a HIGHLY DETAILED proposal that documents process and product. Our warranty is also outstanding!
In comparison to getting new cabinets, the cost is roughly 1/3 or better. While it’s easy to look at the cabinet cost only, please remember that if you replace cabinets, there’s also:
In most cases, yes; however, we do not recommend painting laminate or melamine surfaces. We also do not recommend painting when the cabinets themselves should be replaced (sorry!).
If you like:
And the surfaces are:
Then yes, it is likely worth it to paint them!
Yes. And they turn out fantastic!
The grain reduction process Colorwheel uses will drastically reduce and nearly eliminate the pitting and deep channels in the grain. However, the swirl pattern of oak will be present to some degree. Once you see our samples, you can decide if this is the right project for you!
Usually, the boxes (where everything is stored and shelved) take about one week. Those stay in your home and the week does not generally consist of 8am to 5pm days, but rather, partial days. For example, the preparation of the area and priming might be done on day one by two p.m., at which point we hit a standstill while the primer dries. Then, sanding and painting a first coat might be done on day two by noon, and then production hits a standstill again while paint dries. The doors and drawers themselves usually take 3 to 4 weeks. It sounds like a long time but this allows them to be processed, and substantially cured, before being transported back to your home. Darker colors can take longer. If anyone is telling you it’ll go faster than that, BEWARE!
We’ve all heard that “you get what you pay for,” and you know, it’s true. Lesser price means shortcuts, plain and simple. If we could do it for less, we would! We’re not trying to get rich off any one project, business just doesn’t work that way. On top of that, nobody has more reputable references in cabinet painting than Colorwheel Painting. Want to see some? No problem, we’ve got customers ready and willing to let you in to see our work. Want to feel samples? Even easier. Want to beat on those samples to ensure they’re durable? Go for it. We love this work and hope you’ll turn to us!
Zinsser BIN Pigmented Shellac is used in most cases as a universal NON-WATER based primer. In some cases a water based primer may be used, but it must pass an adhesion test.
No. Standard latex primers will not properly adhere to a previously stain and lacquered finish, conversion varnished surface, or even to semi-to-glossy painted surfaces. Even if it does adhere, it rarely offers the stain blocking properties needed and residual grease, dirt, and cleaning product residue can penetrate through it, causing long-term adhesion issues for the paint.
Colorwheel has tried and tested many of the products on the market. More than you can imagine! As a result, we’ve found a select set of paints (not known to most) that offer an incredible ability to self-level, spray smoothly, and provide a beautiful appearance with lasting durability! Without these great products, we couldn’t offer the warranty that we do.
At a minimum, 2. Possibly more depending on surface conditions. Remember top coats are the PAINT, a priming layer (or two) should occur before this.
Pigmented lacquer is not a good choice in moisture prone areas. It is also not compatible (from a chemistry standpoint) over many other types of coatings. We have several competitors stating that it’s O.K. to use, so please be careful. The same competitors will spray it in your house and throw a box fan in the window for ventilation (not good, those aren’t explosion proof fans!). Instead, go for pigmented conversion varnish if you have raw wood, or paint if there is ANY type of previous coating. Now unfortunately, Colorwheel does not offer these products or services, but we’re happy to make a solid recommendation.
Typically we sand the primer to make it smooth, and then no further sanding is needed. Of course if we see a need for it, we go ahead and do it.
We use a cleaner and deglosser to remove surface contamination from the surfaces. This happens before priming. Grease, residue from cleaning products, hand oils (and even pet dander/oils), and general dirtiness must all be remedied and not just painted over!
We can quote from photos but prefer to quote by visually inspecting them and being there. A count of the number of doors to be done is crucial, as is a number of drawers or drawer fronts. Forming a plan for what items the customer will handle (if any, such as removing door knobs) also helps. The downside to photos is we often miss small nuances, which ultimately result in change orders.
Yes on boxes, no on doors. This happens after priming. The primer will “highlight” gaps where wood meets wood, and where wood meets the wall. We do not typically caulk any gaps in floating panels at doors though, as they are prone to cracking open in seasonal expansion and contraction.
Contact Colorwheel Painting directly. 414-708-6324, use a contact us form on this website, or email customerservice@remodelandpaint.com