Three days before closing, a pipe burst in Sam’s soon-to-be 1950s brick ranch house — making a gut remodel of the kitchen Job #1. Sam wanted to reuse the original Geneva steel kitchen cabinets, so she found a local powder coating company. They did a great job, and she’s thrilled with her modern-meets-retro kitchen remodel.
Sam writes (edited):
We’re in the early stages of a complete renovation of a 1950 brick ranch. I can’t tell you enough how much of a help your site has been. A little back story on the original kitchen pictures: A pipe burst and flooded the house 3 days before we closed on it. Since no one was living there, the plumber estimated the water ran for 5-6 days. That’s why everything is pulled out from the walls and there are fans and cords everywhere. We were planning on gutting the house anyway, so it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. And the flood did reveal asbestos flooring, so the house also had to be asbestos abated. At least it was under the seller’s home owner’s insurance and not ours!
We had the home’s original steel cabinets powder coated, and I’ve learned more about the door warping issues some people have had from powder coating.
The warping was most likely not caused by the powder coating, but by the paint removal process. Some coaters prefer to “burn” off the existing finish using a burn oven. Burn oven temps start at 750 degree and can go over 1,000. In comparison, powder coating “bakes” at 390 degrees. Media blasting is a safer way to remove paint for hollow steel doors.
The bottom line is to talk to your coater, and make sure you’re dealing with an experienced professional. Our coater has done steel cabinets before and has been a great help. They also have fabrication capabilities to repair severely rusted cabinets.
Editor Pam notes: Thanks, Sam, for sharing what you learned about the powder coating process — and also for echoing my longstanding cry to ensure you’re working with properly licensed professionals to get their guidance when you are dealing with/working with old materials — Be Safe / Renovate Safe. READERS: I am not an expert on this issue, so am not formally weighing in one way or another on what Sam learned. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH on this issue, with your own properly licensed professionals. That said, I think this is a good conversation and consistent with some of the chatter I have heard over the years, that: Yes, we’ve had readers who have said their doors warped.
For all of the cabinets pictured, media blasting and powder coating was $2,500. The lowers cabinets are vintage turquoise in high gloss. The uppers are high gloss white.It would have been cheaper had we gone with an in-stock color instead of the turquoise, since that had to be custom ordered. But the turquoise was worth it.
If anyone in the Kansas City area is looking, I highly recommend Liquid & Powdercoat Finishes. I can’t say enough good things about our powder coaters. They did an absolutely fantastic job.
The cabinets turned out beautifully! I lucked out on the back plates. I found a guy (through Retro Renovation) who was selling back plates and pulls that were basically in pristine condition. I was able to replace all of mine that were severely cracked or chipped and have a few extra for future replacements. The upper hardware was in good condition, and none needed to be replaced.
The countertops are concrete and the new cabinets are walnut. All of the new cabinet pulls are similar shape to the original pulls to keep similar lines.
Sam, the finished kitchen looks fantastic. You did a really nice job melding the vintage cabinets with several more modern elements, including the concrete countertops, subway tile backsplash (yes, we’ll call that a modern revival in this use) and the flooring. Selecting the walnut for the pantry cabinet also worked really well. You also get extra double brownie points given you had so little time to work with! Glad the resources here could help — and thank you for sharing all your results and experience right back with the community!
Lori says
Did you have to replace the plastic drawer wheals? I still cannot find a source…
Sam says
No, that was one piece we couldn’t replace. Good luck!
Lori says
Thank you for all the replies. Your kitchen turned out beautiful!!!!
Bree says
Just lovely! Those cabinets turned out amazing. Love the choice of backsplash and counters. Though my cat would get a big “NO!” for jumping up on them, yours looks adorable! The cabinet hardware really makes it pop. Enjoy that kitchen for years to come!
52PostnBeam says
I’d just like to add (and disclaimer, check w/your own pro, etc) … the metal doors are not actually “hollow” except in the very cheapest brands. The better brand steel cabinets all have sound deadening material inside and this is what causes the warping. Genevas (used in this story’s kitchen and mine, and Pam’s) have cardboard inside, and it’s the most common material – although some have plastic. So, as a rule of thumb, don’t use any heat process strong enough to burn paper.
pam kueber says
Yes, and, we don’t know what the sound deadening material is made of, brand to brand. I would be very wary of cracking any of these doors open to find out, because I have those concerns about “vintage nastiness” that may be in our vintage houses. Yes: Consult with your own properly licensed professionals to determine what you are working with and to make informed decisions…
52PostnBeam says
Totally agree. I don’t think you can crack any of those doors open, but in my years of removing various hardware I’ve seen inside a few. I’ve not repainted any cabinet but would avoid any heat if possible … even before metal gets to a temp that warps, it changes the molecular structure and is just not good for the integrity of the steel for it to be exposed to heat. Fun fact – people think of metal as a solid, but all metals are made up of tiny crystals. That’s why when you bend it, you can never bend it back to the same shape … (adjusts nerd glasses).
Lori says
OMG – you are right. We just salvaged hinged off of some Geneva’s and it looked like corrugated cardboard in there! I was trying to set up an excel to cross reference all the metal cabinet types/parts (like Singer sewing machines) but maybe that is not possible given how many brands there are and how they are closer across brands based on eras. (We are still trying to find a way to fix/replace the rubber drawer wheals on Crane cabinets… the late Geneva’s are in better condition but we need more).
Sam says
I talked to one powder coater that had taken the doors apart on a previous project. His quote was double because of the additional labor!
Sara of WA says
Wow! Just Wow!!!!
Reenie says
LOVE!!! 🙂
Douglas Camin @ House on Rynkus Hill says
Also – Kate – I think something may be wrong with the picture links. When you click on the three in the gallery at the end of the post, they all display the same large picture.
Leslie says
Great transformation, I would spend as much time as I could in this kitchen!
Douglas Camin @ House on Rynkus Hill says
Wow – I love the look of this kitchen. Really great work on the mid century compatible feel. Has a lot of modern elements that work very seamlessly with the vintage cabinetry.
What type of flooring did you use? From the pictures it looks like some sort of solid tile.
Sam says
Thank you! The flooring is porcelain tile from the Tile Warehouse here in Kansas City.
Molly Evans says
As one who has been there, done that . . . I can attest to the commitment and bull-headed intention it takes to simply do it, let alone do it so well. Great job, Sam, your kitchen is beautiful and a joy to work in, without a doubt. Thanks for another great story, Pam!
Shambie says
Diggin’ on the turquoise! Your kitchen is beautiful and the cabinets turned out great!