Written by Curtis Tankersley, Owner of Just Add Paint
One of the unexpected perks of owning a painting company is that, every now and then, your past life catches up with you—in a good way. This particular project in Mechanicsburg, PA was for an old friend of Curtis’s… a former kickboxing student… from back in the days when Curtis owned a gym and yelled motivational things at people who voluntarily paid to be punched (character-building stuff).
This also happened to be the third project we’ve completed at this home. Previous visits included interior painting and deck staining—which must have gone pretty well, because they invited us back again. Repeat customers are kind of our love language.
The Big Question: What Do We Do With This Kitchen?
Like many homeowners, our clients knew something needed to change in their kitchen—they just weren’t quite sure what. So we sat down and talked through all the usual options:
- Keep the existing doors and refinish them
- Replace doors and drawer fronts entirely
- Replace drawer boxes for smoother operation
- Or… some combination of the above
After weighing cost, aesthetics, and functionality, we landed on a solution that gave the biggest bang for the buck: brand-new doors and drawer fronts in an updated profile, paired with Euro-style soft-close hinges. The drawer boxes themselves were still in decent shape for their age, so we opted to keep them. (And yes—before anyone panics—drawer replacements are always something that can be added later if buyer’s remorse kicks in. We’re painters, not monsters.)
The “While We’re At It” List
As is often the case once cabinets start coming apart, we uncovered a few other things that needed attention:
- Builder-grade veneer end panels that were deteriorating
- A budget-friendly end-panel replacement solution
- And everyone’s favorite kitchen villain: a lazy Susan corner cabinet that scraped the bottom every time it rotated
Statistically speaking, at least 75% of you just nodded knowingly.
Curveballs, Calendars, and a Well-Timed Delay
This project didn’t start without a little drama. Our usual team leader for cabinet prep and masking was out with an injury, which pushed our start date into late fall. With the holidays looming, the homeowners made the very sensible decision to wait until after the festivities. Fortunately, this wasn’t a rush job, and they were incredibly understanding.
Ironically, the delay worked in everyone’s favor. It allowed us to paint the new doors and drawer fronts weeks ahead of time in our shop. Shop work is our happy place—it gives us breathing room, better control, and often saves a full day on site because we’re not literally standing around waiting for paint to dry.
Hinges: Where Things Get Nerdy (Briefly)
We’ll spare you most of the hinge rabbit hole, but here’s the short version: not all door profiles play nicely with hidden hinges, and this was one of those situations.
The extra prep time gave us the chance to phone a friend, double-check specs, and land on exactly what we needed: a Blum Soft Close 110-degree hinge for frameless ½” overlay with an adjustable mounting plate. Oh—and it also meant drilling hinge cups 2 mm off from their usual position.
If that sounds like rocket science… that’s because it kind of is.
Booth Building Without Our Prep Wizard
Next challenge: masking and booth construction. Prep-efficianado Lexy was still sidelined nursing a shoulder injury, so we had to get creative.
This was a standard L-shaped kitchen plus a bar area on the opposite side of the room. Rather than building two smaller booths, we decided to encase the entire space in one large booth. Sometimes the bold choice is the right choice—and this one worked beautifully.
Teamwork (and a Surprisingly Cooperative Lazy Susan)
Despite all the moving parts, the project ran shockingly smoothly. Josh and Rich jumped in and handled prep like champs. Curtis did his usual thing with the sprayer. Then Josh and Rich took the reins at the end, installing doors, drawer fronts, and hardware.
And the lazy Susan? Installed in under an hour. If you’ve ever wrestled one of those into place, you know that officially made it a great day.
The Honest Truth About “Perfect” Projects
In total, the project took six days, plus one future return visit to install two doors we ordered in the wrong size. And we’re mentioning that on purpose—because anyone who tells you they “never have issues” is either very unaware or lying. What matters is how problems are handled, and this one was minor in the grand scheme of things.
Products, Process, and Paint Nerd Stuff (Our Favorite Part)
As always, our standard, proven cabinet refinishing process was followed from start to finish:
- Clean and degrease with Krud Kutter TSP Substitute
- Wipe all surfaces with Naphtha to remove residual grease or waxy buildup
- Sand, vacuum, and tack under inspection lights
- Prime x2 with Envirolak 170 ELPR primer (a total game-changer for sealing oak)
- Topcoat x2 with Milesi HKR 114 1K/2K poly
For this kitchen, the final color was Sherwin-Williams Divine White in Satin—a clean, timeless choice that feels bright without being stark.
A Finish Worth Coming Back For
At the end of the day, this was one of those projects that reminds us why we do what we do. Great clients. A kitchen that finally feels right. And the satisfaction of solving problems together.
Happy customers are what keep us going—and walking away from this one felt pretty great.
If you’re in Mechanicsburg or the surrounding area and wondering what’s possible with your cabinets, we’re always happy to talk options. Sometimes it’s refinishing. Sometimes it’s new doors. And sometimes… It’s finally fixing that lazy Susan.
Thank you for reading our blog – “A Third Time’s the Charm: A Kitchen Refresh for an Old Friend in Mechanicsburg, PA”. Please feel free to reach out to us for estimates – and also, if you are a DIYer and just have some questions, we can answer in an email. We are happy to talk shop about all things painting, even if you are planning to do a job yourself!
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