Paint or Vinyl on Furniture and Wooden Sculptures: Which Is Better?

[sfimirat]

I posted in another thread about wood crystal sculptures. I haven't yet been able to find the exact sucltpures I was looking for but I noticed that many of the wooden crystal sculptures are painted and show the grain through the paint. I believe I have seen others that use vinyl film that gives a cleaner look on the colored facets while letting the natural grain show through elsewhere.

My question is this: Do you prefer to use a vinyl wrap on something like a tabletop or for cabinet refacing or would you rather paint? It seems like vinyl is easier and quicker and that, if doesn't work, you can just rip it off and start over. I'd appreciate your POV on this and I thank you in advance for pointing out any pros and/or cons I haven't yet mentioned.

 

[sfimirat]

I can't find the exact image but these wooden crystal sculptures are very similar except I've seen them with the facets painted or covered with colored vinyl:

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Also, this kind of thing where cabinets are refaced with vinyl instead of painted:

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[Steve123]

I think if you put 20 pieces of vinyl on it, it will look like 20 pieces of vinyl. And every joint will be clear.

 

[sfimirat]

Yeah, I like the idea of the joints showing through. I wish I could find the original image that inspired the question.

 

[bud16415]

I remember when I was 17 and moved out of my parents house and went to work I rented an old apartment that had steel kitchen cabinets that had been painted 20 times. I bought a couple rolls of contact plastic paper, if anyone remembers that super sticky peal and stick stuff. It was a wood grain print. I took off the hardware and cut and pasted the contact paper on. I didn’t think it looked half bad at the time.


Today I would paint any modern wood cabinets if I wanted them a color.