Make a big impact on a small budget
Painting kitchen cabinets is a budget-friendly update.
The job involves significant prep work and often requires sanding or using a spray gun.
Paint can take up to a month to fully cure and needs to be touched up periodically.
If your kitchen cabinets are in good shape but you still want a new look, you can choose to paint them rather than do a refacing project. Painting can drastically change how your kitchen looks while fixing a number of minor issues, but it’s time-consuming and isn’t always DIY-friendly. To help you decide if this project is right for you, we’ve created this guide to the pros and cons of painting kitchen cabinets.
Not sure if painting your cabinets is the right way to go? Here’s a look at some of the upsides of this project.
If you hire a cabinet painter near you to do the work, the cost to paint kitchen cabinets ranges from $422 to $1,417, on average. If you DIY the job, expect to spend $200 to $600 on paint and supplies. Another option for refreshing the look of your cabinets is cabinet refacing, in which cabinet boxes are covered in new veneer and drawers and doors are replaced. But cabinet refacing is significantly more expensive than painting: The average cost of cabinet refacing ranges from $4,495 to $10,558.
Painting cabinets can dramatically change the look and even the mood of your kitchen. Darker colors can give kitchens a more refined and intimate look, while lighter colors help kitchens feel more open and bright. The gloss or reflective qualities of the paint can also change how it looks under kitchen lights or in natural light, giving you plenty of options (and the need to take some samples home if possible).
Plus, if you’ve recently updated your flooring, walls, counters, or appliances and feel irked that your cabinets aren’t a great match, a new paint job gives you an opportunity to finally tie your whole kitchen together.
It’s smart to do at least a light sanding before painting cabinets; this helps new layers of paint bond more effectively with the cabinet. But sanding will also get rid of scratches, dings, and marks that may have been bothering you for years. It’s a simple, effective way to give your cabinets new life.
Switching out pulls and knobs instantly gives your kitchen a new look. But if your new hardware doesn’t have the same center-to-center measurement (the distance between the two screw holes) as your old hardware, or you want to change the placement, you’ll need to deal with the tedious task of filling the old screw holes and drilling new ones. There’s no better time to do this than while painting your kitchen cabinets—you’ll be removing your existing cabinet hardware regardless, and any patched holes will get covered up by fresh coats of paint. Just make sure you wait until the paint is completely cured before installing new hardware; otherwise, it can leave permanent indentations in the paint’s surface.
When deciding on the best paint for cabinets, keep in mind that high-gloss paints are especially good at protecting delicate wood or particleboard with a new layer that’s easy to clean and more resistant to staining and damage. This is particularly important in the kitchen, where cabinets endure a lot of wear and tear.
Painting your kitchen cabinets comes with a few downsides that homeowners should know about.
Painting kitchen cabinets requires a significant amount of tedious prep work like sanding and careful counter protection. You’ll be spending a lot of time on a ladder. It may be difficult to find the time to complete the work, and navigating your kitchen will be tricky as long as the project is ongoing.
Even with careful prep work, factors like temperature and humidity can still cause problems such as bubbling or peeling. Sometimes a spray gun is recommended to reduce problems and prevent that “brushed-on” look.
At a minimum, expect to use two thin coats of paint on your cabinets. You’ll have to paint more slowly and carefully than you may be used to from other projects. This may require buying additional brushes and supplies like painter’s tape.
New paint can’t completely change the style of your existing cabinets. If you want a drastically different look, painting your cabinets may simply not be enough. In these cases, refacing or replacing would be a better call.
If your existing kitchen cabinets are made with desirable hardwoods that boast interesting grains or colors, painting over them is often a waste and could even lower the ROI of your project. Consider if staining and varnishing your cabinets to bring out the beauty of the wood would be a preferable option to painting them.
Even if the paint looks and feels dry after several hours, it can actually take up to a month before it’s fully cured. Ideally you’ll avoid handling your cabinets or reattaching hardware until the process is finished—but that means your kitchen won’t be fully accessible while you’re waiting.
Painted cabinets will eventually peel or develop other problems as years pass, especially in a busy kitchen. As a result, expect to occasionally touch up the paint job to address any issues. You can help reduce the need for ongoing maintenance by choosing durable paint with a high gloss finish that’s easier to clean.
Yes, it’s usually a good idea to take the time to remove cabinet doors before painting. This allows you to move your cabinet doors to a more convenient painting spot where you don’t have to worry about making a mess. Be sure to remove all hardware before starting your painting project.
Liquid sandpaper is a solvent used to soften existing layers of paint and make them porous enough that you can effectively apply a new coat of paint. You rub the liquid sandpaper on, wait for it to work, and wipe it off—no literal sanding is involved. Liquid sandpaper can save time and is helpful if parts of the cabinet are hard to reach with standard sandpaper. However, like paint stripper, liquid sandpaper creates dangerous fumes and must be used with care indoors. And unlike sanding, it can’t fix any scratches or dings in your cabinets.
In many cases, you can use a roller to paint detached cabinet doors and cabinet sides more quickly. However, expect at least some brush or spray gun work to complete the project, especially if your cabinets have complex insets, which are difficult to paint with a roller.
Although it’s not always necessary, it’s a good idea to use primer, especially if you choose to paint over an old layer of paint without sanding. Primer helps the new paint successfully bond with the surface, and it can even help hide darker paint colors so you need fewer layers to switch to a lighter color.
