How much does cabinet painting cost?
Kitchen cabinet painting often costs $900 - $4,500+. Small kitchens or simple refreshes may be lower, while large kitchens, sprayed finishes, heavy degreasing, grain filling, repairs, and many doors can push the price higher.
Cabinet painting is not the same as wall painting. The price is mostly cleaning, sanding, labeling doors, priming, spraying or fine brushing, curing time, and finish durability.
Cabinet painting cost by scope
Small cabinet refresh
$900 - $2,000How to tellLimited doors, sound finish, simple color, minimal repairs
The fixClean, scuff sand, prime if needed, paint doors and boxes
Average kitchen cabinet painting
$2,000 - $4,500+How to tellTypical kitchen with doors, drawers, boxes, masking, and hardware handling
The fixRemove/label doors, prep, prime, spray or brush/roll, reinstall
Sprayed shop-quality finish
$3,000 - $7,000+How to tellDoors removed, sprayed off-site or in a controlled area, smoother finish expected
The fixMore prep, drying/cure management, and careful reinstall
Oak grain filling or heavy prep
$500 - $2,500+ add-onHow to tellOpen-grain oak, grease, failing clear coat, chips, dents, or glossy finish
The fixDegrease, sand, fill grain if desired, prime with bonding primer
Hardware and hinge changes
$150 - $1,000+ add-onHow to tellNew pulls, hidden hinges, filling old holes, alignment changes
The fixDrill, patch, align, and reinstall hardware
Before you approve cabinet painting
- Count doors and drawer fronts, then ask whether cabinet boxes, sides, crown, and island panels are included.
- Ask whether doors are sprayed, brushed, rolled, or finished off-site.
- Ask what primer and topcoat system will be used on cabinets, not just walls.
- Confirm cure time. Cabinets can feel dry before the finish is ready for heavy use.
Unlock the hiring checklist
Use this before you call a painting, so you know what to ask and what to avoid.
Call a pro when…
- You want a sprayed or furniture-like finish
- Cabinets are greasy, glossy, chipped, or oak-grain-heavy
- Doors need removal, labeling, and careful reinstall
- You are changing hardware or filling holes
- The kitchen will be heavily used and durability matters
Repair or replace?
Painting is worth considering when cabinet boxes are solid and the layout works. Replace or reface when boxes are damaged, layout is wrong, doors are failing, or you need new storage and hardware beyond a finish refresh.
Need a cleaner scope before you call around?
Use the painting checklist to compare the same work, questions, cleanup, and warranty before choosing a local company.
Related questions
Is cabinet painting cheaper than replacing cabinets?
Usually yes. Painting can refresh solid cabinets for a fraction of replacement cost, but it will not fix a bad layout, failing boxes, or low-quality doors.
Can regular wall paint be used on cabinets?
Cabinets need a harder, more durable coating system than typical wall paint. Ask for the exact primer and topcoat.
How long does cabinet painting take?
Many projects take several days to more than a week depending on door removal, drying, curing, and reinstall. Cure time matters after the crew leaves.