Average cost to paint kitchen cabinets (2024)

The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets ranges from about $400 to $1,400. The price of painting kitchen cabinets is definitely lower than refacing them or getting completely new cabinet doors. Of course, the actual costs vary wildly based on the square footage, cabinet layout, how much paint you use, painting method, and even paint color.

Updating your kitchen cabinets can provide a fresh new look to your kitchen and even increase the value of your home. Here are some key points to consider when thinking about painting your kitchen cabinets:

• Reasons to paint kitchen cabinets include outdated or dirty looking cabinets, a desire for a new look, and cost-effectiveness compared to remodeling.
• Painting your kitchen cabinets can be cheaper than replacing them, and can also add value to your home.
• To save money on painting kitchen cabinets, consider hiring a professional painter, getting multiple quotes, and doing some of the work yourself.
• Painting kitchen cabinets can last for 8-10 years and is a cheaper option than getting new cabinets.
• Take into account potential chipping and repainting difficulties with certain types of cabinet surfaces.
• Plan for a one-week time frame for a professional team to paint your kitchen cabinets.

Factors that influence the cost to paint cabinets

Let’s go over all the details you have to consider when you want to know the cost to paint cabinets in your kitchen. Will you do it yourself?

For example, you can get paint in many different types and finishes. Also, quality paint can cost a lot more than cheaper options. You will also need supplies when painting cabinets. When you hire professional kitchen cabinet painters, they have all the tools. When you plan to paint cabinets as a DIY project, you need to buy all those tools yourself. However, as painting cabinets takes a lot of time, a big part of the cost to paint everything is in the labor costs. DIY will save you that money. Now let’s look at the various factors in detail.

Kitchen size

Your kitchen size determines the total square footage of the cabinet surfaces you have to paint. But again, the total cost to paint cabinets is not based just on the area that needs painting. You can spend more per square foot on a small kitchen painting project. Finally, you will know how much does it cost to paint everything when you have made your choice about the level of quality and improvement you want to see after the competition.

When you decide to go all out on quality paint and workmanship, a small kitchen can cost more than a larger one where you accept mid-grade materials.

Layout, surface area, and cabinet design

It costs $4 to $12 per square foot to paint cabinets. This comes to about $40 to as high as $ per linear foot of your kitchen cabinet painting project. Materials, supplies, and labor costs. If you will do some of the work yourself, you might save.

The work is not just painting kitchen cabinets. You need to remove doors, handles, appliances, and other hardware. For painting standard cabinet doors and drawer faces, the quoted prices could be $120 per door, $30 per drawer face, and $80 to $200 per cabinet. If you have larger doors or ones with glass, the prices could be higher.

The layout also influences the price of your project. If there are many corners, tight and hard-to-reach places in your layout, non-standard counters, you can expect to pay more. The more time it takes, the higher the cost to paint the cabinets.

Cabinet condition

Sometimes the kitchen cabinets are in very bad condition. Peeling paint, laminate pieces coming off, dirty surfaces, and chipped wood. Sometimes there will be a lot of work to prepare the cabinets and other surfaces for painting. You shouldn’t paint damaged laminate before you have repaired it. The full price includes the cost to strip and paint kitchen cabinets.

The appliances need to be removed, and the surfaces must be stripped of paint and sanded. After that, they have to be primed, and only then it’s time for painting. Obviously, when there’s a lot of work, it will also cost a lot.

Paint type and quality

The range of paint you can use for your kitchen cabinet refinishing is almost endless. Matte or glossy, how glossy. Often flat and matte paint can be cheaper and easier to work with. The high-quality lacquer paint could be very expensive. Then there’s the middle of the road of satin paint, often called eggshell.

Oil-based paints can give you an interesting brushed surface look. If you want to go with a smoother option, then latex paints may be your preferred choice. Before you paint cabinets, you need a primer based on the paint you intend to use.

One of the most important criteria when selecting paint is durability. But there are two ways to look at this. When you paint to sell, you want to get away with the lowest possible price that will increase the value of your real estate.

When you do it for yourself, you would want it to last as long as possible. You could go with better quality paint and more layers. This way, it will serve you well for years.

Painting method

One of the most important aspects of the painting projects is how you want to paint them. The old-school way is to use a brush. The brush can leave streaks, and most people want to avoid that. If you paint cabinet doors that are not completely smooth and have some type of ornamentation, then brush or spray painting are the only option.

The next option is to roll paint cabinets. This will give you a smoother surface, but the paint will probably not be completely smooth. When rolling paint, you have to be careful to do it evenly. Of course, if someone is painting kitchen cabinets professionally for you, you don’t have to worry about that. You can use a brush for uneven areas and use a roller for smooth cabinet surface.

Finally, there’s spray painting cabinets. A professional painter would probably prefer spraying cabinets as this is the fastest and smoothest way. Spray paint will also work with almost every cabinet design.

When you decide on the method or cabinet painters suggest how to do it, you need to buy:

• brushes,
• rollers,
• paint sprayer,
• drop cloths,
• masking tape,
• paint pans,
• sanding materials,
• paint strippers,
• primer,
• paint.

This is what you need when doing it by yourself. You could pay somewhere between $250 and $700 when you plan to get everything yourself. If you hire a cabinet painter, it’s all up to them to worry about the material costs, tricky or tight layouts, custom cabinets, upper cabinets, cabinet boxes, etc.

Color

The specific shade of color is not important. Still, when you paint darker cabinets with a lighter color, there’s a risk of the old layer of paint showing through the fresh paint. This is a problem usually when going from darker to lighter. However, when the paint layer is very thin, a lighter color might show through a darker new paint.

To ensure you don’t have problems in this area, strip off the paint or sand or sand the cabinets. That is a lot of work, and another option would be to use a primer that masks the original darker color.

Primer is also important for the paint to stick (primer is also called undercoat). If you plan to do a DIY project, you might want to talk to a professional painter to make sure you use the correct supplies. You wouldn’t want to repaint your cabinets just to fix the mistakes you could have planned for.

Site preparation

The preparation you need before beginning your project depends on the condition of the cabinets, the size of your kitchen, and how you plan to paint the cabinets. When using a brush or roller, it’s OK to use drop cloths loosely. However, when you plan to spray paint, you need to tape everything shut to avoid getting paint in unwanted places.

If you have experience removing cabinet doors, the first step is easy. Painting a cabinet door when it’s not attached to the cabinet box is much quicker. Next, you might want to remove all the large appliances, sinks, and other items. Removing them will make painting easier. In some cases, using a drop cloth could be enough. Relocate furniture that you will not paint.

All of the above applies when you plan to do some of the work yourself. If you use a painting contractor, ask for an estimate from several providers. The painting contractors can give you an estimate of how much does it cost per square foot or the total cost.

Removing doors and drawers

Removing doors and drawers makes them easier to paint, but it takes some time. Later you have to put them back on. You’ll also have to remove the hinges, handles, and other hardware to make sure you don’t paint the parts you don’t want to. Disassembly also helps cut downtime for stripping, sanding cabinet surfaces, and finally, cabinet painting.

Removing appliances

When possible, try to avoid removing appliances to access all cabinet surfaces. It takes a lot of time, and in some cases, you need special tools and knowledge. Plumbing and electrical work could be a part of painting projects. Of course, when you remove the appliances, you have to make plans for eating out or in another location in your home.

Hiring vs DIY cost to paint kitchen cabinets

When you decide to do it yourself, you need to consider if you have the skills needed. Kitchen cabinet painting is not rocket science, but if you don’t have any experience, then the quality of the result may be lower than you hoped for.

The price of your time. Calculate the time it will take you to paint kitchen cabinets, depending on your skill level. Take the labor cost in the contractor’s price estimate and divide it by your hours. Basically, you are hiring yourself for that hourly wage. Will it make sense for you?

Remember that you still have to pay for all the materials and tools. These prices could be lower too when hiring a professional painter as they use the same tools on many projects.

Labor cost to paint kitchen cabinets

A big part of the cabinet paint costs goes towards the hourly rate for the labor. The professional painters can charge anywhere between $25 to $70 per hour. This is highly dependent on your location and the price levels in your area.

Every professional painter may base their rates differently. They can give you a price per linear foot, per square foot, a number of cabinets, or by the door, drawer, and cabinet. Some may even base their fee on the time they expect to spend on the project.

For you, the only thing that matters is the final price that includes everything to get your kitchen finished. Show them the kitchen and ask for one number, the total cost. Then it doesn’t matter how long it takes or how they plan to work.

Reasons to paint kitchen cabinets

There are many reasons you would want to update your kitchen cabinets. You can do it for yourself or increase the value of your home to get a better price when selling.

Outdated and dirty cabinets

You can be the most careful person in the world, but time takes its toll, and your kitchen cabinets will need a fresher look. There could be physical damage, wear and tear from the daily use. The colors could be faced or just too dirty to clean.

You may just be tired of the look of the cabinets and want to have something new in your life. When switching from darker colors to lighter ones, you may also have the effect of having a larger space in your kitchen.

Cheaper than remodeling

The kitchen cabinet painting project can start with a simple coat of paint and go as far as almost remodeling your kitchen. However, painting cabinets professionally will be cheaper for you per linear foot than replacing everything.

You should calculate how much does it cost to paint the kitchen and completely remodel it. Only then can you make an informed decision about which is the best option for you.

Add value to your home

A well-designed kitchen is one of the selling points of any home. The prevailing trend in interior design is that the kitchen is open to the larger living area. This means it has to look good at all times.

As styles and popular colors change, you can add value to your home if you update your kitchen. Fresh paint and a trendier look can add more to the value of your home than you spend on the cabinet painting.

When homebuyers see old paint and dirty cabinets, they will immediately think about how much it will cost to paint kitchen cabinets. They will probably over-estimate, which will reduce the price they are willing to pay for your home. When you take on the cabinet painting project, you can increase the price of a square foot more than you spend on it.

How to save money on painting kitchen cabinets?

When you plan your kitchen renovation project, you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Here’s how:

Don’t do it yourself

I have talked about the DIY possibility of painting your kitchen cabinets. However, the number one money-saving tip for most could be to hire a professional painter.

Take multiple offers

When selecting a contractor, ask for quotes from at least three contractors. Compare prices, service levels, and completion times. Ask for references and talk to the previous customers.

Do some of the work yourself

When possible, arrange to take on some of the work that has little effect on the final quality of the painting project. For example, taking off the cabinet doors, cleaning, and sanding are tasks that don’t require much skill but take a lot of time.

Is it cheaper to paint or replace kitchen cabinets?

It is cheaper to paint kitchen cabinets if you plan to do it yourself. The labor costs of professional painters can make it quite expensive. Painting kitchen cabinets is a very popular DIY project of home improvement. Removing doors, drawer faces, and old paint stripping can save money but takes time.

The kitchen cabinet painting costs are usually around one-third to one-half of getting a new set of kitchen cabinets.

How long do professionally painted cabinets last?

The life span of most furniture and other parts of interior design is about 10 years. If you are picky, it could be 8 years. The professionally painted kitchen cabinets are as good as new. When the workmanship is top-notch, and you use quality materials, the result will last as long as anything you get from the local furniture store. The cost of repainting kitchen cabinets will be much lower than getting new cabinets.

Do painted cabinets chip easily?

Paint can come off the cabinets. When your appliances and hardware are loose, they can tear paint, make it chip, and peel. Some high-quality paints may be almost unaffected by wear and tear, but be gentle with your kitchen. One idea would be to keep some of the paint you used for repairs when accidents happen.

Is painting kitchen cabinets worth it?

Painting your kitchen cabinets is cheaper than other options. It is cheaper than getting new cabinets. You can do some of the work yourself or let professionals take care of everything. In the end, you will have a kitchen that looks fresh and new. You will love it if you do it for yourself, or it will get you higher resell value when you plan to sell your home.

How hard is it to repaint kitchen cabinets?

Some types of cabinet surfaces may not be best suited for a new topcoat of paint. It’s usually hard to get new paint to stick to plastic laminate. Even in this case, special paints and materials get the job done. However, it’s pretty easy to get them painted if you have wood, wood-laminate, or metal cabinets.

Will painting kitchen cabinets increase home value?

Painting kitchen cabinets can increase the home’s appeal to the potential buyer. This can be more emotional than objectively calculated. Your home will “feel” fresher. This way, the cost to paint kitchen cabinets can boost your home price much more than could be reasonably expected.

How long does it take to paint kitchen cabinets?

Plan for one week. A professional team of painters can get your kitchen cabinet painting done in about 4 to 5 days. If you don’t want to stress out, then you can plan as follows:

• One day to, clean out all your stuff from the kitchen.
• One day to disassemble appliances, hardware, remove doors, drawers, etc.
• A day for prep work.
• A couple of days of painting and watching the paint dry between coats.
• A day to reassemble everything
• A day to put your stuff back into newly painted beautiful cabinets and drawers.

When you add a buffer for inevitable delays and weekends, you get about one week and a couple of days from start to finish.

Do you paint both sides of kitchen cabinet doors?

Usually, you need to paint both sides of your kitchen cabinets and doors. You will add several layers of paint, and under that, you will have primer.

In most cases, the old and new paint are different enough that you need to paint both sides. The other point to consider is that when your cabinets are in the condition where they need repainting, the dirt, wear and tear have affected them inside and out.

The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets in 2022

The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets ranges from about $400 to $1,400. The price of painting kitchen cabinets is definitely lower than refacing them or getting completely new cabinet doors. Of course, the actual kitchen cabinet painting cost varies wildly based on the square footage, cabinet layout, how much paint you use, painting method, and even paint color.