Painting kitchen cabinets costs $2,000 to $6,500 for an average kitchen in 2026, by national published figures. It is slower and more exact than wall painting. These are the questions we hear most, answered plainly.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own walls move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
The cost to paint kitchen cabinets is $2,000 to $6,500 for an average kitchen, by the national figures. That works out to $30 to $70 per linear foot, $70 to $125 per door and $30 to $110 per drawer. Spray painting is listed at $40 to $100 per linear foot.
| Kitchen size | National range |
|---|---|
| Small (70 to 100 sq ft) | $1,000 to $3,500 |
| Average (100 to 200 sq ft) | $2,000 to $6,500 |
| Large (200 sq ft or more) | $5,000 to $10,000 |
Other HomeGuide pages give lower cabinet figures, $900 to $3,800 and $1,500 to $5,000. We use the figures from its cabinet page, since that is the page about this job.
How much for 20 or 30 cabinet doors and drawers?
By the published per-door figure of $70 to $125, 20 cabinet doors come to $1,400 to $2,500 and 30 doors come to $2,100 to $3,750. Drawer fronts are listed at $30 to $110 each, so 10 drawers add $300 to $1,100.
That is arithmetic on national figures, not a quote. The frames, end panels and any crown or light rail are also painted, and the condition of the old finish changes the prep. We count doors and drawers on site and price the whole kitchen.
Is it cheaper to paint, reface or replace cabinets?
Painting is the cheapest of the three. By the national figures, painting costs $2,000 to $6,500, refacing costs $5,000 to $13,000 and full replacement costs $4,500 to $15,000. Replacing only the doors is listed at $2,200 to $6,600.
Refacing means new doors and drawer fronts with a new veneer over the old boxes. It changes the door style, which paint cannot do. Paint changes the color only.
Painting or refinishing cabinets: what is the difference in cost?
Refinishing is listed a little lower: $1,500 to $4,500 against $2,000 to $6,500 for painting, by the national figures. Refinishing means stripping or sanding and then staining and clear coating, so the wood grain still shows. Painting covers the grain with a solid color. Refinishing works only on real wood in good shape.
Are 1990s oak cabinets worth painting, and can oak go white?
Yes to both, if the boxes are solid. Oak cabinets from the 1980s and 1990s are in a great many Inland Empire kitchens, and they are usually well built. Oak can go white. The catch is the grain. Oak has deep, open pores, and they show through paint as a texture unless a grain filler is used first. Decide which look you want before the job starts.
Can you paint laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Laminate can be painted if it is firmly stuck down and gets a bonding primer after a light sanding. Thermofoil is harder. It is a thin vinyl skin over fiberboard, and when it is peeling or lifting at the edges, paint will not hold it down. Peeling thermofoil doors are better replaced. Adhesion should be tested on the back of one door before anyone promises a result.
Is spray or brush better for cabinets, and are the doors sprayed off site?
Spray gives the smoothest finish on cabinet doors, with no brush marks. Doors and drawer fronts are normally taken off, numbered and sprayed flat. That can be done in a shop or in a masked-off space such as a garage. The frames stay in the kitchen and are sprayed or brushed and rolled in place. Ask us how we would set up your job.
Can cabinets be painted without removing the doors?
They can, but the result is not as good. With the doors off, the edges, the hinge side and the frame behind the door all get coated, and the doors dry flat without runs. Painting around hinges with the doors on leaves bare edges and a line of paint on the hardware. Taking the doors and drawer fronts off is the better method.
How long does cabinet painting take and can I use the kitchen?
Cabinet painting takes 3 to 5 days by the published national figure. You can use the kitchen for most of that time, with limits. The counters, sink and appliances stay in place, but the cabinets are open with no doors, and some areas are masked while frames are painted. Plan simple meals for those days.
Will painted cabinets chip or peel?
Painted cabinets can chip where they take knocks: around pulls, on lower drawer edges and by the trash pullout. They should not peel. Peeling means the prep was skipped. Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease and hand oils, so they must be cleaned with a degreaser, sanded and primed with a bonding primer before paint. Small chips can be touched up.
How long does cabinet paint last, compared with a factory finish?
Painted kitchen cabinets last 8 to 15 years by the published national figure. A factory finish is baked or cured under controlled conditions and is generally harder than anything applied in a home. A careful paint job with a cabinet-grade enamel comes close in daily use, but it will show wear sooner at the busiest doors.
What paint do pros use on cabinets for a smooth finish?
For a smooth finish on cabinets, pros use an enamel made for trim and cabinets, not wall paint. The common choices are waterborne alkyd and urethane-modified acrylic enamels. They level out as they dry, so brush marks fade, and they cure to a hard film. We do not name one brand as the answer. Ask us what we would use on your cabinets and why.
These enamels are dry to the touch in hours but take weeks to reach full hardness. Be gentle with the doors for the first month.
I painted my cabinets myself and they look bad. Can a pro fix them?
Yes. If you painted the cabinets yourself and they are sticky, streaky or peeling, they can usually be put right. How much work that takes depends on what went wrong. Brush marks and drips can be sanded flat and recoated. Paint that scratches off with a fingernail did not bond, and it has to be stripped or sanded back before new primer goes on. That costs more than painting bare cabinets would have.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (909) 487-2695.