As we say, “a little goes a long way.” You don’t need a complete renovation to transform the look of your kitchen. Kitchen cabinet painting alone can significantly impact your kitchen’s appearance. It refreshes the look of your kitchen, makes it appear brand new, and creates a more welcoming space for bonding with family and hosting friends.
While painting kitchen cabinets is not hard, it requires following the proper steps to ensure the project will get satisfying results. The work may vary depending on how many cabinets your kitchen has or how badly they need to be repainted. There’s also the additional work of removing the doors and drawers and replacing the hardware.
Kitchen cabinet painting may be a relatively easy weekend project. As with most painting jobs, it needs a sizable enough budget for purchasing paints and materials (if you’re going the DIY way) or hiring a professional who will do the job for you.
Kitchen cabinet painting FAQs
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
Cost is the first concern when planning a kitchen cabinet painting project. As with any renovation, the answer varies depending on several factors, such as how many cabinets need to be painted, the condition of the cabinets, the painter’s skill, experience, etc.
Generally speaking, smaller projects can set you back $1,200 to $2,000, while larger projects can cost you from $10,000 and up.
What’s involved in painting kitchen cabinets?
It comes down to the proper process if you’re wondering why painting kitchen cabinets may take so long.
Before a painter can begin painting, they must remove all cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware (handles and hinges). They must move doors and drawers somewhere remote, outdoors, or in a painting facility.
The additional work of disassembling doors, drawers, and hardware takes some time. However, doing so saves time and ensures proper coverage since painters don’t need to strain themselves by making delicate maneuvers around handles, hinges, inside cabinet doors, etc. It also makes painting less burdensome.
Like many other painting projects, prep work is required on the cabinets to ensure adequate paint adhesion to the surface. Prep work involves cleaning, sanding, and priming the cabinets’ surfaces before painting them.
The painters also have to prepare the kitchen. Prepping the kitchen includes covering the floor and countertops with drop cloths and (if possible) covering fixtures (such as faucets, etc.) with painter’s tape or plastic sheeting to protect them from paint.
After every cabinet component has been applied with paint and dried, they bring them back into the house and replace them on the cabinet.
How long does it take to complete the project?
There is no fixed timeline for painting kitchen cabinets, but it’s worth noting that it tends to take longer than other interior painting projects, including painting the walls. It’s due to the additional work (notably removing doors, cabinets, and hardware) before surface preparation. But the longer work may not be so much of an issue. After all, you want your cabinets to be correctly prepared and painted and expect such work to take a while.
Ultimately, the answer to this question depends on several factors, such as the number, size, and present condition of the cabinets, the painter’s skill, the number of coats of paint, your specific needs and preferences, and much more. Most kitchen cabinet painting projects take about 3 to 7 days.
What’s the best paint for kitchen cabinets?
Hundreds of types of paint are available on the market, and some are better suited for specific applications. But one thing you should avoid when choosing paints: don’t use cheap, low-quality paints. They’re just going to peel or chip off over time and use.
Kitchen cabinets are different from interior walls, so you must choose hard-drying paints since kitchen cabinets are more prone to wear and tear, grease, temperature fluctuations, and humidity.
Most interior painters will use latex or acrylic paints. Water-based acrylic paints do not emit toxic fumes, repel moisture and grease well, and are easy to clean.
Some opt for oil-based paints for kitchen cabinet painting, but there are caveats regarding their use. While oil-based paints are renowned for their durable finish and ability to stand up to cleaning and scrubbing, they tend to dry too slowly. Moreover, oil-based paints have higher VOC levels than latex and acrylic paints, so they’re not usually recommended for indoor painting since they emit harmful chemical fumes. Good thing, though, that detached kitchen cabinet doors and drawers are generally painted outside the house.
Professional interior painters recommend paints with a semi-gloss finish (instead of flat and high-gloss). The hard, durable coating will stand up better to moisture, oil, grease, fading, staining, and chipping. The sheen of semi-gloss paints makes it easy to clean and scrub without the risk of dulling or fading.
Will I DIY or hire a professional?
There are advantages to going the DIY way. You can cut costs, save money, and feel accomplished when you finish. That said, if you lack the proper experience, paints, tools, and time for kitchen cabinet painting, you may spend more resources than you would have if you hired professional painters. Furthermore, professional painters can help you with repairs and restorations and will also answer your questions that you may have during the project.
While there is no correct answer to this question, you will be better off hiring professionals rather than attempting the job yourself.
If you have more questions about kitchen cabinet painting or other matters regarding interior painting, call the experts from Custom Painting, Inc. They will be glad to help! Call (925) 294-8062 for more information about our services or to schedule an appointment to discuss your painting needs.