Tired of staring at the same old kitchen cabinets day in and day out? Painting kitchen cabinets is an easy and cost-effective way to give your kitchen an update without installing all-new cabinetry.
Updating your kitchen cabinets is one of the best ways to quickly improve the look and feel of an area where you likely spend a lot of time. And depending on the surface and condition of your cabinets, you don’t have to replace them to achieve that goal.
Painting your cabinets isn’t as easy as grabbing a brush and slapping on a coat of paint. There happens to be a fair amount of challenges that could arise before you can actually start painting. Here are some things to consider beforehand:
Dismantling the room – To get the most precise paint job, cabinets must have their doors, handles, and hinges removed for full access to all surfaces. Hence, a lot of deconstruction and reconstruction of the room.
Removing appliances, accessories, and food – Whether you’re painting your bathroom or kitchen cabinets, you will likely have to remove a ton of items in the room and store them somewhere else until your project is complete. This is to assure that the paint job is as precise as possible while ensuring any paint stays off items where it doesn’t belong, including your sink, stove, mirror, fridge, and more.
Where to paint your cabinets – When painting cabinets, it’s best to remove their doors and paint them separately, which means you’ll have to find a place to paint them and have them dry. Don’t be surprised if your kitchen table or the floor becomes your new workspace.
Differences in paintwork – If you think painting your cabinets will be as easy as the walls, think again. In order to look their best, cabinets require a smaller brush and different painting techniques, especially if they’re paneled. Whether they’re your kitchen cabinets or bathroom cupboards, expect to dedicate a little more time and money.
The cost to paint kitchen cabinets is lower than you think—certainly lower than replacing. On average, homeowners spend $3,000 to repaint the doors and cabinets in their kitchens, with a typical range of $2,500 to $3,500. This cost is primarily made up of labor but also includes supplies.
You’re looking at a cost of $85 – $125 per kitchen cabinet door or drawer, and the average-sized kitchen has approximately 20 – 30 kitchen cabinet doors.
If existing cabinets need a lot of work to strip off poor surfaces before repainting, if lots of finish work is required, or if there are a lot of cabinets in a large kitchen, this cost could increase to an average of $5,250.
These are the most common factors in determining the cost to paint kitchen cabinets, but keep reading to discover more about kitchen cabinet painting costs.
The exact cost of painting your kitchen cabinets depends on the quality of the products you choose, how many cabinets your kitchen has and much more. To gain a clearer perspective on what it might cost to paint your cabinets, consider these factors:
Kitchen Size: Smaller kitchens with fewer cabinets will require fewer supplies and labor.
Type of Paint: Certain types of paint for your kitchen cabinets will be more expensive than others. In most cases, high-quality, glossy paints will be the most costly, eggshell or satin finishes are slightly less expensive. The quality of the primer you use will also impact the total cost of your cabinet painting project.
Type of Cabinet: Flat panel cabinets can be painted much quicker than cabinets with grooves or recesses. Painting ornate edges requires both a paintbrush for reaching into grooves and a roller or a sprayer to even out the surface. This extra time equates to extra money.
Paint Color: Believe it or not, the color you paint your kitchen cabinets may impact the total cost. If you are changing your cabinets from a dark tone to a light one, you will need additional coats of paint or a higher-end primer to achieve the drastic change.
Cabinet Condition: If your cabinets are in great shape, you won’t need to worry about this aspect; however, if your cabinets are dinged up, dented or otherwise damaged, you or the contractor you hire will need to spend extra time cleaning and repairing the worn out surfaces.
Labor: If you plan to hire a professional for your cabinet painting project, labor will make up most of the cost. Depending on your location, professional cabinet painters will cost between $20 to $50 per hour. The painters may not charge by the hour, but rather by the linear feet of cabinetry or by the total number of doors, drawers, and cabinets.
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