Who Should Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets? A Homeowner's Guide

If your kitchen is feeling drab and dated, a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets can make a world of difference without the expense of a full remodel. But repainting cabinets is no simple cosmetic upgrade. Doing it right requires proper prep work, high-quality materials, and expert technique to get a smooth, durable finish. So who should you trust to take on this project?

While an ambitious DIYer can technically paint their own cabinets, hiring a professional painter who specializes in kitchen cabinetry often yields the best results. Read on as we compare the DIY route to working with a pro painter, outline what to look for when vetting painters, walk through what to expect from the painting process itself, and lay out the typical cost considerations.

Should You Hire a Professional or DIY?

Painting the kitchen cabinets in your home is a project you can certainly take on yourself. But before you gather the paint rollers and drop cloths, consider both the pros and cons of the DIY path versus hiring a professional.

The DIY Route

Painting your own cabinets allows you to save on labor costs, choose paints and colors that you like, and work on your own timeline. However, unless you have prior experience with refinishing cabinets, the learning curve can prove frustrating. Achieving a smooth, consistent finish across your cabinets with no visible brush strokes or drips is quite difficult for an amateur.

Hiring a Professional

The benefits of hiring professional painters who specialize in kitchen cabinetry often outweigh the cost of their labor. Experts have the skills, tools, workspace, and experience to properly prepare your cabinets, match your paint selection to your cabinet materials, spray paint for flawless coverage, and finish the job efficiently from start to finish.

Types of Professional Cabinet Painters

If you elect to hire a professional to paint your kitchen cabinets instead of tackling the project solo as a DIYer, you'll have several categories of painters to choose from. Let's look at the differences.

General Contractors

Some general contractors offer cabinet painting as one service in their suite of home renovation capabilities. While they likely have experience with interior and exterior paint jobs, they may not have specialized expertise when it comes to the meticulous process of finishing kitchen cabinetry.

Specialty Painting Contractors

Specialty painting contractors primarily focus on interior and exterior paint applications, including wall, ceiling, trim, and cabinet painting. Reputable specialty painters often have significant experience addressing the unique needs and challenges posed by kitchen cabinet repainting projects.

Kitchen Remodeling Contractors

For kitchen remodeling companies, cabinet refinishing is one service alongside countertop replacement, tile backsplashes, lighting updates, and full cabinet installs. Established kitchen remodelers typically have an in-house painting division specializing in cabinetry.

What to Look for When Hiring a Cabinet Painter

Regardless of whether you hire a general contractor, specialty painting pro, or kitchen remodeler for your cabinet painting project, there are key characteristics that indicate expertise and reliability.

• Years of experience specifically painting kitchen cabinets
• Website showcasing past cabinet paint jobs, before-and-after photos
• Strong referrals and reviews from past cabinet painting clients
• Licensed, bonded, insured
• Better Business Bureau accreditation

Legitimate cabinet painters should also provide a detailed written estimate outlining exactly what is entailed in their cabinet painting process and services along with an itemized breakdown of pricing.

Questions to Ask Potential Cabinet Painters

When vetting cabinet painting contractors, it's wise to ask the following questions:

• What cabinet painting system and process do you use?
• How do you prepare the cabinets prior to painting?
• What types of paint do you use?
• Do you spray or hand paint the cabinets?
• How long does the project typically take?
• What's included in your cabinet painting services?

Reputable painters should walk you through their step-by-step process so you understand exactly what to expect. Beware vague answers or details.

Painting vs. Refacing vs. Replacing Kitchen Cabinets

Beyond a simple paint job, you also have the options of refacing your cabinets or replacing them entirely. Let's outline the pros and cons of each approach.

Painting

Painting is an affordable way to refresh cabinets without removing them. You'll get a big visual impact in the kitchen. But properly prepping cabinets for paint is labor-intensive and achieving an even finish can prove challenging for novices. The results also may not last as long as refacing or replacement.

Refacing

With refacing, you replace cabinet doors, drawers, and exterior surfaces while keeping cabinet boxes intact. This approach costs more than paint but less than replacement. It also takes less time than replacing cabinets. Durability is better than painted finishes.

Replacing

A full cabinet replacement lets you modify cabinet configurations, storage solutions, materials, and style. This is the priciest option but yields an essentially new kitchen. The process does involve lengthy demolition, removal, reconstruction, and installation.

What to Expect During the Cabinet Painting Process

A professional cabinet painting job isn't just a matter of slapping paint on the doors and drawers. Meticulous prep work and controlled paint application are vital for results and durability. Here's an overview of the typical process.

Surface Prep

Thoroughly cleaning cabinets and lightly scuffing surfaces to improve paint adhesion are key prep steps. Holes and flaws must be filled, fixed, and smoothed. All hardware, doors, and drawers will be removed too.

Paint Application

Professionals use HVLP spray systems to achieve consistent, streak-free coverage. Multiple coats are applied, with sanding and cleanup between each layer. Brushes and rollers address hard-to-reach areas.

Drying and Curing

Depending on the paint used, drying and curing times vary. Oil-based enamel dries slowly compared to latex and lacquer paints. Proper ventilation speeds drying between coats.

Protection

The workspace is sealed off during painting. Drop cloths, plastic sheeting, tape, and careful covering of nearby surfaces prevent paint transfer. Air filtration minimizes dust.

Costs and Contracts for Cabinet Painting

Professional cabinet painting services range from $2,000 to $7,000 depending on factors like your kitchen's size, cabinet materials, paint colors, and finishing techniques. Always get a detailed written contract outlining exactly what the quote includes before hiring your painter.

What Impacts Costs?

• Size of the kitchen
• Number of cabinets
• Hand-painted details vs solid paint colors
• Distressed finishes vs smooth coatings
• Necessity of repairs before painting
• Cost of paint materials selected

Be sure to ask the contractor precisely what is and isn't accounted for in their pricing so there are no budget surprises down the road.

Maintaining Newly Painted Cabinets

With proper prep, application, and high-quality paints, your newly painted cabinets should maintain their revitalized look for years. But you'll need to care for them properly through:

• Gentle daily cleaning with microfiber cloths and mild soap
• Avoiding harsh chemicals and abrasive pads
• Installing cabinet liner paper on shelves
• Touch up painting as needed for nicks and scratches

Refreshing outdated kitchen cabinets with a coat of paint provides affordable renovation impact. But achieving professional-grade results hinges on proper processes, tools, materials, and painter skill level. While braver DIYers can tackle cabinets themselves, those wanting guaranteed quality within budget and on schedule often benefit by hiring professional cabinet painters.

The above guide outlines key considerations around process, cost, and hiring criteria when exploring your cabinet painting options. Armed with the right insights and questions to ask painters, you can confidently move forward with your kitchen's makeover.