Cabinet Painting Quotes: Pricing Guide
Master the art of cabinet painting estimates with detailed pricing strategies, finish options, and professional techniques. Part of our comprehensive painting quote guide.
How Much Does Cabinet Painting Cost?
Kitchen cabinet painting costs average $75-150 per door or $3,000-6,000 for a typical kitchen with 30-40 doors and drawers. Prices vary based on cabinet condition, finish quality, and whether boxes are painted. Spray finishing costs 20-30% more but provides superior results.
Cabinet Painting Pricing Methods
Per Door/Drawer Pricing
Brush & Roll Method
- • Standard door: $75-100
- • Large/panel door: $100-125
- • Drawer front: $40-60
- • False panels: $30-50
- • Inside boxes: +$500-800
Spray Finish Method
- • Standard door: $100-150
- • Large/panel door: $125-175
- • Drawer front: $50-75
- • False panels: $40-60
- • Inside boxes: +$700-1200
Pro Tip: Always count doors and drawers during the estimate visit. Photos help ensure accurate counts. Add 10% for potential missed items.
Linear Foot Pricing
Upper Cabinets
- • Basic finish: $125-175/ft
- • Premium finish: $175-225/ft
- • With crown molding: +$25/ft
- • Glass doors: +$50/door
Lower Cabinets
- • Basic finish: $150-200/ft
- • Premium finish: $200-275/ft
- • Island/peninsula: +20%
- • Toe kick painting: +$10/ft
Finish Options & Pricing Tiers
Basic Finish
- • Clean and degrease
- • Light sanding
- • One coat primer
- • Two coats paint
- • Brush/roll application
- • 1-year warranty
Professional Finish
- • Thorough prep work
- • Fill grain (oak)
- • Premium primer
- • 2-3 coats paint
- • Spray application
- • 3-year warranty
Premium Finish
- • Complete stripping
- • Repair all defects
- • High-end primer
- • 3+ coats lacquer
- • Factory-like finish
- • 5-year warranty
Cabinet Painting Process & Time
Day 1: Prep & Remove
Remove doors, drawers, and hardware. Clean and degrease all surfaces.
Day 2-3: Sanding & Priming
Sand all surfaces, fill grain/damage, apply bonding primer.
Day 4-5: Paint Application
Apply 2-3 coats of finish paint with proper drying between coats.
Day 6: Reinstall
Reinstall doors, drawers, and hardware. Final adjustments and cleanup.
Total Project Time: 5-6 days typical | Total Labor: 60-80 hours for average kitchen
Material Calculations
Average Kitchen (35 doors/drawers)
Material Requirements
- • Degreaser: 1 gallon @ $20
- • Sandpaper: Various grits @ $40
- • Wood filler: 2 tubes @ $30
- • Primer: 2 gallons @ $100
- • Paint: 3 gallons @ $180
- • Brushes/supplies: $80
Total Materials: $450
Coverage Formulas
Primer needed:
Doors × 4 sq ft ÷ 300 = gallons
Paint needed:
Doors × 4 sq ft × 2.5 coats ÷ 350 = gallons
Add 20% for boxes if painting
Pricing by Cabinet Wood Type
Oak Cabinets
- • Extensive grain filling required
- • 2-3 coats grain filler @ $200-300
- • Extra sanding between coats
- • Add 20-30% to base price
- • Best with spray application
Maple/Cherry
- • Smooth surface, minimal grain
- • Standard prep work sufficient
- • Excellent paint adhesion
- • Base pricing applies
- • Great for any finish level
Laminate/Thermofoil
- • Special bonding primer required
- • Cannot sand aggressively
- • Limited to light colors
- • Reduce price by 10-15%
- • Lower warranty period
Previously Painted
- • Check for lead paint (pre-1978)
- • May need stripping
- • Test adhesion carefully
- • Add 10-40% for extra prep
- • Document existing issues
Sample Cabinet Painting Quote
Medium Kitchen - Oak Cabinets to White
Cabinet Count
- • Upper doors: 18 @ $125 = $2,250
- • Lower doors: 10 @ $125 = $1,250
- • Drawer fronts: 8 @ $65 = $520
- • False panels: 2 @ $50 = $100
- • Cabinet boxes: Included
Additional Work
- • Grain filling (oak): $450
- • Crown molding: $200
- • Interior shelves: $300
- • Hardware holes: $150
- • Kitchen protection: $100
Quote Summary
Value Proposition: Transform your kitchen for 30% of replacement cost. Professional spray finish, 3-year warranty, completed in one week.
Cabinet Quoting Best Practices
Do's
- ✓Always test existing finish adhesion
- ✓Take before photos for protection
- ✓Explain spray vs brush differences
- ✓Offer sample doors when possible
- ✓Include detailed warranty terms
Don'ts
- ✗Never skip proper prep work
- ✗Don't promise unrealistic timelines
- ✗Avoid painting over damage
- ✗Don't use wall paint on cabinets
- ✗Never guarantee exact color matches