Counting the pieces, not the square feet
A kitchen's size says less about the price of painting its cabinets than the number of pieces does. Every door has two faces and four edges; every drawer front, end panel, filler strip and face frame is prepped and coated separately. Two kitchens with the same footprint can have very different counts. Most painters start a cabinet quote by counting doors and drawers, and you can do the same to compare bids. We don't quote prices here.
Cleaning and deglossing
Kitchen cabinets carry a film of cooking grease, especially near the range and the handles. Paint won't stick to it. The usual prep is a degreasing cleaner, a rinse, then scuff-sanding or a liquid deglosser so the new coat can grip the old finish. This step is invisible once the job is done and is the one most likely to be shortened in a low bid. Ask exactly how the crew cleans and sands.
Repairs before color
Chipped edges, loose veneer, worn spots under the sink and old hardware holes that won't be reused need filling or fixing before primer. If you're changing pulls to a different size, the old holes are filled and new ones drilled. Ask how those repairs are priced.
Primer and enamel
Cabinets take more abuse than walls, so they get different products: a primer chosen for the existing finish, then an enamel or cabinet-grade coating meant to level smooth and harden. Some products need longer between coats and several days to cure fully. Ask which primer and topcoat the painter plans to use and how many coats. Our cabinet painting and refinishing page explains the product types, and paint sheens and finishes covers which sheens wipe clean best.
Spraying or brushing
Doors and drawer fronts are often taken off, labeled and sprayed in a shop or a set-up area, which gives a smoother finish but adds transport, masking and handling. The cabinet boxes usually stay in place and are sprayed with heavy masking or brushed and rolled. Each method has a different labor cost. Ask where the doors will be finished and how the kitchen will be protected from overspray.
Hardware and hinges
Removing, bagging and reinstalling hinges and pulls takes time. If hinges are being replaced, the new ones may need adjusting so doors hang straight. Ask whether reinstallation and adjustment are included.
Living without the kitchen
Cabinet painting puts the kitchen out of action for a while: the boxes are wet, the doors are off, and counters are covered. Ask how many days the room will be unusable and how long before doors can be rehung and used gently. Fewer days usually means more crew on site, which can affect price.
Lead-safe work in homes built before 1978
EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requires anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 to hold EPA lead-safe credentials and use trained workers following lead-safe work practices; it generally does not cover owners working on their own pre-1978 homes unless they rent the home out or flip it.
Sanding old cabinet paint is the kind of work that disturbs painted surfaces, so in a house built before 1978 a paid painter plans containment, dust control and cleanup, which add time and materials. If you're weighing doing it yourself, note that the rule generally doesn't cover owners on their own homes, but the dust is the same, so the same care makes sense. EPA lists Alabama among the states that run their own EPA-authorized programs. If your house falls in that range, you can ask whether the firm holds the EPA lead-safe credentials the rule requires.
Questions for a cabinet bid
- How many doors, drawers and panels did you count?
- How will you degrease and sand before priming?
- Which primer and which enamel, and how many coats?
- Will doors be sprayed off site, and how will the kitchen be protected?
- How many days without a usable kitchen, and when can doors be used again?
Our pricing guide sets out the general factors behind every painting price.