A new kitchen look, without the demolition.
Painting, refinishing or replacing: see what each one costs for your door and drawer count, then let the crew that sprays cabinets every day give you the exact number.
By the Painter Hotline crew · Updated
With Painter Hotline, spraying kitchen cabinets runs $175 to $195 per door, $110 to $120 per drawer front and $75 to $80 per linear foot for the boxes and face frames, so a kitchen with 22 doors, 8 drawers and 24 feet of cabinets comes to about $6,530 to $7,170. Replacing with new installed cabinets typically costs $2,003 to $11,053 according to HomeAdvisor, before countertops. Painter Hotline’s cabinet crew degreases, scuff sands, bonding-primes and sprays every door, drawer and box, and the work carries a written 5-year workmanship warranty.
Paint vs. refinish vs. replace: your numbers
Enter your counts. The tool returns a typical range for each option side by side.
Which one is right for your kitchen?
| Paint | Refinish (wood look) | Replace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What changes | Color and finish on your existing boxes and doors | Finish only; wood grain stays visible | Boxes, doors and usually countertops |
| Typical price basis | $175–$195 per door, $110–$120 per drawer, $75–$80 per linear ft of boxes | About $85 per door or drawer front (clean, scuff, clear coat) | $100–$1,200 per linear ft by grade (HomeAdvisor) |
| Kitchen out of service | Usually 3 to 5 days on site | Ask at the estimate | Typically longer: tear-out, install, counters |
| Best when | Solid boxes, square doors, layout works | Real wood in good shape that you want to keep | Swollen particleboard, warped doors, layout does not work |
| Countertops | Stay in place | Stay in place | Often replaced too |
Paint when the boxes are solid, the doors hang square and you like the layout but not the color. Refinish to a clear coat when you love wood and the cabinets are real wood in good shape. Replace when particleboard has swollen, doors are warped or the layout does not work. If two or more of those replace signs describe your kitchen, painting is the wrong tool and we will tell you so.
How we do it, step by step, is on the cabinet refinishing process page. Picking a color? Try the kitchen tab of the color picker.
25% off labor, booked by December 31, 2026
Painting projects booked by December 31, 2026 get 25% off the labor. Paint and materials are not included. The reduction is printed on your written estimate, so the number you approve is the number you pay.
Winter is a good time to have the kitchen done; tell us your preferred week in the form below, or call 720-208-5645, and we confirm dates and room order in writing.
What makes cabinet painting last
- Degrease. Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking residue, and primer will not bond through it.
- Scuff sand. Factory finishes are slick on purpose; sanding gives the primer something to grip.
- Bonding primer. A primer made to stick to cured factory finishes, not ordinary wall primer.
- Sprayed cabinet enamel. Doors and drawer fronts sprayed off the boxes, boxes sprayed in place behind plastic, for a smooth, hard finish.
Cabinet questions
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Denver?
With Painter Hotline, spraying kitchen cabinets runs $175 to $195 per door, $110 to $120 per drawer front and $75 to $80 per linear foot for the boxes and face frames, so a kitchen with 22 doors, 8 drawers and 24 feet of cabinets comes to about $6,530 to $7,170. Replacing with new installed cabinets typically costs $2,003 to $11,053 according to HomeAdvisor, before countertops.
Is painting cabinets cheaper than replacing them?
Usually by a wide margin. Painting keeps your boxes, doors and countertops; replacing means new boxes, doors and installation, and it often brings new countertops with it.
What is the difference between cabinet painting and refinishing?
People use the words loosely. Painting covers the wood with an opaque sprayed color. Refinishing in the narrow sense keeps a wood look: the cabinets are cleaned, scuffed and given a fresh clear coat. Our cabinet crew does both.
How long is my kitchen out of service?
Our cabinet crew is usually on site three to five days. You keep your countertops and appliances; doors and drawer fronts are off for most of that time.
Can oak cabinets be painted?
Yes. Oak grain shows through paint unless it is filled. You can keep the texture or have the grain filled for a smooth finish, which takes extra labor. We can sample both on one of your doors.
Is there a discount right now?
Yes. Painting projects booked by December 31, 2026 get 25% off the labor. Paint and materials are not included, and the tool range does not include the discount.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the source listed. Checked October 30, 2026.
- How much does cabinet installation cost?, HomeAdvisor, installed cabinets: typical $2,003 to $11,053; per linear foot stock $100 to $300, semi-custom $150 to $650, custom $500 to $1,200 (checked October 30, 2026)
Get your exact cabinet price
A door and drawer count plus a photo of the kitchen is enough for a written number. Your tool inputs are added automatically.
Prefer to talk it through? 720-208-5645