When you're looking to paint kitchen cabinets, you're naturally going to want to know the cost of painting them. Depending on the size of your home, your zip code, the condition of your existing cabinets and more, you're going to see the price vary a lot.
Obviously, painting kitchen cabinets yourself is cheaper than hiring a professional painter, but it requires a lot of time and effort which you may not be able to put into the DIY project. For this reason, we usually recommend hiring a professional for your painting project. You can also learn more about the difference between cabinet refinishing and cabinet refacing if you are interested to know how you can save up on remodeling projects!
Don't risk messing up your lovely kitchen cabinetry! You can learn how to paint thermofoil cabinets in your kitchen here too!
Here we going to look at the total cost to paint kitchen cabinets in the US, whether you're spray painting, rolling, doing it yourself, or working with professional painters. From small budget-conscious projects to large high-end kitchen cabinet painting, we cover it all.
So, how much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets? Let's find out!
Average Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
The average cost to paint kitchen cabinets is $2,500 in the US.
This price is for the average-sized American kitchen painted professionally by a team of painters who charge around the national average for their materials and labor.
If your home is average size and you don't live in a super expensive zip code, then you'll usually be charged around $25 to $60 per linear foot.
Here's how it breaks down for the US national averages:
- $2,500 average cabinets painting price
- $3 to $10 per square foot
- $25 to $60 per linear foot
- $40 to $100 per cabinet door
- $25 to $35 per drawer
- $125 to $175 per cabinet
Of course, the average cost will vary depending on the number of cabinet doors, the painting method, exact square footage, painting quality, and more.
The cost may seem expensive, but painting contractors have the ability to breathe new life into your home and increase your resale value in a relatively cheap and easy way.
If done correctly, it can look like you have brand new cabinets!
How Much Should I Pay to Have My Kitchen Cabinets Painted?
Painting cabinets becomes more expensive if you live in an area where the cost of living is higher or your kitchen has more square feet than average.
Here are some average costs for kitchen cabinet painting of various sizes.
Small Kitchen Cabinet Painting Costs
If you've got a small kitchen or low-end paint, then you can expect to pay around $900 for painting your kitchen cabinets.
Opting for fewer coats of paint can be a good way to save money if you're on a budget, but make sure that it doesn't ruin the overall look of the cabinet paint.
Average Kitchen Cabinet Average Cost
If you've got an average-sized house, then it will usually cost around $2,100 to paint your kitchen cabinets professionally.
If your cabinet design is fairly simple, you may be able to reduce this cost a little. However, more complex and ornate cabinets require paint spraying, which can increase the overall price.
Large or High-End Kitchen Cabinets Average Cost
If you've got a large kitchen and/or you want to use high-quality paint for the job, then you can expect to pay around $3,700 for cabinet painting.
You may be able to get this price down if your cabinet painting is part of a larger kitchen remodeling project, but generally, this home improvement will come close to $4000 for larger homes.
Do I Need To Hire Professional Painters?
When you read the prices charged by painting contractors, it can seem tempting to try painting your cabinets yourself as a DIY painting project.
However, this is not a good idea if you're not very experienced – painting cabinets poorly could ruin the wood, get paint in places it's not supposed to be, and end up costing you more money in the long run.
On the other hand, a professional painter can offer you years of on-the-job experience and skill. Professional cabinet painters may charge a fair amount, but they can significantly boost your property's resale value.
Here's how the costs break down:
Labor Costs
- $20 to $50 per hour on average
- $200 to $500 per day depending on the scope of the project
When you hire professional cabinet painters, you're paying for their labor mostly.
Wages and fees vary depending on the cost of living in your region, but most contractors will charge $20 to $50 per hour depending on their skill and experience level.
Materials Costs
- Cabinet paint & primer is $20 – $50 per gallon
- 1 gallon covers 300-400 square feet on average
Materials are the cheapest part of the price when painting kitchen cabinets, but the cost varies depending on the paint quality and the amount needed for your home.
For example:
- An average kitchen needs 1 gallon of primer & 1-2 gallons of paint = $40 to $150
- A large kitchen needs 1-2 gallons of primer and 2-3 gallons of paint = $60 to $250
While all contractors have their own ways of pricing up a job, the estimate you receive will likely use guidelines like this.
What Does a Painting Professional Charge Extra Fees For?
Professionals charge extra fees for certain services, so watch out for these things if you're trying to keep your cabinet painting costs down:
Cabinets in bad shape bring up the total cost
If your cabinets are in bad shape – full of dents, knicks, scratches, or repairs – then the cost to paint your kitchen cabinets will be even higher.
Workers will need to repair any issues with the wood and sand it down extensively, creating a good enough surface for the paint to stick to (and just so your cabinets look nice!)
Spray paint kitchen cabinets are expensive
If you've got more ornate cabinets with a lot of wooden carvings and decoration that is hard to paint, then you might need professional spray painting.
This painting method uses high-quality lacquer paint that is very durable, finishing with no drips for a smooth painted texture.
However, it costs $35 to $95 per linear foot for kitchen cabinet spray painting, and the cost of hiring a paint sprayer gun is around $40 to $120 per day depending on your region.
There is no doubt that it costs extra to spray paint kitchen cabinets.
Additional coats of paint & primer increase painting cost
If you want additional coats of paint and/or primer for a really slick finish, then this is going to cost you extra in terms of both paint and the labor required for the extra coats.
If you're happy with just 1-2 coats, you could save a lot of cash.
High-quality paints and lacquers are expensive
If you want good quality paint, primer, lacquer, whatever – it's going to cost more per square foot. There's no way around that.
When discussing paints with your contractors, try to find a balance between budget and paint quality that meets your needs.
However, it's worth remembering that manual labor is the most expensive aspect of painting cabinets professionally, so it may be worth spending a little extra to get the best paint on the market.
Kitchen cabinets above 8 feet tall raise the price
Most kitchen cabinets in the US are around 8 feet tall, so contractors are used to working on cabinets at this height.
However, if you live in a large house or happen to have a high ceiling with high-up kitchen cabinets above 8 feet, then the contractors may need to use special equipment and painting techniques to paint cabinets that are so high up.
The lower your cabinetry, the lower the price!
Is Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets Yourself A Good Idea?
Lots of budget-conscious homeowners want to paint cabinets themselves as part of a DIY project. If you're experienced enough to know what you're doing, then this could be a cost-effective way to paint cabinets for your home.
DIY Cost To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Yourself
If you're going full DIY and not spending any money on labor (i.e. you and a friend do the project) then here's what you can expect to spend:
- $250 to $650 for supplies and materials on average
- 30 to 60 hours to complete the cabinet painting
As well as money, you need to consider the time investment of DIY cabinet painting and whether you can spare a week off work to spend 30-60 hours painting cabinets.
So, how much does it cost to paint cabinets yourself? Somewhere between $250 to $650 depending on the paint's quality, the style of your kitchen cabinets, the method you're using, the square foot size, and more.
Is It Cheaper to Paint or Replace Kitchen Cabinets?
Generally speaking, painting cabinets is the cheapest way to give them a new look. Replacing, refacing, and refinishing kitchen cabinets all tend to be more expensive than simply painting them.
“Refacing” is when you replace the cabinet doors and fittings – the parts that the eye can see.
“Refinishing” is when you simply change the color or stain of the wood and rework it to look slightly newer.
Here's how the prices break down:
- Painting cabinets = $800 to $3,700
- Refinishing cabinets = $1,600 to $4,000
- Refacing cabinets = $4,250 to $9,500
- Replacing your cabinets entirely = $9,000 to $18,500
Painting and refinishing kitchen cabinets are similar in price, though the cost to paint kitchen cabinets is slightly cheaper per square foot on average.
Replacing your cabinets entirely tends to be VERY expensive depending on the kitchen design and quality of the doors and drawers etc.
Refacing is a good middle-ground option because it allows you to replace just the parts of the cabinets that are visible to the eye – you get rid of the old cabinet doors but keep the cabinet frames intact.
How Much Does It Cost To Respray Kitchen Cabinets?
If you want to respray your kitchen cabinets, it's going to cost $35 to $95 per linear foot. Hiring a paint spraying machine also costs $40 to $120 per day depending on the area, so keep that in mind too.
Nonetheless, spraying cabinets can reduce the overall time of the project as the cabinetry doesn't need to be removed from the wall, so you could save time if not cash.
The Benefits Of Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet painting can be cheap or expensive depending on a multitude of factors and considerations. But what's so good about painted cabinets anyway, and why should you get cabinet painting done in the first place?
It's the cheapest way to reinvigorate your kitchen
Freshly painted cabinets are one of the first things you will see when you walk into your new kitchen, so cabinet painting is one of the cheapest ways to give the space an entirely new aesthetic.
It might not be as good as a total cabinet replacement, but it will make a large visual difference.
It's easier than replacing or refacing kitchen cabinets
It's oftentimes quicker and easier to paint kitchen cabinets than it is to buy new cabinets or reface your existing kitchen cabinets.
Painting kitchen cabinets will usually take around 3-7 days on average.
Painted cabinets boost your home's resale value
Painted kitchen cabinets can really boost the resale value of your property if carried out in a slick, professional way.
Sometimes a new paint job on the cabinets is that edge that your property needs to really catch the eye of potential buyers and increase the resale value.
It's a pretty quick & simple home improvement
If you want to improve the look of your house without actually doing that much, then kitchen cabinet painting is the way to go.
In terms of house renovations and remodels, a cabinet painting project is one of the simplest and least time-consuming ways that you can make a major visual change to your space.
The Bottom Line – Is It Worth It To Paint Kitchen Cabinets?
So, how much does it cost to paint cabinets? Well, somewhere between $800 and $3,700 in most cases, though that can vary with scope, square footage, painting techniques, the area you live in, and much more.
If you're looking to make your kitchen feel brand new without spending too much cash, painting your kitchen cabinetry is a great way to go about it.
So whether you decide to get new cabinets, reface your kitchen cabinet doors, or hire a cabinet painter for professionally painted kitchen cabinetry… we hope you find the solution you need at an affordable price point.
Good luck!
