Cabinets
Cabinet painting cost
Painting kitchen cabinets costs roughly $2,600 to $3,900 for an average 30 door kitchen at the national average painter wage. Cabinets are quoted per door and drawer front rather than per square foot, and at about 80 percent labour they are the most labour-heavy job in the painting trade.
By kitchen size
| Kitchen | Doors | Labour | Materials | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small galley | 20 | $1,722 | $440 | $1,750 to $2,600 |
| Average kitchen | 30 | $2,583 | $660 | $2,600 to $3,900 |
| Large kitchen | 45 | $3,874 | $990 | $3,900 to $5,850 |
| Kitchen plus island and pantry | 60 | $5,166 | $1,320 | $5,200 to $7,800 |
Works out at about $108 per door at the national mean wage. A door and a drawer front each count as one unit, and boxes and frames are included in the labour. Note the model scales linearly, so it will understate a very small kitchen, where a contractor minimum charge usually applies, and overstate a very large one, where setup is spread further.
Count every door and every drawer front as one unit. A typical kitchen has more than people expect, usually somewhere between 25 and 40.
Why cabinets cost what they do
Almost none of the cost is paint. The work is in the process, and the process is long: remove and label every door and drawer, take off the hardware, clean off years of kitchen grease, sand or de-gloss every face, prime, then two finish coats with drying and light sanding between, then reassemble and re-hang so everything sits square.
Done properly each door is handled many times over several days. That is why the labour share sits near 80 percent, higher than any other painting job, and why cabinet work is the job where cutting corners shows fastest. A cabinet finish that was not degreased or properly primed will chip at the handles within a year.
Painting versus refacing versus replacing
Painting is by a wide margin the cheapest of the three, typically a fraction of new cabinetry, and it is the right answer when the boxes are sound and the layout works. If the carcasses are failing, the hinges are worn out, or you want a different layout, paint is lipstick on a problem you will still have.
Solid wood and MDF doors take paint well. Thermofoil and laminate do not, and need specialist products and preparation if they can be done at all, so check the door construction before assuming a price.
By metro
| Metro | Mean wage | Labour | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $29.71 | $3,137 | $3,050 to $4,550 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $33.62 | $3,550 | $3,350 to $5,050 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $24.33 | $2,569 | $2,600 to $3,900 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $34.00 | $3,590 | $3,400 to $5,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $33.91 | $3,581 | $3,400 to $5,100 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $30.00 | $3,168 | $3,050 to $4,600 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $22.63 | $2,390 | $2,450 to $3,650 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $22.47 | $2,373 | $2,450 to $3,650 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $26.73 | $2,823 | $2,800 to $4,200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $28.76 | $3,037 | $2,950 to $4,450 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $25.98 | $2,743 | $2,700 to $4,100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $27.35 | $2,888 | $2,850 to $4,250 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $27.08 | $2,860 | $2,800 to $4,200 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $27.79 | $2,935 | $2,900 to $4,300 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $31.21 | $3,296 | $3,150 to $4,750 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $23.16 | $2,446 | $2,500 to $3,750 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $29.38 | $3,103 | $3,000 to $4,500 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $22.11 | $2,335 | $2,400 to $3,600 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $29.01 | $3,063 | $3,000 to $4,450 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $30.24 | $3,193 | $3,100 to $4,600 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $33.30 | $3,516 | $3,350 to $5,000 |
| St. Louis | $30.15 | $3,184 | $3,100 to $4,600 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $28.48 | $3,007 | $2,950 to $4,400 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $22.59 | $2,386 | $2,450 to $3,650 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $28.70 | $3,031 | $2,950 to $4,450 |
Ranked by how many painters work in each metro. Metros with their own page are linked.
Related: what painting a house costs, interior painting cost, and the method behind these figures.
Common questions
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
Roughly $2,600 to $3,900 for an average 30 door kitchen at the national average painter wage. Pricing is per door and drawer front rather than by area.
Is painting cabinets cheaper than replacing them?
Substantially, usually a fraction of the cost of new cabinetry. It is the right choice when the boxes and layout are sound and the doors are solid wood or MDF.
Why are painted cabinets so expensive if it is just paint?
Because it is not just paint. Around 80 percent of the cost is labour: removal, degreasing, sanding, priming, multiple coats with drying between, and careful reassembly. Each door is handled many times.
Can laminate or thermofoil cabinets be painted?
Sometimes, with specialist primers and preparation, but results are less reliable than on wood or MDF and many contractors will decline the work or price it much higher.
What this page does not tell you
- Assumes solid wood or MDF doors in sound condition.
- Thermofoil and laminate need specialist treatment and are not covered by these figures.
- Assumes doors are sprayed off site or in a controlled area, which is standard for a quality finish.
- Excludes new hardware, hinges and any carcass repair.
- The model scales linearly per door, so very small kitchens will hit a contractor minimum charge and very large ones should come in slightly under.