Painted Kitchen Cabinets Are Making a Serious Comeback

In recent years, more and more homeowners have started giving their older cabinetry a fresh, new look by painting or refinishing their cabinets rather than opting to replace them. Whether homeowners prefer a neutral, timeless color or a bolder, more playful pop of color, people are seeing cabinet painting and refinishing as a way to update, spruce up, and modernize their kitchens.

Many homeowners are going beyond the classic wood-stained look and getting much more creative with their color and finishing choices. While the standard dark mahogany and cherry oak were once extremely popular, wood-stained cabinetry is now considered dated. But with paint and other refinishing techniques, the color options are endless.

So, let’s take a closer look at why painted kitchen cabinets are making a comeback, see popular color options, and get answers to frequently asked questions about painting and refinishing kitchen cabinets.
 
 

Why Are Painted Kitchen Cabinets Making a Comeback?

With more families spending more time at home, painted kitchen cabinets offer a new look without the cost and labor of a complete kitchen renovation. In many cases, older cabinetry is high-quality and often still in great shape, they just look outdated or need to be spruced up a bit. Painting or refinishing kitchen cabinets does just that—and for much less money than replacing them.
 

Additionally, since people are spending so much time at home, they want to speed the process up and don’t want to deal with long waits or workers in their home for extended periods of time. Painting kitchen cabinets takes 3 to 5 days and refinishing kitchen cabinets takes as little as 1 day, whereas replacement cabinets can take months to complete.
 

If you are looking for an easy and cost-effective way to introduce more color into your home, or just to give your kitchen an updated look and feel, painted or refinished cabinetry is the way to go.

Is Painting Kitchen Cabinets Worth It?

Painting or refinishing kitchen cabinets is certainly an economical choice. Refinishing your kitchen cabinets—which will give them a brand-new look and feel—costs a lot less than replacing them.
 
 

Do Painted Cabinets Hold Up?

When professionally painted or refinished properly, your cabinets should hold up for about 8 to 10 years.
It is important to note that there are several factors that can impact your cabinet lifespan, and how long your kitchen cabinets will last largely depends on the product used, how the product was applied, and with what tools and equipment.
 
 

How Do Professionals Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

They spray them! Spraying the finishes provides a smooth look that is free of brush strokes and roller marks. Professional refinishing (over professional painting) is the way to go. Refinishing your kitchen cabinets will give your cabinets the factory look and will last significantly longer than paint. There’s no staining, rub marks, oil marks, fingerprints, or fading when you choose to refinish.

How Long Does It Take a Professional to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

It takes professionals about 3 to 5 days to paint kitchen cabinets. Refinishing kitchen cabinets—on the other hand—takes as little as 1 day for professional refinishers.

What Is the Average Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

The cost of painting kitchen cabinets ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 when you hire a professional. Refinishing costs around $2,000.
 
 

Painted Kitchen Cabinets: Popular Colors

Some popular colors that are trending for kitchen cabinets include:

When it comes to painting or refinishing kitchen cabinets, though, the color options are truly endless. You can choose to go with a specific neutral, use your cabinetry as a form of an accent wall, or match your cabinets to any specific color that is already in your home.

What Is the Most Popular Kitchen Cabinet Color?

White is the most popular kitchen cabinet color. White kitchen cabinets are modern and timeless, and the color is a great choice for resale value as well. Black is also extremely popular.
 
 

Tips & Tricks for Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Here are a couple of tips and tricks for refinishing kitchen cabinets:
 

Use High-Quality Products

The right cabinet refinishing products make all the difference because high-quality products ensure you get the job done right. When you don’t use the right products, the cabinets don’t hold up or last nearly as long. Additionally, using the incorrect products will cause rub marks, oil marks, fingerprints, fades, and staining—among other unwanted cabinet flaws.
 

Hire a Professional

Painting and refinishing cabinets is a complex process that requires years of experience and access to specialized products and equipment. By hiring a local professional to take on the job, you benefit from expert guidance on how to best refinish your kitchen cabinets.

You can find a professional refinisher in your area by asking for recommendations and checking references. Be sure to get quotes from several experienced refinishers to see what your options are.
 
 

Become a Professional Cabinet Refinisher with NAPCO

Interested in becoming a professional refinisher or expanding your painting business? By attending NAPCO’s training class, you will learn the proper procedures and processes required to have full success in refinishing kitchen cabinets (along with tile, countertops, bathtubs, and more)! Additionally, you will learn about the best coatings and chemicals in the refinishing industry that you may have never used before or may not be familiar with. We also offer a customer loyalty program that helps refinishers stay on budget and save even more on top-tier refinishing materials.