Cabinet Painting in Chicago & the North Shore
A refinished kitchen for a fraction of what new cabinetry costs — if the boxes are sound, the finish is the only thing standing between you and a new kitchen. Licensed and insured.
Cabinet painting lives or dies on the prep
Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease, and paint does not stick to grease. The jobs you see peeling at the door edges a year later were almost always scuffed and coated without proper degreasing or a bonding primer. Our process is built the other way round: clean, deglossed and primed for adhesion first, so the finish stays put where hands and steam actually hit it.
What is included
- Doors and drawer fronts removed, labelled and finished off the frames
- Hardware removed and kept in order, or replaced if you are changing it
- Full degrease of every surface before any abrasion
- Sanding and deglossing so the primer has something to grip
- Bonding primer suited to the existing finish
- Filling of dents and old hardware holes where you are changing handles
- Cabinet-grade finish applied for an even, brush-mark-free surface
- Countertops, appliances, floors and adjacent rooms sealed off from overspray
- Reassembly, hardware refitted and doors adjusted to hang square
How the work runs
1. Free consultation
We check the condition of the boxes and doors, confirm whether painting is the right call at all, and agree the colour and sheen before anything is quoted.
2. Prep and finish
Doors come off and are finished flat. The kitchen is sealed off, boxes are degreased, primed and coated in place, and dust is kept out of the rest of the house.
3. Reassembly and walkthrough
Doors go back on, hardware is refitted and everything is adjusted to hang square. Then we walk the kitchen with you before we call it finished.
Cabinet painting questions we get asked
How long will my kitchen be out of action?
Most kitchens run several days rather than several weeks. Doors and drawer fronts are finished away from the frames while the boxes are done in place, so the sink and appliances usually stay reachable for most of the job. We will give you a day-by-day plan with the estimate.
Is painting cabinets actually worth it, or should I replace them?
If the boxes are solid and the doors are not delaminating or sagging, painting gets you a new-looking kitchen for a fraction of replacement. If the carcasses are failing we will tell you that at the estimate rather than take the job and hand you a well-painted problem.
Will I see brush marks?
No. Doors and fronts are finished off the frames so the coating lays out flat and even, which is what gives cabinets that factory-smooth look rather than a painted-over one.
Will the paint chip around the handles?
That is exactly what the degreasing and bonding primer are for. Cabinets fail at the handles and door edges when the surface was never properly cleaned, so that is where we spend the preparation time.
Can you paint oak cabinets with a heavy grain?
Yes. Be aware that the grain will still read through a standard finish, which some people like and some do not. If you want it filled to a smooth surface that is extra preparation, and we will price it as a separate line so you can choose.
Can I change the hardware at the same time?
Yes, and it is the best moment to do it. If the new handles have a different hole spacing we fill and finish the old holes while the doors are off, so nothing shows.
How long before I can use the cabinets normally?
You can use them gently almost straight away, but cabinet finishes keep hardening for a while after they feel dry. We will tell you how long to go easy on the doors and to avoid putting shelf liner or contact paper down.
Photographs of our completed cabinet projects are being added to this page shortly. In the meantime, see our recent projects or ask us to bring examples to your estimate.
Get a free estimate for your cabinets
Send us a photo of your kitchen. We will tell you whether painting is the right call and what it would cost — no charge and no obligation.
Related services
Interior Painting · Carpentry · Drywall Repair · Remodeling
We refinish cabinets across Chicago, the North Shore and the western suburbs, including Winnetka, Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook, Hinsdale, Elmhurst and Naperville. Ask us about your town.