How Much Does It Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets in the D.C. Area?

Do you suffer from cabinet envy? It's a common ailment among those who have outdated or worn out cabinets, and it is usually triggered by one of three events:

• Visiting a friend who has beautifully painted kitchen cabinets
• Watching home improvement shows
• Browsing pictures of painted cabinets on Pinterest or similar sites

Fortunately, there is a cure! Painting your cabinets not only relieves cabinet envy, but it also leaves you with gorgeous, stylish, good-as-new cabinets!

"But wait!" you say, "How much does it cost to paint my kitchen cabinets?"

Until the American Medical Association recognizes cabinet envy as a legitimate illness, your health insurance won't pay for treatment, so the question of cost is important. Before we give you numbers, however, let's discuss the factors that can make those numbers vary.

What Factors Affect the Cost of Cabinet Painting?

What is the current condition of the cabinets? In order to get a great finish with your new painting, you absolutely must have clean, sound surfaces to paint. If your cabinets have suffered deterioration or damage, that will increase the amount of preparation time for the project.

What is the size of the project? The more cabinets there are, the more time and material are needed to get them painted. However, that does not necessarily mean that twice as many cabinets will cost twice the price. As the scale of a project increases, some of the setup costs are proportionately reduced.

Can we dedicate a space for on-site finishing? If there is a basement, a garage, or some other space where we can create a dust-free zone for finishing, it reduces the time required for setup. If we need to transport your cabinet doors to an offsite location, it will increase the cost.

What type of finish are you looking for? Some of the most beautiful and stylish cabinets have specialized finishes, such as distressed surfaces, crackle finish, or other faux effects. These affect the price, as will the color you choose. For example, it takes more coats of paint (so more time and material) to paint a light color over a dark one.

Is Kitchen Cabinet Painting a Good DIY Project?

Kitchen cabinets that are not painted by a high-quality professional are not likely to look good for more than a year (if that). Here are a few reasons why budget painters and weekend DIY painters do not usually produce beautiful, lasting results:

• Equipment: The best finishes are produced with professional spray equipment in a dust-free environment.
• Skill: Achieving a smooth, elegant finish isn't something you can learn from YouTube; it takes training and practice.
• Materials: There are specific products that work, and others that don't, depending on your cabinets and your specific desires. Using the wrong primer, paint, or topcoat will lead to disastrous paint failure. An experienced painting contractor knows exactly what to use (and what to avoid).

Enough Background; What Does It Actually Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

Homeowners in northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area can expect to pay between $6,000 and $10,000 to have their kitchen cabinets painted, depending on the factors mentioned above. Some projects could cost less while some could cost more.

Another factor to consider is what other painting is included in the project. If there is other painting to be done at the same time, the cost of the cabinets and job overall may be lower.

The best (and really, the only) way to get an accurate price for painting your kitchen cabinets is by having a quality painting company come to your house and give you an estimate. Fortunately, with Williams Professional Painting, you can get a FREE estimate with no commitment and no strings attached.

Are My Cabinets Good Ones to Paint?

If your cabinets are in good structural condition and their layout works well for you, then painting them is a great option. With quality painting and (optionally) an upgrade on the knobs, pulls and hinges, you can have a classy new kitchen for a fraction of the cost of new cabinets!

Cabinet Painting in the Washington, D.C. Area

Williams Professional Painting provides all kinds of interior and exterior painting services, including kitchen cabinet painting, and much more! Call us for a free estimate, or if you have any questions. Alternatively, you can contact us online, and we will respond to you promptly. We look forward to hearing from you!