Cabinet painting
Cabinet painting for Atlanta kitchens and bathrooms
Most cabinets don't need replacing. Solid boxes with dated doors can look new with the right prep and a hard enamel sprayed on, for a fraction of what replacement costs.
Calls answered 24/7. Crews staged from the Atlanta service office.
- Answered 24/7
- Doors removed and sprayed
- Hard enamel finish
Quick answer
Cabinet painting in Atlanta averages around $1,000 in one 2026 local cost survey, while large kitchens run $8,000 to $12,000 in another, still 50 to 70 percent less than replacing cabinets at $15,000 to $50,000. The finish depends on prep: degreasing, sanding, a bonding primer and a sprayed enamel. We check the boxes are sound before recommending paint.
Updated September 2026
The job
Why cabinet painting is all about prep
Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease, and paint won't bond to it. Doors and drawer fronts come off and are labeled, every surface is degreased, sanded and primed with a bonding primer such as Zinsser BIN.
Finish coats are a hard cabinet enamel, Benjamin Moore Advance, Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane or a General Finishes product, sprayed for a smooth, brush-free surface. Boxes are painted in place with the kitchen masked off.
What moves the price
What moves the price of cabinet painting
- Number of doors and drawers
Every face is removed, prepped and sprayed individually.
- Cabinet condition
Grease, damage or peeling old finish adds prep time.
- Grain filling
Oak filled for a smooth finish takes extra steps.
- Color change
Dark to light or deep colors can need more coats.
- Interiors and shelves
Painting inside boxes and shelves adds surface area.
- Hardware changes
New pulls in new positions mean filling and drilling.
Atlanta market range from a published local cost guide, not our price: large kitchens $8,000 to $12,000; painting saves 50 to 70 percent versus replacement at $15,000 to $50,000.
What we handle
Cabinet work we paint
Kitchen cabinet painting
The full job: doors and drawer fronts removed, numbered and taken to a spray area, hinges and hardware bagged, and boxes masked in place. Everything is degreased, scuff-sanded and primed, then sprayed with two coats of cabinet enamel. Doors need time to cure before they're rehung, so the kitchen is usable with the boxes finished while the doors dry. New hardware drilled to fresh positions and soft-close hinges can be added at the same time. Every door goes back on its own numbered spot.
Bathroom vanity painting
Vanities are smaller jobs with their own problem: humidity. Steam and splashing mean the finish has to be hard and fully cured before regular use, and any water damage at the base of the cabinet is fixed first. We remove the doors, degrease and sand, prime and spray enamel. It is one of the quickest ways to update a bathroom without touching tile or plumbing, and it pairs well with a new faucet and wall paint. The mirror frame and linen cabinet can be done at the same visit.
Cabinet color change
Going from orange oak to white, or from white to a deep green or navy, is the most common reason people call. Oak's open grain shows through paint unless it's filled, so we ask whether you want a smooth modern look or a painted-grain texture, and fill the grain for the smooth version. Dark to light takes extra coats, and very dark colors need careful spraying to avoid lap marks. We test the color on a door before painting the whole kitchen.
Built-in and bookcase painting
Built-in shelves, bookcases, window seats and laundry cabinets take the same prep and enamel as kitchen cabinets. Shelves are the tricky part, since items sitting on fresh paint can stick until it fully cures, so we tell you how long to wait before loading them again. Built-ins in older homes may have stain or varnish that needs a bonding primer, and lead-safe prep where the paint is old. A painted built-in often becomes the focal point of the room.
Your options
Paint, reface or replace
Three ways to change cabinets, with Atlanta market figures where published.
| Option | What changes | Atlanta market range |
|---|---|---|
| Paint | Color and finish on existing doors and boxes | Around $1,000 average; $8,000 to $12,000 for large kitchens |
| Reface | New doors and veneer on existing boxes | Average $7,032; typical $3,904 to $11,502 |
| Replace | New boxes, doors and usually counters | $15,000 to $50,000 |
Around Atlanta
Kitchens that get painted instead of replaced
On streets in Candler Park and Adair Park, where fully renovated houses sit next to homes still in original condition, a lot of owners choose paint because the old cabinet boxes are solid wood and worth keeping. Georgia's humidity is the other factor we plan for: cabinets by the sink and dishwasher take steam every day, so we check for swollen edges and water damage before spraying, and give doors full cure time.
Coatings and materials we work with
Do it yourself or call
Painting cabinets yourself vs having it done
Cabinets are one of the most common DIY paint jobs, and one of the most commonly redone.
| Step | Common DIY result | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Degreasing | Skipped or light, paint peels near the stove | Full degrease on every surface |
| Primer | Wall primer that doesn't bond | Bonding primer made for slick finishes |
| Application | Brushed in place, brush marks and drips | Sprayed doors, smooth enamel finish |
Step by step
How a cabinet job runs
- 1
Inspect and sample
Boxes checked for damage; color tested on a door.
- 2
Remove and label
Doors, drawers and hardware removed and numbered.
- 3
Degrease and sand
Grease cleaned off, surfaces scuff-sanded and filled.
- 4
Prime and spray
Bonding primer, then two coats of sprayed enamel.
- 5
Cure and rehang
Doors cured, rehung, adjusted and hardware installed.
Questions
Cabinet painting questions
A properly prepped, primed and cured enamel is hard and durable; skipped prep is what causes chipping.
Laminate can be painted with the right bonding primer. Peeling thermofoil usually needs replacing.
Mostly. Boxes are painted in place and the kitchen is usable while doors cure.
Only if you want it to. We fill the grain for a smooth finish when asked.
On request. Most owners paint exteriors and door backs only.
Also in Interior Painting
Related work from the same crews
- Trim, Door and Baseboard Painting
- Nicotine and cooking-stain ceiling repaint
- Wallpaper stripping
- Accent wall painting
- Interior staircase painting in Atlanta
Before you book, read cabinet refacing and replacement costs.
Keep your cabinets, change how they look
Tell us how many doors and what color you're thinking, and we'll set up a visit to check the boxes.
Call (470) 887-8741Answered 24/7 from 565 Tift St SW Ste b, Atlanta.
Where we start from