Cabinet painting in NJ: a sprayed finish that makes the kitchen feel new

Paint the cabinets or replace them?

If your cabinet boxes are square, the doors close, and the layout works, cabinet refinishing is the better deal almost every time. You keep the cabinets you already paid for, skip the demolition, and get a finish that looks like it came from a factory. Replacement makes sense when the boxes are water damaged, the layout is wrong, or you are already gutting the room.

Most kitchens we refinish around Washington Township are the honey oak and raised-panel maple cabinets that went into homes here through the 1980s and 1990s. They are solid. They are just the wrong color.

Which cabinets can be painted

Cabinet type	Can we paint it?	What it takes
Oak, raised panel or flat	Yes	Grain filling if you want a smooth look, or a light grain showing through if you like it
Maple, cherry, birch	Yes	Degrease, scuff sand, bonding primer, two sprayed finish coats
MDF or painted factory cabinets	Yes	Scuff and bonding primer; chips get filled first
Laminate	Usually	Needs a specialty bonding primer; we test a door first
Thermofoil (peeling plastic skin)	Case by case	If the foil is lifting, painting over it will not hold. We will tell you honestly at the estimate

How cabinet refinishing works, day by day

1. Estimate

   Ashley counts doors and drawers, checks the material and condition, and talks color, sheen, and hardware. You get a written quote.

2. Day 1: Remove and label

   Doors, drawer fronts, and hardware come off and get numbered so everything goes back where it belongs. Countertops, floors, appliances, and the rest of the kitchen are masked.

3. Day 1 to 2: Clean and prep the boxes

   Years of cooking grease come off with a degreaser. Boxes are scuff sanded, dents and old hardware holes filled, and a bonding primer is sprayed on.

4. Day 2 to 4: Spray

   Boxes are sprayed in place behind plastic walls. Doors and drawers are sprayed flat in our setup so they cure dust free with no brush marks and no drips.

5. Day 5: Reinstall and adjust

   Doors and drawers go back on, hinges are adjusted so gaps are even, new or existing hardware is installed, and we walk the kitchen with you.

You keep a usable sink and fridge through most of it. Plan on the kitchen being partly out of service for about a week, with the doors and drawers off for a few days in the middle.

The finish and how it holds up

Cabinets take more abuse than any wall in the house: hands, grease, steam, dishwasher heat, and the one drawer everyone slams. The products we spray on cabinets are hard, cleanable coatings made for that, not wall paint in a satin sheen. The result wipes clean with a damp cloth and resists the chipping you see on brushed DIY cabinet jobs. Our workmanship guarantee covers the work.

Colors and sheen

White and off-white are still the most requested, with greige, soft black, and navy islands close behind. A two-tone kitchen (lighter uppers, darker lowers or island) is a good way to add color without committing the whole room. For sheen we usually recommend satin or semi-gloss: enough shine to clean easily, not so much that every fingerprint shows.

What drives the price

• Door and drawer count, which is the main unit of cabinet work
• Material and condition: oak grain filling, laminate primers, and repairs add time
• Color change: dark stain to bright white needs more coats than a light-to-light change
• Extras like painting the island a second color, new hardware with filled holes, or adding crown or end panels

Every quote is free and in writing. 10% off any job over $2,500.

Financing available through Acorn Finance. Checking your options does not affect your credit score. See financing details.

We also refinish bathroom vanities, built-ins, and laundry room cabinets. Mention them at the estimate and we will fold them in.