Kitchen Facelift on a Budget: Painting Cabinets vs. Refacing

You walk into your kitchen and there they are: the "Honey Oak" cabinets from the 1990s, or perhaps the dark cherry wood that makes the room feel like a cave. You want a change, but a full kitchen renovation (tearing out boxes, moving plumbing, buying new stone) can easily run $30,000 to $50,000.

For most homeowners, the layout of the kitchen is fine; it’s just the look that is dated.

This brings us to the two most popular budget-friendly solutions: Painting vs. Refacing. Both can transform your space, but they come with vastly different price tags and timelines.

If you are trying to decide between a brush and a veneer, this guide breaks down the cost to paint kitchen cabinets versus refacing them, helping you decide which investment is right for your home.

Option 1: Painting Your Cabinets (The Cost Breakdown)

Painting is the most common route for a DIY kitchen update. It involves cleaning, sanding, priming, and applying paint to the existing cabinet boxes, doors, and drawer fronts.

The Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

The price varies wildy depending on whether you hire a pro or do it yourself.

• Professional Cost: On average, the cost to paint kitchen cabinets professionally ranges from $3,000 to $6,000 for a standard 10x10 kitchen.
  

  • Why so much? You are paying for labor. A pro will remove all doors, spray them in a dust-free booth for a factory finish, and hand-paint the frames on-site.
    

• DIY Cost: If you tackle this yourself, you are looking at $200 to $500 for supplies (high-quality paint, primer, sandpaper, and brushes).
  

The Pros and Cons

• Pros: It is the cheapest option available. It brightens the room instantly and offers unlimited color choices (navy blue islands, anyone?).
  

• Cons: It is purely cosmetic. If you hate the style of your doors (e.g., arched cathedral tops), painting them only makes them white arched cathedral tops. Also, painted cabinets are prone to chipping over time if not prepped perfectly.

Option 2: Cabinet Refacing (The Cost Breakdown)

Refacing (also called resurfacing) is a middle ground between painting and replacing.

In this process, the existing cabinet "boxes" stay on the wall. However, the contractor removes the old doors and drawer fronts and throws them away. They then apply a new wood veneer "skin" to the cabinet frames and install brand new doors and hardware.

Cabinet Refacing Cost

Because you are buying new materials (doors and veneers), this is significantly more expensive than painting.

• Professional Cost: The average cabinet refacing cost sits between $7,000 and $15,000.
  

• DIY Cost: While possible, DIY refacing kits are difficult to install correctly. Materials alone can cost $3,000 to $5,000.
  

The Pros and Cons

• Pros: You get a brand new style. You can switch from dated, raised-panel doors to modern, sleek Shaker-style doors. The finish is usually more durable than paint.
  

• Cons: It is expensive—often costing 50% of what a total replacement would cost. If your cabinet boxes are warping or water-damaged, refacing is a waste of money.
  

("Not sure if your cabinet boxes are structurally sound? Check out our Essential Tools for New Homeowners to find the levels and screwdrivers needed to check for damage.")

The Head-to-Head Comparison: Durability & Style

When weighing the cost to paint kitchen cabinets against refacing, consider the longevity of the finish.

Feature	Painting	Refacing
Cost	Low ($)	Medium ($$)
Style Change	Color only	Color & Door Shape
Durability	Medium (Prone to chips)	High (Factory finish)
Time to Complete	1-2 Weeks	3-5 Days
Mess Factor	High (Sanding dust/smell)	Low (No sanding)

The Style Factor:

This is usually the deciding factor. If you like your door shape (flat or simple shaker) but hate the color, paint it. If you hate the shape of the door, reface it.

The DIY Reality Check

Every homeowner dreams of a seamless DIY kitchen update, but be realistic about your skills.

DIY Painting: This is not a Saturday afternoon project. Painting cabinets requires removing all hardware, scrubbing off years of grease with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate), sanding, priming, sanding again, and applying multiple topcoats. It is labor-intensive and requires patience. If you rush the prep, the paint will peel within a year.

DIY Refacing: This requires precision measurement. If you order the doors 1/4 inch too wide, they won't close. Applying the veneer sticker to the face frames without air bubbles is also an art form. We generally recommend hiring a professional for refacing.

Which Option Has the Best ROI?

If your goal is to increase resale value, which method wins?

• Painting: Offers the highest ROI (Return on Investment). Because the cost is so low, the "lift" in home value almost always exceeds the expense. A bright white kitchen photographs better than a dark wood one, getting more buyers through the door.
  

• Refacing: Offers a lower ROI. While it looks better, you are unlikely to get a dollar-for-dollar return on a $12,000 refacing job compared to a full remodel.
  

("Preparing to sell? Learn which repairs are mandatory and which are cosmetic in our guide: Mandatory vs. Cosmetic: What Fixes Should Sellers Pay For?")

Final Verdict: Which Path Should You Take?

The choice between the cost to paint kitchen cabinets and the cabinet refacing cost ultimately comes down to the condition of your current cabinets and your budget.

Choose Painting If:

• You are on a strict budget (under $2,000).
  

• Your current cabinet doors are in good physical condition and you like the style.
  

• You are planning to sell the home soon and just want to freshen up the look.
  

Choose Refacing If:

• You have a mid-range budget ($7k - $12k).
  

• You hate the style of your current doors.
  

• The cabinet "boxes" are sturdy, but the doors are warped or damaged.
  

• You plan to stay in the home for 5+ years and want a durable, factory-grade finish.
  

Both options are fantastic ways to avoid the landfill and save money compared to a full gut renovation. Grab a paint sample or a catalog and start visualizing your new "Nest" today!

FAQs

Q: Does painting kitchen cabinets last? A: Yes, if done correctly. With proper cleaning, sanding, and high-quality enamel or alkyd paint, painted cabinets can look great for 5-10 years. However, high-traffic areas (like the trash pull-out) may require touch-ups.

Q: Is it cheaper to reface or replace cabinets? A: Refacing is almost always cheaper than replacing. A full replacement involves demolition, new countertops, and plumbing costs. Refacing usually costs about 30-50% less than a full custom cabinet replacement.

Q: Can I just replace the doors and paint the boxes myself? A: Yes! This is a hybrid method. You can buy unfinished cabinet doors online, paint the existing boxes yourself to match, and then paint the new doors. This is a great way to get a new style for a lower price than professional refacing.