Interior Painting
Walls, ceilings, trim and doors painted with clean lines and careful protection of your home.
Learn moreCabinet & Specialty Finishes
Cabinet Painting in Grand Rapids, MI
A fresh kitchen or bath without replacing cabinets that are still solid.
13+ years of hands-on painting experience
Cabinet Painting for Grand Rapids Properties
Cabinets are the most-touched painted surface in the house. Doors get opened, handles get grabbed with greasy hands and the finish takes a beating every day, which is why cabinet painting is a different job from painting a wall. The finish has to be smooth, hard and well bonded to a surface that was never made to hold paint.
In many Grand Rapids homes, especially older ones, the cabinet boxes are solid wood and worth keeping even when the color is dated or the finish is tired. Repainting costs less than replacing, keeps the existing layout and changes the whole feel of the kitchen.
The process is slow because it has to be. Degreasing, sanding, priming and finishing each take time, and rushing them is what causes peeling. We plan the job around that, so the finished cabinets look good and stay that way.
When cabinet painting makes sense
- Boxes and doors are solid and well built, but the color is dated
- The finish is worn near handles and around the stove and sink
- Yellowed or stained paint that no longer looks clean
- You want a kitchen refresh without a full remodel
- The layout works for you and you do not want to change it
- Cabinets in a bathroom or laundry need a new, more durable finish
How we paint cabinets
Inspect and choose a finish
We check the condition of the boxes and doors and talk through colors and the level of sheen that suits the kitchen.
Remove doors and clean
Doors, drawer fronts and hardware come off and are labeled. Everything is degreased because kitchen grease prevents paint from bonding.
Sand and prime
Surfaces are scuff-sanded and primed with a bonding primer, and any dings or holes are filled.
Finish coats with cure time
Finish coats go on in thin, even layers with drying time between them, so the surface hardens properly.
Reinstall and adjust
Doors and hardware go back on and are adjusted so everything lines up and closes cleanly.
What determines the price of cabinet painting
Cabinet painting is priced by the amount of surface and the amount of prep. We look at:
- Number of doors, drawer fronts and cabinet boxes
- Condition of the existing finish, including grease, damage and glossy or laminate surfaces
- Whether you want one color or two, such as an island in a different color
- Whether insides and shelves are being painted
- Hardware removal and reinstallation, plus any new hardware you provide
- Finish type and the number of coats required
Why choose AAR Painting for your cabinets
Cabinet work rewards patience, and 13 years on painting jobs teaches where the time has to go. Prep is the part you do not see, and it is what decides whether a finish lasts.
You are dealing with the person who does the work. Questions about color, timing or how the process affects your kitchen get a direct answer.
We paint cabinets in homes across Grand Rapids and the nearby cities. See our Grand Rapids painting page and Walker painting page.
Cabinet Painting FAQs
How long does cabinet painting take?
Longer than a wall repaint, because the doors and drawer fronts are prepped, primed and finished in stages with drying time between them. Plan for several days to a week or more depending on the size of the kitchen.
Will I be without my kitchen while the doors are being painted?
The doors and drawer fronts are usually removed and finished while the frames are painted in place, so the kitchen stays partly usable. We talk through the plan and timing before starting.
Will the paint chip or peel on cabinets?
Chipping is almost always a prep problem. Cleaning off kitchen grease, scuff-sanding and priming with a bonding primer are what let the finish hold up to daily use.
Can you paint over stained or laminate cabinets?
Often yes, with the right bonding primer. Laminate and heavily glossy surfaces need extra prep, and we can tell you what we see after looking at them.
Do you change cabinet hardware?
We remove and reinstall the existing hardware. If you want new pulls or hinges, tell us which ones, and we will fit them when we reinstall the doors.
Related Services
Drywall Repair
Holes, cracks and water-stain patches repaired and sanded smooth before paint.
Learn more
Get a Free Quote on Cabinet Painting in Grand Rapids
Tell us about your kitchen and we will follow up with a free quote.