Kitchen cabinets are often the best part of a kitchen and the worst-looking part at the same time. The boxes are solid and the layout works, but the finish is yellowed, chipped around the handles or just out of date. Replacing them means demolition, new countertops and weeks without a working kitchen. Repainting them usually does not.

Alto Pro Painters paints and refinishes existing cabinets for homes across the South Okanagan. If you want a solid colour, we paint. If you would rather keep the wood grain visible, we can restain. Either way the layout, the storage and the structure stay where they are, and your written quote tells you exactly what will be done.

What cabinet painting includes

Kitchen cabinet doors, drawer fronts and face frames
Cabinet boxes, painted or refinished on site
Bathroom vanities and linen cabinets
Laundry room cabinets, mudroom lockers and built-in shelving
Removal of doors, drawers and hardware, and reinstallation after the finish has cured
Degreasing, sanding and stain-blocking primer on every surface
Painting with enamel for a hard, wipeable finish, or restaining where you want the grain to show
Touch-ups at the final walkthrough and clean-up once you sign off

How a cabinet painting job goes

Quote and finish choice. We look at the cabinets, talk through paint versus stain and the look you want, and send a free written quote listing the work, the method and the timeline.
Pre-job call. Before the start date we confirm the colour, the hardware plan and what to empty out of the cabinets and clear from the kitchen so the crew has room to work.
Remove and label. Doors and drawer fronts come off, hardware is removed and everything is labelled so each piece goes back exactly where it started. The doors are taken to an offsite shop for finishing.
Clean, sand and prime. Every surface is degreased and fully sanded to give the finish something to grip, then coated with a stain-killing primer so the old colour cannot bleed through.
Finish, reinstall and walk through. Doors are sprayed or brushed and rolled, the boxes are brushed on site with the same paint, then everything is reinstalled. We walk the kitchen with you, touch up, and clean up after sign-off.

Why prep decides how long cabinets last

Cabinets take more abuse than almost any painted surface in a home. They get touched with greasy hands, splashed, scrubbed and slammed. Paint on top of dirt or a glossy factory finish will chip, and that is the reason prep is most of the work.

Degreasing every surface, especially around the stove and the handles where cooking film and hand oils collect
Sanding fully so the old finish is dulled and the new coat has a firm base
Filling old hardware holes, dents and gouges, then sanding them smooth
Priming with a stain-killing primer so the previous colour or tannins from wood do not bleed through
Masking walls, counters, appliances and floors in the kitchen before any sanding or painting
Labelling doors and drawers so hinges and fronts go back where they came from

Spray, brush and roll, or stain

There are two main ways to paint cabinet doors. Spraying gives the smoothest, hardest surface. The doors are removed and finished off site, which keeps overspray out of your kitchen, and the result is an even coat with no brush marks. The cabinet boxes are brushed on site with the same paint so the colour and sheen match. Brush and roll costs less, with the doors still removed and finished off site. It gives a good result when the painters take their time, though it will not be quite as glass-smooth as a sprayed finish.

If you like the wood itself, staining is the third option. Restaining lets the grain show through and suits solid wood doors in good shape. For finish, a satin or semi-gloss enamel is the usual pick on cabinets because it wipes clean and holds up to scrubbing. Flat finishes mark too easily in a kitchen. Bring us a door or drawer front you like from a showroom or a photo, and we will talk through what is realistic for your cabinets.

What affects the price of cabinet painting

We do not publish a fixed price, because kitchens vary a great deal in size and condition. The written quote shows each of these so you can see what is driving the number.

The number of doors, drawer fronts and boxes, and how many are in each cabinet run
Spray finishing versus brush and roll, which changes both labour and the finish you get
Paint versus stain, and whether the existing finish is sound or has to be stripped back
The condition of the cabinets, including damage, old patches and heavy grease build-up
A colour change, especially dark to light, which can add primer and extra coats
Extras like new hardware, interior painting of cabinet boxes and soft-close fittings

Common mistakes with cabinet painting

Painting over grease and gloss without sanding, so the paint peels at the edges within months. We degrease and sand every surface and prime before any colour goes on.
Using wall paint on cabinets. It stays soft and scuffs. We use enamel meant for hard-wearing surfaces.
Painting the doors in place and gluing them shut with paint at the hinges. We take the doors off, finish them flat and rehang them after the paint has cured.
Rushing the cure time and putting doors back too early, which leaves fingerprints and dents in the finish. We give the paint time to harden before reinstalling.
Skipping stain-blocking primer on dark or wood-tone cabinets, so tannins bleed through light colours. We prime first, and we tell you if a colour change needs extra coats.

Cabinet Painting by town

We offer cabinet painting in twelve Okanagan communities. Choose your town:

Cabinet Painting questions

Is painting cabinets cheaper than replacing them?

Usually, yes. You keep the layout and the structure, and there is no demolition, no new countertops required and no wait for custom cabinets. We cannot quote a number without seeing the kitchen, but the written quote will show the whole cost so you can compare it with replacement.

How long will I be without my cabinet doors?

The doors go off site to be finished and come back for reinstallation, so the kitchen is partly unusable during that time. We give you a timeline in the quote and confirm the days on the pre-job call so you can plan around meals.

Can you restain instead of painting?

Yes, if the wood is in good condition. Restaining lets the grain show through. If you are thinking of a light colour over dark wood, paint is usually the better route.

Do you paint the inside of the cabinets?

We can include the inside of the boxes in the quote if you want it. Most people only have the visible faces done, but interiors are worth doing if they are in poor shape or you are changing colour.

Can I change the hardware at the same time?

Yes. It is easiest to do it during the job, because the old holes are filled and sanded and the new pulls or hinges go in once the finish has cured. Tell us what you are planning so the holes are patched or drilled correctly.

Is the quote really free?

Yes. It is free, in writing, and lists the surfaces, the prep, the paint and the timeline.

If your cabinets are sound but tired, tell us about your kitchen and request a free written quote for painting or refinishing them.

Request your free written quote or call (778) 760-0346.

Guides for cabinet painting

Curious how a job runs from the first call to the final walkthrough? Read how our painting process works.

Have a question first? Read the FAQ, learn about Alto Pro Painters or contact us.

Further reading: Kitchen cabinets on Wikipedia and Spray painting on Wikipedia.

Watch: cabinet painting in action

How to properly paint kitchen cabinets, by This Old House on YouTube.

Cabinet Painting in Penticton and the Okanagan