A lot of kitchens in Potomac, Olney and Germantown still have their original 1990s oak cabinets. The boxes are solid; it is the color and finish that date the room. Painting them properly is one of the best-value projects in a house, but only if it is done like furniture finishing rather than wall painting.
Doors and drawer fronts come off, get labeled, and are sprayed flat in a controlled space so the finish levels out without brush marks. Cabinet boxes and face frames are finished on site with the kitchen masked off. If you would rather keep the wood look, we can restain or recoat clear finishes; see our wood staining and varnishing service. Most clients pair cabinets with a fresh coat on the walls through our interior painting crew, and trim carpentry can add crown molding or fix damaged end panels at the same time.
What a cabinet project covers
Doors and drawer fronts
Removed, numbered, and sprayed on racks so both sides get an even, level finish.
Face frames and boxes
Sanded, primed and sprayed or finely brushed in place with the kitchen masked.
Islands, vanities and built-ins
Bathroom vanities, bookcases and mudroom lockers finished to match.
Hardware
Removed and reinstalled, or new pulls fitted with holes drilled from a template.
Grain filling
Optional on oak, for a smooth painted look with no grain texture showing through.
Staining and clear coats
Worn clear finishes cleaned and recoated, or cabinets restained darker.
Local insight: cabinets in Maryland kitchens
Oak grain shows through paint unless it is filled
Red oak, the most common cabinet wood in 1980s and 1990s homes around Montgomery County, has deep open grain. Paint alone leaves that texture visible. Some people like it. If you want the smooth look of a new painted kitchen, we apply grain filler before primer, which adds time and is priced as an option.
Grease is the main reason cabinet paint fails
Years of cooking leave a film on the doors nearest the range that normal cleaners do not remove. Paint over it and it peels at the edges within months. We degrease every surface, scuff-sand, and use a bonding primer made for slick and previously finished wood.
The finish keeps hardening for weeks
The waterborne alkyd and urethane enamels we use for cabinets are dry to the touch the same day but take several weeks to reach full hardness, longer in humid summer weather. We ask clients to go easy on doors for the first few weeks: no heavy scrubbing, and do not let dish towels hang wet over doors.
How a cabinet project runs
Label and remove
Doors, drawers and hardware numbered and removed, contents protected.
Clean and degrease
Every surface degreased and rinsed, then scuff-sanded.
Prime and fill
Bonding primer, grain filler if chosen, caulk at seams, sanded smooth.
Spray finish coats
Two or more enamel coats, lightly sanded between coats.
Reinstall and adjust
Doors rehung and aligned, hardware on, hinges adjusted so doors close evenly.
Cabinet painting questions
How long will my kitchen be out of use?
The cabinet boxes are usually finished over several days on site, while doors are sprayed and cured separately. Most kitchens are fully back together in one to two weeks, and you can usually use the sink and appliances for much of that time.
Is painting cabinets better than refacing or replacing them?
If the boxes are sound and you like the layout, painting costs far less than either option and keeps your countertops in place. If the layout does not work or the boxes are water damaged, replacement makes more sense.
Can you paint laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Laminate can be painted with the right bonding primer. Thermofoil that is peeling or bubbling cannot be painted reliably because the foil keeps separating underneath. Those doors need to be replaced.
Will painted cabinets chip?
Any painted surface can chip from a hard knock, but a properly prepped and cured enamel holds up well to normal use. We leave labeled touch-up paint for small repairs.