Painting kitchen cabinets costs $2,000 to $6,500 for an average kitchen in 2026, by national published figures. Most Manhattan kitchens are smaller than average, which helps on door count and does not help on working room.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Manhattan labor rates, building rules, access and the state of your walls move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
Nationally, it costs $2,000 to $6,500 to have the cabinets in an average kitchen painted, or $30 to $70 per linear foot. By kitchen size, HomeGuide lists these ranges.
| Kitchen | Size | National range |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 70 to 100 sq ft | $1,000 to $3,500 |
| Average | 100 to 200 sq ft | $2,000 to $6,500 |
| Large | 200+ sq ft | $5,000 to $10,000 |
Labor is $1,600 to $5,500 of that and materials $400 to $1,000. Other HomeGuide pages give lower cabinet figures, $900 to $3,800 and $1,500 to $5,000, so treat any of these as a rough guide.
How much for 20 or 30 cabinet doors and drawers?
By the published per-piece figures, 20 cabinet doors cost $1,400 to $2,500 and 30 cabinet doors cost $2,100 to $3,750. That is 20 or 30 times the listed $70 to $125 per door.
Drawers are listed at $30 to $110 each, so 10 drawer fronts add $300 to $1,100. The cabinet boxes, end panels and any crown or light rail are part of the job too. This is arithmetic on national figures, not our quote.
Is it cheaper to paint, reface or replace cabinets?
Painting is the cheapest of the three. The national figures are $2,000 to $6,500 to paint, $5,000 to $13,000 to reface and $4,500 to $15,000 to replace.
Refacing puts new doors and veneer on the old boxes. Replacing means new everything, and in a co-op or condo it can bring board approval and an alteration agreement with it. Painting keeps the kitchen you have and usually needs no more than the building's normal contractor paperwork.
Painting or refinishing cabinets: what is the difference in cost?
Refinishing costs a little less on paper: $1,500 to $4,500 against $2,000 to $6,500 for painting, by the national figures. Refinishing means stripping or sanding wood cabinets and applying new stain and clear coat.
Refinishing only works on real wood in decent shape, and it cannot make a dark cabinet lighter without a lot of stripping. Paint works on wood, MDF and many factory finishes, and gives you any color.
Are 1990s oak cabinets worth painting, and can oak go white?
Yes on both counts, if the boxes are solid and the doors are not warped. Oak takes paint well once it is cleaned, sanded and primed with a stain-blocking primer.
Oak has open grain. Under white paint the grain shows as fine lines unless it is filled first. Some people like that texture. If you want a flat, smooth door, say so before the quote, because grain filling adds a step.
Can you paint laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Laminate can be painted if it is firmly stuck down and gets a bonding primer made for slick surfaces. Thermofoil is riskier. It is a vinyl skin over MDF, and if the skin is lifting or bubbling, paint will not fix it.
Peeling thermofoil doors are better replaced. HomeGuide lists replacing cabinet doors only at $2,200 to $6,600 nationally. We look at the doors and tell you which way makes sense.
Spray or brush for cabinets, and are doors sprayed off site?
Spraying gives the smoothest cabinet finish, and brushing and rolling with the right paint can come close. HomeGuide lists spray painting cabinets at $40 to $100 per linear foot nationally.
A common method is to take the doors and drawer fronts away to spray them flat, and to paint the boxes in place. In an apartment, spraying on site needs the kitchen sealed off and good ventilation, and some buildings do not allow it. Ask us how your kitchen would be done.
Can cabinets be painted without removing the doors?
They can, but the result is worse. With the doors on, paint bridges the hinges, the edges get missed and drips form where the door meets the frame.
A proper job takes the doors off, numbers them, removes the hardware and paints both sides flat. Doors removed and painted flat also cure harder before they go back into daily use.
How long does cabinet painting take and can I use the kitchen?
Cabinet painting takes 3 to 5 days by the national figure. You can use the kitchen for most of it, with some limits. The sink and appliances still work, but the cabinets are open and the counters may be covered.
Plan simple meals for those days. The paint feels dry within hours, yet it stays soft for a while longer, so be gentle with doors and drawers for the first few weeks.
Will painted cabinets chip or peel?
Painted cabinets can chip where they are hit hard, such as the edges near the trash pull-out. They should not peel. Peeling means the surface was greasy, glossy or not primed when it was painted.
Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease, even when they look clean. Degreasing, sanding, a bonding primer and a hard enamel made for cabinets are what keep the finish on.
How long does cabinet paint last, compared with a factory finish?
Painted kitchen cabinets last 8 to 15 years, by HomeGuide's figure. A factory finish is baked or catalyzed in a controlled shop, so it is usually harder than anything applied by hand in a home.
A well-prepared paint job comes closer than most people expect. How long it lasts depends on prep, the product and how hard the kitchen is used.
What paint do pros use on cabinets for a smooth finish?
Pros use cabinet and trim enamels that level out as they dry, so brush marks flatten and the cabinet door ends up smooth and hard. Ordinary wall paint stays soft and sticky on doors.
Satin and semi-gloss are the usual sheens because they wipe clean. We do not name a brand here. Ask us what we would use on your cabinets and why.
I painted my cabinets myself and they look bad. Can a pro fix them?
Yes. If you painted your cabinets yourself and they came out sticky, streaky or peeling, they can usually be put right. How much work it takes depends on what is underneath.
If the paint is sound but rough, it can be sanded smooth and recoated. If it scratches off with a fingernail, it has not bonded, and it needs to come off before new primer and paint go on. That costs more than painting bare cabinets would have.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (917) 970-7431.