Most people who call us about cabinets are in one of three spots. The builder’s finish is chipping. The honey oak feels twenty years old. Or they tried painting the cabinets themselves and found out how much work it is to get them looking right.
Whichever one is you, the question underneath is usually the same: is it really going to last? This page is our honest answer, including when cabinet painting or refinishing is the wrong call.
Why Builder Cabinets Chip
Most builders around Oklahoma City spray cabinets with a lacquer-based paint. It looks gorgeous the day it goes on. It is also brittle, so a few years of daily use leaves it chipped around the handles and edges. Lacquer yellows over time, too.
What We Use Instead
Our standard cabinet finish is an industrial enamel: Benjamin Moore Command or Sherwin-Williams Forte. These coatings were developed for factories. They resist chipping and chemicals, and they cure fast enough to put a factory back to work. In your kitchen, that means you can use your cabinets the next day. Traditional cabinet enamels can need a couple of days to cure first.
For a sleeker, furniture-style finish, we use Sherwin-Williams Gallery. It gives you the lacquer look without the smell through the whole house, the yellowing, or the chipping.
How a Cabinet Job Goes
Mask, Remove & Contain
Protect the room. We cover the floors and the walls around the work area.
Take it apart. Doors, hinges, drawers, and knobs come off.
Contain the dust. Doors and drawers are sprayed on site inside a plastic enclosure, usually in the garage.
Sand, Clean & Prime
Sanding. A scuff sand or a deeper sand, depending on the surface.
Cleaning. A thorough cleaning. Together with sanding, it leaves the cabinets deglossed and degreased.
Bonding primer, when it’s needed. It helps the new paint stick and not chip.
Two Coats & a Walk-Through
Finish. Two coats of industrial enamel, sprayed.
Reassemble. Doors, drawers, and hardware go back on.
Walk-through. We go over it together, and you pay the balance only when it’s right.
A whole kitchen usually takes three to four days.
We fit the job to your cabinets, not the other way around. If your cabinets already have sound, water-based paint and you just want a new color, we can clean, degloss, and paint right over it with no primer. We’ll explain the trade-offs and let you decide, rather than selling everyone the top package.
More Than Kitchens
The same process works on laundry rooms, bathroom vanities, and built-ins, like this laundry room in Edmond.
What Cabinet Painting Costs in OKC
Cabinet Painting
A factory-smooth, custom finish on your existing cabinets, done in days, not weeks.
New Cabinets
Full demolition, long lead times, and far more mess and expense.
Most Oklahoma City kitchens fall between $5,000 and $10,000. Here is what moves the number:
How many doors and drawers
This is the big one. Two kitchens the same size can have double the doors and drawers. Each piece is painted on one side, flipped, painted again, and moved on and off the racks.
Stain to paint, or paint to paint
Taking stained cabinets to paint always costs more than refreshing cabinets that are already painted. There is simply more prep.
How much prep they need
Worn, dinged, or greasy cabinets take more sanding, filling, and cleaning before any paint goes on.
A second color
Two-tone kitchens cost a little more, because the two colors are handled separately.
When We’ll Tell You Not to Paint
- Laminate and other slick manufactured surfaces. Even with all the prep, paint on these tends to become a maintenance problem, so we don’t recommend it.
- Deep damage. If the dings go through the finish and into the wood, filling them all adds up quickly in labor. Refacing may be the better use of your money.
- Stained wood that’s still in decent shape. Sometimes a refresh is all it needs: a light sand, a matching stain, and a fresh clear coat.
“Three Weeks Ago”
Matt was once asked to quote a repair on cabinets that were peeling in large areas, in several places. He asked how long ago they had been painted. Three weeks. The homeowner had called the company back, and they told her they were done.
That is what three-week-old cabinet paint looks like when the prep is skipped: it lets go in sheets, right down to the bare wood. It’s why our prep is not optional.
She Came in Wanting Stain
Filiz and Bob had us paint the outside of their Edmond home first. About a year later, they asked us to look at the kitchen. Filiz wanted the cabinets stripped and re-stained to keep the wood look. Then she tried a few painted colors on a photo of her own kitchen, fell for the painted look, and went two-tone: green on the lower cabinets and island, a lighter shade up top.
“I can't stop saying enough great things about Matt and his team. We had Matt's company paint our old kitchen cabinets, coffee bar cabinets and walls. They had to refinish all the wood, paint twice with primer, twice with the color. Matt and his team were professional and meticulous. They did a beautiful job and we love the room. I show before and after pictures to everyone.”
— Filiz P., Homeowner · EdmondOur Cabinet Paint Warranty
Every cabinet job carries a written 2-year warranty. It covers:
- Premature fading of the color
- Peeling or flaking of the paint
- Cracking in the joints and corners
What it doesn’t cover is impact. No paint we know of holds up if you ram a pot straight into a cabinet door, and that kind of wear and tear is expected in a working kitchen. But anything that points to the product failing, or to workmanship we missed in a spot, we take care of.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the wood grain show through on painted oak cabinets?
Yes, unless you ask us to fill it. Most of our customers expect painted oak to look like painted wood and don’t mind the grain showing through. If you want a smoother face, we can fill the grain first. More in our guide to painting oak cabinets.
Is winter a good time to paint cabinets?
Yes. Cabinets are year-round work, and there is often better availability on our schedule in winter.
How soon can I use my kitchen after the cabinets are painted?
The next day. The industrial enamels we use (Benjamin Moore Command or Sherwin-Williams Forte) were built to cure fast. Traditional cabinet enamels can need a couple of days.
Can you paint laminate cabinets?
We don’t recommend it. Laminate and other slick manufactured surfaces tend to become a maintenance problem even with thorough prep.
Do you refinish or re-stain cabinets, or only paint them?
Mostly paint, because that’s what homeowners are asking for. Stained cabinets in decent shape can get a refresh: a light sand, a matching stain, and a fresh clear coat.
How long does cabinet paint last?
With proper care, a professionally painted cabinet finish can last 8–10 years or more.
What colors are available?
We offer a full spectrum of cabinet colors, from classic whites and grays to bold, modern hues.
Is cabinet painting cheaper than replacing cabinets?
Yes. Painting typically costs 50–70% less than full replacement.
How do I care for painted cabinets?
Clean with a soft cloth and mild soap; avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive pads to preserve the finish.
What Our Cabinet Customers Say
“We had Hometown Painting paint our kitchen cabinets and a wall in our dining room during our remodel. Matt gave us a very detailed quote which outlined everything to be done with a timeline. The crew showed up on time and were very polite and…”
— Sally V., Homeowner · Edmond“Meticulously custom painted our kitchen cabinets. Matt helped us envision what the final look would be. Fantastic customer service.”
— Stephen M., Homeowner · ChoctawThinking It Over?
Not sure whether painting your cabinets is the right call? Read our guide: Should I Have My Kitchen Cabinets Painted? If yours are oak, see Painting Oak Cabinets in OKC: What to Expect. And for budget planning, our interior pricing guide covers what cabinet projects typically cost.
Ready to Love Your Kitchen Again?
Contact Hometown Painting for a free estimate on cabinet painting in OKC. Our friendly team is here to answer your questions and help you fall in love with your kitchen again.
Or give us a call: (405) 400-1619