Typical prices
Kitchen painters usually price per door and drawer front, or as a fixed price for the whole kitchen. The cost depends on the number of doors, the material and whether they're sprayed or hand-painted.
| Kitchen size | Hand-painted | Sprayed |
|---|---|---|
| Small (10–15 doors and drawers) | £700 – £1,200 | £900 – £1,500 |
| Medium (16–25 doors and drawers) | £1,000 – £1,800 | £1,300 – £2,200 |
| Large (26–40 doors and drawers) | £1,500 – £2,500 | £1,900 – £3,200 |
| Per door (approx.) | £40 – £70 | £50 – £90 |
Indicative kitchen cabinet painting costs (2026, labour and materials)
What's involved
A durable cabinet finish depends on preparation. A professional will usually:
- Remove doors, drawer fronts and handles, and label everything
- Thoroughly degrease – kitchen grease is the enemy of paint adhesion
- Sand to give a key, and fill any damage
- Apply a specialist bonding primer suited to the material
- Apply two or more top coats of a hard-wearing cabinet paint
- Allow proper curing time before refitting
Spraying vs hand-painting
Spraying gives a smooth, factory-like finish without brush marks. Some sprayers take doors away to a workshop, while others set up a temporary spray booth in your home. Hand-painting with a high-quality brush and mini roller can still look excellent, especially on shaker-style doors, and is often a little cheaper.
See our guide to spray painting vs brush and roller for more detail.
Rather leave it to a professional?
Can all cabinets be painted?
Solid wood, MDF and most painted cabinets take paint well. Laminate, vinyl-wrapped and high-gloss doors are trickier – they need specialist primers, and vinyl wraps that are peeling should be removed first. A reputable painter will tell you honestly if your doors aren't suitable.
If your cabinets are falling apart, painting won't save them. But if the carcasses are solid and the layout works, painting is far cheaper than a new kitchen, which can easily cost £8,000–£20,000.
How long does it last?
A properly prepared and painted kitchen should last many years with normal care. Paint takes time to fully cure – often a couple of weeks – so be gentle with the doors at first. Clean with a soft cloth and mild detergent rather than abrasive cleaners.
Our guide to painting kitchen cabinets explains the process in more depth, and you can get free quotes from local decorators.
