Kitchen cabinets
Boxes, doors and drawer fronts, with the doors taken off, numbered and hung back where they came from.
Kitchen cabinet painting and refinishing in Memphis.
Dario’s Painting paints and refinishes kitchen and bathroom cabinets across Memphis and Shelby County. They are sanded, primed and sprayed for a factory-smooth finish, so the kitchen changes without being torn out. Doors are numbered and hung back where they came from, and Dario is on the job from the estimate to the walkthrough.
- Free written estimates
- Licensed & insured
- Crews speak English & Spanish
Before
AfterIn short
Dario’s Painting paints kitchen and bathroom cabinets across Memphis and Shelby County: the doors come off and are numbered, everything is sanded and primed, and the finish is sprayed for a factory-smooth look. Drying time between coats is why cabinets take longer than walls, and the free written estimate gives a start day and an end day. National cost guides put a whole kitchen anywhere from $425 to $6,500, with averages of $942 to $4,000; your price comes from the free written estimate. Estimate visits are on weekdays from 11:30 to 1:30 and on Saturdays from 7am to 6pm.
What’s included
Cabinets, islands, vanities and built-ins.
The same process for every piece: off, numbered, sanded, primed, sprayed, and back where it came from.
Islands
Painted with the rest of the kitchen, to match or in a color of their own.
Bathroom vanities
Vanities done the same way as kitchen cabinets, on their own or with the kitchen.
Built-ins & furniture
Bookcases, built-ins or a single piece of furniture.
Prep that holds
Sanded and primed so the finish bonds, rather than painted straight over the old one.
A sprayed finish
Sprayed, on site or off it, for a smooth, factory-like finish with no brush marks.
How it goes
Five steps, from the first look to the last door.
The visit
Dario looks at the cabinets with you: the wood, the current finish, any damage, and the color you have in mind.
The estimate
A written quote: doors, drawers, boxes, prep, coats and days, line by line, with a start day and an end day. Free, and yours to keep.
Prep
Doors and drawer fronts come off and are numbered. Everything is sanded and primed, and the kitchen around the cabinets is masked and covered.
Spray
The finish is sprayed, with drying time between coats. That drying time is why cabinets take longer than walls.
Rehang and walkthrough
Doors go back exactly where they came from, and you walk the kitchen with Dario before the job is called done.
Price
What cabinet painting costs in Memphis.
National cost guides put a whole kitchen anywhere from $425 to $6,500, because the count of doors and drawer fronts drives the work. Your price is written after Dario has seen the cabinets; these are the ranges, and the things that move them.
| Job | National range | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets, whole kitchen | $425–$6,500 | HomeAdvisor, This Old House, Fixr. Averages run from $942 to $4,000. |
| Most kitchens, in Fixr’s guide | $2,500–$6,500 | Fixr. Average $4,000. |
| Whole kitchen, in This Old House | $900–$3,500 | This Old House |
| Per cabinet door | $70–$125 | Fixr |
| Per drawer front | $30–$110 | Fixr |
| Share of the price that is labor | About 85% | Fixr |
National averages from published cost guides, not Memphis quotes and not Dario’s prices. Every range and its source is in the house painting cost guide. Your price comes from the free written estimate.
Doors and drawers
The count of doors and drawer fronts drives most of the work, because each one is prepped and sprayed on its own.
Islands and extras
An island, end panels, crown molding or glass doors all add surfaces to the quote.
Condition
A peeling finish, water damage under the sink, or an old paint job that is failing all add prep.
Wood and grain
Open-grain wood like oak shows its grain through paint unless the grain is filled, which is extra work. Tell Dario at the visit whether you want the grain to show.
Color change
Going from dark wood to white takes more coverage than a light-to-light change.
Inside the boxes
Painting the inside of the cabinets as well as the outside adds surfaces.
Cabinets in a Memphis kitchen
What to know before the doors come off.
Humidity and cure time
Paint dries and hardens slower in humid air, and Memphis is humid for much of the year. Each coat gets its drying time, and the finish keeps hardening after it feels dry, so go easy on new doors for the first while.
Solid, dated wood
A lot of Memphis kitchens have solid wood cabinets that are sound but dated, like the East Memphis kitchen in the photos. Those are good candidates for paint.
Grease near the stove
Cabinets near the stove carry years of cooking grease, and paint will not bond to it. That is one reason the prep is most of the job.
When paint is the wrong answer
Boxes swollen by a leak or doors that are warped or falling apart will not be fixed by paint. If that is what Dario finds, he tells you so at the visit.
We paint and refinish cabinets across Memphis, East Memphis and the rest of Shelby County. Town by town, see what to know before painting in Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Cordova, Arlington and Lakeland, or see all the areas we paint.
How much does cabinet painting cost in Memphis?
The national guides disagree widely: HomeAdvisor’s average is $942, This Old House lists $900 to $3,500 for a whole kitchen, and Fixr’s average is $4,000, with most kitchens $2,500 to $6,500 and $70 to $125 per door. The number of doors and drawer fronts, prep and repairs decide it, and Dario’s free written estimate lists doors, drawers, boxes, prep, coats and days line by line.
How long does cabinet painting take?
Fixr says a professional crew can typically prep and paint an average-sized kitchen in four to five days. Each coat needs drying time before the next, which is why cabinets take longer than walls. Your written quote gives a start day and an end day for your kitchen. See how to paint kitchen cabinets for dry and cure times.
Is cabinet refinishing the same as cabinet painting?
Here it means painting: the doors come off and are numbered, everything is cleaned, sanded and primed, and a new finish is sprayed on. It is not refacing or replacing the cabinets. If a box is swollen by a leak or a door is warped, paint will not fix it, and Dario tells you so at the visit.
Should I paint or replace my cabinets?
If the boxes and doors are solid and you like the layout, painting changes the look without tearing the kitchen out. If they are swollen, warped or falling apart, paint will not fix that, and Dario will tell you so at the visit.
Do you spray or brush cabinets?
Sprayed, for a factory-smooth finish, after the cabinets are sanded and primed.
Do you take the doors off?
Yes. Doors and drawer fronts come off, are numbered, and go back exactly where they came from.
Can you paint bathroom vanities and built-ins?
Yes. Bathroom vanities, built-ins and single pieces of furniture are done the same way as kitchen cabinets.
What paint do you use on cabinets?
Premium lines from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore, matched to the surface. The paint is included in the quote.
Helpful guides
Before you decide.
How to paint kitchen cabinets
Degrease, sand, prime, spray or brush, and cure: the steps, plus paint vs refacing.
House painting cost
National price ranges for interior, exterior, cabinets and decks, and what moves them in Memphis.
Sherwin-Williams vs Benjamin Moore
The main paint lines from each brand, what the data sheets say and how pros pick.
More from Dario’s Painting
All servicesThe rest of what we paint.
Interior painting
Walls, ceilings, trim and doors, repaired first, then two coats.
Learn more
Exterior painting
Brick, siding, stucco and wood: washed, scraped and primed where needed, then two coats.
Learn more
Fences, decks & sheds
Wood cleaned and prepped, then stained or painted and sealed against Tennessee weather.
Learn more
Commercial & contract work
A painting sub for Memphis builders, GCs, property managers and investors.
Learn more
Free estimate
Get a free cabinet painting estimate.
Answer a few short questions and Dario calls you back to book a time to look at the cabinets, usually within the hour between 7am and 7pm. Or call now and talk to him directly.
Rather pick the time yourself? Book the free estimate visit online (weekdays 11:30 to 1:30, Saturdays 7am to 6pm). dario@dariospainting.com · 7am to 7pm, seven days