Cabinet Painting vs. Replacement: What Actually Saves You Money
Cabinet refinishing typically takes 4 to 6 days for a full kitchen and costs a fraction of full replacement, which commonly runs into the tens of thousands of dollars and several weeks of lead time and installation. (Long enough that the new cabinets could reasonably request a change of address before they arrive.) The catch is that refinishing only works if the cabinet boxes themselves are structurally sound. Refinishing changes the finish, not the structure underneath it.
The real cost and time difference
Full cabinet replacement involves ordering new boxes, doors, and hardware, demolition of the old cabinetry, and a fresh installation, which typically means weeks without a functioning kitchen and a materials cost that scales quickly with kitchen size and cabinet quality.
Refinishing skips almost all of that. Doors and drawer fronts come off and get sprayed off-site for a smooth, factory-quality finish, boxes get finished in place, and the kitchen is usable again in days rather than weeks.
Most of the cabinets we see homeowners call "old" have boxes in great condition underneath. What's aged is the look, not the cabinet. For a mid-to-large kitchen at 25 doors and 15 drawers, refinishing runs $4,875 to $5,650.
When refinishing is the right call
Refinishing makes sense when you like your current kitchen layout and the cabinet boxes are still structurally sound: no delamination, no water-swollen particleboard, no failing hinges beyond normal hardware replacement.
It's the more common situation than people expect. Most kitchen cabinets, even ones that look dated, are built solidly enough underneath the finish that a color and finish change is the only thing actually needed.
When replacement is actually the better option
If you're changing the kitchen layout, moving appliances, or need different storage configurations, refinishing can't solve that. That's a replacement or custom cabinetry conversation.
The same is true if the cabinet boxes have water damage, delaminating particleboard, or structural failure. Refinishing addresses the surface. It doesn't rebuild what's underneath, and painting over a failing box just delays a problem that will need to be solved eventually anyway. (Cabinets don't respond to pep talks any better than the rest of us do.)
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical full kitchen refinish takes 4 to 6 days, depending on kitchen size and the number of doors and drawer fronts.