You can expect a professional cabinet refinishing job to run roughly $1,800–$6,500 depending on kitchen size, prep needs, and finish quality, while DIY materials usually cost $200–$600 if you supply paint, primer, and tools. Labor often makes up 50–70% of the total, and refacing with new doors or veneers typically costs substantially more, often $4,000–$15,000. Below you’ll find a breakdown of per-door, per-square-foot, and upgrade costs to help plan.
TLDR
- Professional cabinet refinishing typically ranges from about $1,800 to $6,500 for a full kitchen, depending on size and finish.
- DIY refinishing materials and supplies usually cost about $200–$600, with paint and primer as the largest expense.
- Labor often makes up 50%–70% of total cost; expect pro labor rates around $35–$75 per hour.
- Refacing (new doors/veneers) is pricier—typically $4,000–$15,000—while refinishing generally costs roughly two-thirds of refacing.
- Premium finishes, extensive prep, larger kitchens, or added upgrades (hardware, pull-outs, lighting) significantly increase the final price.
Typical Cost Ranges for Professional Cabinet Refinishing
While exact prices depend on your kitchen’s size, layout, and the finish you choose, professional cabinet refinishing commonly falls between about $1,800 and $6,500, with national averages sometimes reported lower (roughly $929 to $1,742) depending on survey scope and location. Drying times after applying finishes are crucial to ensure optimal results. You’ll see per-square-foot, per-linear-foot, and per-door pricing, and larger kitchens or specialty finishes push costs toward higher ranges. A typical professional job usually includes prep, sanding, priming, and two coats of enamel-grade paint, and often costs fall into the average cost range.
DIY Materials and Expected Expenses
You can expect to spend roughly $200–$600 on materials for a DIY cabinet refinish, with paint and primer making up the largest share and higher-end enamels or urethane blends pushing costs toward the top end. Proper surface preparation is essential before applying paint to ensure a durable finish. Plan for around $10–$50 for prep supplies like degreasers, sandpaper, and fillers, plus $10–$45 for brushes, rollers, tape, and drop cloths, and consider an optional sprayer rental for $40–$100 per day if you want a smoother finish. Factor in hardware costs and any special tools or organizers, because the total depends on the paint type, number of coats, and how much time and equipment you already have.
Materials Cost Range
Get a clear image of what you’ll spend before you start—DIY cabinet refinishing materials typically run from about $200 on the low end to $600 or more, depending on the paint, primers, and protective coatings you choose, while refacing or replacing with substrates like laminate, veneer, or solid wood pushes costs much higher.
Estimate paint and primer ($75–$190), cleaners and sanding ($20–$60), masking ($10–$25), and expect refacing materials to range from $1,000 to $6,500 depending on laminate, veneer, or solid wood choices.
Tools and Supplies
For a DIY cabinet refinishing or refacing project, you’ll need a mix of basic hand tools, power equipment, specialty jigs, and consumable supplies that together determine much of your upfront cost and the quality of the finished job.
Budget for screwdrivers or drills, an orbital sander, sandpaper packs, brushes, rollers, primer, tack cloths, protective gear, clamps, jigs, and painter’s tape—expect $150–$600.
Cost Breakdown by Kitchen and Cabinet Size
When planning refinishing, you’ll want to compare typical costs for small, medium, and large kitchens so you can set a realistic budget based on cabinet linear footage and door/drawer count.
Expect painting for a small kitchen (about 30–40 linear feet, 15–25 doors/drawers) to run roughly $3,800–$5,600, mid-sized kitchens (40–60 linear feet, 25–40 doors/drawers) around $5,600–$8,700, and larger layouts to start near $8,700 and rise with added scope or repairs.
Keep in mind refacing averages near $6,750 nationally and refinishing typically costs less than full replacement—both will vary by materials, labor rates, and the number of cabinet pieces you need serviced. Additionally, consider the importance of chemical interactions when applying products during the refinishing process to ensure the best results.
Small Kitchen Costs
Small kitchens, typically with 70–100 square feet of cabinet surface, often cost considerably less to refinish or reface than larger spaces, but the final price still depends on factors like cabinet complexity, prep work, and finish choice.
Expect pro painting around $1,000–$3,500, refacing $4,000–$6,500, DIY $200–$600, with premium finishes or extensive prep pushing costs higher.
Medium Kitchen Pricing
If your kitchen falls between roughly 250 and 400 square feet, you’ll see a noticeable step up in both material needs and labor compared with smaller spaces, but costs still stay in a midrange band that balances scope and affordability.
Expect refinishing to run about $1,500–$4,500 ($4–$15/sq ft), with labor 50–70% of total, material choice and cabinet count driving final price.
Large Kitchen Estimates
Large kitchens — generally between 400 and 600 square feet with roughly 30 to 70 linear feet of cabinetry — drive noticeably higher refinishing costs because you’re scaling up both materials and labor for many more doors, drawers, and full cabinet units.
Expect refacing from $3,000–$15,000+, painting $5,000–$10,000+, per-foot rates $100–$250, and higher-end materials or repairs will push totals upward.
Refacing vs. Refinishing: Material and Labor Price Differences
Compare the two options carefully, because the choice between refacing and refinishing comes down largely to differences in materials and labor—and those differences drive both upfront cost and long-term value.
Refacing adds new doors, veneers, and hardware, raising material and specialized labor costs ($4,500–$15,000), while refinishing uses cheaper paint or stain and intensive prep, typically costing about two‑thirds of refacing.
Labor, Installation, and Additional Service Charges
Because labor and installation make up such a large share of a cabinet project, you’ll want to understand how those charges are calculated before signing a contract: typical refinishing labor runs $35–$75 per hour (about $55 on average) and often accounts for 50%–70% of the total cost, while professional refinishing jobs for kitchens commonly fall in the $1,500–$4,500 labor range.
You’ll pay per-door installation ($20–$40), hardware fitting ($2–$5 plus install time), and per‑foot prep or trim fees; regional rates, kitchen size, demolition, surface prep, finishing coats, and disposal all influence final labor and service charges.
Upgrades, Customizations, and High‑End Finishes
Labor and basic installation often make up the bulk of your bill, but the choices you make for upgrades and finishes can shift the total dramatically, so it’s worth examining what those options cost and what benefits they bring.
Laminate is cheapest, wood veneer midrange, solid wood and exotic species cost more; add pull-outs, lighting, premium hardware, trim, or specialty coatings to raise durability and functionality.
Final Note
You can expect cabinet refinishing to cost markedly less than replacement, but prices vary with scope, finish, and labor; a pro job often runs $3,000–$8,000 for a typical kitchen, DIY supplies usually fall under $1,000, and refacing or custom upgrades push costs higher. Factor in cabinet size, surface prep, hardware, and warranty when budgeting, and get multiple estimates, detailed scopes, and samples so you’ll make a confident, cost‑effective decision.