Kitchen cabinet painting in Ottawa
A new kitchen colour without tearing out the cabinets.
5.0Google rating
If your cabinet boxes and doors are solid but the colour or the stain has had its day, painting them can change the whole kitchen for a fraction of the disruption of replacing them. The counters, the layout and the plumbing all stay where they are.
Cabinets are also the hardest thing in a house to paint well. They get handled every day, splashed, wiped and knocked. A cabinet finish only lasts if the prep underneath it is done properly, so that's where most of the time goes.
- Free in-home consultation
- 2-year warranty on painting
- Liability insurance
- WSIB coverage
- Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore paints
- Our own painters, family owned
- BBB Accredited Business
Why cabinet prep takes so long
- Every door and drawer front is cleaned and degreased. Kitchen grease is invisible and paint won't stick to it.
- Surfaces are sanded so the primer has something to grip.
- A bonding primer goes on before the colour, especially over glossy or stained wood.
- Doors, drawer fronts and boxes are painted in thin, even coats, with drying time between them.
- Hardware is removed and put back, or replaced if you're changing it.
Is your kitchen a good candidate?
Solid wood and wood veneer cabinets usually paint well, including the oak kitchens common in Ottawa homes from the 1980s and 1990s. Oak has an open grain that can show through paint. Some people like that texture, others want it filled for a smooth look, so it's worth deciding up front. Some finishes, like thermofoil (a plastic skin over the door), peel when painted and are poor candidates. We'll tell you honestly at the consultation.
Living without your kitchen for a few days
Cabinet painting takes longer than painting a room, because of the prep and the drying time between coats. Your estimate includes the schedule, so you can plan meals around it.
Bathroom vanities too
The same process works on bathroom vanities and built-ins, which is a simple way to update a bathroom without a renovation.
In writing
What your written estimate spells out
Two painting quotes only compare fairly when they cover the same work. Ours lists the job in plain words, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
- Which rooms and surfaces are included, and which aren't
- The prep for each area: repairs, cleaning, sanding and primer
- How many coats
- Who supplies the paint
- The schedule, and what you need to move or clear
- The 2-year warranty on painting
What a painting customer said
I asked them to re-paint some rooms in my house, and the painter did an excellent job. The mistakes from years ago were erased. He even painted behind the toilets.
Eric Clara, interior painting, several rooms, on Google
Our process
How your kitchen cabinet painting job works
Free in-home consultation
We come to you, walk the rooms or the outside of the house with you, and listen to what you want the finished result to look like.
A written estimate
You get the scope in writing: which surfaces, what prep, what's included and what isn't, so there are no surprises later.
A schedule that fits your life
We book the work around how you use your home, and tell you ahead of time what needs moving and when we'll be there.
Prep, then paint
Prep comes first and gets the time it needs. Then the painting, done carefully, and a clean site at the end of each day.
Walkthrough together
We go over every room or wall with you before we call it finished, and fix anything you're not happy with. The leftover paint stays with you for touch-ups.
Questions people ask
Is it worth painting kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them?
If the boxes and doors are in good shape, painting gives you a new colour for much less disruption than replacing them. If the cabinets are falling apart or the layout doesn't work, replacing them may make more sense. Carleton Prime Construction also does kitchen remodels, so we can talk through both.
Can you paint oak cabinets?
Yes. Oak paints well with the right prep. Its grain can show through the paint, so decide at the start whether you want that texture or a smooth finish.
How long does painted cabinetry last?
It depends mostly on the prep and on how hard the kitchen is used. Cabinets that were properly cleaned, sanded and primed hold up far better than ones painted straight over the old finish.
Can you paint thermofoil or laminate cabinets?
Thermofoil usually isn't a good candidate, because the plastic skin can peel. Some laminates can be painted with the right primer. We'll look at yours at the consultation and tell you honestly.
Related services
Tell us what you'd like painted
Start with a free in-home consultation. We'll look at the job with you and follow up with a written estimate.