Cabinet Refinishing & Repainting Services

How Much Does Cabinet Refinishing Cost in Northern Virginia & DC?

Most cabinet refinishing projects in Northern Virginia and Washington DC run $2,500 to $6,500 for a standard kitchen (20–35 doors and drawer faces). Smaller kitchens (10–15 doors) run $1,500–$2,800. Larger or more complex kitchens (40+ doors, glass-front uppers, custom millwork) can run $7,000–$10,000. The most accurate way to know your number is a free in-home estimate.

• Door and drawer-face count — every face requires separate sand, prime, spray cycle, regardless of size
• Existing finish — bare wood (cheapest), polyurethane (mid), thermofoil or laminate (most prep work)
• Color change scope — same-tone refresh is cheaper than dramatic dark-to-light or oak-to-white transitions
• Coat count — two coats is standard; three coats on heavy color transitions or premium finishes
• Hardware — reuse existing (free), polish brass (small fee), replace with new hardware (priced separately)
• Glass and specialty doors — glass-front uppers, leaded glass, custom millwork add per-door time

The most accurate way to know your cost is a free in-home estimate.

When Should You Refinish Your Cabinets?

Cabinet refinishing is the highest-ROI kitchen update you can make — here is when it makes sense.

• Cabinets are structurally sound but cosmetically dated — the boxes and doors are solid wood or quality MDF but the color or finish does not fit the home anymore
• You want a kitchen refresh under $10K — refinishing is one-fifth the cost of replacement and delivers most of the visual impact
• You are switching color schemes — dark to light, oak to white, or going to a modern color like deep blue or green
• You inherited builder-grade cabinets — flat oak or basic maple gets a dramatic upgrade with paint plus modern hardware
• Resale or refinance soon — refinished cabinets show beautifully in listing photos and are one of the most-noticed updates by buyers
• Hardware needs updating anyway — you are already going to replace the hardware, so paint at the same time and save the second project setup

A few situations say replace, do not refinish. Severely water-damaged cabinet boxes with swelling or delamination cannot be saved by paint. Cabinets with broken frames or split panels need structural repair beyond paint. Thermofoil that is peeling badly sometimes refinishes better with door-replacement-only on the affected doors. We will tell you honestly when refinishing is the wrong call.

Common Questions About Cabinet Refinishing

Is cabinet refinishing the same as replacement?

No — refinishing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and doors and gives them a new color and finish. Refinishing runs $2,500–$6,500 for a standard kitchen vs $25,000+ for full replacement. Replacement makes sense when the cabinet boxes are water-damaged or structurally failing; refinishing makes sense when the cabinets are solid but cosmetically dated. We can tell you which is right during the free in-home estimate.

How long does cabinet refinishing take?

Most kitchens take 5–8 working days from arrival to walk-through. Day 1–2: remove doors, label, hand-sand and prime cabinet boxes in-place. Days 3–5: doors get sprayed and cured at our shop (2–3 coats with sand between). Day 6–8: reinstall doors, hardware, and walk-through. Larger kitchens (40+ doors) can run 9–12 days.

Can I use my kitchen during the project?

Yes — most of it. Cabinet boxes stay in place, so countertops, sinks, dishwasher, fridge, and microwave all remain accessible. The doors and drawer faces are off for 4–6 days, so contents inside cabinets are exposed but reachable. Most clients move dishes to clear bins or temporarily relocate them to a dining table.

What paint do you use on cabinets?

Cabinet-grade urethane or alkyd enamel — never wall paint. Our defaults are Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel (water-cleanup, hardness rating equivalent to oil) and Benjamin Moore Advance (alkyd, longest-cure, hardest finish). Both are chip-resistant, washable, and rated specifically for kitchen and bath cabinets. Two to three coats sprayed in our booth.

Do you replace hardware?

Up to you. We can reuse your existing hardware (free), polish or refinish brass hardware ($1–$3 per piece), or install new hardware that you provide or that we source. New hardware in modern finishes (matte black, satin nickel, polished brass) is one of the highest-impact details — we recommend updating hardware in almost every refinishing project.

Will the new finish chip or peel?

Not if it is done right. The biggest cabinet refinishing failure is contact-point chipping (where doors touch the cabinet box, where hardware screws into the door, edges) — caused by skipping the hand-sand and prime steps. We do not skip those, and we use cabinet-grade primer and topcoat designed for high-touch surfaces. Our 2-year workmanship warranty covers any peeling, chipping, or finish failure from workmanship.

How much does cabinet refinishing cost in NoVA and DC?

Most standard kitchens (20–35 doors) run $2,500–$6,500. Smaller kitchens (10–15 doors) run $1,500–$2,800. Larger or more complex kitchens (40+ doors, glass-front uppers, custom millwork) run $7,000–$10,000. Bathroom vanities run $400–$1,200 per vanity. Free in-home estimates with line-item pricing.

See our full FAQ →

2-Year Workmanship Warranty

Every cabinet refinishing project from Northern Star Painters is backed by a written 2-year workmanship warranty. If our finish chips, peels, or fails from workmanship within 24 months of project completion, we come back at no charge and make it right. The warranty is included in your contract. Combined with $2 million in liability insurance, our Virginia Class A and DC contractor licenses, and our doors-off spray-shop process, it is the most complete coverage you can get on residential cabinet refinishing in the region.

The warranty does not cover damage from impact (a dropped pot, a banged-into door), water damage from a sink leak, or wear from solvents or abrasive cleaners. But those are exactly the issues that show up later if the original finish is sub-par. Most cabinet refinishing contractors offer no warranty at all because they brush-paint with wall paint and the finish fails inside 12 months. We use cabinet-grade products in a proper spray booth, and we put the warranty in writing.