Respray or new doors
A respray keeps your existing door style and costs less. New doors change the style completely, from raised panel to a clean shaker, but add the cost of making them.
Resprays and refacing
Kitchen cabinet resprays and refacing
Kitchen cabinet resprays and refacing in Guelph for homeowners whose cabinets are solid but tired. We repaint your existing cabinets with a sprayed finish, or fit new doors and drawer fronts made in our own shop, so your kitchen gets a new look without the cost and mess of a tear out.
What it includes
Three ways to give your kitchen a new look.
Most kitchens are replaced because they look dated, not because they have stopped working. If the cabinet boxes are sound and the layout suits you, the part that needs changing is the surface, and that is exactly what a respray or refacing changes.
It suits homeowners with golden oak or builder grade cabinets, anyone getting a house ready to sell, and families who like their kitchen layout but not its colour. We look at your cabinets at a free estimate and tell you which option makes sense.
- Respray. Your existing doors, drawer fronts and cabinet boxes are cleaned, prepped, primed and sprayed in a new colour.
- Refacing. New doors and drawer fronts are made in our shop, and the cabinet boxes are finished to match them.
- New doors only. Doors and drawer fronts cut on our CNC, primed and painted in house, for cabinets that only need new fronts.
- Hardware. New pulls, knobs and hinges fitted at the same time, which finishes the change.
- Two-tone kitchens. A different colour on the island or the lower cabinets for contrast.
Is it right for you?
When a respray makes sense, and when it does not.
A respray or refacing is the better choice when the cabinet boxes are solid, the doors close properly and the layout already works for you. You keep everything that is fine and change what you see every day, usually for a fraction of the cost and time of a new kitchen.
It is the wrong choice when the boxes are water damaged or sagging, when you want to move the sink or open up a wall, or when the kitchen simply does not have enough storage. In those cases paint only covers the problem, and we will tell you so. A custom kitchen is the better investment.
- Good fit. Solid wood or MDF boxes, a layout you like, and doors that are dated rather than broken.
- Worth a closer look. Melamine and laminate, which need the right prep and primer before any paint will hold.
- Not a good fit. Peeling thermofoil fronts, water damaged boxes, or a kitchen that needs a new layout.
Our process
How a respray or refacing job works.
- 01
Free estimate
We look at your cabinets, check their condition, count the doors and drawers and talk through colours and options.
- 02
Colour and quote
You choose the colour, finish and hardware, and we give you a clear quote for the work.
- 03
Prep
Everything is cleaned and degreased, dings and gaps are repaired, and surfaces are sanded and primed so the paint grips.
- 04
Spray finish
Your doors and fronts are sprayed for a smooth, even coat, or new doors are cut, primed and painted in our shop.
- 05
Reinstall
Doors go back on with your new hardware, everything is adjusted so it closes properly, and the kitchen is cleaned.
Options
Choosing your finish, and the trade-offs.
A respray or refacing still leaves you plenty of choices. These are the ones that make the biggest difference to how the finished kitchen looks and lasts.
Oak cabinets
Oak has an open grain that shows through paint. For a smooth modern finish the grain has to be filled first, which adds prep time, or you can choose to let a little texture show.
Sprayed or brushed
A sprayed finish lays down smooth and even with no brush marks. Brushing is cheaper to set up but shows every stroke, which is why we spray.
Colour choice
Whites and light greys brighten a dark kitchen but show fingerprints. Navy, charcoal and green hide wear better and suit brass or black hardware.
Two-tone kitchen
A darker island or lower cabinets with lighter uppers adds contrast without making the room feel heavy. It costs little more than one colour.
Hardware and hinges
New pulls and soft close hinges change how the kitchen looks and feels. If you change pull sizes, old screw holes may need filling first.
Cost
What a respray or refacing costs, and what drives it.
A respray or refacing costs a fraction of a new custom kitchen, because the cabinet boxes, counters and plumbing all stay where they are. The price depends mostly on how many doors and drawers there are and how much work they need before paint.
We count your doors and drawers at a free estimate and give you a written quote. These are the things that move the number most:
- Door and drawer count. The single biggest factor in a respray quote.
- Respray or new doors. Making new doors and drawer fronts costs more than refinishing the ones you have.
- Condition. Grease, dings, loose joints and old finishes that need extra prep and repair.
- Oak grain. Filling the grain for a smooth finish adds prep time.
- Colours and extras. A two-tone finish, new hardware, crown moulding or new end panels.
Our work
A respray we have finished.
Where we work
Cabinet resprays in Guelph, Kitchener and Cambridge.
We work from our shop at 2270 Gordon Street South in Guelph. These are the three areas where most of our respray and refacing work is.
Guelph
Guelph has streets full of homes built in the 1980s and 1990s, and many of them still have their original oak or builder grade cabinets. The boxes in those kitchens are often still solid, which makes them good candidates for a respray. Our shop is in the south end, so new doors and drawer fronts are made just a few minutes from your home.
Kitchener
Kitchener has a large number of homes from the last few decades with sturdy but dated kitchens, from the older neighbourhoods near downtown to the subdivisions on the edges of the city. A respray is often the most cost effective way to bring one of these kitchens up to date before a sale or after a move. Kitchener is a short drive west of our shop along Highway 7.
Cambridge
In Cambridge, the older homes in Galt, Preston and Hespeler sometimes have cabinets with many layers of paint, which need careful stripping and prep before a new finish goes on. The newer neighbourhoods tend to have laminate or builder grade cabinets, where new doors and drawer fronts often make more sense than paint.
Also serving
- Waterloo
- Rockwood
FAQ
Respray and refacing questions.
Is it worth it to reface kitchen cabinets?
Yes, when the cabinet boxes are in good shape and the layout works for you. Refacing gives you new doors and a new look for much less than a new kitchen, and the counters, plumbing and appliances stay put. If the boxes are damaged or the layout does not work, a new kitchen is the better investment.
What is the downside of cabinet refacing?
Refacing changes how the kitchen looks, not how it works. The layout, the cabinet sizes and the storage stay the same, so it will not fix a kitchen that is too small or badly laid out. It also cannot save boxes that are water damaged.
What is the average cost to reface a 10x10 kitchen cabinet?
It depends on how many doors and drawers the kitchen has, whether you are respraying the existing doors or getting new ones, and how much repair they need. A 10x10 kitchen can have very different door counts, so we count yours and quote it at a free estimate.
Is it cheaper to repaint kitchen cabinets or replace them?
Repainting is much cheaper than replacing, because the cabinet boxes, counters and plumbing all stay. Replacing makes sense when the boxes are damaged or you want a different layout.
How much does it cost to have kitchen cupboards painted professionally?
The cost comes down mostly to the number of doors and drawers, their condition, and the finish you choose. We give you a written quote after counting your cabinets at a free estimate.
Will painted cabinets chip?
Any painted surface can chip with hard use, usually on the drawers you open most. A properly prepped, primed and sprayed finish holds up well, and a chip can be touched up rather than redoing the whole kitchen.
More services
Other work we do.
Free estimates
Tell us about your cabinets.
Call or send a few details. We will come out, look at your cabinets and give you a free estimate for a respray or refacing.