Cabinet painting and refinishing · Kelowna, BC
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Kelowna
When the cabinet boxes are solid but the doors are dated oak, orange-toned maple or chipped white, painting is the fastest route to a kitchen that feels new. Pacific Painting Kelowna has been painting and refinishing cabinets for more than 15 years, alongside the interior and exterior work we do across the city. We work in kitchens of every age, from 1980s homes in Glenmore and Rutland to newer builds where the original builder-grade finish has started to wear through.
Most of our cabinet clients are homeowners tired of a 1990s oak kitchen, sellers who want a brighter kitchen in the listing photos, and landlords refreshing a rental between tenants. Painting keeps your countertops, backsplash, plumbing and layout exactly where they are. There is no demolition, no wait for new boxes, and the cost is a fraction of a full cabinet replacement.
Doors and drawer fronts are degreased, bonding-primed and sprayed for a smooth, brush-free finish, then cured before they go back on. We are licensed, insured and covered by WorkSafeBC, and our cabinet refinishing work carries a written 1-year labour warranty. We serve Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation lands and Lake Country, with walkthroughs 7 days a week and weekday appointments until 8 p.m.
Our Kitchen Cabinet Painting Service
We paint the cabinetry you see and touch every day, and leave the parts that already work alone.
What We Paint
Doors, drawer fronts, face frames, exposed end panels, islands, crown moulding and light rails. Open shelving and cabinet interiors can be added if you want them.
When Painting Beats Replacing
If the boxes are solid wood or plywood and the layout works, paint gives you a new look while keeping everything that already works. Nothing is torn out, so the kitchen is back in full use within about a week or two.
When It Does Not
Swollen particleboard under the sink, sagging shelves and peeling thermofoil doors mean the cabinets are near the end of their life. If paint is not worth your money, we will tell you at the walkthrough.
Not sure between bright white, a soft greige or a two-tone kitchen with dark lowers? A colour consultation lets you see large samples beside your countertops, floors and backsplash before anything is sprayed.
Our Cabinet Refinishing Process
A cabinet finish is only as tough as the bond under it. That is why most of the steps below happen before any colour goes on.
Label and remove
Every door, drawer front and hinge is numbered to its opening and bagged with its own hardware. That way each door goes back exactly where it came from.
Protect the kitchen
Countertops, backsplash, floors and appliances are masked. Dust barriers seal the kitchen off from the rest of the house.
Degrease
Cabinets near the range and around handles carry years of cooking grease and hand oils. We scrub with a heavy-duty degreaser such as Krud Kutter and rinse, because primer will not bond to residue.
Scuff, repair and fill
All surfaces are scuff-sanded to dull the old finish, dings are filled and loose edges reglued. On oak, grain filler goes on at this stage if you want a smooth, grain-free look.
Bonding primer
A bonding primer such as Zinsser BIN or INSL-X Stix goes on every surface and is sanded smooth. On oak, shellac-based BIN also stops tannins from yellowing light colours.
Spray the doors
Doors and drawer fronts are laid flat in a dust-controlled spray area and sprayed one side at a time with two coats of cabinet enamel. This is what gives the smooth, factory-like finish.
Finish the boxes
Face frames, end panels and islands are sprayed or finished with fine brushes and foam rollers, depending on how well the room can be masked.
Cure and reinstall
Doors are rehung once the enamel is hard enough to handle, and hinges are adjusted so the gaps line up. We finish with touch-ups and a walk-through with you.
The Coatings We Use and Why
Picking the right paint for your kitchen cabinets matters more than any other choice on the job. Cabinet enamels level out smooth and cure far harder than wall paint.
| Coating | Example | Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonding primer | Zinsser BIN (shellac), INSL-X Stix (waterborne) | Grips slick factory finishes, blocks stains and tannin bleed | BIN has a strong odour, so we ventilate well |
| Waterborne alkyd enamel | Benjamin Moore ADVANCE | Levels like oil paint, dries very hard, low odour | Long recoat times and a slow full cure |
| Urethane-modified acrylic enamel | Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel | Tough, block-resistant, faster recoat | Shows brush marks unless sprayed or rolled carefully |
| Ordinary wall paint | Not used on cabinets | Cheap and easy to touch up | Stays soft, sticks to itself and chips |
Dry time and cure time are not the same thing. Cabinet enamels feel dry within hours but take several weeks to reach full hardness, so we ask clients to treat the doors gently for the first few weeks.
Most clients choose satin or semi-gloss. Satin hides small dings and fingerprints better, while semi-gloss wipes clean more easily and gives shaker doors a crisper edge.
Why Cabinet Paint Chips: Common Mistakes
Many of our cabinet calls are to redo a DIY or bargain job that started chipping within months. The causes are almost always the same four.
Skipping the Degreaser
Paint over kitchen grease looks fine for a few weeks, then lets go around the handles and above the range. Sanding alone only smears grease around, so it has to be washed off first.
No Bonding Primer
Factory cabinet finishes are hard lacquers or conversion varnishes that ordinary primer cannot grip. Without a bonding primer, a fingernail can lift the new paint off in strips.
Wall Paint on Cabinets
Wall paint never gets hard enough for doors that open dozens of times a day. It stays slightly tacky, so doors stick to the frames and dishes leave marks on shelves.
Reinstalling Too Soon
Doors that are stacked, rehung or loaded with hardware before the enamel has hardened dent and stick. The damage usually shows first as chipped edges and rings under the bumpers.
Vanities, Built-Ins and Laundry Rooms
Bathroom vanities get the same degreasing, bonding primer and enamel as a kitchen, with one added concern: humidity. We check that the fan works so the finish can cure, and our bathroom painting service can refresh the walls and ceiling in the same visit.
Built-in bookcases, desks, mudroom lockers and entertainment units are often oak or melamine. They are painted in place, so masking and dust control matter even more.
Laundry uppers and mudroom cabinets are practical rooms that often get painted alongside a kitchen. Doing them in the same batch keeps colours matched and saves a second setup.
How Long You'll Be Without Your Kitchen
A typical Kelowna kitchen takes about five to eight working days from removal to reinstalled doors. Here is how that time breaks down.
Days 1 to 2
Doors come off, the kitchen is masked, and boxes are degreased, scuffed, repaired and primed.
Days 3 to 5
Boxes get their finish coats while doors and drawer fronts are primed and sprayed in the spray area.
Days 6 to 8
Doors cure until they are hard enough to handle, then are rehung, adjusted and touched up. Small kitchens can finish sooner, while large kitchens with pantries and islands take longer.
At the end of each day we clear a path to the fridge and sink so you can make simple meals. Empty the cabinets before we start, and set up a coffee and microwave station in another room to make the week easier.
What Cabinet Painting Costs in Kelowna
Every cabinet quote is written and itemised after we count the doors. These are typical ranges, including primer, enamel and materials.
| Project | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Typical kitchen, doors, drawers and boxes | $4,000 to $8,500 | Door count, island, crown and end panels |
| Per door or drawer front | $120 to $200 | Door style, grain filling, two-tone colours |
- Door count and style. Flat slab doors are quickest; raised panels and detailed shaker profiles take longer to sand and spray.
- Grain filling. Filling open oak grain adds labour on every door face.
- Colour. Two-tone kitchens and deep colours need extra masking or coverage.
- Hardware changes. Filling old holes and drilling for new pulls is priced per piece.
For worked examples and a painting versus replacing comparison, read our guide to kitchen cabinet painting costs in Kelowna.
Cabinet Painting FAQs
Can you paint oak cabinets without the grain showing?
Yes. We apply a grain filler or build up a high-build primer and sand it smooth until the open pores disappear. It adds labour, so it is quoted as an option, and some clients prefer a little grain texture showing through.
How long does painted cabinet finish last?
With proper degreasing, bonding primer and a true cabinet enamel, the finish should look good for many years of normal use. Clean with a soft cloth and mild dish soap, avoid abrasive pads, and wipe up splashes near the sink and dishwasher. Edges that take knocks can be touched up with the labelled leftover paint we give you.
Do you paint the inside of the cabinets?
Not by default, since most interiors are clean factory finishes. We can paint interiors or open shelving for an added cost if they are stained or you want a contrast colour.
Can laminate or thermofoil cabinets be painted?
Firmly bonded laminate can often be painted after a thorough scuff and a strong bonding primer. Thermofoil is different: if the vinyl skin is peeling or bubbling near the stove, paint will not fix it. Replacing those doors is the honest answer.
Can you change the hardware at the same time?
Yes. We fill old screw holes with a two-part filler, sand and prime them before painting, then drill for new pulls with a jig so every handle lines up. Buy the new hardware before we start so we can confirm the hole spacing.
Keep exploring
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Cabinet Painting Cost
Door-by-door pricing, worked examples and painting versus replacing, in detail.
Read moreColour Consultation
White, greige or two-tone? Test real samples against your counters and floors.
Read moreBathroom Painting
Painting the vanity? Refresh the bathroom walls and ceiling in the same visit.
Read moreTrim & Baseboards
Freshly painted cabinets make tired kitchen trim and baseboards stand out.
Read moreResidential Painting
Every home painting service we offer, from interior walls and cabinets to stucco, decks and garage floors.
Read morePainting Costs
Typical 2026 price ranges for interior, exterior, cabinet, deck, epoxy and commercial painting in Kelowna, with worked examples.
Read moreService Areas
Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation lands, Lake Country and communities within a 30-minute drive.
Read more
Photos speed things up
Get a Cabinet Painting Quote
Email a few photos of your kitchen to info@pacificpaintingbc.com, with doors closed and open, plus a rough count of doors and drawers. We will book a walkthrough and send a written, itemised quote, usually within one business day.
- 15+ years experience
- Licensed & insured
- WCB coverage
- 1-year labour warranty
Mon to Fri 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. · Sat 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. · Sun 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Or call 778-946-5725 or email info@pacificpaintingbc.com.