Is It Cheaper to Paint or Reface Kitchen Cabinets?

If you’re planning a kitchen refresh in Utah, you’ve probably asked yourself this exact question: Is it cheaper to paint or reface kitchen cabinets? It’s one of the most common dilemmas homeowners face when their kitchen feels dated but a full remodel isn’t in the budget.

The short answer? Cabinet painting typically costs less than refacing and delivers exceptional results when done professionally. But the right choice depends on your cabinet condition, design goals, and what you value most, whether that’s speed, style flexibility, or long-term durability.

At Allen Brothers Painting, we’ve transformed hundreds of Utah kitchens with both cabinet painting and refacing services. We serve the entire Wasatch Front, from Bountiful through Spanish Fork, and we’ve learned that informed homeowners make the best decisions. Let’s compare these two popular cabinet upgrades side by side so you can choose with confidence.

Understanding the Difference: Painting vs. Refacing Kitchen Cabinets

Before we dive into costs and comparisons, it’s important to understand what each process actually involves.

Cabinet Painting and Refinishing means working with your existing kitchen cabinet boxes, doors, and drawer fronts. The process includes thorough cleaning to remove grease and buildup, careful sanding to create adhesion, applying professional-grade primers, and finishing with durable topcoats. When done right, painted cabinets have a smooth, factory-quality finish that can last for years. The structure stays the same, but the color and finish are completely transformed.

Cabinet Refacing is a different approach. This involves keeping your existing cabinet boxes but replacing all the doors and drawer fronts with new ones. The cabinet frames (the visible parts of the boxes) are covered with matching veneer or laminate. You’re essentially getting new-looking cabinet faces while the bones of your kitchen stay intact. Hardware is typically replaced as well, giving you a fresh, updated appearance.

Both methods are legitimate ways to update a kitchen without the expense and disruption of full replacement. Allen Brothers Painting offers both services because we know different situations call for different solutions.

Paint vs Reface Cabinets: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here’s how these two methods compare across the factors that matter most to Utah homeowners:

Scope of Work

• Painting: Works with all existing components, boxes, doors, and frames are prepped and painted in place or in our controlled spray environment
• Refacing: Replaces doors and drawer fronts entirely; frames are covered with new veneer material

Time Required

• Painting: Typically completed within one week, depending on kitchen size
• Refacing: Often takes much longer due to custom door fabrication and installation

Disruption Level

• Painting: Minimal, you’ll have limited kitchen access during work, but the process is clean and organized
• Refacing: Moderate, door removal, installation, and veneer application create more extensive disruption

Durability

• Painting: Modern cabinet coatings, when professionally applied, provide a hard, scuff-resistant finish that holds up to daily use
• Refacing: New doors and veneer are durable, though quality depends heavily on materials chosen

Design Flexibility

• Painting: Any color imaginable; can update hardware separately for maximum customization
• Refacing: Limited to available door styles and wood species; offers wood grain options painting cannot

Typical Cost Range

• Painting: Generally the most affordable option for a complete cabinet transformation
• Refacing: Mid-range investment, more than painting, significantly less than full replacement
• Replacement: Highest cost option, often double or triple the cost of the other methods

The comparison shows that painting excels in affordability, flexibility, and efficiency, while reface kitchen cabinets offers the appeal of brand-new doors and the option for wood grain or different door styles.

Cost Factors to Reface Kitchen Cabinets.

Understanding what drives refacing costs helps explain why it sits in the middle of the price spectrum.

The biggest cost factor is the new doors and drawer fronts themselves. These are custom-made to fit your existing cabinet boxes, and pricing varies based on the material (laminate, wood veneer, or solid wood), style (flat panel, raised panel, shaker), and finish you select.

Veneer material for the cabinet frames also affects cost. Higher-quality veneers that match premium door materials will increase the total investment.

Hardware is typically replaced during refacing, and this can range from budget-friendly options to high-end pulls and knobs that add to the final bill.

Labor costs for refacing include precise measurement, kitchen cabinet door fabrication, removal of old doors, veneer application, and installation of new components. The process requires skill and attention to detail.

It’s worth noting that refacing refreshes the style of your kitchen but doesn’t change the layout, add storage, or address any structural issues with the cabinet boxes. If your existing cabinets are in good structural shape and you simply want a new look, especially a different door style or natural wood finish, refacing can be an excellent middle-ground option.

At Allen Brothers Painting, we evaluate your specific cabinets and goals during our consultation. Our recommendation is always based on what genuinely serves your home best, not what we’re trying to sell.

Why Painting and Refinishing Often Wins on ROI

For most Utah homeowners, professional cabinet painting delivers the best return on investment. Here’s why.

Modern cabinet coatings have changed the game. The paints and topcoats we use today aren’t the same as what your neighbor might have tried with a brush and a can from the hardware store. Professional-grade products create a finish that rivals factory cabinets in durability and appearance. These coatings resist chipping, moisture, and daily wear far better than standard wall paint.

Surface preparation makes all the difference. At Allen Brothers Painting, we don’t cut corners on prep. Every surface is meticulously cleaned to remove cooking oils and residue. We sand strategically to ensure primer adhesion. Damaged areas are filled and smoothed. This foundation work is what separates a paint job that lasts two years from one that looks fresh a decade later.

Controlled spray application produces the smooth, even finish homeowners love. We use professional spray equipment that eliminates brush marks and creates that coveted factory look. Cabinet faces, edges, and interiors all receive the same careful attention.

The Allen Brothers difference shows in the details. Our crews are licensed and insured professionals who treat your home with respect. We protect your floors, appliances, and countertops. We show up on time and clean up thoroughly. And with more than 300 five-star reviews from Utah homeowners across the Wasatch Front, we’ve proven that professional cabinet painting delivers lasting value.

You’re getting a dramatic transformation, at a fraction of the cost to reface kitchen cabinets or replacement. The cabinets you already own, which are likely solid wood construction if your home is more than a few years old, get a second life that can easily last another 10 to 15 years with proper care.

When Refacing Cabinets Makes Sense

We believe in giving honest recommendations, so let’s talk about when refacing is actually the better choice.

Cabinet refacing is ideal when your cabinet boxes are structurally sound but the door style feels outdated. If you bought a home with 1990s oak cathedral doors and want a clean, modern shaker style, refacing lets you achieve that look without rebuilding the entire kitchen.

If you prefer natural wood grain, refacing offers wood veneer options that painting simply can’t replicate. Some homeowners love the warmth and texture of real wood, and refacing preserves that aesthetic while updating the style.

Refacing also makes sense if your doors are damaged beyond repair, warped, split, or heavily worn, but the cabinet boxes are fine. Rather than trying to restore damaged doors, replacing them gives you a truly fresh start.

At Allen Brothers Painting, we provide both so we can recommend the right solution during your consultation. We’ll examine your cabinets, discuss your style preferences, and help you understand which approach makes the most sense for your specific situation. Our goal is a kitchen you’ll love.

How to Choose the Right Option for Your Kitchen

The decision between painting and refacing comes down to three key factors: cabinet condition, budget, and desired outcome.

Start with condition. Open your cabinet doors and inspect the boxes. Are they solid and square? Are the doors in good shape, or are they warped and damaged? If everything is structurally sound, painting is usually your most cost-effective path forward. If doors are beyond saving but boxes are fine, refacing enters the conversation.

Consider your budget. Painting typically offers the lowest cost per cabinet while still delivering professional, long-lasting results. Refacing sits in the middle, more expensive than painting, but significantly less than replacement. Full cabinet replacement is the premium option, often costing two to three times what painting would.

Think about your design goals. If you love your current door style and just want a color update, painting is the clear winner. If you’re committed to changing door styles or adding wood grain texture, refacing becomes more appealing. If you want to reconfigure your entire layout or add cabinets, you’re looking at replacement territory.

Here’s a simple framework: Painting delivers a fast transformation at the lowest cost and works beautifully for cabinets in good condition. It’s perfect for color changes, modernizing an outdated finish, or breathing new life into solid cabinets. To reface kitchen cabinets is your mid-range option when you want new door styles or wood finishes and your boxes are solid. Replacement is the full-remodel choice when you need layout changes, additional storage, or your cabinets are structurally failing.

Most homeowners we work with in Utah discover that professional painting gives them everything they wanted at a cost that makes sense. But every kitchen is different, and that’s exactly why we offer personalized consultations.

Ready to Compare? Let’s Find Your Best Option

The question “Is it cheaper to paint or reface kitchen cabinets?” has a straightforward answer for most situations: yes, painting is typically less expensive and delivers outstanding results when done professionally. But the best choice for your home depends on your specific cabinets and goals.

Allen Brothers Painting has been transforming Utah kitchens across the Wasatch Front. We’re licensed, insured, and backed by hundreds of five-star reviews from homeowners who trusted us with their kitchens.

Request a quote today and we’ll schedule a consultation to evaluate your cabinets, discuss your vision, and provide honest recommendations. Whether painting or refacing makes more sense for your home, we’ll walk you through the process and give you the information you need to decide with confidence.

Let’s find the best cabinet update for your home.