Most homeowners hesitate to refinish their kitchen cabinets for one reason: they assume once kitchen cabinet painting starts, it will be a construction zone for weeks. The reality? A professional cabinet painting project takes roughly one week from start to finish, with your kitchen only off-limits for about 3.5 days.
At Allen Brothers Cabinet Painting, we’ve completed over 1,500 kitchens across Utah, and the most common question we hear is: “How long will I lose access to my kitchen?” After reading this breakdown, you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to plan your week around a cabinet transformation.
The Real Timeline: What “One Week” Actually Means
Here’s what confuses most homeowners: while the total project spans roughly a week, you don’t lose full kitchen access for seven straight days.
The breakdown:
- Total project duration: Approximately 1 week (Monday through Thursday for on-site work)
- Exclusive kitchen access required: 3.5 days (the period when doors/drawers are off-site or drying)
- Full kitchen functionality returns: By Thursday evening or Friday morning
This isn’t a gut renovation. You’re not demolishing walls or rerouting plumbing. Professional cabinet refinishing is a surgical process, especially when the crew such as ours knows exactly what they’re doing.
The Allen Brothers 4-Day Process: Your Day-by-Day Timeline
Here’s exactly what happens during the on-site portion of your cabinet painting project. This is the same proven system we’ve used across 1,500+ Utah kitchens.
Day 1 (Monday): Prep & Removal
What happens:
- Our team arrives and carefully removes all cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and hardware
- Doors and drawers are labeled, loaded, and transported to our off-site spray facility
- Cabinet boxes (the frames that stay attached to your walls) are prepped, cleaned, and masked in your kitchen
Your kitchen status: Partially functional. You can still use your sink, countertops, and appliances. The visual disruption is real, but most families prepare simple meals or order takeout this evening.
Pro tip: Clear your countertops the night before. Move small appliances, decor, and dish racks to another room. This gives our team maximum efficiency.
Day 2 (Tuesday): Priming
What happens:
- Cabinet boxes in your kitchen receive a professional primer coat
- Meanwhile, at our spray facility, your doors and drawers are being primed in a controlled, dust-free environment
Your kitchen status: Limited access. The priming process requires ventilation, and you’ll want to keep kids and pets out of the workspace. Plan to eat out or use a microwave/toaster oven in another room.
Why off-site matters: Horizontal spraying in a controlled booth eliminates drips, dust contamination, and Orange County Fair orange-peel texture. This is the quality difference between a $3,000 DIY disaster and a $7,000 professional finish.
Day 3 (Wednesday): Finish Coats
What happens:
- Cabinet boxes in your kitchen receive their finish coats of 2K polyurethane (more on why this matters below)
- Your doors and drawers receive their finish coats at our facility
Your kitchen status: Still limited access, but you’re past the halfway point. The finish coats dry faster than traditional latex paints due to the chemical properties of 2K polyurethane.
The science: 2K (two-component) polyurethane is an industrial-grade finish that cures through a chemical reaction, not just evaporation. This means:
- Harder surface: Resists chips, scratches, and household chemicals
- Faster cure time: Doors can be carefully handled within 24 hours (versus 30 days for latex)
- Factory-like finish: The same coating used on commercial cabinetry and high-end furniture
This isn’t the stuff you buy at Home Depot. It’s a professional-grade material that requires specialized equipment, ventilation, and expertise but it’s the reason your cabinets will look (and perform) like new.
Day 4 (Thursday): Reinstallation & Final Details
What happens:
- Your fully cured doors and drawer fronts return from our facility
- Our team reinstalls every piece, adjusts hinges, replaces hardware (or reinstalls your existing hardware), and performs final touch-ups
- We clean the workspace and walk you through care instructions
Your kitchen status: Fully functional by evening. You can start using your cabinets immediately, though we recommend waiting 24 hours before placing heavy items on shelves or slamming doors.
What to expect: There’s a faint smell from the curing polyurethane, but it’s not overwhelming. Open windows for airflow, and the scent dissipates within 24 to 48 hours.
Why Professional Cabinet Painting Is Faster Than DIY (And Lasts Longer)
If you’ve researched DIY cabinet painting, you’ve seen timelines that stretch 2 to even 4 weeks. Here’s why:
DIY challenges:
- Brush/roller application: Requires multiple thin coats (4 to sometimes 6 layers) to avoid brush strokes and achieve opacity
- Drying time: Latex paint needs 24 hours between coats, and 30 days to fully cure
- Surface prep: Most homeowners under-prep, leading to peeling within 6 -12 months
- No controlled environment: Dust, pet hair, and humidity ruin finishes
The Allen Brothers advantage:
- HVLP spray equipment: Delivers a smooth, even coat in a fraction of the time
- Off-site spray booth: Zero dust, consistent temperature, horizontal drying (no drips)
- 2K polyurethane: Cures in days, not weeks, with a finish 3x harder
- 1,500+ kitchens of experience: We’ve solved every problem, optimized every step
The result? Your cabinets are ready for full use in under a few days, and the finish will outlast a DIY job by years.
How to Prepare Your Home (And Your Family) for Cabinet Painting Week
The better you prepare, the smoother the process. Here’s what we recommend to every Utah homeowner:
One Week Before:
- Clear countertops: Move toasters, coffee makers, dish racks, and decor to another room
- Empty upper cabinets: You can leave items in lower cabinets initially, but plan to relocate them by Day 2
- Plan meals: Stock up on easy-to-prep foods, paper plates, or make reservations at your favorite local spots
- Notify your household: Kids, roommates, and pets need to know the kitchen will be off-limits for a few days
Day Before (Sunday):
- Deep clean: Wipe down cabinet exteriors to remove grease and grime (we’ll handle the heavy degreasing, but a head start helps)
- Create a “temporary kitchen”: Set up a microwave, coffee maker, and snack station in your dining room or basement
- Secure pets: Arrange for pets to stay elsewhere during Days 1-3, or designate a pet-free zone away from fumes and foot traffic
During the Project:
- Ventilate: Open windows, especially on Days 2-3
- Stay flexible: If we encounter unexpected repairs (a loose hinge, a cracked door), we’ll communicate immediately
- Trust the process: Your kitchen cabinets will look worse before they look better-but by Thursday, you’ll forget the disruption
What About Delays? (Weather, Curing, Unexpected Issues)
Transparency matters. Here are the rare scenarios that can extend the timeline:
Humidity: Extreme humidity slows curing times. In Utah’s dry climate, this is rarely an issue, but if we’re working in July during a monsoon pattern, we may add 12–24 hours to ensure a perfect cure.
Cabinet damage: If we discover water damage, warped doors, or structural issues during prep, we’ll pause to discuss repair options. (This happens in less than 5% of projects.)
Color changes: If you request a midstream color adjustment after seeing the first coat, expect an additional 1-2 days.
Custom requests: Adding glaze, distressing, or two-tone finishes extends the timeline by 1-2 days.
Bottom line: The 1-week timeline assumes standard refinishing with no surprises. We’ll communicate proactively if anything changes.
Why Utah Homeowners Choose Allen Brothers (And What It Means for Your Timeline)
We’re not the cheapest option in Utah and we don’t pretend to be. But after 1,500+ kitchens, homeowners choose us because:
- Speed without shortcuts: Our off-site spray process is faster and higher quality than on-site-only competitors
- Predictable timelines: We run a tight schedule. If we say Monday, we mean Monday
- 2K polyurethane standard: Many competitors use latex (cheaper, slower curing, less durable). We use industrial-grade finishes on every project
- Local reputation: We’re based in Utah, serve Utah families, and stake our reputation on every kitchen
- Reviews: Don’t trust our word, check what your neighbors said
When you hire us, you’re hiring a system that’s been refined over thousands of kitchen cabinet painting projects. That’s why we can confidently promise a 1-week timeline and deliver on it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cabinet Painting Timelines
Q: Can I use my kitchen at all during the project?
A: Yes, partially. You’ll have access to your sink and countertops on Day 1, but Days 2-3 require limited access. By Thursday evening, full functionality returns.
Q: What if I need to cancel or reschedule mid-project?
A: Contact us immediately. If doors are already in our spray facility, we’ll need to complete the finish coats before returning them (to prevent damage). We’ll work with you to minimize disruption.
Q: How long until I can put dishes back in cabinets?
A: Immediately after reinstallation. The 2K polyurethane is cured enough for light use by Thursday evening. For maximum durability, wait 7 days before heavy scrubbing or slamming doors.
Ready to Transform Your Kitchen in Just One Week?
While the Monday-through-Thursday schedule represents our standard workflow for most average-sized kitchens in Utah, every home is unique.
Disclaimer: Actual project duration may vary based on specific factors, including:
- Kitchen Size: Larger estates or kitchens with butler’s pantries may require an extra day.
- Cabinet Condition: Extensive damage repair or heavy grain filling (for oak cabinets) can add time to the prep phase.
- Customization: Two-tone finishes (different colors for islands vs. uppers) may require additional curing time.
Want to know exactly how long your specific project will take?
Don’t guess, get a plan. We provide transparent, accurate estimates so you can schedule your life around your renovation, not the other way around.
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