Cabinet Painting & Refinishing in Greater Sacramento
A factory-smooth kitchen for a fraction of replacement cost.
Refinishing versus replacing
If your cabinet boxes are solid and the layout works, refinishing is usually the better decision. Replacement means demolition, new boxes, new counters in many cases, and weeks without a kitchen. Refinishing keeps the boxes, keeps the counters, and changes the thing you actually look at — typically for somewhere in the region of a quarter to a third of replacement cost.
Where replacement does win: water-damaged or delaminating particleboard boxes, a layout you dislike, or cabinets so shallow or oddly configured that no finish will fix how the kitchen works.
Why cabinet finishes fail, and how we stop it
Cabinets get touched, scrubbed, splashed and steamed more than any other painted surface in a house. A cabinet finish that was rolled straight over old grease with no degreasing and no bonding primer will start chipping at the door edges within months. The sequence that holds up is: degrease properly, scuff-sand, bonding primer, then a cabinet-grade enamel sprayed rather than brushed. It takes longer. It also lasts.
Oak grain, and what to expect from it
A lot of Sacramento-area kitchens from the 1980s and 90s have open-grain oak doors. Painted directly, that grain still reads through the finish — some people like the texture, some expect glass-smooth and are disappointed. If you want the smooth look, the grain has to be filled first, which adds time and cost. We'll show you both and let you choose before anything is sprayed.
What is included
- Kitchen and bathroom cabinetry
- Doors and drawer fronts sprayed off-site or on-site
- Boxes, face frames and end panels
- Built-ins, bookcases and entertainment centers
- Degreasing, sanding and bonding primer
- Grain filling for oak, where wanted
- Hardware removal and reinstallation
- Interiors and shelving on request
Free written estimate
Jeff will look at the job himself and give you an exact price in writing.
How we approach cabinet painting & refinishing
Strip & label
Doors and drawer fronts come off and are labeled, hardware is bagged by location, and the kitchen is masked off from the rest of the house.
Degrease & prime
Years of cooking oil are cleaned off with a proper degreaser, surfaces are scuff-sanded, and a bonding primer goes on — this is the step cheap cabinet jobs skip, and it's the reason they chip.
Spray & cure
Cabinet-grade enamel sprayed in thin, even coats for a finish with no brush marks, then left to cure before the doors go back on.
What cabinet painting & refinishing typically costs here
Published openly, because you should be able to plan before you call.
| Project | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinet refinishing | $2,400 – $6,200 | Priced by door and drawer count |
| Bathroom vanity refinishing | $400 – $1,200 | Per vanity, depending on size |
| Deck staining | $2.50 – $5.00 / sq ft | Includes clean, brighten and prep |
| Fence staining | $3.00 – $8.00 / linear ft | Varies with height and condition |
| Patio cover or pergola staining | $700 – $2,500 | Depends on size and product |
| Driveway and walkway washing | $180 – $450 | Standalone curb-appeal service |
| Full house exterior wash | $300 – $700 | Central Painting includes this free with any exterior repaint |
These are Sacramento-area market averages, not Central Painting's prices — a planning guide rather than a quote. Jeff's written estimate is free and exact once he has seen the property.
Cabinet Painting & Refinishing projects
What homeowners say
“I'm a Realtor and have used Central Painting multiple times for prepping listings. I refer Jeff frequently to clients and other Realtors. He and his crew do fantastic work and always finish in the time frame promised.”Cheryl RouseLocal Guide · Google Review
“He has painted countless homes for my real estate listings. He's reliable, professional, pays attention to the details, and always finishes on schedule. His pricing is incredibly competitive and honestly hard to beat for the level of quality he delivers.”Laura Tracy-AlesGoogle Review
“Jeff did an awesome job in my master bedroom with vaulted ceilings. I am thrilled with the results. He was able to squeeze me in on short notice and was charged exactly what I was quoted.”Heidi MurrellLocal Guide · Google Review
Cabinet Painting & Refinishing — your questions
How much does cabinet refinishing cost compared with new cabinets?
Refinishing generally lands somewhere around a quarter to a third of the cost of replacing the same cabinets, because you keep the boxes and the counters. Your written estimate is priced on your actual door and drawer count after Jeff has seen the kitchen.
How long will my kitchen be out of action?
Most kitchen refinishes run three to five working days. You'll typically have use of the sink and appliances throughout — it's the doors and drawer fronts that are away being sprayed and cured.
Will the finish chip or peel?
Not when it's prepped properly. The failures people describe almost always trace back to a skipped degrease or a missing bonding primer. A degreased, scuff-sanded, primed and sprayed cabinet-grade enamel wears like a factory finish.
Can you paint oak cabinets so the grain doesn't show?
Yes, but it takes a grain-filling step before priming. We'll quote it both ways — filled for a smooth modern look, or painted as-is if you want to keep the texture.
Are estimates really free?
Yes. Every estimate is free, in writing, with no pressure and no obligation. Most are scheduled within a few days of your call or text.
Does Jeff personally work on every job?
Yes. Central Painting does not send subcontractors. Jeff is on site from the first coat to the final walkthrough on every project.
Are you licensed?
Yes — California contractors license #785742, C-33 Painting and Decorating, issued October 2000 and current and active. Central Painting also carries a $25,000 contractor's bond. You can verify all of it yourself on the CSLB website at any time.
Cabinet Painting & Refinishing across the region
Based in Citrus Heights, working throughout greater Sacramento.
Ready to talk about your cabinets project?
Free written estimate, no obligation, and the person who quotes it is the person who paints it.
Free estimates · No pressure · No obligation · Licensed CA contractor