How much does it cost to repaint kitchen cabinets?

Repainting kitchen cabinets in Calgary typically runs $1,500–$5,000+ for a professional job, depending on the size of your kitchen, the number of cabinet doors and drawers, and the finish quality you're after.

This is one of the most popular and cost-effective kitchen updates Calgary homeowners make — a fresh coat of paint can transform dated oak or maple cabinets without the $30,000–$60,000 price tag of a full kitchen reno. Here's what you can expect at different price points.

Cost Ranges for Greater Calgary

Budget ($1,500–$2,500): Smaller kitchens with 15–25 cabinet doors, basic prep work, and a brush/roller application. Some painters in this range use lower-grade products that may not hold up as well to Calgary's dry climate and temperature swings.

Mid-range ($2,500–$4,000): Most average Calgary kitchens (25–40 doors/drawers), thorough degreasing and sanding, quality primer, and a sprayed finish. This is the sweet spot for most homeowners.

Premium ($4,000–$6,000+): Larger kitchens, high-end cabinet paint (Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane are popular choices), full door removal and off-site spraying, and a factory-smooth finish. Some specialty cabinet refinishers in Calgary also offer two-tone finishes or glazing at this tier.

What affects the price most is the number of cabinet faces and doors (count them before getting quotes), the current condition of your cabinets (heavy grease buildup or damaged surfaces mean more prep time), whether the painter sprays on-site vs. removes doors for off-site spraying (off-site spraying gives a much smoother finish), and the paint product used. Cheap paint on cabinets is a false economy — cabinet-specific paints with a urethane or alkyd base are far more durable than standard wall paint.

Calgary-specific note: Our dry climate and chinook temperature swings are actually tough on painted finishes — cabinets near exterior walls can experience more expansion and contraction than in milder climates. This makes proper primer and a flexible, hard-wearing topcoat especially important. Ask your painter specifically what products they're using and why.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

This is one project where the gap between a DIY result and a professional result is very visible — cabinet painting is deceptively difficult. Brush marks, drips, and uneven coverage are common DIY pitfalls. That said, a motivated homeowner with patience can DIY for $300–$700 in materials (quality primer, cabinet paint, brushes/small roller, degreaser, sandpaper). The key steps are thorough cleaning and degreasing, light sanding, a bonding primer, and thin coats of a quality cabinet-specific paint. Skipping any of these steps is where DIY jobs fail.

If you go pro, make sure to get at least three quotes, ask to see photos of previous cabinet painting projects, and confirm they're using a sprayer (not just brushing everything on-site). No permits are required for painting — this is purely a cosmetic project.

Your next step is to count your cabinet doors and drawer fronts, take a few photos of your kitchen, and reach out to painting contractors for quotes. You can find local Calgary painters and cabinet refinishers in our directory at Calgary Construction Network — a good painter will want to do a quick walkthrough before quoting, so be cautious of anyone giving you a firm price without seeing the kitchen first.

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Find a Licensed Contractor

Browse kitchen contractors in the Calgary Construction Network directory:

• Factory Direct Kitchen Cabinets Inc.