How long does cabinet painting take?

Most Charlotte kitchens take three to five working days from prep to final coat, depending on the number of doors and drawers and the finish you choose.

Can you paint over stained or oak cabinets?

Yes. Stained and oak cabinets are degreased, sanded and primed with a bonding primer before finish coats so the color holds and the grain is controlled.

Do we have to move out of the kitchen?

No. We mask off the work area, protect counters and floors, and clean up each day so you can keep using the space through the project.

Cabinet painting

Cabinet painting in Charlotte, NC

The highest-impact change you can make in a kitchen, for a fraction of what new cabinets cost. ECS Painting has been refinishing cabinets for Charlotte-area homes for over 20 years — licensed, insured, and known for leaving the house spotless.

Call 704-724-2148 Request a free estimate

How we refinish cabinets

Step 1

Hardware off, everything labeled

Doors, drawer fronts and hinges come off and get numbered so every piece returns to the opening it came from.

Step 2

Degrease and sand

Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease. They're cleaned, deglossed and sanded so the primer actually bonds.

Step 3

Bonding primer

Oak, maple and old stained finishes get a bonding primer suited to the substrate — the step that keeps paint from chipping at the edges.

Step 4

Sprayed finish coats

Cabinet-grade enamel, sprayed for a smooth, furniture-like surface with no brush marks, then cured before reassembly.

Step 5

Reassembly and cleanup

Hardware reinstalled, doors adjusted, counters and floors left cleaner than we found them.

Recent cabinet projects

Kitchen cabinets sprayed white with a smooth, factory-like finish

Cathedral-door kitchen cabinets refinished in a warm white

Kitchen cabinets and island refinished in soft greige

Galley kitchen cabinets repainted crisp white above dark counters

Two-tone kitchen: upper cabinets and hood painted white, island left natural

Kitchen cabinetry given a hand-distressed antique white finish

See the full gallery

Common questions

How long does cabinet painting take?: Most kitchens take three to five working days from prep to final coat, depending on the number of doors and drawers.
Can you paint over stained or oak cabinets?: Yes — they're degreased, sanded and primed with a bonding primer before finish coats so the color holds and the grain is controlled.
Do we have to move out of the kitchen?: No. We mask the work area, protect counters and floors, and clean up daily so you can keep using the space.

Serving Charlotte, NC
Serving Matthews, NC
Serving Huntersville, NC
Serving Concord, NC
Serving Waxhaw, NC
Serving Fort Mill, NC