Walk-through
I look at your cabinets, talk through the color you have in mind, and tell you honestly whether painting is the right call.
Cabinet painting and refinishing in Elk River and the north metro
I paint, refinish, and stain kitchen cabinets, plus bathroom vanities and built-ins, for homeowners in Elk River and across the north metro within about 50 miles. Most of the kitchens I paint have good cabinets that just look tired. If the boxes are solid, there's usually no reason to rip them out. I've painted about 200 kitchens. I have a small crew, but I do most of the work myself.
Easier to show me? Text me photos of your cabinets at (763) 370-6121.
- About 200kitchens painted
- Shop-sprayeddoors and drawer fronts
- About a weekfor most kitchens
- 2-yearworkmanship warranty
Paint or replace?
Is painting your cabinets the right call?
If the cabinet boxes are solid and you like your layout, painting usually makes sense. You keep what works and change how it looks, without a remodel.
Painting makes sense when
- The cabinet boxes are solid
- You like the layout you have
- You want a new color, not a new kitchen
Painting isn't the answer when
- The boxes are water-damaged or warped
- You want a different layout
If I think you should replace them, I'll tell you.
Paint, reface, or replace? See my answerHow a kitchen goes
How I paint and refinish cabinets.
Here's how a kitchen usually goes. I take the doors and drawer fronts off, label every one, and bring them back to my shop. That's where they get cleaned, sanded, primed with Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond, and sprayed, with Sherwin-Williams Gallery Series or ILVA as the topcoat depending on the job. Doing the doors in the shop keeps most of the spraying out of your house.
While the doors are at the shop, I work on the cabinet boxes in your kitchen. Before I start sanding, I cover and mask the inside of the cabinets and seal off the kitchen so the dust stays there and doesn't end up in the rest of your house. Then the boxes get prepped, primed with Extreme Bond, and sprayed right there, under the masking, with the kitchen still sealed off.
You can still use your kitchen while I work. I keep things covered, but you can uncover what you need day to day. And you don't need to empty your cabinets, as long as I can get to them easily.
When everything's done, I bring the doors back, hang them, adjust them, and walk through the whole kitchen with you. Most kitchens take me about a week, and some take up to a week and a half.
Preparation
Doors and drawer fronts come off, get labeled, and go to my shop. In your kitchen, I cover and mask the cabinet interiors and seal off the room before any sanding starts.
Finish
Doors and drawer fronts are primed with Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond and sprayed in my shop, with Gallery Series or ILVA as the topcoat. The cabinet boxes are sprayed on site, under masking, with the kitchen sealed off.
Final review
I bring the doors back, hang and adjust them, and walk through the whole kitchen with you.
Request an estimate
Or call or text (763) 370-6121. Every cabinet job comes with my 2-year workmanship warranty.
Why me
Why my background matters for cabinets.
I learned the trade by doing the work. I've worked alongside my dad since I was 16, in our finishing shop and on residential and commercial job sites, for about seven years now.
01
I finish for cabinet makers
I also prefinish cabinets and woodwork for cabinet makers. The same kind of finish I put on new cabinets for cabinet makers is what goes on yours.
02
About 200 kitchens
I've painted about 200 kitchens. That's kitchens alone, not every job I've done.
03
Doors done in my shop
Your doors and drawer fronts get sprayed in my shop, not in your living room.
04
Small crew, and I'm on your job
I do most of the work myself, and I'm there from the walk-through to the final coat.
My actual work
Cabinet work I've done.
A kitchen in St. Michael, before and after. The base cabinets and island went from white to Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green (SW 6208), with a Gallery Series topcoat. The uppers were already white, and I left them as they were.
See the full St. Michael kitchen project
★★★★★
Jp finishes painted my whole interior home, finished my woodwork and enameled doors and cabinets. I was very pleased with the work done. And will use this company again, if I need them.
Materials
What cabinets I can paint.
I can paint pretty much any cabinet: wood, MDF, laminate, or thermofoil. If I think yours won't hold up, I'll tell you before we start.
Cabinets that were painted before are fine too. If the boxes are damaged or warped, though, they may be worth replacing instead.
Color and finish
Colors and sheens.
The St. Michael kitchen above is a good example: Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green (SW 6208) on the base cabinets and island, with a Sherwin-Williams Gallery Series topcoat in a 20 sheen. The upper cabinets were already white, and I left them alone. A painted base and island with white uppers is a two-tone look that adds color without doing every cabinet the same.
Paint isn't the only option. I can also stain cabinets or match an existing color.
For sheen, I usually go with a 20 sheen. It has a soft, low shine that wipes clean and doesn't show every smudge.
Common questions
Cabinet painting questions.
Straight answers to what people usually ask me before they book a cabinet job.
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets?
It depends on the kitchen, so I don't list one price. What drives the cost is the number of doors and drawer fronts, the condition of the cabinets, how big the color change is, staining versus painting, and add-ons like an island or vanities.
The estimate is free. Send me a few photos first, and then I'll come out for a walk-through.
How long does cabinet painting take?
About a week for most kitchens, and sometimes up to a week and a half, depending on the size and condition. You can still use your kitchen while I work. I keep things covered, but you can uncover what you need day to day.
Can you paint oak or stained cabinets?
Yes. They're cleaned and sanded, then primed with Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond so the topcoat has something to grip.
Do you spray or brush cabinets?
I spray them. Doors and drawer fronts are sprayed in my shop, and the cabinet boxes are sprayed on site, under masking, with the kitchen sealed off so dust doesn't reach the rest of the house.
Do I need to empty my cabinets?
No. You don't need to empty your cabinets, as long as I can get to them easily.
Should I paint, reface, or replace my cabinets?
Paint (or stain) if the boxes are solid and you like the door style. Reface if you want new door styles, but I don't do refacing, I paint and stain. Replace if there's damage or you want a new layout.
Can you paint laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Yes. I can paint pretty much any cabinet: wood, MDF, laminate, or thermofoil. If I think yours won't hold up, I'll tell you before we start. Boxes that are water-damaged or warped may be worth replacing instead.
What paint do you use?
Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond primer, with Sherwin-Williams Gallery Series or ILVA topcoats depending on the job.
Do you paint bathroom vanities or built-ins?
Yes, both. They get the same process as a kitchen.
Can you stain or match an existing color?
Yes. I do staining and color matching as well as paint.
Do you offer a warranty?
Yes. I give a 2-year workmanship warranty. If the finish peels or fails because of my prep or application, I'll come back and fix it. Normal wear, impact damage, and water damage aren't covered.
Do you work in my area?
If you're in the north metro, most likely. I'm based in Elk River and work within about 50 miles, including Otsego, Rogers, Zimmerman, Big Lake, Monticello, Ramsey, Anoka, Andover, Coon Rapids, Blaine, Maple Grove, and St. Michael. Don't see your town? Ask.
Request a cabinet estimate
Or call or text (763) 370-6121. Every cabinet job comes with my 2-year workmanship warranty.
Service area
Where I work.
I'm based in Elk River, MN, and paint cabinets across the north metro within about 50 miles.
- Elk River
- Otsego
- Rogers
- Zimmerman
- Big Lake
- Monticello
- Ramsey
- Anoka
- Andover
- Coon Rapids
- Blaine
- Maple Grove
- St. Michael
Don't see your town? Ask. Include your city or ZIP with your request and I'll let you know.
I also do interior and exterior painting.
Start a conversation
Get a cabinet estimate.
Fill out the short form and I'll follow up by call, text, or email, whichever you prefer. After you send it, text or email me a few photos of your cabinets. A wide shot of the kitchen and a couple of close-ups are perfect.
Every cabinet job comes with my 2-year workmanship warranty.