Cabinet refinishing: a new kitchen without the demolition.

The honest test for whether this works

Refinishing is the right call when the cabinetry is structurally sound and the layout works. It is the wrong call when it is not, and we will tell you which you have before taking the job.

Why cheap cabinet jobs chip

Nearly every failed cabinet paint job we are called to fix skipped one of four steps. Degreasing, because kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking residue that no paint will bond through. Scuff sanding, because factory finishes are deliberately slick. Bonding primer, because standard primer is not formulated to grip that surface. Or the painter used wall paint instead of a cabinet-grade product, which never cures hard enough to survive fingernails and cabinet doors closing.

Done correctly the finish is genuinely durable. Done quickly it chips at the edges within a year, and correcting it costs more than doing it right would have.

What the week looks like

1. Day one: doors and drawer fronts removed, labeled and taken to the spray area. Hardware bagged and tracked.
2. Day one to two: boxes degreased, sanded and masked. Containment goes up so the rest of the house stays clean.
3. Day two to three: bonding primer on everything, then sanding between coats.
4. Day three to four: finish coats sprayed. Cure time between coats is what sets the schedule, not labor.
5. Day four to five: doors rehung, hardware reinstalled, adjustments made, walkthrough.

Oak grain: fill it or show it

Boulder has a lot of oak cabinetry from the 1980s and 90s. Oak has open, pronounced grain, and paint does not hide it. You have two legitimate options: leave the grain visible, which reads as painted wood and keeps some character, or fill it for a smooth modern slab look, which adds labor. Neither is wrong. We will show you both before you choose.