Cabinet Painting in Olympia, WA
Worn, dated, or scratched cabinets can drag down an entire kitchen or bathroom even when the boxes underneath are still solid. Miles Plus Painting handles cabinet painting in Olympia, WA and Thurston County for homes and businesses alike, giving you a smooth, factory-style finish at a fraction of the cost of replacement. We’ll tell you honestly whether your cabinets are a good candidate for painting! Miles Plus Painting is a residential and commercial painting contractor serving Olympia, Tumwater, Lacey, and the rest of Thurston County. Many kitchens in older Olympia homes, especially in neighborhoods like the Eastside and around Tumwater, still have original wood cabinets from decades ago with a factory finish that needs the right primer to hold new paint. Over 20 years of local cabinet work means we know which finishes need extra prep and which ones are ready for paint after a good cleaning.
What to Expect When You Book
We start with a look at your cabinets in person, checking the door material, current finish, and how much grease or grime has built up, especially in kitchens near a stove or a busy commercial break room. From there we give you a written estimate covering cleaning, prep, priming, and paint, and we talk through finish options like matte, satin, or semi-gloss. Once approved, we schedule the work and let you know how to prep the space, including clearing out drawers if doors need to come off. Most homeowners do not realize that a factory finish on cabinet doors needs a bonding primer or paint peels at the hinges within months, which is why we check finish type before quoting.
Our Cabinet Painting Process
This sequence is what keeps painted cabinets from chipping at the corners within the first year, the most common complaint with a rushed cabinet repaint. Ask us how long your kitchen will be out of full use during the project so that you can prepare!
Step 1: Inspection and Estimate
We check door material, hardware, and current finish, then quote the job in writing.
Step 2: Cleaning and Prep
We degrease and clean every surface, since kitchen cabinets collect cooking residue that keeps new paint from bonding.
Step 3: Sanding and Priming
We lightly sand glossy or factory finishes and apply a bonding primer so paint adheres instead of chipping at edges and hinges.
Step 4: Painting
We apply multiple thin coats for a smooth, even finish, working in a controlled space to keep dust and debris off wet paint.
Step 5: Reassembly and Walkthrough
We reinstall doors and hardware and walk through the finished cabinets with you.
Signs Your Cabinets Are a Good Candidate for Painting
- Boxes and doors are still structurally solid with no swelling, warping, or water damage
- Finish is dull, yellowed, or scratched but not peeling in large sheets
- You like the current layout and just want a color or style update
- Hardware and hinges still work well, even if the finish around them looks worn
- Kitchen or bathroom cabinets haven’t been refinished since the home was built
If cabinets are swelling near the sink or warping from years of moisture, paint won’t fix the underlying wood, and we’ll tell you that instead of taking a job that won’t hold up.
What Affects the Cost of Cabinet Painting
The number of doors, drawers, and cabinet boxes is the main driver, along with the current finish type, since factory lacquer or oil-based finishes need more prep than a wall that’s never been painted. Kitchens see more cost from grease removal and from hardware that needs to be removed, labeled, and reinstalled correctly. Bathrooms usually cost less due to smaller cabinet counts but need moisture-resistant paint given the daily humidity from showers. Commercial cabinetry, like break room or reception cabinets, is quoted the same way, based on door count and finish condition rather than a flat per-room rate. We give you the full breakdown before you decide.
What We Do Differently
- Skipping the degreasing step leaves invisible residue that paint won’t stick to, so we clean every surface before sanding, not after.
- Instead of painting over old hardware and hinges, we remove and label them so the finished cabinets look factory-new down to the details.
- We use bonding primer on factory finishes instead of standard wall primer, because standard primer chips at hinge points within a year on cabinet doors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is painting cabinets actually cheaper than replacing them?
In most cases yes, since you’re paying for cleaning, prep, and paint rather than new cabinet boxes, doors, and installation labor. The savings are biggest when your current layout and cabinet boxes are still in good shape and only the finish looks dated.
How long will my kitchen be unusable during cabinet painting?
It depends on the number of doors and drawers and how much prep the current finish needs, but most kitchens stay partly usable since we work in stages rather than removing every door at once. We’ll map out a realistic timeline during your estimate.
Can you match the paint on my cabinets to my new wall color?
Yes, we can match or coordinate cabinet paint with wall colors, trim, or a countertop you already have. Bring us a paint chip, a photo, or even the actual material, and we’ll find the closest match.
Ready for new-looking cabinets?
Get a written estimate for your cabinet painting in Olympia, WA today!