If your kitchen units are solid but the doors look tired, a respray usually beats replacing — for a fraction of the cost and disruption. Here's how to decide.
If your kitchen units are structurally sound but the doors look dated, scuffed or just tired, a respray almost always beats a full replacement — you get a brand-new look for a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the disruption. Replacing makes sense only when the carcasses themselves are failing. Here’s how to decide.
When a respray is the smart choice
Choose a respray if most of these are true:
- The cabinet boxes (carcasses) are solid and the layout still works for you.
- The doors and frames are sound but the colour or finish looks dated.
- You want a change in days, not a kitchen out of action for weeks.
- You’d rather spend the difference on worktops, tiling or appliances.
A respray is also the greener option — you keep what works and refresh the surface.
When replacing makes more sense
Lean towards a new kitchen if the carcasses are water-damaged or sagging, the layout genuinely doesn’t work, or doors are warped beyond a clean finish. In that case painting is polishing a problem rather than fixing it.
What a proper respray involves
The finish lives or dies on preparation. Done right, the process is:
- Doors, drawer fronts and hardware removed and labelled.
- Everything degreased, sanded and keyed so the paint bonds.
- Holes, chips and grain filled and primed where needed.
- Multiple thin coats of durable cabinet paint, sprayed for a factory-smooth, brush-mark-free finish.
- Frames hand-finished in place; everything reassembled.
That prep is exactly why a professional respray lasts and a quick DIY roller job doesn’t.
What it costs
Every kitchen is different — the price depends on the number of doors and drawers, the current finish and the colour change. Rather than guess, send us a photo of your kitchen on WhatsApp and we’ll come back the same day with an honest ballpark, then confirm a fixed price on a free visit. See more on our kitchen-cabinet respray page or how our pricing works.
Thinking about it? Send a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you straight whether a respray is right for your kitchen.