Painting cabinets changes a kitchen without changing the boxes. Many Ann Arbor kitchens still have solid oak or maple cabinets from the 1980s and 1990s that are well worth painting. The doors come off, every surface is degreased, sanded and primed, and a cabinet-grade enamel goes on.
Plenty of Ann Arbor kitchens have sound cabinets in a finish nobody likes any more. Honey oak from the 1980s and 1990s is the most common, followed by darker maple and cherry, and in older houses there are site-built wood cabinets with many coats of paint already on them. If the boxes are solid and the doors hang straight, painting gives the room a new look and keeps the layout you have. We check the doors, drawer fronts and frames first and tell you plainly if any are not worth painting.
Cabinet paint fails when the cleaning is rushed. Years of cooking leave a film of grease, most of it near the stove and around the handles, and nothing sticks to it. Doors and drawer fronts come off and are numbered. Every face is degreased, sanded and coated with a bonding primer. Open oak grain can be filled if you want a smoother face, or left to show. The finish is a hard cabinet enamel applied in thin coats, with light sanding between them, so it levels out without brush ridges.
Plan on the kitchen being partly out of use for several days. The frames are painted in place while the doors are finished flat, then everything is rehung and adjusted. You can usually use the sink and stove in the evenings, with care around wet frames. Enamel feels dry within hours but takes a few weeks to reach full hardness, so we ask you to go gently on it at first. The written quote counts every door and drawer and states whether insides and shelves are included.
Cabinet painting in Ann Arbor: common questions
Will the oak grain still show after my cabinets are painted?
Yes, unless it is filled. Oak has deep open pores that read through paint as a fine texture. Many owners like that. If you want a flatter face, a grain filler is worked in before priming, which adds time.
How long before I can use my kitchen normally again?
You can open doors and drawers once they are rehung, but treat them gently for the first few weeks while the enamel hardens. Avoid scrubbing, and do not hang wet towels over the doors during that time.
Can laminate or thermofoil cabinets be painted?
Sometimes. Sound laminate can take paint over a bonding primer. Thermofoil that is lifting or bubbling at the edges cannot, because the skin will keep peeling under the paint. We check each door and say which case you have.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.