Cabinet Painting vs Replacing in Denver: Cost, Timeline, and ROI (2026)

Your kitchen cabinets are the single biggest visual element in the room. If they look dated, your whole kitchen looks dated, no matter how nice your countertops or appliances are. In Denver's competitive housing market, updated kitchens sell homes faster and for more money. But updating cabinets doesn't always mean ripping them out.

Cabinet painting has exploded in popularity across Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Boulder, and the Front Range. For $3,000-6,000, you get a kitchen transformation that looks like a $20,000 renovation. But it's not right for every kitchen. This guide breaks down exactly when to paint, when to replace, and what each option really costs in the Denver metro.

Cabinet Painting vs Replacing: Quick Comparison

Cabinet Painting Costs in Denver

What's included in professional pricing: degreasing, sanding, priming, 2 coats of finish, new hardware holes if needed, and reinstallation. Some painters include new hinges and handles; others quote separately ($3-15 per hinge, $5-25 per pull).

Cost Factors

• Number of doors and drawers: The primary cost driver. Each door/drawer front is individually prepped and painted.
• Current finish: Previously stained or varnished cabinets need more prep (heavy sanding or chemical stripping) than previously painted ones.
• Color change magnitude: Dark stain to white requires bonding primer + 2-3 coats. Light to light needs less.
• Spray vs brush: Spray finish is smoother and more durable but costs 20-30% more than brush/roller.
• Cabinet boxes: Painting interior cabinet boxes adds $500-1,500. Most homeowners skip this unless going from dark wood to white.

Cabinet Replacement Costs in Denver

Prices include cabinets, installation, and basic hardware. Not included: countertop replacement (often necessary when cabinet dimensions change: $2,000-8,000), plumbing/electrical rerouting ($500-2,000), flooring repair ($500-1,500), and backsplash ($800-3,000). A "simple" cabinet replacement often snowballs into a $20,000-40,000 kitchen remodel.

When Painting Makes Sense

• Cabinets are solid wood or plywood construction. These take paint beautifully and last.
• Layout works well. You don't need more storage, different configurations, or soft-close drawers.
• Budget under $8,000. Painting delivers the most dramatic visual change per dollar.
• Selling within 5 years. Paint ROI (80-120%) far exceeds replacement ROI (50-70%).
• Cabinets are less than 20 years old. Modern construction holds up well under paint.
• You want a quick turnaround. 3-7 days vs 4-8 weeks for replacement.

When Replacement Makes Sense

• Particle board or MDF cabinets with water damage. These swell, peel, and can't be properly restored.
• The layout is dysfunctional. If you need more storage, different configurations, or appliance garage changes, only replacement can fix that.
• You're doing a full gut remodel anyway. If counters, flooring, and appliances are all changing, matching new cabinets makes sense.
• Cabinets are structurally failing. Hinges pulling out of soft wood, shelves sagging, drawer slides broken beyond repair.
• You plan to stay 15+ years. Replacement lasts longer and gives you exactly what you want.

The Painting Process Step by Step

Professional cabinet painting follows a precise multi-step process:

1. Remove all doors, drawers, and hardware (Day 1). Number each piece for reinstallation.
2. Degrease everything. Kitchen cabinets accumulate years of cooking grease. TSP or Krud Kutter removes oils that prevent adhesion.
3. Sand all surfaces to 150-220 grit. Creates mechanical adhesion for primer.
4. Fill holes, dents, and imperfections with wood filler. Sand smooth after drying.
5. Apply bonding primer (Stix, BIN Shellac, or Zinsser Cover Stain). This is the most critical step. Wrong primer = peeling within months.
6. Sand primer lightly with 220 grit after drying. Remove dust.
7. Apply first coat of finish paint. Professional-grade cabinet paint (Benjamin Moore Advance, Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane, or PPG Breakthrough).
8. Light sand between coats.
9. Apply second (and sometimes third) coat.
10. Cure for 24-48 hours before reinstalling.
11. Reinstall with new hardware if desired.

Denver-specific tip: Our low humidity means paint cures faster here, which is generally good. But it also means the painter needs to work efficiently to maintain wet edges during application. Spray application is ideal for Denver's dry climate since it eliminates brush marks that show up more with fast-drying paint.

Popular Cabinet Colors in Denver (2026)

• White (50% of jobs): Still king. Bright, clean, makes kitchens feel larger. Benjamin Moore White Dove and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster are the most requested.
• Light gray (20%): Modern without being cold. SW Repose Gray and BM Revere Pewter dominate.
• Navy/dark blue (10%): Bold choice, usually on lower cabinets with white uppers (two-tone). SW Naval is popular.
• Sage green (10%): The trending newcomer. SW Evergreen Fog was 2022 COTY and is still going strong.
• Black (5%): Dramatic. Works in larger kitchens with lots of natural light. SW Tricorn Black.
• Natural wood (5%): Some homeowners are stripping painted cabinets back to natural wood. The trend cycles.

Cabinet Refacing: The Middle Ground

Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes but replaces doors and drawer fronts with new ones. It also adds new veneer to the visible box surfaces.

• Cost: $5,000-12,000 for an average Denver kitchen (between painting and replacement)
• Timeline: 2-4 days installation
• Best for: Good box construction but dated door style. Gets you Shaker-style doors without full replacement.
• Drawback: Same layout limitations as painting. No configuration changes.

ROI and Home Value Impact

In Denver's 2026 housing market:

• Cabinet painting: $3,000-6,000 investment adds $4,000-7,000 to home value. ROI: 80-120%.
• Minor kitchen remodel (including cabinets): $15,000-25,000 adds $12,000-18,000. ROI: 60-75%.
• Major kitchen remodel: $40,000-80,000 adds $25,000-45,000. ROI: 50-65%.

The math consistently shows: smaller, cosmetic upgrades deliver better returns than full gut renovations. Paint your cabinets, update hardware, add a backsplash, and you've got an $8,000 kitchen refresh that looks like $25,000.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Skipping primer. The #1 reason painted cabinets fail. Always use a bonding primer specifically rated for cabinetry.
2. Using wall paint. Cabinet-specific paints (Advance, Emerald Urethane, Breakthrough) are formulated to be harder and more durable than wall paint. Regular wall paint will chip and wear within months.
3. Rushing the cure. Painted cabinets need 2-4 weeks to fully cure. During that time, be gentle. No slamming doors or scrubbing surfaces. They'll feel dry but aren't fully hardened.
4. Not degreasing. Kitchen grease is invisible but everywhere. Skip degreasing and your beautiful paint job peels within a year.
5. Painting over laminate without testing. Thermofoil and laminate cabinets CAN be painted but require specific primers. Test adhesion on a hidden spot first.

Choosing a Cabinet Painter in Denver

• Ask specifically about cabinet experience. Wall painting and cabinet painting are different skills. You want someone who paints cabinets regularly.
• Ask about their spray setup. HVLP or airless sprayer in a controlled environment (off-site or tented area) produces the best finish.
• Get references with photos. Before-and-after photos from previous Denver cabinet jobs.
• Ask about warranty. Reputable cabinet painters offer 3-5 year warranties on their work.

Ready for a cabinet painting quote? Call Trustie Services at (720) 213-5521. We serve Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, and the entire Front Range.