How much does cabinet painting cost for a standard Ottawa kitchen with 20 doors?

Painting kitchen cabinets is one of the most detail-oriented painting jobs there is, and for a standard Ottawa kitchen with 20 doors (plus drawer fronts and face frames), you should expect to pay between $3,500 and $6,500 for a professional job. The average lands around $4,500 to $5,500.

That price typically includes:

• Removal and labelling of all doors, drawer fronts, and hardware


• Degreasing and cleaning (kitchen cabinets accumulate years of cooking grease)


• Sanding or chemical deglazing for adhesion


• Priming with a bonding primer (shellac-based like Zinsser BIN or a quality adhesion primer)


• Two coats of finish paint (usually a cabinet-specific enamel)


• Reinstallation of doors with new or cleaned hardware


• Painting of the face frames (the fixed cabinet boxes) in place

Here's roughly how it breaks down:

• 20 doors + drawer fronts: $2,500 to $4,000 (these are the bulk of the work — each one is essentially a small, separate painting project)
• Face frames: $600 to $1,200
• Materials (primer, paint, sandpaper, supplies): $500 to $800
• Hardware reinstallation: Usually included; new hardware is extra if you want to upgrade

Paint selection is critical for cabinets. Kitchen cabinets take constant abuse — daily handling, moisture, heat from appliances, food splatters. The finish needs to be incredibly durable. The industry standard in Ottawa is Benjamin Moore Advance (alkyd-modified waterborne, self-levelling, excellent hardness) at about $65–$75/gallon, or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel at a similar price point. Some painters still use traditional oil-based alkyd for maximum hardness, but the VOC levels and cleanup make it less common. Spray application gives the smoothest, most factory-like finish and is how most professionals handle cabinet work.

The spray vs. brush-and-roll method significantly affects both quality and cost. Spraying requires extensive masking of the kitchen (counters, appliances, backsplash, floors) but produces a flawless, smooth finish. Many Ottawa painters set up a temporary spray booth in a garage or basement, transport the doors there for spraying, and brush/roll the face frames in place. This hybrid approach delivers the best results.

If you want the doors sprayed off-site at the painter's shop, you get an even better finish with less disruption to your kitchen, but it typically adds $500 to $1,000 because of the transport and shop overhead.

Ottawa pricing for cabinet painting runs about 10–15% under Toronto, where the same 20-door kitchen would typically come in at $4,500–$7,500.

A few things that push the cost higher:

• Thermofoil or laminate cabinets: Require special adhesion primers and careful technique — add $300 to $800
• Heavy grease buildup: Kitchens that haven't been deep-cleaned above the stove can need aggressive degreasing — add $200 to $400
• Detailed door profiles (raised panel, cathedral arch): More edges and crevices to spray properly — adds time
• Interior of cabinets: Most quotes cover exteriors only. Painting cabinet interiors adds $75 to $150 per cabinet
• Island or peninsula: These take extra abuse and sometimes need different prep

A proper cabinet paint job should last 8 to 12 years with normal use. The full cure time for most cabinet enamels is 2 to 4 weeks — during which you should handle doors gently and avoid placing sticky items directly on surfaces.

One important note: cabinet painting should not be treated like regular wall painting. It requires a specialist skill set. Not every wall painter does cabinet work well. Look specifically for painters who list cabinet refinishing as a service and can show you before-and-after photos.

Make sure your painter carries WSIB coverage and liability insurance, which is required for professionals working in Ontario homes.

You can find experienced Ottawa Paint Contractors who specialize in cabinet refinishing through the Ottawa Construction Network directory. Comparing at least three detailed quotes — with the specific primer and paint products named — will help you gauge fair pricing for your kitchen.