Cabinet Painting & Refinishing in Woodland, CA
A new kitchen look for a fraction of a full remodel. Licensed CSLB contractor #1097297, owner-operated, and every door sprayed to a factory-smooth finish. Free estimates across Yolo, Sacramento & Solano County.
Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing That Doesn't Look Painted
Most kitchens in Woodland, Davis and the greater Sacramento area don't need new cabinets. The boxes are solid, the layout works, and the only thing dating the room is a tired oak stain or a builder-grade finish from twenty years ago. Replacing all of it can run past $20,000. Refinishing the cabinets you already have gets you the same visual change for a small share of that.
I'm Gerry, and I've been painting homes in Yolo County for 25 years. Cabinet work is the most demanding job in this trade, it's the surface people touch every single day, in the brightest-lit room in the house, at eye level. There's nowhere for a brush mark or a run to hide. That's why I handle every cabinet project personally from the first walkthrough to the final door rehang. No subcontracted crews, no rotating staff, no one learning on your kitchen.
If you've been searching for cabinet painters near me and coming up with call centres and franchise quotes, you've found the alternative: one licensed painter, one phone number, and a finish I'll put my name on.
Cabinet Services
Kitchen Cabinet Painting
Full repaint of doors, drawer fronts, face frames and boxes in the colour and sheen you choose. Sprayed, not brushed.
Refinishing & Colour Change
Going from dark oak or cherry to white, greige or a deep navy. Stain-blocking primer stops bleed-through for good.
Vanities & Built-Ins
Bathroom vanities, laundry cabinets, entertainment centres, bookshelves and mudroom lockers, same process, same finish.
Repairs & Hardware
Loose hinges tightened, chipped edges filled, doors realigned, and new knobs or pulls drilled and fitted on request.
Refinish or Replace?
Honest comparison, so you can decide before you spend anything. If your cabinet boxes are water-damaged, delaminating or the layout genuinely doesn't work, I'll tell you to replace them, refinishing a failing box is money wasted.
| Refinishing your cabinets | Full replacement | |
|---|---|---|
| Time in your home | Usually 3–5 working days | Three to six weeks, plus lead times on the order |
| Kitchen downtime | Boxes stay in place; you keep using the room most of the week | Kitchen out of service for the whole build |
| Demolition & disposal | None | Old cabinets torn out and landfilled; countertops usually damaged |
| Best when | Boxes are sound, layout works, finish looks dated | Water damage, particleboard failure, or you're changing the layout |
Seven Steps, No Shortcuts
Ninety percent of a cabinet job's lifespan is decided before any colour goes on. Here's exactly how I work, so you know what you're paying for.
Walkthrough and written estimate
I come out, open every door, check the box construction and hinge type, and talk through colour and sheen with you. You get a written, itemised price, free, and with no pressure to sign anything on the spot.
Labelling and removal
Every door and drawer front comes off and gets numbered so it goes back exactly where it started. Hinges and hardware are bagged and tagged by location, nothing gets mixed up or lost.
Degreasing
Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking oil, especially above the range. Paint will not bond to grease. Every surface gets scrubbed with a degreaser and rinsed before anything else happens. This is the step most cheap quotes skip, and it's why those jobs peel.
Sanding and repairs
I scuff-sand every surface to break the factory sheen and give the primer something to grip. Chips, dents and old hardware holes get filled and sanded flush. Loose joints are re-glued and doors realigned.
Masking and containment
Countertops, appliances, backsplash, flooring and adjacent rooms are fully masked and plastic-sheeted. If your home was built before 1978, I follow EPA Lead-Safe RRP containment as a certified renovator.
Bonding primer and spray finish
A stain-blocking bonding primer goes on first, essential on oak, cherry and any wood that bleeds tannin through light colours. Then two coats of a cabinet-grade enamel, sprayed with an HVLP system. Spraying is what removes brush and roller texture and gives you that smooth factory look.
Cure, rehang and walkthrough
Doors cure flat before they're rehung, hardware is refitted, bumpers are added, and I walk the kitchen with you under the lights before I leave. Any touch-up you spot gets handled that day, not on a return visit six weeks later.
Choosing a Finish That Lasts
Cabinets take more abuse than any other painted surface in the house. Sheen matters as much as colour, and I'll walk you through both at the estimate, including a sample door in your own kitchen light before we commit.
Satin
The most forgiving option. Hides minor surface imperfections on older doors and still wipes clean. My usual recommendation for busy family kitchens.
Semi-gloss
Harder wearing and easier to clean around handles and the sink run. Reflects more light, so the prep underneath has to be flawless.
Matte / low sheen
A softer, more modern look that's popular on deep colours like navy and forest green. Best in kitchens that see lighter daily use.
Whites and off-whites remain the most requested colours in Woodland and Davis, they open up the galley kitchens common in older homes near downtown. Two-tone kitchens are the other strong trend: a warm white on the uppers with a deeper tone on the island and lower run. If you're unsure, I'll bring samples and we'll test them against your countertop and flooring before ordering paint.
What Cabinet Painting Costs
Every kitchen is different, so the only accurate number is the one on your written estimate. What follows is what actually moves the price, so there are no surprises when I hand you the quote.
Door & drawer count
Biggest factorPrice scales with the number of doors and drawer fronts, not the square footage of the room. A compact kitchen with 40 doors costs more than a large one with 22.
Current finish
Prep timeRaw or previously painted cabinets move fast. Heavy oak grain, thermofoil, or a glossy factory lacquer needs extra sanding and bonding work.
Extras
OptionalNew hardware, interior box painting, crown moulding, glass-front doors and colour-matched touch-up kits are quoted as separate line items.
Licensed, Certified, Owner-Operated
Woodland has a lot of housing built well before 1978, and disturbing old finishes in those homes is regulated for good reason. As an EPA Lead-Safe Certified renovator I use proper containment and clean-up on every pre-1978 project, a step most painting quotes don't mention at all.
Ask about my military and senior discounts when you call.
Cabinet Painting Across Three Counties
Based in Woodland and working throughout Yolo, Sacramento and Solano County. If your town isn't listed, call me, if it's within reasonable driving distance, I'll come out and quote it.
Cabinet Painting FAQs
How long will my kitchen be out of action?
Most kitchens take three to five working days. The boxes stay in place the whole time, so you keep access to the sink and appliances for most of the job. Doors and drawer fronts are off during the middle of the week, and I aim to have everything rehung before the weekend.
Can you paint oak cabinets without the grain showing through?
Yes. Oak has a deep open grain, and if you simply paint over it that texture stays visible. If you want a smooth modern look I grain-fill the doors before priming. If you like the wood character, I can leave the grain and just change the colour. Either way, it's your call and I'll show you both before we start.
Will the paint chip or peel later on?
Not when the prep is done properly. Peeling comes from paint applied over grease or a glossy factory finish with no bonding primer. Degreasing, scuff-sanding and a bonding primer are non-negotiable steps on every job I take, and I use cabinet-grade enamel rather than standard wall paint.
Do you spray or brush?
Doors and drawer fronts are sprayed with an HVLP system for a smooth factory-style finish. Face frames and boxes are sprayed in place under full containment where the layout allows, and cut in by hand where it doesn't. Spraying is the main reason a professional cabinet job looks different from a DIY one.
Can you paint bathroom vanities and built-ins too?
Absolutely, vanities, laundry cabinets, bookshelves, mudroom lockers and entertainment units all go through the same process. Bundling them with a kitchen job is usually the most cost-effective way to do it, since the setup is already in place.
How soon can I use the cabinets after you finish?
You can use them gently as soon as the doors are rehung. Cabinet enamel keeps hardening for a couple of weeks after application, so I'll ask you to avoid heavy scrubbing and to keep doors from sitting closed hard against the frames during that window. I'll give you the specific cure guidance for the product used on your job.
Do you charge for the estimate?
No. Estimates are free across Woodland, Sacramento and Solano County, and there's no obligation attached. You'll get an itemised written quote so you can see exactly what's included.
Ready for a New Kitchen Without the Remodel?
Send me a couple of photos of your cabinets, or call and I'll come out and take a look. Free estimate, written price, and a straight answer on whether refinishing is the right move for your kitchen.
GRC Custom Painting · CSLB #1097297 · EPA Lead-Safe Certified · Mon–Fri 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM