How to choose a cabinet painting company in Houston

1. Remove and label — doors, drawer fronts and hardware come off and are labeled so every piece goes back where it came from.
2. Clean and degrease — kitchen cabinets carry cooking grease, especially near the range. Paint will not bond to it, so every surface is degreased first.
3. Sand or degloss — the old finish is scuffed so the primer has something to grip. Dents and gouges are filled at this stage.
4. Prime — a bonding primer goes on next; it is what keeps paint from peeling off a slick factory finish or old oil paint.
5. Spray — doors and fronts are usually sprayed flat in a controlled area; cabinet boxes are sprayed or finished in place with the kitchen masked off.
6. Dry, cure and reinstall — the finish is dry to the touch long before it is fully cured. Doors go back on after drying, but heavy use should wait until the product's cure time has passed.

Wall paint is not cabinet paint. Ask for the primer and topcoat by name, and look them up. Cabinet-grade options include waterborne alkyd and urethane-modified enamels such as Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane, which is what we use. Some shops spray specialty wood coatings from makers such as Renner. Each product has its own dry time, recoat time and cure time, and a good painter will explain them.

Houston humidity slows drying, so a painter who sprays cabinets should control the space and allow more time between coats on humid days.

• Do you remove the doors and drawer fronts, and where do you spray them?
• How do you degrease, and do you sand every surface?
• Which primer and topcoat will you use, by name?
• How will you protect counters, floors and appliances?
• How long until we can use the kitchen, and how long until the finish is fully cured?
• What does your warranty cover, and is it in writing?
• Can I see a cabinet job you have finished, with photos?

During the cure period, wipe spills with a soft damp cloth, avoid abrasive cleaners, and keep sticky notes or tape off the doors. After it cures, mild soap and water is enough. Touch-up paint from the same batch is worth keeping for small chips.

Cabinet pricing depends mostly on the number of doors and drawer fronts, the condition of the existing finish and whether the color is changing. Typical ranges and what moves them are in our Houston painting cost guide. For an exact number, the estimate should list every front, the products and the steps above.

Our two-tone kitchen cabinets in Cypress case study shows a finished job, and our cabinet refinishing page explains our process.

Product names are examples, not endorsements, and manufacturers change formulas. Follow the product data sheet for dry and cure times, and rely on your written estimate for the scope and warranty of your own job.