Choosing new cabinet hardware is a fun balance of practicality and design. Costs range between under $100 and up to five figures, though, so budgeting and knowing which materials you can afford is key. This cost guide breaks it all down.
How Much Does It Cost to Refinish Cabinets in Your Home? [2025 Data]
Normal Range: $1,990 - $4,498
The cost to refinish cabinets often ranges from $1,990 to $4,498, with a national average of $3,114. The price depends on the number and size of your cabinets.
How we get this data
Photo: sonyachny / Adobe Stock
Photo: sonyachny / Adobe Stock
Highlights
Refinishing your cabinets is a cost-effective (and DIY-friendly) way to revamp your kitchen’s style without investing in new cabinetry.
The cost to refinish cabinets ranges from $4 to $25 per square foot.
Staining is the most affordable choice, but it’s only viable if you have solid wood cabinets. Otherwise, consider painting or varnishing.
Doing it yourself can save on labor and materials, but be prepared for prep work and trips to the hardware store.
If your cabinets need a makeover, the cost to refinish cabinets is $3,114 on average, often ranging from $1,990 to $4,498. Cabinet refinishing is a budget-friendly way to get the kitchen (or bathroom) of your dreams without the hassle and expense of a complete renovation. Learn more about the cost to refinish cabinets and what factors will increase or decrease your final bill.
Should You Refinish, Reface, or Replace Cabinets?
If coming home to a kitchen you love is high on your to-do list, you’ll want to know the differences between cabinet refinishing and refacing. While the two sound similar, the pricing and the steps required vary for each. A third option, of course, is to replace your cabinets.
Cabinet Refinishing
If your cabinets are in good shape and made of sturdy wood, refinishing is a great option. Cabinet refinishing is an affordable and relatively fast way to bring new life to your tired cabinets. The process involves stripping, cleaning, sanding, and then painting or staining. Kitchen cabinet refinishing costs $4 to $10 per square foot—or between $2,000 and $4,500 total—if you hire a cabinet refinishing pro.
Pro tip: If your cabinets are in poor condition, have an outdated design, or are made of fiberboard or a non-wood particle board, you should consider replacing them instead of refinishing them.
Cabinet Refacing
Cabinet refacing is more labor-intensive and less affordable than cabinet refinishing. With cabinet refacing, you’ll remove all cabinet doors and drawers and replace them with brand-new ones while keeping your existing cabinet boxes. This process takes longer because you’ll need to treat the existing cabinet boxes to match the new door colors. You can expect cabinet refacing to cost between $4,300 and $10,000.
Cabinet Replacement
If your cabinets are beyond saving through refacing or refinishing, or if you’re just ready for a change in look or layout, replacement may be the best option. Installing new cabinets costs anywhere from $2,000 to $11,000 on average. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of removal and disposal of the existing cabinets. If you’re changing the layout, you may have additional costs for flooring, electrical, plumbing, drywall, tile, and other changes and repairs.
| Cabinet Refresh Type | Average Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Refinish | $2,000–$4,500 |
| Reface | $4,300–$10,000 |
| Replace | $2,000–$11,000 |
Cost to Refinish Cabinets by Method
Photo: coralimages / Adobe Stock
When designing your dream cabinets, you can choose from several finishing methods, including staining, painting, glazing, varnishing, and shellacking. The more complex your refinishing project gets, the more costly it will be. Here are a few finishing methods to choose from.
Staining
Staining is great for solid wood cabinets—if you have veneer cabinets, we recommend choosing another method. Staining requires stripping, cleaning, and sanding your cabinet doors and drawers before applying stain in the color of your choice. You can expect to pay between $4 and $15 per square foot for this method. The total cost of staining kitchen cabinets will run between $1,500 and $5,000.
Painting
Painting cabinets can refresh your kitchen without demolishing your space. A refinishing pro will strip, clean, sand, and paint your cabinets using professional-grade cabinet paint, ensuring they will last over time. The cost of painting kitchen cabinets ranges from $3 to $10 per square foot, and you can expect to pay between $400 and $1,500 total.
Glazing
If you love the rich look of antique cabinets, glazing is the perfect method to achieve it. The glazing process includes stripping, cleaning, sanding, and painting your cabinets. Once the paint is dry, a pro will apply a semi-transparent glossy solution on your cabinet doors and drawers. You can expect to pay between $9 and $25 per square foot in professional cabinet glazing costs, or $1,200 to $3,500 in total costs.
Varnishing
Varnishing enhances wood cabinets and protects them from stains and scratches. To varnish wood cabinets, you’ll strip, clean, and sand your cabinet doors and drawers. Next, you’ll apply a varnish finish over the wood—you can choose between polyurethane or conversion (fast-drying, durable finish). Varnishing extends the life of your cabinets, and you can expect to pay between $6 and $16 per square foot to have a pro tackle this project.
Shellacking
Shellac is a semi-transparent, high-gloss finish that creates a warm wood look. When shellacking cabinets, you’ll first strip, clean, and sand the doors and drawers. Next, you’ll apply a natural shellacking finish. For this project, you can expect to pay between $6 and $16 per square foot for professional refinishing.
| Cabinet Refinish Method | Average Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Staining | $4–$15 |
| Painting | $3–$10 |
| Glazing | $9–$25 |
| Varnishing | $6–$16 |
| Shellacking | $6–$16 |
Cost Factors for Refinishing Cabinets
Photo: FotoHelin / Adobe Stock
Cabinet refinishing costs depend on several factors, including the size, location, and type of cabinets. Below, we’ll go over the factors that will influence your total cost of refinishing cabinets.
Size
One of the largest cost factors is the size of your cabinets. Depending on their finish and dimensions, you can expect to pay between $4 and $25 per square foot. Naturally, the more square feet of cabinets you need to refinish, the more expensive your project will be.
Number of Cabinets
Cabinet refinishing costs also depend on the number of cabinets. More cabinets require additional time and labor for stripping, cleaning, sanding, and refinishing.
Cabinet Location
When you think of cabinet refinishing, you might automatically picture kitchen cabinets. But bathrooms and home offices are also popular locations for cabinet refinishing. Due to its size, you can expect kitchen cabinet refinishing costs to be higher than in other rooms. See the table below for the average cost of cabinet refinishing in different rooms:
| Cabinet Location | Average Cost Range (Including Labor) |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | $1,500–$5,000 |
| Bathroom | $200–$2,000 |
| Home office | $500–$2,000 |
Type of Cabinet Material
Your cabinet material will dictate the type of refinishing you choose. For example, solid wood cabinets work best for staining, whereas laminate cabinets perform better with paint. Here’s how cabinet material might affect refinishing costs:
| Cabinet Material | Average Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Plywood/MDF | $6–$14 |
| Hardwood | $4–$25 |
| Laminate | $6–$14 |
| Melamine | $6–$14 |
Prep
Before refinishing your cabinets, you’ll have to prepare them for staining or painting. Prep includes taping off your floors and counters and adding drop cloths to protect your space. Next comes stripping paint or stain from your cabinet doors and drawers, cleaning, sanding, repairing and patching holes and cracks, and fixing minor breakages. The cost of repairing your cabinets usually isn’t included in the overall refinishing price, so you can expect to pay an average of $300.
Custom Cabinet Finishes
Another fun part of the refinishing process is adding custom add-ons to your cabinets. These customizations range from adding under-cabinet lighting (which costs between $230 and $300 per light) to adding custom carvings or finishings (all of which can add up to $5,000).
Additional Kitchen or Bathroom Updates
While your kitchen or bathroom is out of order during cabinet refinishing, it’s a good time to make other updates to your space. Here are some options:
Hiring a local painting pro
Replacing your faucet
Switching out cabinet hinges
Updating appliances
Cabinet Refinishing Pro Costs
A local cabinet refinishing pro will often charge between $35 and $75 per hour, with an average price of $55 per hour for labor. This comes out to $1,800 to $5,000 per project. Pros will have all of the tools and materials needed to complete the project. They’ll also ventilate the space, use proper refinishing techniques, and offer suggestions to make your project come out perfectly.
DIY Cabinet Refinishing vs. Hiring a Pro
Photo: ungvar / Adobe Stock
If you’re handy, have power tool experience, and are willing to dedicate your time, you can refinish your kitchen cabinets yourself. By DIYing this project, you’ll save anywhere from $35 to $75 per hour in labor costs and up to $500 to $1,000 in total.
Refinishing your cabinets will take two to three days. Because painting or staining requires precision, you’ll need to allow yourself enough time to work on each cabinet. DIYers might spend anywhere from $100 to $500 on tools and supplies, including an orbital sander and a shop vac.
When hiring a cabinet refinishing pro in your area, you can expect to spend between $4 and $10 per square foot or around $2,700. With a professional, you won't need to gather all the tools, supplies, and materials, and you won't have to worry about details like properly ventilating your space or learning refinishing techniques.
How to Save on the Cost to Refinish Cabinets
Photo: rawpixel.com / Adobe Stock
Cabinet refinishing doesn't have to break the bank. You can save on costs by thoughtfully choosing your finishes and prioritizing your customizations. Here are a few ways to save on cabinet refinishing costs:
Get quotes from at least three local cabinet refinishing pros.
Ask pros for a discount on finishes and hardware if you can bundle extra work around your home.
Perform the prep work yourself, like removing cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware.
Don’t add any ornate customization to your cabinets.
Choose cabinet paint that resists dirt, grime, and chipping—this way, you’re less likely to find yourself paying for repairs down the road.
Does Cabinet Refinishing Increase Home Value?
Cabinet refinishing is a cosmetic upgrade, but it can still increase the value of your home. Kitchens are a major selling point for buyers, and updated cabinetry improves the perceived value of the space. On the other hand, an outdated or worn kitchen can be a turn-off for potential buyers. Minor kitchen remodels can have a return on investment (ROI) of about 96%.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
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