The high cost of brand-new cabinets has made cabinet refinishing a popular alternative
By Mitch Allen
One of the most popular home improvement projects is updating the kitchen. Families tend to gather in the kitchen so we want it to be a modern, comfortable space. And updating the kitchen gives you one of the best returns on investment when it’s time to sell your home.
But according to John Neubert, founder of Northeast Ohio’s Neubert Painting, prices for new kitchen cabinets have skyrocketed.
“The average cost of kitchen cabinets has climbed in recent years to $20,000 to $30,000,” John says. “Even Chinese cabinets—which used to be cheap—have soared in cost due to the tariffs placed on them back in 2020. These tariffs are as much as 300%. There’s some serious sticker shock going on right now.”
If you want to update the look of your kitchen without buying expensive new cabinets, the solution may be painting them. And, no, we’re not talking about your brother-in-law going to a big box store then slapping paint on them. We’re talking about professional refinishing.
How It Works
“Keep in mind this is not plastic cabinet refacing,” John explains. “First, we remove your cabinet doors and drawer fronts so we can refinish them back at our facility. We remove all knobs and pulls and label them so they can be properly re-installed. Then we de-gloss the cabinets with a strong cleaner and remove any oil or grease and prep them with a Festool dustless sanding system before coating. We apply a specialty bonding primer to your cabinets and to your doors and drawer fronts then reinstall everything.”
This result of this meticulous process is a factory finish with a fresh-from-the-showroom look—but without the showroom price. And because no tear-out is involved, you’ll have access to your drawers and cabinets and their contents during the entire process.
“We use this approach to achieve a hard-as-nails, durable finish—and the quality is easy to see and feel,” John adds. “You’ll want to rub your hands over your refinished cabinets because they’re so silky smooth.”
Any Color You Want and Carpentry, Too
Neubert can refinish your cabinets in virtually any color, but many homeowners choose a light color. “Off-whites and creams are very popular because they make the kitchen bright, clean, open, and airy,” John says. “Some customers, however, choose a bolder color, including today’s popular grays. Of course, we can custom-blend any color to create a perfect complement to your wall color or backsplash.”
If you want something more than just refinishing, Neubert can help there, too. With the company’s carpentry services, the team can change the profile of cabinet doors—say, from Shaker-style to arch-top—remove soffits, and create crown moldings that will allow your cabinets to extend all the way to the ceiling.
The process is ideal for kitchens that are showing their age at around 20 years old.
How Much Does It Cost?
John says he can give most kitchens a dramatic, new, modern look for $4,000 to $6,000, and complete the job in under a week. That’s fast, affordable, and easy compared to a $40,000 to $60,000 remodel and six to eight weeks of inconvenience.
But when it comes to cabinet refinishing, it’s important to get it right the first time. “You have one chance at this,” John explains. “Cabinets cannot be fixed if a painter or homeowner does a poor-quality job that fails. Our craftsmen are experts at refinishing cabinets. It’s all they do. We aren’t practicing at this. We’ve done hundreds of kitchens. You cannot tell the difference between our refinishing and the finish on a brand-new cabinet. It’s that spectacular.”
To save thousands of dollars on the cost of a kitchen cabinet update, you can call Neubert Cabinet Refinishing at 216-529-0360 to schedule a free estimate or receive a free sample. Learn more about this locally recognized company at NeubertPainting.com. Neubert also specializes in wood home exteriors, aluminum siding refinishing and interior painting.