Painting cabinets is the single highest-impact kitchen upgrade short of a full remodel — and a fraction of the cost. Here's exactly what cabinet refinishing and painting costs across Madison and Dane County in 2026.
1. Typical Price Ranges
Small Kitchen (15–20 doors)
$2,500–$4,000 for a full sand-prime-spray refinish. Includes door removal, off-site spraying, in-home box painting, and hardware reinstall.
Average Kitchen (25–35 doors)
$3,800–$6,500. This is the most common Madison-area kitchen. Add $400–$900 if you want the interiors of glass-front cabinets done too.
Large Kitchen (40+ doors with island)
$6,000–$9,500. Larger jobs benefit from production efficiency but require more controlled spray space.
2. Why Painting Beats Replacement
New cabinetry for an average Madison kitchen runs $15,000–$30,000+ before installation. A professionally refinished kitchen looks just as fresh for 25–40% of that — read refinishing vs replacement for the full comparison.
3. What Affects the Price
Current Finish
Oak and other tannin-rich woods need additional stain-blocking primer to prevent bleed-through. Previously painted cabinets are usually faster to redo than original stained wood.
Color Change Direction
Dark-to-white (or any wood-to-white transformation) takes the most prep and often an extra coat. Light-to-light is the simplest case.
Door Style
Flat slab doors spray fastest. Heavy raised-panel or detailed shaker doors take longer and price out higher.
Repairs
Loose hinges, broken doors and damaged boxes are repaired before paint. Minor repairs are included; larger structural fixes are itemized.
4. What's Included in a Professional Quote
Every Callapainter cabinet quote includes degreasing, hand-sanding, stain-blocking primer, two finish coats of cabinet-grade enamel, hardware removal and reinstall, and full plastic containment so dust doesn't reach the rest of your home. See our cabinet refinishing process for the full step-by-step.
5. Get a Real Number for Your Kitchen
Cabinet pricing is best done in person — counts matter and so does current condition. Schedule a free cabinet estimate and we'll have a written number to you within a few days.