Oak grain showing through
On 1980s oak cabinets the choice is grain-filled and smooth or painted with the texture showing — we show you both on a sample door.
Serving Buffalo Grove & nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Buffalo Grove, IL
Make your Buffalo Grove kitchen look new without replacing the cabinets — for a fraction of the cost.
- Serving Buffalo Grove ZIP 60089
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Cabinet problems a paint job fixes
We paint kitchen cabinets in Buffalo Grove with durable cabinet-grade coatings, not wall paint. Proper cleaning, sanding and primer are what make the finish last — that is where most of our time goes.
Worn finish around handles
Bare wood around pulls and the trash pull-out gets repaired and primed, and new hardware keeps hands off the paint.
Painted without removing the doors
If the last painter left the doors on, you'll see paint on hinges and edges that never got coated. We remove, strip where needed and refinish every surface.
Yellowed white cabinets
Old white finishes yellow with age. A modern waterborne urethane or acrylic cabinet paint stays white.
Dark kitchen
Light painted cabinets reflect light across the room — the cheapest way to brighten a dark kitchen.
Dated oak or honey maple
Orange-toned oak and honey maple date a kitchen more than anything else. A painted finish in white, greige, green or navy changes the whole room.
Brush marks and drips
A previous DIY job with brush strokes and runs can be sanded smooth and sprayed for an even, factory-like finish.
Peeling or chipped paint
Chips along door edges and peeling by the sink come from skipped degreasing or the wrong paint. We take it back to a sound surface and start right.
What's included
- Door and drawer removalWe remove and number every door and drawer front so each one goes back in its spot.
- Sprayed doorsSpraying the doors off-site gives an even finish with no brush marks.
- Frames and end panelsCabinet boxes are masked off and finished in your kitchen to match the doors.
- Reinstall and adjustmentDoors rehung, hinges adjusted so gaps are even, and touch-ups done on site.
- New hardware and hingesWe can drill for new pulls and swap in soft-close hinges while the doors are off.
- Filling old hardware holesOld knob and pull holes filled and sanded flush before priming.
- Island and bathroom vanitiesThe island, a pantry or bathroom vanities painted in the same visit, in matching or contrasting colors.
Materials and finishes
Grain filling for oakGrain filler before primer makes oak doors look smooth like painted maple or MDF.
Two-tone kitchensDifferent colors for island and perimeter add depth without new cabinets.
Painted with the wood grain showingSome owners like oak painted white with the grain still visible; we skip the grain filler for that look.
Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore cabinet coatingsWe use cabinet enamels from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore, matched to the color you pick.
Catalyzed finishesTwo-part coatings sprayed on doors for maximum hardness in busy kitchens.
Kitchens like yours in Buffalo Grove: before and after
Before
In progress
After
DetailA Buffalo Grove two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
A two-story colonial from the 1990s near Green Knolls, a typical kitchen for Buffalo Grove. Before: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs. The reason for the call: orange-looking wood that made the room feel old. After: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered door and drawer removal, reinstall and adjustment, plus filling old hardware holes.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights
A 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights, a typical kitchen for Arlington Heights. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets. The reason for the call: dark wood that made the kitchen feel small. After: the same doors sprayed in pale sage, new polished nickel pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered sprayed doors, reinstall and adjustment, plus filling old hardware holes.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterPalatine kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen cabinet painting
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine. What we started with: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. The main complaint was doors peeling at the edges. Finished kitchen: the same doors sprayed in deep navy, new brushed nickel bar pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. On site this meant reinstall and adjustment, new hardware and hinges, plus island and bathroom vanities.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Palatine →
Before
AfterA Buffalo Grove 1980s two-story: before and after
What changed: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterBuffalo Grove kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: cabinet refacing
What changed: new five-piece shaker doors in warm white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Buffalo Grove →Day by day
- Estimate and colorA quick visit to check what your cabinets are made of, then color samples in your own light.
- Doors come offWe take the doors with us; you keep using the kitchen with the boxes open.
- Prep and primeDegreasing, sanding, repairs and primer on frames in your home, doors in the shop.
- Finish coatsTwo finish coats sprayed on doors; frames finished on site with dust control.
- ReinstallDoors go back on, hinges adjusted, hardware installed and touch-ups done.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting questions from Buffalo Grove homeowners
Can you paint cabinets that are already painted?
Usually. Sound old paint is sanded and primed; peeling or very thick layers are stripped first.
Do you paint bathroom vanities too?
Yes. Vanities get the same prep and sprayed finish as kitchen cabinets, and we can do them in the same visit.
Painted or stained cabinets — which is better?
Paint suits modern colors; stain suits warm wood. A painted kitchen with a wood-toned island is a popular middle ground.
How long will the kitchen be out of use?
Expect about a week for a typical kitchen. Counters, sink and appliances stay in use; only the doors leave.
Do you paint the inside of the cabinets?
Only if you want it; interiors are an add-on. Glass-front and open cabinets are where people usually choose it.
Buffalo Grove contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors working in the Village must register annually; $75 per trade, no fee for state-licensed contractors. We take care of that before work starts.
What kind of Buffalo Grove homes do you work in?
In Buffalo Grove we see Early post-Korean War single-family homes, some about 1,000 sq ft. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need a permit for cabinet painting in Buffalo Grove?
It depends on the scope. Buffalo Grove's rule in short: Permit required to replace or modify a kitchen, including replacing cabinetry; replacing a sink or faucet needs a plumbing permit even in the same location; electrical must meet the 2017 NEC. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services.
Do you work in my part of Buffalo Grove?
Yes. Our crews work across Buffalo Grove, including The Highlands, Green Knolls, Windfield, Didier Farms — ZIP 60089 — and nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine, Lake Zurich.
Working in Buffalo Grove
- A lot of Buffalo Grove kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Buffalo Grove homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
The HighlandsGreen KnollsWindfieldDidier Farms
ZIP 60089
Kitchen Cabinet Painting nearby
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Other kitchen services in Buffalo Grove
Cabinet Refinishing & StainingRe-stained wood cabinets with the grain still showing.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Kitchen Cabinet & Drawer RepairHinges, drawer slides and water-damaged sink bases fixed.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.