Many coats of old paint
Original cabinets in older Evanston homes often have several layers of paint. We strip where layers are failing and work lead-safe on older coatings.
Serving Evanston & nearby Skokie, Glenview
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Evanston, IL
Make your Evanston kitchen look new without replacing the cabinets — for a fraction of the cost.
- Crews working in Evanston ZIP 60201, 60202, 60208
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Cabinet problems a paint job fixes
If your Evanston cabinets are solid but the color is tired, painting is the fastest way to a new kitchen. Doors and drawer fronts are sprayed off-site, frames are painted in place, and you keep your counters and layout.
Mismatched cabinets
After a partial remodel, old and new cabinets often don't match. Painting both the same color pulls the kitchen together.
Sticky, greasy cabinet doors
Grease near the range never quite wipes off. A deep degrease is the first step, before any sanding or primer.
Holes from old hardware
Switching from knobs to pulls leaves old holes. We fill and sand them flush before primer, so they disappear under the new finish.
Brush marks and drips
Brush strokes and paint runs from an earlier job are sanded out, and the doors are sprayed smooth.
Painted without removing the doors
Hinges painted over and edges skipped — a common shortcut. Our doors come off, and hinges are cleaned or replaced.
Yellowed white cabinets
Oil-based white paint turns yellow over time, especially in darker corners. We repaint with a non-yellowing waterborne cabinet coating.
Dark kitchen
Light painted cabinets reflect light across the room — the cheapest way to brighten a dark kitchen.
What's included
- Door and drawer removalWe remove and number every door and drawer front so each one goes back in its spot.
- Cleaning and degreasingA full degrease of doors and frames, especially near the range and sink.
- Bonding primerPrimer matched to the surface — wood, MDF or old paint — so the topcoat bonds.
- Frames and end panelsFace frames, end panels and crown molding are painted in place with masking and floor protection.
- 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 holesWe patch old hardware holes so they vanish under the new finish.
Options to choose from
Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore cabinet coatingsCabinet-grade enamels such as Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane or Benjamin Moore Advance, tinted to any color.
Two-tone kitchensA darker island or lower cabinets with lighter uppers — popular and forgiving.
Catalyzed finishesTwo-part coatings sprayed on doors for maximum hardness in busy kitchens.
Popular colorsOff-whites, soft greens and deep blues — we bring large samples so you can see them in your light.
Waterborne urethane cabinet paintHard, non-yellowing and low-odor — our default for most kitchens.
Before and after: kitchens near Evanston
Before
In progress
After
DetailKitchen Cabinet Painting in a prewar brick bungalow, Evanston
The site: a prewar brick bungalow in Evanston. What we started with: 1980s honey-oak raised-panel cabinets installed over the old plaster. What bothered the owners most: the dated wood tone. Finished kitchen: the same doors sprayed in soft white, new matte black pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. Work included bonding primer, frames and end panels, plus filling old hardware holes.
Before
AfterA Skokie postwar bi-level: before and after
The site: a postwar bi-level in Skokie. What we started with: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets. The main complaint was the dated wood tone. The result: the same doors sprayed in powder blue, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. On site this meant door and drawer removal, cleaning and degreasing, plus bonding primer.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Skokie →
Before
AfterGlenview kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: kitchen cabinet painting
This one is a postwar Cape Cod near The Glen. The kitchen as it was: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls. The main complaint was dark wood that made the kitchen feel small. The result: the same doors sprayed in pale sage, new polished nickel pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. Work included bonding primer, new hardware and hinges, plus filling old hardware holes.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Glenview →
Before
AfterCabinet Refinishing & Staining in a prewar foursquare, Evanston
Wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a natural light oak tone, grain still showing.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Evanston →
Before
AfterAn Evanston prewar brick bungalow: before and after
New five-piece shaker doors in charcoal gray on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and polished nickel pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Evanston →Day by day
- Estimate and colorWe check the cabinet material, count doors and drawers and help you choose color and sheen.
- 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 coatsDoors get sprayed finish coats while frames are painted in place.
- ReinstallDoors go back on, hinges adjusted, hardware installed and touch-ups done.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting questions from Evanston homeowners
My cabinets have old paint. Is that safe to sand?
We treat old paint in pre-1978 homes as possible lead paint and use containment, wet methods and HEPA cleanup.
Can you paint cabinets in a condo?
Yes — doors are finished off-site, so there is little odor in the building, and we follow your association's rules.
Is painting cheaper than replacing cabinets?
Typically yes — you skip tear-out, new counters and plumbing work. We'll tell you honestly if your cabinets aren't worth painting.
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.
Can you paint cabinets that are already painted?
Yes. We test the old paint for adhesion, remove anything that is failing, scuff-sand and prime before the new color.
Do I need a Evanston-registered contractor for cabinet painting?
All contractors working in city limits must register with the City; annual fee General Contractor $150, Trade Contractor $125. We take care of that before work starts.
Can you do cabinet painting in an Evanston condo?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a permit for cabinet painting in Evanston?
It depends on the scope. Evanston's rule in short: Residential permit applications go through the Citizen Portal; City worksheets signed by the contractors are required for any electrical, plumbing or HVAC work. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department, Building & Development Services (Building & Inspection Services).
Do you work in my part of Evanston?
Yes. Our crews work across Evanston — ZIP 60201, 60202, 60208 — and nearby Skokie, Glenview, Park Ridge.
Working in Evanston
- Most Evanston homes are prewar. We work around plaster walls, radiators and out-of-square rooms every week.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
ZIP 60201ZIP 60202ZIP 60208
Kitchen Cabinet Painting nearby
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Other kitchen services in Evanston
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.