Oak grain showing through
Open oak grain shows through paint. We can fill the grain for a smooth, modern look or leave a light texture if you prefer it.
Serving Oak Brook & nearby Villa Park, Lombard
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Oak Brook, IL
Make your Oak Brook kitchen look new without replacing the cabinets — for a fraction of the cost.
- Serving Oak Brook ZIP 60523
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Cabinet problems a paint job fixes
If your Oak Brook 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.
Holes from old hardware
New hardware rarely matches the old holes. We patch the old ones invisibly and drill clean new ones.
Mismatched cabinets
Old and new cabinets that don't match look like two kitchens. One paint color ties them together.
Peeling or chipped paint
Peeling paint usually means it went on over grease or gloss with no primer. We remove the failing coat and refinish properly.
Yellowed white cabinets
Old white finishes yellow with age. A modern waterborne urethane or acrylic cabinet paint stays white.
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.
Painted without removing the doors
Paint on the hinges, drips in the corners and doors stuck to the frames are signs of a paint job done in place. We take everything apart and redo it properly.
Dark kitchen
Light painted cabinets reflect light across the room — the cheapest way to brighten a dark kitchen.
What's included
- Door and drawer removalDoors and drawer fronts come off, hinges and hardware are labeled and bagged.
- Sanding and repairsWe sand for adhesion and repair dings, cracked filler and loose moldings.
- Bonding primerPrimer matched to the surface — wood, MDF or old paint — so the topcoat bonds.
- Sprayed doorsSpraying the doors off-site gives an even finish with no brush marks.
- Frames and end panelsFace frames, end panels and crown molding are painted in place with masking and floor protection.
- Filling old hardware holesWe patch old hardware holes so they vanish under the new finish.
- Island and bathroom vanitiesWe can paint bathroom vanities and the island along with the kitchen.
Materials and finishes
Grain filling for oakGrain filler before primer makes oak doors look smooth like painted maple or MDF.
Waterborne urethane cabinet paintHard, non-yellowing and low-odor — our default for most kitchens.
Two-tone kitchensDifferent colors for island and perimeter add depth without new cabinets.
Popular colorsWarm white, greige, sage green, navy and charcoal are the most requested this year.
Painted with the wood grain showingSome owners like oak painted white with the grain still visible; we skip the grain filler for that look.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting before and after — Oak Brook homes
Before
In progress
After
DetailAn Oak Brook 1970s split-level: before and after
A 1970s split-level in Oak Brook, a typical kitchen for Oak Brook. Before: white painted cabinets with yellowed paint and dated scalloped trim. What bothered the owners most: an old paint job failing at the edges. The result: the same doors sprayed in sage green, new matte black pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered door and drawer removal, sanding and repairs, plus island and bathroom vanities.
Before
AfterA Villa Park postwar Cape Cod: before and after
A postwar Cape Cod in Villa Park, a typical kitchen for Villa Park. What we started with: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls. The main complaint was orange-looking wood that made the room feel old. The result: the same doors sprayed in light warm taupe, new unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered door and drawer removal, filling old hardware holes, plus island and bathroom vanities.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Villa Park →
Before
AfterA Lombard 1960s ranch: before and after
A 1960s ranch in Lombard, a typical kitchen for Lombard. What we started with: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets. The main complaint was orange-looking wood that made the room feel old. Finished kitchen: the same doors sprayed in powder blue, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered sanding and repairs, bonding primer, plus sprayed doors.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Lombard →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1970s tract home in Oak Brook
Wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a rich even medium-brown stain, grain still showing.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Oak Brook →
Before
AfterCabinet Refacing in a 1970s tract home, Oak Brook
What changed: new flat slab doors with a thin edge in warm white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and brushed nickel bar pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Oak Brook →How the job goes
- 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 primeClean, sand, fill and prime — the steps that decide how long the paint lasts.
- Finish coatsDoors get sprayed finish coats while frames are painted in place.
- ReinstallWe rehang, align and do a final touch-up walk with you.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting questions from Oak Brook 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.
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 bathroom vanities too?
We do. Many clients add the vanities once they see the kitchen.
Can you paint laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Laminate can be painted with the right bonding primer. Peeling thermofoil cannot — we replace those doors instead.
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 I need a Oak Brook-registered contractor for cabinet painting?
Oak Brook does not require contractor registration; no village-specific requirements for residential alterations. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for cabinet painting in Oak Brook?
It depends on the scope. Oak Brook's rule in short: Village publishes a Residential Permit Requirement Listing; its Residential Alteration category requires contract/scope of work, architectural plans and plat of survey. We handle the permit when one is needed with Development Services (Building).
Do you work in my part of Oak Brook?
Yes. Our crews work across Oak Brook — ZIP 60523 — and nearby Villa Park, Lombard, Elmhurst.
Working in Oak Brook
- A lot of Oak Brook kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Oak Brook homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Development Services (Building) handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60523
Kitchen Cabinet Painting nearby
More for Oak Brook homeowners
- All kitchen services in Oak BrookRemodels, cabinets, counters, plumbing, appliances and repairs
- Kitchen Cabinet Painting across ChicagolandEvery town we cover for this service
-
CabinetsCabinet Refacing vs Painting vs Replacement: How to ChooseIn cabinet refacing vs painting vs replacement, start with the boxes. Sound boxes and only a color complaint: paint. Sound boxes but a dated or…4 min read
-
Costs and budgetingCabinet Painting Cost: What It Costs to Have Kitchen Cabinets PaintedCabinet painting cost for an average kitchen usually runs about $2,000 to $6,500, or about $30 to $70 per linear foot and $70 to $125 per door…3 min read
-
CabinetsPainting Kitchen Cabinets: Options, Preparation and When to Hire a ProThe best way to paint kitchen cabinets is mostly preparation: remove the doors, degrease every surface, scuff-sand, apply a bonding primer, then two…3 min read
-
CabinetsCabinet Paint Cracking, Chipping and Peeling: Causes and FixesCabinet paint cracking at door joints is usually wood moving with seasonal humidity, not a failed finish. Cabinet paint chipping and peeling almost…3 min read
Other kitchen services in Oak Brook
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.