Oak grain showing through
Oak grain shows through paint unless it is filled. You choose smooth or textured, and we show you a sample first.
Serving West Chicago & nearby Winfield, Carol Stream
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in West Chicago, IL
Make your West Chicago kitchen look new without replacing the cabinets — for a fraction of the cost.
- Crews working in West Chicago ZIP 60185
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Cabinet problems a paint job fixes
We paint kitchen cabinets in West Chicago 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.
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.
Sticky, greasy cabinet doors
Years of cooking grease build up near the range. We degrease with a cabinet cleaner before sanding — paint will not stick to grease.
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.
Mismatched cabinets
An added island or new uppers that don't match the old cabinets — one paint color makes them look like one set.
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
Dark cabinets make a small kitchen feel smaller. A lighter painted finish brightens the whole room.
Dated oak or honey maple
Golden oak and honey maple look tired next to modern floors and counters. Paint gives you a new color without new cabinets.
What the work covers
- Cleaning and degreasingEvery surface is cleaned with a cabinet degreaser before any sanding.
- Sanding and repairsScuff sanding, filling dents and gouges, fixing loose trim and edge damage.
- Bonding primerA bonding or stain-blocking primer that grips the old finish and stops tannin bleed.
- 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.
- New hardware and hingesOptional new pulls, knobs and soft-close hinges installed during reassembly.
- Filling old hardware holesWe patch old hardware holes so they vanish under the new finish.
Materials and finishes
Grain filling for oakFilling the open oak grain gives the smooth finish most people expect from painted cabinets.
Waterborne urethane cabinet paintHard, non-yellowing and low-odor — our default for most kitchens.
Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore cabinet coatingsWe use cabinet enamels from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore, matched to the color you pick.
Two-tone kitchensDifferent colors for island and perimeter add depth without new cabinets.
Catalyzed finishesTwo-part coatings sprayed on doors for maximum hardness in busy kitchens.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting before and after — West Chicago homes
Before
After
DetailWest Chicago kitchen, 1980s two-story: kitchen cabinet painting
The site: a 1980s two-story in West Chicago. What we started with: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. The main complaint was doors peeling at the edges. The result: the same doors sprayed in deep navy, new brushed nickel bar pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. Work included cleaning and degreasing, sprayed doors, plus new hardware and hinges.
Before
AfterA Winfield two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in Winfield, a typical kitchen for Winfield. The kitchen as it was: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above. What bothered the owners most: dark wood that made the kitchen feel small. The result: the same doors sprayed in light sand beige, new brushed nickel bar pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. Work included sprayed doors, frames and end panels, plus filling old hardware holes.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Winfield →Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Carol Stream
A 1980s two-story in Carol Stream, a typical kitchen for Carol Stream. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above. The reason for the call: dark wood that made the kitchen feel small. The result: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new matte black 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 Carol Stream →
Before
AfterA West Chicago two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
Wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in West Chicago →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in West Chicago
What changed: new five-piece shaker doors in sage green on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in West Chicago →How the job goes
- 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 West Chicago 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.
Do you paint the inside of the cabinets?
Usually no — the interiors are left as they are. We can paint them for an extra charge if you want.
Do you paint bathroom vanities too?
Yes — bathroom vanities and laundry cabinets are painted the same way as the kitchen.
Painted or stained cabinets — which is better?
Paint gives a clean, solid color and hides wood tone; stain keeps the wood look. Painted edges can chip with hard use, stained wood shows wear less.
Is painting cheaper than replacing cabinets?
Almost always. Painting keeps your boxes, counters and plumbing in place, so it costs a fraction of new cabinets and takes days instead of weeks.
Do I need a West Chicago-registered contractor for cabinet painting?
All contractors and subcontractors working in West Chicago must be registered with the City (insurance, licensing and bonding are checked). We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for cabinet painting in West Chicago?
It depends on the scope. West Chicago's rule in short: West Chicago requires a building permit for certain home improvement and remodeling projects; the city publishes an Additions & Remodeling permit guide with a submittal checklist. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department.
Do you work in my part of West Chicago?
Yes. Our crews work across West Chicago — ZIP 60185 — and nearby Winfield, Carol Stream, St. Charles.
Working in West Chicago
- A lot of West Chicago kitchens date from the 1990s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most West Chicago homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60185
Kitchen Cabinet Painting nearby
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Other kitchen services in West Chicago
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.