Cabinet Painting

Cabinet painting costs $200-$500 in materials, a 96% savings versus new cabinets at $15,000-$30,000, yet achieves a finish that lasts 8-10 years. Unlike #4's peel-and-stick backsplash, which takes 2 hours, this requires a full weekend: remove doors, clean with TSP, sand with 120-grit, prime with bonding primer (Zinsser BIN or STIX), and topcoat with Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane. Skipping bonding primer is the number-one mistake—latex paint on factory-finished cabinets peels within months.