If your kitchen looks tired but the cabinet boxes are still solid, refinishing is usually the fastest way to get a “new kitchen” feel without paying full renovation prices. In Calgary, cabinet refinishing sits in that sweet spot where you can upgrade the look, change the colour or sheen, fix wear and tear, and keep the layout you already like. In this article, we’ll explore the kitchen cabinet refinishing in Calgary, as your 2026 cost guide and pricing.
This guide breaks down what refinishing typically costs of a kitchen cabinet refinishing Calgary, what drives the price up or down, what you get for the money, and how to compare quotes like a pro.
What “cabinet refinishing” means in Calgary
People use “refinishing” as a catch all term, but it helps to separate three common options because pricing depends on which one you are actually buying.
Refinishing
Usually means cleaning, sanding or deglossing, repairing dings, priming, spraying or brushing paint, then finishing with a durable topcoat. It is focused on the surfaces you already have.
Painting
Often used interchangeably with refinishing, but pros sometimes use “painting” when the scope is mostly colour change, and “refinishing” when it includes heavier prep, repairs, and more robust coatings.
Refacing: Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing Calgary: Cost Guide & Pricing
Means new doors and drawer fronts, and often new veneer on cabinet boxes. Hardware upgrades are common. It changes the “face” of the kitchen more dramatically, and usually costs more than refinishing.
If you are comparing quotes and one contractor is proposing refacing while another is proposing refinishing, the numbers will look wildly different for a reason.
Typical Calgary price ranges, what most homeowners can expect
Cabinet refinishing in Calgary is commonly quoted as a project total, and sometimes as a per door or per linear foot number. The range is wide because kitchens vary, and so does the prep work.
Here are practical “starting point” ranges you can use to sanity check a quote.
Calgary cabinet refinishing and related options, pricing overview
| Service option | Typical Calgary range (CAD) | Common pricing method | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet refinishing, professional (prep + prime + spray finish) | $2,500 to $9,000+ | Flat project total, sometimes per door | Solid cabinet boxes and doors, you want a durable like new finish |
| Cabinet painting, professional (standard scope) | $2,000 to $6,500+ | Flat project total, sometimes per door | A straightforward colour change when doors are in good condition |
| Cabinet painting, estimate by linear foot | $150 to $300 per linear foot | Linear foot estimate | Quick budgeting for standard kitchen layouts |
| Cabinet refacing (new doors and drawer fronts) | $5,000 to $12,000+ | Flat project total, sometimes per door | You want a bigger style change without replacing cabinet boxes |
| Full cabinet replacement (new cabinets) | $12,000 to $30,000+ | Flat project total | Layout changes, damaged boxes, or a full kitchen remodel |
These are typical market guideposts, not a promise. Your kitchen can land below or above depending on doors, drawers, condition, and finish choices.
What actually drives the price in Calgary: Kitchen cabinet refinishing
Refinishing is mostly labour. The finish can look simple, but the work underneath it is where the quality comes from. The biggest pricing drivers are usually:
Number of doors and drawers
More pieces means more prep, more masking, more spraying, more drying time, more reassembly.
Condition and prep
Grease buildup, nicotine staining, water damage, peeling thermofoil, and deep scratches all add labour. If a quote feels “too cheap,” it often means the prep steps are being skipped.
Paint system and finish level
A durable cabinet system, primer plus enamel plus topcoat where needed, costs more than basic wall paint. Higher sheen and ultra smooth finishes usually mean more sanding and careful spraying.
Colour change intensity
Going from dark wood to bright white often takes more steps and more coats.
On site versus shop finishing
Some teams remove doors and spray in a shop, then finish frames on site. Others do everything in place. Shop finishing can improve quality, but it adds logistics.
Hardware, hinges, and extras
Soft close hinges, new pulls, new drawer slides, crown molding, light valance changes, or glass inserts can add a lot.
Timeline
Rush jobs cost more. If someone has an opening tomorrow at a suspiciously low price, ask why.
Kitchen cabinet refinishing in Calgary: What a good refinishing quote should include
This is where homeowners in Calgary can save real money, not by squeezing the contractor, but by making sure you are comparing the same scope.
A solid quote usually spells out:
- Prep method, cleaning, deglossing, sanding
- Repairs included and what counts as “extra”
- Primer type and topcoat type
- Spray versus brush and roll, and where each is used
- Door removal plan and reinstallation plan
- Masking and dust control approach
- Dry time, cure time, and when you can use the kitchen normally
- Warranty details, and what voids it
If a quote is one line, “Paint cabinets, $3,000,” you are not getting enough detail to trust the price.
DIY vs pro refinishing in Calgary: What you really trade off
DIY refinishing can be cheaper on paper, but cabinets are one of the easiest places to create a result that looks fine from far away and rough up close.
DIY can make sense if:
- Your cabinets are flat slab doors with minimal detail
- You can remove doors and label everything carefully
- You have a garage or space for sanding and painting
- You are okay with a slower timeline and learning curve
Professional refinishing usually wins if:
- You want a factory smooth sprayed finish
- You have detailed doors with grooves and profiles
- Your kitchen is heavily used and you need durability
- You want the job done fast, clean, and with warranty support
One more detail Calgary homeowners forget, Alberta charges GST, which is commonly added on top of quoted labour and materials. When budgeting, plan for tax on the final invoice, not just the base number.
How to estimate your cost in 60 seconds
You can do a quick “back of the napkin” estimate before calling anyone:
- Count doors and drawers
Write two numbers, doors and drawers. - Note your current finish
Wood stain, painted, thermofoil, laminate, or mixed. - Pick your goal
Same colour refresh, or dramatic colour change. - Flag problem areas
Peeling edges, water damage, deep scratches, warped doors.
Then use these rough bands:
- Small kitchens, 10 to 15 doors, often land in the lower part of the range
- Medium kitchens, 15 to 25 doors, tend to be mid range
- Large kitchens, 25+ doors, commonly push higher, especially with islands and tall pantry units
You are not trying to get an exact number, you are trying to avoid sticker shock and spot an unrealistic quote.
Ways to reduce the price without wrecking the result
If you want the best value, focus on scope choices that reduce labour, not quality.
Here are smart “cost control” moves:
- Keep the same door style and avoid refacing unless you truly want a style change
- Choose one colour for all cabinets, two tone kitchens can add complexity
- Reuse hardware locations, changing hole spacing creates patch work
- Replace only the worst doors, not all doors, if the contractor offers matching
- Skip specialty finishes unless you love them, matte and ultra high gloss can cost more to execute well
- Do the upgrades that matter, like soft close hinges, but avoid unnecessary extras that do not improve durability
Questions to ask a cabinet refinishing contractor in Calgary
Use this short list on phone calls. You will learn quickly who is professional and who is guessing.
- What cabinet paint system do you use, and why?
- Do you spray doors in a shop or on site?
- How do you handle grease and silicone contamination around stoves?
- What is the plan for frames, inside edges, and exposed ends?
- What is your cure time before normal cleaning?
- How do you protect floors, counters, and appliances?
- Can you show before and after photos of a similar kitchen?
- What does your warranty cover?
Refinishing, refacing, or replacing, which one gives the best ROI?
Most Calgary homeowners choose refinishing when:
- Cabinets are structurally solid
- Layout works
- Budget is limited
- Timeline matters
Refacing makes sense when:
- Cabinet boxes are good, but doors are outdated or damaged
- You want a major style shift without changing the layout
Replacement makes sense when:
- Cabinets are failing structurally
- You want a new layout
- You are doing a full renovation anyway
If you are planning to sell in the next couple of years, refinishing can be one of the simplest upgrades that makes the kitchen photograph better, feel cleaner, and show well in viewings.
Bottom line, what to budget in Calgary
For many Calgary kitchens, a realistic professional cabinet refinishing or painting budget lands in the mid thousands, with larger kitchens and higher end finishes pushing higher. Refacing usually costs more, and full replacement is a different category entirely.
If you get three quotes that are all over the place, it is usually because the prep level, coating system, or scope is not the same. Make the scope comparable, then choose based on quality, process, and warranty, not just the cheapest number.
