If your kitchen cabinets have a colour that also describes a food from 1974 - harvest gold, avocado green, walnut brown - you're in the right place. Cabinet painting in Scarborough costs $900 to $3,500 CAD for most kitchens. Those cabinets under the dated finish? Often solid wood or quality plywood, built better than anything you'd get from IKEA today. They don't need replacing. They need a second chance.
Cabinet Painting Costs in Scarborough: By Kitchen Size
| Kitchen Size | Number of Doors | Estimated Cost (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Small kitchen | Under 10 doors | $900 – $1,600 |
| Medium kitchen | 10–20 doors | $1,500 – $2,800 |
| Large kitchen | 20+ doors | $2,500 – $4,000+ |
| Spray finish upgrade | - | +$300 – $600 |
| Two-tone (island a different colour) | - | +$200 – $400 |
| Interior box painting | - | +$400 – $800 |
Prices are for professional labour and materials in Scarborough and East Toronto as of 2026. Quoted per job after in-home assessment - not per door.
Cabinet Painting vs. Replacement: The Real Math for Scarborough Homeowners
Scarborough has a lot of homes built in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The kitchens in those homes share something in common: solid cabinet boxes - often solid wood or quality plywood - that are structurally excellent but look 40 years old. Brown oak, harvest gold laminate, and dark stain finishes are everywhere.
The cabinet boxes in those homes are often better built than modern flat-pack alternatives. What they need is not replacement - it's a new surface. (IKEA kitchens are fine. We're just saying your 1972 oak frames have better bones than a particle board carcass assembled with one confusing wrench and a prayer.)
| Option | Cost Range (CAD) | Timeline | Disruption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet painting | $1,200 – $3,500 | 3–5 days | Low (kitchen usable) |
| Cabinet refacing | $6,000 – $12,000 | 1–2 weeks | Medium |
| New cabinets (Ikea to mid-range) | $15,000 – $35,000 | 4–8 weeks | High (no kitchen) |
If the cabinet boxes are sound and the layout works for you, painting gives you 90% of the visual transformation for about 10% of the cost of replacement. The only scenario where painting doesn't make sense is when the box itself has structural damage - water-damaged particle board that's swelling, hinges that can no longer hold doors, or veneer that is lifting and peeling everywhere.
Scarborough Neighbourhoods We Serve
We regularly do cabinet painting jobs across all of Scarborough, including:
- Agincourt (Sheppard and Kennedy area)
- Malvern (Finch and Morningside)
- Woburn (Lawrence and Markham Road)
- Scarborough Village (Kingston Road and Markham Road)
- West Hill (Kingston Road and Port Union)
- Guildwood (Kingston Road and Guild Road)
- Birchcliff and Cliffside (Kingston Road and Warden)
- Clairlea and Ionview (St. Clair and Warden)
- Kennedy Park (Lawrence and Midland)
- Warden Woods and Crescent Town
- Morningside Heights
- Steeles and Midland area
Same-day or next-day estimates are usually available for Scarborough bookings.
How We Paint Cabinets in Scarborough: The Full Process
This is the complete process - no shortcuts. Here is what happens on your job from start to finish.
Day 1 - Disassembly and Prep
- Remove all cabinet doors and drawer fronts and label every one (so reinstallation is exact - yes, every door gets a number. Yes, we're that person.)
- Remove all hardware - hinges, handles, pulls
- Degrease all surfaces with TSP or equivalent - this is the most important step on kitchen cabinets, which have years of cooking grease embedded in the surface. Paint will not adhere over grease. Full stop. Not period. Full stop.
- Light sanding of all surfaces to break the gloss and give the primer something to grip
Day 2 - Prime and First Coat
- Apply high-adhesion primer to all door faces, drawer fronts, and cabinet frames
- Full cure time - no rushing this step
- Light sand between primer and first finish coat to remove any raised grain
- Apply first finish coat
Day 3 - Second Coat and Reinstall
- Final light sand
- Apply second finish coat
- Allow cure time before reinstalling doors (minimum 2–4 hours depending on humidity)
- Rehang all doors and reinstall hardware
- Final walkthrough and touch-ups
Total job time: 3 to 5 days for a medium Scarborough kitchen. You can use your kitchen during the job - the doors are off but the boxes and countertops remain accessible.
What Paint We Use on Scarborough Cabinets
We use Benjamin Moore Advance for cabinet work. It is a waterborne alkyd - meaning it applies like latex paint (water cleanup, low odour) but cures to a hard, furniture-grade finish over 2–4 weeks. It is formulated specifically for cabinets and trim that take daily mechanical stress: opening, closing, washing, and scrubbing.
Why not standard wall paint? Wall paint is not formulated for the repeated impact and cleaning that kitchen cabinets get. Wall paint on cabinets will chip and peel within 1–2 years regardless of how well it was applied. We have seen DIY cabinet paint jobs fail before the homeowner finished paying off the paint. The right product is not optional. It's the whole point.
Popular Cabinet Colours for Scarborough Kitchens (2026)
These are the colours we're painting most often in Scarborough right now:
- Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17) - a warm white that reads as clean without being stark. Hides fingerprints better than true whites. The most requested colour we paint.
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (HC-154) - deep navy on lower cabinets with White Dove uppers. The most popular two-tone combination we do.
- Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal (HC-166) - dark grey for a modern look. Works well in Scarborough kitchens with stainless appliances and stone counters.
- Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige (SW 7036) - warm neutral for homeowners who want a change from white without going bold.
- Benjamin Moore Simply White (OC-117) - brighter and crisper than White Dove. Better in kitchens with less natural light.
We bring colour samples to every estimate so you can see the exact colour against your countertops and lighting before committing to anything.
How Long Does Cabinet Paint Last in Scarborough?
With proper prep, the right paint, and full cure time: 8–12 years under normal kitchen use. The two most common early failures we see:
- Grease not fully removed before painting. If TSP degreasing was skipped or rushed, the paint eventually lifts from below. This shows up as peeling within 2–4 years - usually starting near the stove and sink where grease is heaviest.
- Paint disturbed during cure. Benjamin Moore Advance reaches full hardness after about 30 days. Aggressive scrubbing or heavy use in the first month can leave marks in the curing film. Gentle use for the first 30 days is the guidance we give every customer.
Frequently Asked Questions - Cabinet Painting in Scarborough
How much does cabinet painting cost in Scarborough?
Cabinet painting in Scarborough costs $900 to $1,600 for a small kitchen (under 10 doors), $1,500 to $2,800 for a medium kitchen (10–20 doors), and $2,500 to $4,000+ for a large kitchen. Prices include prep, primer, and two finish coats of professional cabinet paint.
What is the difference between cabinet painting and cupboard refinishing?
The terms are used interchangeably in Scarborough. Both refer to painting or resurfacing existing cabinet doors and frames - as opposed to cabinet refacing (replacing doors and drawer fronts) or full cabinet replacement. When you search for "cupboard refinishing Scarborough," you're looking for the same service as cabinet painting.
How long does a cabinet painting job take in Scarborough?
Most Scarborough kitchens take 3 to 5 days. Day 1 is disassembly and degreasing. Day 2 is priming and first coat. Day 3 is the second coat and reinstallation. You can use your kitchen throughout - only the doors come off.
Do I need to empty my cabinets before painting?
Yes - shelves and items inside the cabinets should be cleared. We remove all doors and hardware ourselves. Having the inside of the cabinets clear makes it faster and means we don't accidentally move or damage anything.
How long before I can use my kitchen after cabinet painting?
Doors are reinstalled by the end of Day 3. The paint is dry to touch but continues to cure for about 30 days. During that time, use your kitchen normally but avoid scrubbing, abrasive cleaners, and prolonged water contact on the cabinet surfaces.
Can you match any paint colour for cabinets?
Yes. We work with Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and other major brands. If you have a colour in mind - from a paint chip, a magazine, or a specific Benjamin Moore code - we can match it.
Does cabinet painting add value to a Scarborough home?
Yes - updated kitchen cabinets are one of the most consistently valued improvements in home sales. Realtors consistently cite kitchen updates as high-return items. For the cost ($1,500–$3,000), cabinet painting has one of the best returns of any renovation in a Scarborough home.
Do you offer a warranty on cabinet painting in Scarborough?
Yes. Our cabinet painting work comes with a 2-year warranty covering peeling, chipping, or adhesion failure. If anything goes wrong with the finish in normal use within 2 years, we come back and fix it.
Get a Free Cabinet Painting Estimate in Scarborough
We do free in-home estimates across all of Scarborough - Agincourt, Malvern, Woburn, Scarborough Village, West Hill, and everywhere in between. We bring colour samples, assess your cabinet condition, and give you a written quote the same day. The harvest gold stays as long as you want it. But when you're ready to say goodbye, we're ready to make it permanent.
Learn about our cabinet refinishing service or book a free Scarborough estimate.
