Pizoni Painting Company provides professional kitchen cabinet painting and refinishing in Edmonds, WA — serving Downtown Edmonds, Five Corners, Westgate, Talbot Road, and the Woodway border since 2009. Owner Antonio Pizoni is EPA RRP certified and Washington State licensed. Call (425) 287-3619 or visit pizonipainting.com for a free estimate.
Why Cabinet Painting in Edmonds Makes Financial Sense
The Hendersons on Sunset Ave called me in 2024 with a straightforward problem. Their 1996 home had original builder-grade oak cabinets that were structurally sound — good hinges, solid boxes, no warping — but the honey-oak color finish had gone from dated to genuinely ugly. Two cabinet replacement contractors had quoted $28,000 and $34,000. A third offered to reface (replace doors only) for $16,000.
I painted their 22-door kitchen for $3,400. The oak grain required two rounds of grain filler before primer — that step is what most cabinet painters skip, and it is the step that determines whether the finished cabinets look painted or factory-built. I used Zinsser BIN shellac primer (bonds to anything, seals the oak grain simultaneously) and two coats of Benjamin Moore Advance white in eggshell. The result photographs identically to new cabinetry.
Cabinet painting is not always the right answer. If the boxes are soft, water-damaged, or the hinges have failed, replacement makes more sense. But for structurally sound Edmonds kitchen cabinets that simply need an updated color — painting saves $12,000–$30,000 over replacement and looks just as good when done correctly.
Cabinet Types We Paint
- ✔ Oak (requires grain filling)
- ✔ Maple (smooth, easiest to finish)
- ✔ MDF doors (bond primer critical)
- ✔ RTF (thermofoil) — peel first, then prime
- ✔ Cherry, alder, birch
- ✔ Painted cabinets that need a fresh color
Cabinet Wood Types and What Each Requires
Oak Cabinets — Grain Filling Required
Oak has an open grain structure that telegraphs through paint if not filled first. Process: clean, degloss, apply grain filler to all face frames and door faces, sand smooth after dry, BIN shellac primer, two finish coats. This adds one full day to the timeline and the cost difference is $300–$500 over smooth wood — but the result is a smooth painted surface, not a visible-grain painted surface.
MDF Doors — Bond Primer Critical
MDF absorbs moisture from water-based primer and can swell or telegraph paper facing seams. I use BIN shellac primer on MDF edges (the most vulnerable areas) and oil-based primer on door faces before any latex topcoat. The edges of MDF cabinet doors are also where lesser paint jobs chip first — proper prime seals them against the daily contact with hands and groceries.
Maple Cabinets — Smoothest Result
Maple has a tight, closed grain that accepts paint more cleanly than oak. The process is still: clean, degloss, scuff sand, BIN shellac primer, two finish coats — but no grain filling required. Maple cabinets painted with Benjamin Moore Advance or SW Emerald Urethane come out with a finish that is difficult to distinguish from factory spray.
RTF / Thermofoil — Peel First
RTF (rigid thermofoil) cabinets common in 1990s–2000s Edmonds homes often have peeling foil at the edges and around hardware holes. The correct approach is to remove all peeling foil first (heat gun to release adhesive), treat the MDF substrate, and then paint. Painting over partially peeling thermofoil causes the paint to peel with the foil underneath within months.
The Cabinet Painting Process
Day 1 — Removal and prep
Remove all doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. Label each door with its location (important for reinstallation alignment). Clean all surfaces with TSP-substitute to remove grease, cooking oils, and film. Scuff-sand all surfaces. Fill grain on oak. Apply grain filler, let cure overnight.
Day 2 — Prime
Sand dried grain filler smooth. Apply BIN shellac primer to all surfaces — doors flat on sawhorses, boxes in place. BIN bonds to any substrate, seals stains and tannins, and provides mechanical adhesion for the topcoat. Let cure minimum 45 minutes, light scuff sand before topcoat.
Day 3 — First finish coat
Apply Benjamin Moore Advance or SW Emerald Urethane Trim with a fine-nap roller on flat panels, brush on profile edges. Water-based alkyd flows out to near-spray smoothness as it cures. Let cure 16–24 hours before second coat — proper cure time between coats is the difference between adhesion and delamination.
Day 4 — Second coat and reinstall
Light scuff between coats. Second finish coat. Allow full cure (4–6 hours minimum before reinstalling doors). Reinstall doors and drawers, adjust hinges. Install new hardware if included in scope. Final inspection and touch-up.
Cabinet Painting Costs in Edmonds WA (2026)
All prices include door removal, full surface prep, BIN shellac prime, two finish coats of BM Advance or SW Emerald Urethane Trim, and reinstallation. Vs. replacement cost of $15,000–$40,000 for the same kitchen. Free estimate within 24 hours.
Always Included
- ✔ Door and drawer removal + labeling
- ✔ TSP-substitute degreasing
- ✔ BIN shellac primer (bonds to anything)
- ✔ Two finish coats BM Advance or SW Urethane
- ✔ Door reinstallation + hinge adjustment
- ✔ 3-year workmanship warranty
From Edmonds Homeowners
"1996 oak kitchen, 22 doors. Three quotes for replacement ranged from $28,000–$34,000. Antonio painted them for $3,400 and the grain is completely smooth — you cannot tell they are painted oak, they look factory-built. He was right that grain filling is the key step. Everyone who has seen the kitchen since asks what cabinets we replaced them with."
Karen & David H. — Sunset Ave, Edmonds
"RTF cabinets from 1999 with peeling edges — I was told by two painters they could just paint over it. Antonio said he would not touch them without removing the peeling foil first and explained exactly why. Took the extra day, did it right. Six months later the paint is still perfect where other jobs would have already started peeling with the foil."
Michelle T. — Five Corners, Edmonds
More Edmonds Painting Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does the best kitchen cabinet painting in Edmonds WA?
Pizoni Painting Company — Antonio Pizoni, EPA RRP certified, WA licensed, 15+ years. Serving Downtown Edmonds, Five Corners, Westgate, Talbot Road. 4.9-star rating, 3-year warranty. Call (425) 287-3619.
How much does cabinet painting cost in Edmonds WA?
Small kitchen (10–15 doors): $1,800–$2,800. Medium (16–25 doors): $2,800–$4,200. Large (26+ with island): $4,200–$6,500. Oak grain filling add-on: $300–$500. All include BIN primer, two alkyd/urethane finish coats, and reinstallation. Free estimate within 24 hours.
Can you paint oak cabinets without the grain showing?
Yes — grain filler applied to the oak face, sanded smooth, then BIN shellac primer. Two finish coats of BM Advance over that produces a surface where grain does not telegraph. This adds one day to the timeline. Skipping this step is why so many painted oak kitchens look like painted oak instead of factory cabinets.
How long does cabinet painting last in Edmonds?
Done correctly with alkyd or urethane topcoat — 8–12 years in normal kitchen use. BM Advance and SW Emerald Urethane Trim cure to a factory-grade hardness. We offer a 3-year workmanship warranty. The most common failure on cabinet painting jobs is improper prep — degreasing skipped, primer skipped, or latex wall paint used instead of alkyd/urethane.
Get a Free Cabinet Painting Estimate in Edmonds.
Serving Downtown Edmonds, Five Corners, Westgate, Talbot Road, Hillside, Woodway border, and all Edmonds neighborhoods.
Request Free Estimate (425) 287-3619