North York’s eclectic housing landscape spans decades of Toronto development – from 1960s apartments near Yonge and Sheppard to luxury condos in Willowdale, established houses in Bayview Village, and everything between. Kitchen cabinets here tell equally diverse stories, from vintage wood deserving preservation to builder-grade melamine needing transformation.

Paint Lions specializes in North York kitchen cabinet painting across all building types and eras. Whether your home dates to 1970 or 2020, we have techniques perfected for transforming cabinets while respecting each property’s unique character and constraints.

Freshly spray paint kitchen cabinet door

Why North York Residents Choose Cabinet Painting

North York’s diverse market means diverse budgets. Cabinet painting delivers maximum impact for reasonable investment – typically $3,500-$7,000 versus $18,000-$45,000 replacement. In a community spanning luxury estates to starter condos, affordable transformation matters.

Recently we painted cabinets in a 1980s Willowdale home where solid oak construction remained excellent but honey tones darkened everything. After transformation to soft gray, natural light finally penetrated the space. The owner said it felt like moving into a new house while keeping the quality craftsmanship of her established neighborhood.

North York’s older buildings often feature superior cabinet construction – real wood, solid joinery, built-to-last quality. Painting preserves this craftsmanship while delivering contemporary aesthetics that refresh spaces without replacing bones that can’t be replicated today.

  • Diverse Solutions: Approaches tailored to North York’s varied housing stock.
  • Age-Appropriate Methods: Techniques suited to your cabinet’s era and materials.
  • Transit-Friendly Scheduling: Work around TTC and GO commuter schedules.
  • Condo Coordination: Navigate building rules and tight urban spaces.

Choosing the Right Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors

White is still the most popular choice, it makes kitchens feel bigger and brighter. But we’re seeing more homeowners get creative with kitchen cabinet paint colors lately.

Navy blue is huge right now, especially for islands. We painted lower cabinets navy and uppers white for a homeowner in Thornhill, it looked like something from a magazine.

Gray (the right shade of gray – not too blue, not too beige) stays popular. Sage green is coming back. Even black, when done right, can look amazing.

A realtor friend told us that neutral kitchen cabinet painting adds the most value when you’re selling. But if you’re staying in your home? Pick colors you love. We can show you samples and help you decide what works with your countertops and flooring.

How Long Does Kitchen Cabinet Painting Last?

With proper care, professionally painted cabinets should last 8-10 years minimum. We’ve seen cabinets we painted seven years ago that still look great.

The key is using the right paint to paint kitchen cabinets – that means durable, scrubbable finishes designed for high-traffic areas. And proper preparation. That’s why repainting painted kitchen cabinets requires the same careful prep as painting them the first time.

Clean them regularly with mild soap and water. Avoid harsh chemicals. Wipe up spills quickly. Treat them right and they’ll stay beautiful for years.

How We Paint Kitchen Cabinets

We don’t just lay down drop cloths and start spraying. That’s how paint gets everywhere it shouldn’t be.

First, we set up a temporary spray booth right in your home. Usually that’s in your garage or basement. We bring professional ventilation equipment and create a clean environment where we can spray your cabinet doors and drawer fronts.

Inside your kitchen, we go room by room protecting everything. Countertops get covered with plastic and tape. We wrap appliances, mask off tiles, cover light fixtures, and protect your floors with paper. Homeowners across GTA are usually impressed by how well everything is protected, but that’s how we avoid overspray getting anywhere.

Your backsplash, ceiling, walls – everything gets masked.

kitchen masked with plastic to protect from overspray

This is where most of DIY jobs fail. You can’t just slap kitchen cabinet paint over dirty, greasy surfaces and expect it to stick.

We begin by removing all doors, drawers, and hardware. Everything gets labeled so it goes back exactly where it came from. Then comes the deep clean, we use commercial-grade degreasers that cut through years of cooking residue. The stuff that builds up near your stove? That invisible grease film? It all has to come off.

Next is sanding. We sand every surface for primer to stick. It’s not aggressive sanding, we’re not trying to remove the old finish completely, just rough it up enough for adhesion.

Got scratches or dings? We fill them with automotive wood filler, let it dry, then sand it smooth. By the time we’re done with prep, your cabinets feel and look smooth.

A couple in Scarborough had cabinets that looked beat up, scratches from kids playing, a chip where someone dropped a pan. After preparation, you couldn’t tell there was ever any damage.

kitchen door degreasing process

Here’s where the magic happens with painting kitchen cabinets. We use specialized kitchen cabinet paint that’s designed to handle moisture, heat, grease, and constant touching.

First coat: high-quality bonding primer. This seals the wood and creates a base layer. We spray it on for an even, smooth finish, then let it dry completely. Once dry, we sand it to knock down any texture.

Second coat: before another layer of primer we inspect cabinets again. Yes, two coats of primer. This ensures complete coverage and a perfect base. More sanding between coats.

Now for the actual paint. We apply two coats of finish paint, a durable 2 component paint. The first coat gets sanded lightly after drying. The second coat is the final finish.

When we paint kitchen cabinets, we pay attention to every detail. The inside edges, the corners where doors meet frames, the spots you’ll see when you open a cabinet, everything gets the same careful treatment.

We worked on a kitchen in Oakville where the homeowner wanted a specific blue-gray colour she saw on Pinterest. Our paint supplier mixed custom kitchen cabinet paint colours to match exactly. She sent us pictures six months later, still looked perfect, no chips or peeling.

freshly sprayed kitchen cabinet door

We treat your home like our own. After the final coat dries, we carefully remove all the masking and protection materials. Everything gets packed up and taken away, you won’t find random pieces of tape stuck to your floor weeks later.

We reinstall all doors and drawers, adjust hinges so everything closes smoothly, and put back all your hardware (or install new hardware if you upgraded).

Before we leave, we do a final walkthrough with you. We check every cabinet, make sure you’re happy with the kitchen cabinet painting, and answer any questions about care and maintenance.

kitchen cabinet painting

What Makes Paint Lions Different?

We’ve been specializing in kitchen cabinet painting across the GTA since 2023. We use only premium kitchen cabinet paint. Our team has painted cabinets in condos, townhouses, and houses from Toronto to Richmond Hill to Georgina.

Every project includes a written warranty. We don’t rush jobs to fit in more customers. Your cabinets get the time they need to be done right.

Visit our kitchen cabinet painting portfolio to see more finished kitchens

North York Kitchen Cabinet Painting FAQ

Absolutely. We regularly work in North York’s numerous condo buildings – coordinating with property management, using service elevators during permitted hours, setting up spray areas in underground parking or spare rooms, and maintaining immaculate workspaces respecting shared spaces. Condo living doesn’t prevent cabinet painting – just requires adapted approaches.

North York’s established homes often have dated but quality cabinets – raised panels, cathedral doors, intricate moldings from the 70s-90s. We preserve architectural details while updating colors, use appropriate prep techniques for aged finishes, and transform vintage styles into contemporary showcases that honor original craftsmanship.

Yes, proudly. North York’s remarkable diversity means we serve homeowners from countless cultural backgrounds. We communicate respectfully across language differences, accommodate cultural preferences including color symbolism, work around religious observances and cultural events, and respect diverse household customs throughout projects.

Definitely. The Yonge & Sheppard area features countless condos and apartments where parking and access require careful coordination. We navigate downtown North York’s urban constraints, coordinate building access, work efficiently in compact spaces, and deliver quality results despite logistical challenges common in dense urban areas.

Many North York residents commute downtown via subway or bus. We schedule around your transit routine – working during daytime hours when you’re commuting, accommodating early departures and evening returns, or scheduling weekend work when you’re home. Flexible timing ensures painting doesn’t disrupt your work commute.

Yes, regularly. North York’s mix of detached homes, townhouses, and high-rise apartments requires versatile approaches. We work efficiently in 500-square-foot condo kitchens and expansive suburban houses equally well, adapting techniques to each property type while maintaining consistent quality standards.

Absolutely. The Bathurst corridor features many older apartment buildings and established neighborhoods. We work in these buildings regularly, coordinating with older building management styles, navigating limited parking and tight spaces, and delivering results that modernize units while respecting building character and community cultures.

North York has buildings spanning many eras, including some pre-war and numerous mid-century structures. Older cabinets often have superior construction deserving preservation. We use gentler prep methods on aged wood, respect period details, and transform vintage cabinets into contemporary spaces while maintaining historical character.

North York projects range widely given housing diversity – typically $3,500-$7,000. Small condo kitchens start around $3,500, while large houses reach $7,000+. We provide free estimates that account for your specific space, cabinet quantity, and finish requirements, ensuring transparent pricing for your project.