What a DIY job really involves
The paint is the easy part. A cabinet job is mostly taking doors off, degreasing, sanding, filling, priming and waiting for coats to cure. For an average kitchen that's several days of work, with the kitchen out of action, and it's the prep that decides whether the paint lasts.
Retail kits and big-box paint
Store-bought cabinet kits and general-purpose paints can give a decent result on a bathroom vanity or a laundry room. They're usually brushed or rolled, which leaves visible marks, and many are softer than a cabinet enamel, so they scuff and chip on kitchen doors that get handled all day.
A professional finish
A professional job uses a bonding primer and a hard cabinet enamel, like Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane, sprayed for a smooth, level finish. The difference shows most where cabinets take the most wear: around handles, on lower doors and on the edges.
When DIY makes sense
- A small vanity or utility cabinets where looks matter less.
- Cabinets you plan to replace in a few years anyway.
- If you have the time, patience and space to let coats cure.
When to hire it out
- Kitchen cabinets you use every day.
- Glossy factory finishes or heavy grease.
- When you want the factory look of a sprayed finish.
- When the kitchen can't be out of use for a week of weekends.