Kitchen Respray Timeline: What Happens Each Day, From Survey to Sign-Off

A ColourHaus kitchen project: olive grey handleless units and island.

Most kitchen resprays take 3 to 5 working days from the first morning of preparation to the final walk-through. Doors and drawer fronts are usually collected and sprayed at our workshop in Sheepscar, Leeds, while frames, end panels and plinths are sprayed in place with your worktops, floors and appliances masked. Your units, worktops, sink and appliances stay where they are, so there is no strip-out and no weeks without a kitchen. Below is what happens on each day and what you need to do.

If you are still deciding whether to respray at all, start with our kitchen respraying service page, which covers prices from £1,500, the finishes we offer and what the guarantee covers. This article is about the time it takes once you have booked.

Why Most Kitchens Take 3 to 5 Working Days

The length of the job depends on how much there is to spray and how many coats the colour change needs. A smaller kitchen with up to 10 doors and drawer fronts sits at the short end. These things push it towards five days:

• A larger kitchen, an island or a peninsula with extra panels.
• In-frame doors, which need more careful masking than slab or standard Shaker doors.
• A two-tone scheme, because each colour is masked and sprayed separately.
• A big change from dark to light, which can need an extra coat for full coverage.
• Repairs found at the survey, such as chips, loose edges or peeling vinyl wrap that has to come off first.

We confirm the number of days in your written quote, so you can plan around it before work starts.

Before the Job: Survey, Samples and Your Preparation

Everything starts with a free survey. We count the doors, drawer fronts, frames and end panels, check what they are made of and look for damage, and bring sprayed samples so you can see colours and finishes in your own light. You get a fixed-price written quote within 48 hours. A 50% deposit secures your dates, and the balance is due on the final day once you have signed off the work.

In the week before we start:

• Look at your sprayed sample in the kitchen at different times of day and confirm the colour. Our RAL colour guide for kitchens helps if you are still choosing.
• Clear the worktops completely, including the kettle, toaster, knife block and anything else that lives on them.
• Empty the cupboards nearest the work area if we have asked you to.
• Make sure there is a clear route from the door to the kitchen, because doors and drawer fronts are carried out to the van.
• Plan simple meals for the days the frames are being sprayed, and keep pets out of the kitchen while we work.

Our article on what preparation is needed before respraying kitchen cabinets explains the preparation we do ourselves, step by step.

Day 1: Protection, Numbering and Collection

The first job is protection. Floors, worktops, appliances and anything that is not being sprayed are covered and masked. Every door and drawer front is then numbered before it comes off, because doors in the same kitchen are often slightly different sizes and each one has to go back in its original position.

Hinges and handles are removed and bagged. If you are keeping your handles they go back on at the end; if you are changing them, the new ones are fitted on the final day. The numbered doors and drawer fronts are loaded and taken to our workshop in Sheepscar.

Back in the kitchen, the frames, end panels and plinths are cleaned and degreased. Cooking residue builds up even on units that look clean, and paint will not bond properly over it. The surfaces are then sanded to give the primer a key, and small chips are filled.

The Middle Days: Spraying in Your Kitchen and at the Workshop

Two things happen in parallel. In your kitchen, the frames, end panels and plinths are primed and sprayed in place, with everything around them masked. While this is going on the kitchen is effectively a work area, which is why we suggest planning simple meals.

At the workshop, the doors and drawer fronts go through the same sequence:

1. Cleaning and degreasing to remove grease and residue.
2. Sanding to key the surface and take out minor imperfections.
3. Primer, left to dry before topcoating.
4. First topcoat, then a light flatting back if needed to remove any dust nibs.
5. Second topcoat, followed by a check of every door before it is cleared to go back.

Because the doors are sprayed indoors at the workshop and the in-place work happens inside your house, rain and wind do not hold the job up.

The Final Day: Rehanging, Handles and the Walk-Through

The doors and drawer fronts come back and are rehung in their numbered positions. Hinges are adjusted so every door hangs straight and closes properly, drawer fronts are aligned and handles are fitted. The masking comes off and the in-place surfaces are checked and touched in where needed.

We then go round the kitchen with you, door by door. Anything you are not happy with is dealt with before we leave. Once you have signed off the work, the balance is due and your written guarantee is issued. It covers the coating against peeling, flaking and adhesion failure caused by our workmanship under normal domestic use. It does not cover impact damage, heat or water damage, or harsh cleaning products; the full terms are on our guarantee page.

After the Job: The First Two Weeks

The finish is touch-dry when the doors go back on, and you can use the kitchen normally that evening. The coating carries on hardening for around 7 to 14 days, so for the first couple of weeks:

• Dust with a dry cloth rather than wiping with cleaning products.
• Don't let water sit on the painted surfaces, especially around the sink.
• Open and close doors and drawers gently, and avoid sticking tape or hooks to them.
• After that, clean with a damp microfibre cloth and mild washing-up liquid. Avoid scouring pads and harsh chemical cleaners.

How long the finish lasts after that depends mostly on preparation and care. Our article on how long kitchen spray painting lasts goes into the detail.

How This Compares With Fitting a New Kitchen

A new fitted kitchen typically costs £10,000 to £30,000 and takes 4 to 8 weeks once the units, worktops, fitting and follow-on trades are included, as we explain on our new kitchen or respray page. A respray keeps your units, worktops and appliances in place and is usually finished within a working week. If you also want the worktops changed, our kitchen makeover adds spray granite worktops, tiles and handles to the respray on one quote.

“Great job by Matt and his team. Minimal disruption and all done in a few days.”

“Matt was great, constantly keeping in touch with us. They collected our doors in the morning and the finished result is excellent.”

For costs, materials and finishes in one place, read our complete guide to kitchen spray painting or the kitchen spray painting cost guide.