Choosing the right option

Respray, replace,
wrap or hand-paint?

There's more than one way to give a kitchen a new look — and they're not equal on cost, durability or disruption. Here's an honest comparison, including where respraying isn't the answer.

Dulux Select Decorator
UKSA Member
20+ Years Experience
Fully Insured
At a glance

Four ways to refresh
your kitchen

How spraying compares with the alternatives on the things that actually matter.

ResprayReplaceVinyl wrapHand-paint
Typical cost£2,500–£4,000£10,000+£1,500–£3,000£1,000–£2,500
Finish qualityFactory-smoothFactory-smoothGood, but seamsBrush/roller marks
Durability10+ years15+ yearsCan peel at edgesChips more easily
Colour optionsAny colourRange availableLimited rangeAny colour
Disruption1–2 weeks, usable4–8 weeks, no kitchenA few days1–2 weeks
Keeps your unitsYesNo — scrappedYesYes

Costs are typical UK ranges for an average kitchen and vary with size, condition and specification.

In detail

The honest case
for each

Best for most kitchens

Respraying

Your existing cabinets are degreased, prepped, primed and sprayed with cabinet-grade coatings to a flawless, even finish — in any colour. You keep the units you already have and get a result that's hard to tell from a brand-new kitchen.

  • Factory-smooth finish, any colour
  • A fraction of replacement cost
  • Lasts 10+ years, kitchen usable throughout
  • Not suitable if cabinets are damaged or warped

Replacing

Rip out and start again with brand-new units. The right choice if your cabinets are structurally failing or you want to change the entire layout — but you're paying for new units, worktops, fitting and disposal, and losing weeks without a kitchen.

  • Brand-new units and layout change possible
  • Longest lifespan
  • £10,000+ and weeks of disruption
  • Perfectly good cabinets sent to landfill

Vinyl wrapping

A thin adhesive film is applied over the doors. Quick and relatively cheap, but it's a covering rather than a coating — over time wrap can lift and peel at the edges, especially near heat and steam, and the colour range is limited.

  • Quick and lower cost
  • Can peel and lift over time
  • Limited colours, visible seams
  • Less durable around heat and moisture

Hand-painting

Painting the doors by brush and roller. The cheapest option and fine as a quick refresh, but it leaves visible brush strokes and texture, chips more easily, and rarely matches the durability of a properly primed, sprayed finish.

  • Lowest cost, any colour
  • Can be done DIY
  • Brush and roller marks
  • Chips and wears faster
Straight answer

When we'd tell you
not to respray

We won't talk you into a respray that isn't right for your kitchen. If your cabinets are structurally damaged, water-swollen or coming apart, no finish will fix that — replacement is the honest answer, and we'll tell you so.

Likewise, if you want to change the whole layout — move the sink, add an island, reconfigure the units — that's a job for new cabinets, not a respray.

But if your units are sound and you mainly want them to look new again, respraying is almost always the smarter choice: the same transformation, for a fraction of the cost and disruption. We'll give you our honest view at the free survey.

Common questions

Comparison FAQs

Respraying is far cheaper. A respray typically costs £2,500–£4,000, while a full kitchen replacement averages £10,000 or more. If your cabinets are structurally sound, respraying gives you the same fresh look for a fraction of the cost.
Spraying applies a liquid cabinet-grade coating that bonds to the surface and cures hard, like the finish on a car. Vinyl wrapping applies a thin adhesive film over the doors. Sprayed finishes are more durable, can be any colour, and don't peel at the edges over time the way wrap can.
Spraying gives a flawless, factory-smooth finish with no brush or roller marks, applied evenly across every surface. Hand-painting is cheaper but leaves texture and visible strokes, and rarely matches the durability of a properly primed and sprayed finish.
Replacement makes sense when the cabinets themselves are structurally damaged, water-swollen or falling apart, or when you want a completely different layout. If the units are sound and you mainly want a new look, respraying is the smarter choice.
Free no-obligation quote

Not sure which is
right for you?

Tell us about your kitchen and we'll give you our honest view — respray or not — with a clear written quote. We reply within the hour, Mon–Sat.