If your kitchen cabinets are solid but dated, you’ve probably wondered what it costs to make them look new again — without the shock of a full replacement quote. Here’s a straight answer for Jacksonville homeowners in 2026.
The Short Answer
In the Jacksonville area, professional cabinet refinishing typically runs $2,000 to $4,000 for a standard kitchen, though smaller projects can start around $1,200 and larger or high-end finishes can reach $5,000+. Compare that to cabinet replacement, which runs $6,000 to $30,000 or more — refinishing usually costs 70–80% less.
What Determines Your Price
Several factors move the number up or down:
- Kitchen size — more doors and drawer fronts means more labor. Cabinets are priced largely by the number of surfaces refinished.
- Current condition — heavy grease, water damage, or previous bad paint jobs add prep time. Refinishing is 80% prep, 20% finish.
- Finish type — a simple re-stain costs less than a full color change or a specialty finish.
- Hardware — swapping knobs, pulls, and hinges adds a small cost but a big visual upgrade.
Why Jacksonville Homeowners Choose Refinishing
Many Jacksonville homes — especially in established neighborhoods like Riverside, San Marco, Mandarin, and the Beaches — have solid wood or quality cabinet boxes from the 1980s–2000s that are structurally fine but visually tired. Refinishing keeps those good boxes and renews the surface, saving thousands and cutting a weeks-long remodel down to days.
Refinishing vs. the Alternatives
- Refinishing: $2,000–$4,000 — renews existing finish, keeps wood look
- Painting: $2,000–$4,000 — solid new color over existing cabinets
- Refacing: $4,500–$7,000 — new doors/fronts over existing boxes
- Replacement: $6,000–$30,000+ — all new cabinets
For most homeowners with sound cabinets, refinishing delivers the best balance of cost and result.
Get a Real Number for Your Kitchen
Every kitchen is different, and the only accurate price comes from seeing your cabinets. New Empire offers free, no-obligation cabinet refinishing quotes throughout Jacksonville and Northeast Florida — request yours today.
