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Replacing a fitted kitchen in Surrey can run well into five figures, yet most of that cost goes on doors, drawer fronts and end panels that are structurally sound. The carcasses were solid here; it was the colour that had dated. Respraying the units gives you a hard, even finish for a fraction of a rip-out, and that was the brief on this kitchen.
The client wanted the units, walls and ceiling brought back to a clean, contemporary finish without losing the kitchen for days on end. That meant a tight working window, a dust-free spray finish on the doors, and stains on the ceiling dealt with properly so they would not bleed back through. This is bread-and-butter interior painting and decorating for us, but the spraying is where the result is won or lost.
Prep is most of the job
With a sprayed finish, the spraying itself is the quick part. Almost all of the time goes on preparation, and skipping it is the single biggest reason a hand-done kitchen ends up looking patchy a year later. The same logic applies to walls, which is why we always prepare surfaces properly before any paint goes on.
On a job like this the prep ran to several stages:
- Doors and drawer fronts removed, labelled and degreased. Kitchen units carry a film of cooking grease that paint will never key to, so a thorough clean with sugar soap comes first.
- A light abrasion across every surface to give the primer something to bite into, then a wipe-down to lift the sanding dust.
- Filling and caulking where needed, so the sprayed coat reads as one continuous surface rather than highlighting every gap and chip.
- Masking and sheeting the whole room: worktops, appliances, flooring, glass and the run of wall cabinets that were staying in place.
That masking stage is also when we sealed the ceiling. It carried the kind of brown water and grease staining you often find above a hob, and those marks will ghost straight back through ordinary emulsion. A dedicated stain-blocking primer locks them off so the topcoat stays clean.
Why we sprayed rather than brushed
Units can be hand-painted with a good cabinet paint and a fine brush, but spraying is a different league of finish. A correctly set-up gun lays down a thin, uniform film with no brush marks and no roller stipple, so the doors come back looking close to a factory finish. It is one of the main reasons clients ask our spray-painting team for kitchens specifically.
We worked in a two-coat system over the primer, letting each pass flash off before the next. Kitchen surfaces take a daily beating from heat, steam and wiping, so the topcoat needs to cure to a tough, washable finish rather than just feel dry to the touch. Rushing recoat times is a common way to trap solvent and end up with a soft film; if you have ever wondered why paint sometimes refuses to dry properly, this is exactly where it starts.
The same gun made quick, even work of the ceiling once it was sealed.
Then comes the moment that makes or breaks a sprayed job: pulling the masking. Tape lifted while the paint is still green gives a crisp line; leave it too long and it can tear the edge. Timed right, the cut lines are clean and the transition from sprayed units to fresh wall is seamless.
The result
Reassembled, the kitchen reads as a single, considered scheme: crisp units, a clean ceiling and walls that tie the room together. All for a fraction of the cost of new cabinetry, and with the kitchen back in use far sooner than a full refit would allow.
If you are choosing a colour or weighing up the practical side of a kitchen, it is worth reading up on the right paint finishes for kitchens and other hard-working rooms, and our guide to repainting a solid oak kitchen covers the timber-specific steps in more detail.
Thinking about reviving your own kitchen rather than replacing it? We cover Surrey and South West London for both homes and commercial premises. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote and we will talk you through the options.
