How long does cabinet refinishing take?

A typical kitchen cabinet refinishing project in Edmonton takes 7–10 business days from door removal to final reinstallation. This includes every step of the process — nothing is rushed, because rushing is how you get a finish that chips in 6 months.

The Timeline, Step by Step

• Day 1: Door and drawer front removal, hardware removal, labelling every piece for reinstallation in the exact same position. Protection of countertops, floors, and appliances.
• Days 2–3: Stripping and sanding. All old finish is removed down to bare wood. Surfaces are sanded smooth and inspected for damage, which is repaired at this stage.
• Day 4: Grain filling (if needed — especially for oak cabinets) and priming. Professional-grade primer is applied to ensure perfect adhesion of the finish coats.
• Days 5–7: Spray application of finish coats with proper cure time between each coat. We typically apply 2–3 coats of catalyzed lacquer or conversion varnish, allowing each coat to fully cure before the next. This cure time is critical — it's what gives the finish its hardness.
• Day 8: Clear coat application (if specified) and final inspection of every door, drawer, and frame.
• Days 9–10: Reinstallation of all doors, drawers, and hardware. Final walkthrough with you to confirm everything is perfect.

Why Does It Take This Long?

The cure time between coats is the biggest factor. Each coat of catalyzed lacquer needs 4–6 hours to cure before the next coat can be applied. Rushing this process — or applying coats too quickly — results in a soft finish that scratches and chips easily. Our process takes 7–10 days because that's how long a factory-quality finish actually takes. Contact us for a free estimate with a detailed timeline for your kitchen.