How Long Does Cabinet Refinishing Take?

Phase 1: Consultation, assessment, protection, removal, and prep

This is where the 8-step process starts. Tyler Fowler — owner, CSLB #1015608 since 2016 — reviews photos, confirms the scope in person, provides a written quote, and gets the kitchen ready. No crew chiefs, no subcontractors. Tyler personally runs every job from the first assessment through prep.

• Door and drawer-front removal. Every door, drawer front, and piece of hardware is carefully labeled and removed. Hinges and handles are bagged and tagged so everything goes back exactly where it belongs.
• HEPA-vacuumed sanding. Industrial HEPA vacuums hooked directly to sanders during every sanding pass — dust captured at source, not floating through your home. This is the prep stage dust control. See how HEPA-vacuumed sanding works →
• Sealed negative-pressure containment setup. Plastic barrier walls are constructed around the work area with sealed edges. Negative air pressure is established — any air movement goes inward, not outward, keeping overspray contained during finishing.
• Surface preparation begins. Cabinet frames are cleaned, deglossed, sanded with HEPA-vacuumed equipment, and prepped on-site. Any damage, dents, holes, or grain filling needed for the wood and finish condition is handled here.
• Doors and drawers leave the house. All removed pieces are transported to our controlled spray environment for off-site finishing.

Your kitchen during Phase 1: You will have access to the cabinets (open shelving) but the doors and drawers will be gone. The containment area may limit access to part of the kitchen. Most families set up a temporary food prep area nearby.

Phase 3: Cure, reinstall, align hardware, final walkthrough, and warranty (Days 11-14)

The cure and closeout phase. This is when your kitchen comes together.

• Doors and drawers return. All finished pieces are brought back and carefully reinstalled in their original positions using the labels from Phase 1.
• Hardware reinstallation. Hinges, handles, and pulls are reinstalled. Each door is adjusted for proper alignment — level, even spacing, and smooth operation.
• Containment teardown. All plastic barriers and protective coverings are removed. Your kitchen is cleaned.
• Final walkthrough and warranty. Tyler walks through the completed project with you, inspects every surface, addresses any questions on the spot, and provides the 5-year written warranty.

Your kitchen after Phase 3: Fully functional, fully finished, looking like a brand-new kitchen. The 2K polyurethane is cured and ready for normal use immediately.

Can you use your kitchen during cabinet refinishing?

Yes \u2014 you keep access to the kitchen throughout the two-week project, with one limitation: during the middle phase (roughly days 3-10) your cabinets are open shelving because the doors and drawers are being sprayed off-site. Appliances, sink, and counters stay in use. The HEPA-filtered containment seals off the work area from the rest of the home, and the 2K coatings are low-VOC, so most families continue cooking and eating normally.

Yes, with some limitations. You will have access to your kitchen throughout the process. You can reach your dishes, appliances, and sink. What you will not have during the middle phase are cabinet doors and drawer fronts — everything is open shelving.

Most families find this very manageable. They set out their most-used items on the counter or a nearby table, and continue cooking and eating normally. The dust containment system keeps the work area sealed and your living space clean. There is no strong odor from the 2K coatings — they are low-VOC formulations designed for residential work.

We work around your schedule and coordinate our on-site days to minimize disruption. Tyler communicates throughout the process so you always know what is happening and when.

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