Cabinet refinishing in Edmonton

What Edmonton's older housing means for your cabinets

Statistics Canada's 2021 Census profile for Edmonton counted 396,400 occupied private dwellings. Of those, 50,230 were built in 1960 or earlier and 110,385 between 1961 and 1980, so about 40.5% of the city's homes date from 1980 or before. Another 82,875 went up between 1981 and 2000.

The City's mature neighbourhoods dataset names 111 areas it describes as generally completed before 1970, including Calder, Glenora, Highlands, Westmount, Bonnie Doon, and Ritchie. Build era is general context, not a diagnosis of your kitchen, since many older houses have had new kitchens put in. It does hint at what turns up when the doors come off:

• Honey oak and golden oak from 1980s and 1990s builds. Solid wood boxes from that era are usually sound enough to refinish or paint, and oak gets its open grain filled before paint so the pattern does not show through.
• Laminate and melamine fronts, which accept paint once a bonding primer goes on.
• Thermofoil doors, which peel and delaminate near stoves and dishwashers after 10 to 20 years and cannot be refinished. The particleboard and MDF boxes behind them are usually square, so they suit refacing.

To keep real wood looking like wood, see cabinet refinishing with a clear coat. For what to expect years later, read how long refinished cabinets last.

Do you need a permit for cabinet work in Edmonton?

The City of Edmonton does not require a permit to paint or install kitchen cabinets. Its renovations and basement development page states: "Permits are not required for maintenance or minor cosmetic upgrades such as: Replacing flooring, painting, installing kitchen cabinets."

The same page says permits cover work such as interior alterations, kitchens, bathrooms, and structural changes. Painting, refinishing, and refacing keep the boxes, plumbing, and walls where they are. If your plans grow past the cabinets, confirm with the City before work starts. This wording is Edmonton's alone, and neighbouring municipalities word their permit pages differently.

Edmonton had 1,010,899 residents at the 2021 Census, spread over 765.61 square kilometres, from the river valley around the Muttart Conservatory to Fort Edmonton Park. Whichever painter you call, put four requests to them:

• Ask where the doors get sprayed. On jobs booked here, doors and drawer fronts go to the shop for HVLP spraying, which leaves no brush marks.
• Ask for proof of coverage. The contractor carries $2 million in commercial general liability insurance and WCB Alberta coverage for every crew member.
• Ask who holds the credentials. The owner holds Master Painters Institute (MPI) and Lead Safety (RRP) credentials.
• Ask for the warranty in writing. Workmanship is covered for 5 years from the final walkthrough.

If you live across the city line, start with cabinet refinishing in St. Albert. Other towns are on the service areas page, and the cabinet refinishing cost guide explains what moves a price up or down.