How long does a kitchen respray last?

What actually decides it, where a sprayed finish chips and why, what firms' guarantees exclude, and how to make yours last.

Updated 28 October 2026 · The Kitchen Resprayer

The short answer

No published source measures it. Firms commonly claim 5 to 10 years, but none publishes evidence for the figure.

What you can check is the guarantee, from 2 to 10 years depending on the firm, and what it excludes: most cover peeling and loss of adhesion, not chips. Preparation, the paint system, curing time and care decide the rest.

Why nobody can give you a number

Search for this and you'll find "5 to 10 years", "8-10 years" or "around 10 years" on respray firms' own sites. None of them says where the figure comes from, and no independent test of professional resprays was found.

The nearest real data is for DIY painting. Which? found that among 48 members who had painted their own cabinets, the most common problem was peeling, chipping or wear (31%), and 73% of the 11 traders it asked had been called out to fix DIY jobs, usually for poor preparation. The guarantee, and what it leaves out, is the closest thing to a promise you will get.

What decides how long it lasts

Factor	Why it matters
Preparation	Ultimate Decor says poor preparation is the number one reason resprays fail: paint won't bond to a greasy or badly sanded surface, looks fine for a few months, then lifts or chips
Sanding to a key	One coating maker says the finish is a function of good preparation; its spray system sands to 240 then 400 grit
Primer for the surface	Laminate needs the right primer; Which? doesn't recommend painting vinyl-wrapped doors unless the vinyl is stripped
The paint system	Two-pack coatings are mixed with a hardener before spraying; one-pack water-based paints have none. Firms use both
Coats and thickness	One maker's system builds three spray coats; another proposes two coats of 50-60 microns dry. Thin coats beat one thick one
Conditions when sprayed	One maker says 10C to 30C and below 80% humidity; low temperature and high humidity may stop it curing properly
The wood underneath	Oak, ash and similar timbers can bleed through opaque finishes; painted timber can show fine lines at the joints as the wood moves
Curing before use	Dry to the touch is not hard (next section)

From Ultimate Decor, Teknos UK's spray system specifications, Mipa's data sheet, Which? and Masterclass Kitchens, listed below.

Dry is not the same as hard

Coating (one product each)	Usable	Fully hard
Two-pack polyurethane wood topcoat	Stackable after 2 hours at 20C	2 to 3 days at 20C
Water-based furniture paint	2 to 3 days	One month; first proper clean after about a month
DIY water-based cupboard paint	Touch dry in 1 hour	7 days
Shellac primer	Recoat after 45 minutes	Adhesion cure 1 to 3 days

Each from that product's own data sheet, read 28 October 2026.

Which? says professional paints take about three weeks to cure, and to avoid grease and frying oily food in that time. Mayfair Kitchens advises treating a new painted finish gently for the first month, especially round handles, busy drawers and under the sink. And one water-based paint maker says keep masking tape off the surface for two weeks: decorators' tape pulling paint off is a real complaint. The how-to-paint page has the full drying table.

Where it chips, and why

Edges, corners and handles

Ultimate Decor says peeling usually starts at edges and round handles, where hands go, and chipping often shows first on door corners. On a poor job, it says, problems tend to appear within three to six months.

Under the kettle and toaster

Masterclass Kitchens says kettles, toasters, coffee machines and air fryers should never sit directly under wall units, because the heat and steam damage the doors above. Mayfair puts it bluntly: steam at the same cabinet every day "will eventually tell".

Round the dishwasher

Masterclass says don't open the dishwasher during or straight after a cycle; let it cool first. Mayfair names dishwasher vapour as one to watch.

Knocks

Painted doors chip when they are hit, whoever painted them. Masterclass says even its own factory-finished painted doors can chip easily if knocked.

Big colour changes

A chip shows whatever is underneath, so it stands out more on dark colours or after a big change. See cabinet colours and wear.

Guarantees: read what they leave out

The length of a guarantee matters less than its exclusions. Here is what eight UK firms publish, in their own terms:

Firm	Length	Covers	Excludes
ColourHaus (Leeds)	5 years	Peeling, flaking, adhesion failure from its workmanship	Impact, scratches, chips and abrasion; harsh cleaning, bleach, steam cleaners; water, condensation, heat, leaks; existing defects. Report within 7 days
Ultimate Decor (Surrey)	10 years	Peeling, flaking, yellowing, adhesion failure	Heavy impact, abrasive cleaners, later alterations
Matt Finish	2 years	Says it will attend to chips and scratches	None published
The Premiere Kitchen Painting Co.	2 years	Workmanship defects	Cover depends on following its aftercare guidance
North Wales Kitchen Respray	2 years	Premature failure under normal use	Wear and tear, misuse, harsh cleaners, wood movement, existing defects
AP Sprayers (London)	2 years	Blisters or peeling	Accidental damage, wear and tear, chemicals, UV fading, DIY repairs
Kitchen Makeup (Rainham)	5 years	Blisters or peeling	Accidental damage, wear and tear, stains from tea, coffee, curry and sauces, UV fading
We Spray uPVC (Stockport)	10 years	Cracking, flaking or peeling	For example solvent damage, deep scratches or dents

Each firm's own published terms, read 28 October 2026. Terms change: read the current version before you book.

So when you compare quotes, ask what the guarantee covers, whether chips are in or out, what voids it (cleaning products, steam, a third party touching it up), and how quickly you have to report a problem.

Your rights, whatever the guarantee says

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a trader must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill. If they don't, you can ask them to put it right at their own cost within a reasonable time, or for a price reduction. A guarantee sits on top of those rights; it doesn't replace them.

Looking after it

Do	Don't
Use a soft cloth with mild, neutral washing-up liquid, then dry it	Bleach, solvents, alcohol or multipurpose cleaners
Wipe tea, coffee, curry and acidic spills straight away	Abrasive pads, creams or wax polish
Wait about a month before the first proper clean on a water-based finish	Steam cleaners
Run the extractor when you cook	A kettle, toaster or air fryer under a wall unit
Let the dishwasher cool before opening it	Masking tape on new paint

From Tikkurila's data sheet, Masterclass Kitchens and Mayfair Kitchens care guidance. If you are given an aftercare sheet, follow that.

Light matters too. Masterclass says the sheen of painted doors can drop by as much as 20% with light exposure, and two of the firms above exclude normal UV fading from their guarantees.

Touching up chips

Keep the paint details

Mayfair says keep the colour reference, the manufacturer and the aftercare information. AP Sprayers says it leaves paint behind for touch-ups; ask whether you will get some.

Thin, feathered, small

One supplier's touch-up kit is colour plus a hardener: test it somewhere hidden, dab it on thinly with a fine brush, feather the edges and stop once the mark isn't obvious. Too much paint makes a small mark more visible.

It may not match exactly

That supplier warns of a slight shade difference from batch to batch, and ColourHaus's terms say exact colour matching can't be guaranteed. A brush also leaves texture a spray gun doesn't.

Bigger damage

Ultimate Decor says a few small chips can sometimes be fixed by flatting and respraying the panel; if the paint has lost its grip widely, the job usually has to be stripped back and redone.

Compared with vinyl wrap and new doors

No source measures the lifespan of a wrap or of replacement doors either, so compare guarantees instead: Howdens guarantees its doors for 5 years (and excludes swelling from moisture), and no wrap firm read publishes a guarantee length. Mayfair Kitchens adds that once foil or vinyl has deteriorated, replacement is often the only answer, whereas paint can be prepared and painted again. The full side-by-side is on respray, new doors or a new kitchen.

Where this comes from

All read 28 October 2026. Firms change their prices and terms; check the current position with them.

Common questions

No published source measures it. Firms commonly claim 5 to 10 years, but none publishes evidence. What you can check is the guarantee: firms offer anything from 2 to 10 years, and most cover peeling and loss of adhesion rather than chips. Preparation, the paint system and how the kitchen is used decide the rest.

Painted doors can chip when knocked, new or resprayed: Masterclass Kitchens says its own factory-painted doors are hard-wearing but can chip easily if knocked. Chips show first on edges, corners and round the handles, and look worse after a big colour change.

Why chips show more on some colours

It varies by firm. Most of the guarantees read for this page cover peeling, flaking or loss of adhesion. Several exclude chips, impact, wear and tear, harsh cleaners, steam and heat. Only one, Matt Finish, says it will attend to chips and scratches in its two years.

A soft cloth with a mild, neutral washing-up solution, then dry it. Makers say avoid bleach, solvents, abrasive pads, multipurpose cleaners and steam cleaners, and wait about a month before the first proper clean on a water-based finish. Follow the aftercare sheet you are given.

Small ones, usually. A touch-up kit applied thinly and feathered can make a chip hard to see, though one supplier warns of a slight shade difference and one firm's terms say exact colour matching can't be guaranteed. Wider failure usually means flatting and respraying the panel.

No source compares them directly. Professional firms use both: some use water-based coatings, others polyurethane or lacquer. Ask which system your quote uses, and read what the guarantee covers, rather than relying on the name of the paint.

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