Are your kitchen cabinets looking dated? Not sure what to do about it? Wishing you could install a a new set of cabinets and liven up the look of your kitchen? Stop! Before you rush off with your wallet open, have you considered kitchen cabinet refacing? You might well find you can create your ideal kitchen without breaking the bank.

Here’s a Guide

As a guide, this article summarizes a comparison of refinishing, refacing, and replacing kitchen cabinets.

• What’s the basic element in any kitchen? – Kitchen cabinets.
• What takes up most space in your kitchen? – Probably the kitchen cabinets…
• What part of a new kitchen installation would take up the highest percentage of your budget? – The cabinets and countertops that go with them.

So if you are happy with your kitchen layout, but your kitchen cabinets need a facelift, and your kitchen cabinets in good shape structurally, you could save thousands of $:

Check:

• are the cabinet carcasses are in good condition?
• are they securely fixed
• are they properly lined up,
• are the frames and carcasses without any sign of distortion?

Then to give them a brand new look, consider one of two alternatives -

• refinishing, or
• refacing

Warning:
Do you have metal cabinets? Or are your cabinets poorly constructed, or showing signs of movement or instability? Then this option is NOT relevant for you.

Also, don’t consider refacing if you plan to re-site the cabinets within your kitchen, or elsewhere.

However, having checked these points, if this approach would work for you, you’ll be able to squeeze several more years of working life from your existing kitchen furniture at a fraction of the cost of replacement!

To Refinish or to Resurface?

That is the Question! Here’s a summary of the differences between refinishing, refacing and replacing kitchen cabinets:

1. Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing Methods

Methods for you to update you kitchen’s appearance at minimal cost.

Simpler methods:

• painting
• staining

More complex methods:

• glazing procedures
• wood-grained or marbled faux finishing

Refinishing projects can be the most affordable solution for this problem but especially the more complex methods can be hard work and very messy.

Budget at least $50 per cabinet door if you plan to pay someone else to do the job for you.

2. Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Ideas

If your aim is to re-style and redecorate your kitchen, you may prefer refacing.

Here’s what needs to happen:

* cover the existing cabinets with new “skins”. These skins vary from white thermofoil or brightly colored laminates to 3/16 inch thick solid wood veneers.
* add new doors
* add new drawer faces and drawer runners (where worn out)
* add new hardware

Result? A completely the new look to your kitchen. Refacing your kitchen cabinets provides a long-lasting face-lift, and should look all the more appealing if you’ve remembered to match your new countertops.

This is straight forward work, and normally takes only a few days.

What about cabinet refacing costs?

This depends on the size of your kitchen of course – how many cabinets are involved. However, as a rough guide, allow $150 to $300 per cabinet door (including materials and installation work). That should avoid any major shocks!

3. Kitchen Cabinet Replacement

It’s time to replace your kitchen cabinets when:

• kitchen cabinets can no longer be securely fixed, or are damaged
• you need to change the kitchen layout

Then you must budget to purchase a replacement set of kitchen cabinets. As a guideline, allow at least $300 per cabinet door.

Timescales to expect your kitchen to be out of operation:

• replacing the old kitchen cabinets with stock cabinets: a few days.
• custom-made cabinets installation: up to a few weeks!

So you don’t become overwhelmed by the endless choices on today’s market, do enough research to form a clear picture of your preferences:

• the design (layout and general style)
• the type of material to use
• the finish to adopt
• decor matching considerations

So, as you can see, re-finishing will give you a minimum cost “freshen up”, but kitchen cabinet refacing could give you all the same visual appeal benefits of a new kitchen, but at far less cost and with a shorter installation time!