Is it better to refinish or paint kitchen cabinets?

Author: Prof. Wilfrid Rutherford  |  Last update: Friday, July 1, 2022

Painting your cabinets can make them look striking and modern. Refinishing them, on the other hand, strips them down and makes them look natural. If you have wood cabinets, refinishing them will show off the wood grain and make your kitchen look more traditional.

Is it cheaper to paint or refinish kitchen cabinets?

The cost to paint kitchen cabinets is lower than you might think—certainly lower than replacing or even refacing them. On average, homeowners spend $809 to repaint the doors and cabinets in their kitchens, with a typical range of $395 to $1,234.

Is it cheaper to refinish or replace cabinets?

REFINISHING IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN REPLACING OR RESURFACING

But, you'd be surprised how little you'll save when you choose to reface your cabinets instead. You might only save around 30%-50% of the cost of complete replacement by choosing to reface them.

Is it worth it to refinish kitchen cabinets?

Refinishing these hardy cabinets, instead of replacing them, can both conserve wood and money. Opting to refinish, rather than replace, kitchen cabinets is more cost-effective, too; Ballard says it can save you up to $5,000. Of course, if your cabinets aren't wood, refinishing may not be an option.

Is it better to refinish or reface kitchen cabinets?

Cabinet refinishing is a good—and affordable—option if you want to freshen up and modernize your kitchen. If you want to completely transform the look of your kitchen, then cabinet refacing is the better choice.

Kitchen Cabinets – Refinish, Reface or Replace

What is the difference between refacing and painting kitchen cabinets?

What is the difference between cabinet refacing and refinishing? The real difference between painting (or refinishing) and refacing your cabinets is relatively straight forward. Painting your cabinets gives your existing cabinetry a fresh look, whereas refacing them gives your cabinets almost an entirely new look.

What is the difference between refacing and resurfacing cabinets?

Refacing a cabinet involves removing the cabinet doors entirely, purchasing new cabinet doors, and attaching them. Cabinet refinishing is a process where you sand down the existing cabinet doors and refresh them with new stain or paint and lacquer to get them looking like new again.

Is it better to strip or sand kitchen cabinets?

Sanding is usually better than stripping. To begin with, stripping is a lot more work than stripping with a paint-and-varnish remover, except in cases where the old finish has flaking off. You must sand through this coloring all the way to get an even color for refinishing once you have cut through it.

How long do refinished cabinets last?

How Long Does Cabinet Refacing Last? If your cabinetry is made from solid wood in good condition (i.e. your shelves and frames are still very strong) then you can usually expect a refacing project to last for another 15-20 years before needing a replacement.

Does painting kitchen cabinets look good?

If you need to make an economical choice, painting is the way to go. Even if you are not forced into making the most economical decision, painting is still an attractive option because it gives you more money to spend elsewhere. New cabinets plus installation can cost almost half of your kitchen renovation budget.

How much does it cost to stain your cabinets?

Prices to stain your cabinets typically range from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on how many cabinets you have and their material, but can go up from there based on many different factors.

How much will it cost to reface my kitchen cabinets?

Cost of Cabinet Refacing

Typically, most homeowners spend between $4,151 and $9,238 on refacing cabinets. Kitchen cabinet refacing costs are determined by: Materials used: Wood veneers cost $2,500 to $6,000, and you can choose from woods such as oak, birch or walnut.

Do refinished cabinets chip?

Will Painted Maple or Wood Cabinets Chip? Yes, they will. But this can be said of ANY painted wood or MDF.

How do professionals paint kitchen cabinets?

How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like A Pro In 9 Steps
  1. Assess the condition of your kitchen cabinets. ...
  2. Remove and label the doors and drawer faces. ...
  3. Put down drop cloths. ...
  4. Clean the cabinets. ...
  5. Lightly sand your cabinets. ...
  6. Prime your kitchen cabinets. ...
  7. Inspect the primer. ...
  8. Paint your kitchen cabinets like a pro.

How much does it cost to have kitchen cabinets painted?

Average cost of painting kitchen cabinets professionally. The average cost of painting kitchen cabinets is $100 per drawer face and $175 per cabinet door. This usually averages out to a cost of $5,000 for a medium-sized kitchen. However, the cost commonly ranges from $3000 to $10,000.

How much cheaper is refacing cabinets?

Cabinet refacing costs about 30-percent to 50-percent less than the cost of replacing cabinets in a full kitchen.

Do painted white cabinets last?

Under normal conditions, we fully expect our painted cabinets to last anywhere from 8-15 years without needing a fresh coat of paint.

Does painting kitchen cupboards last?

With proper care of professionally painted kitchen cabinets, you can expect your newly painted cabinets to last 8-10 years. However, there are a few things that can drastically shorten this timeframe, leaving you needing them repainted 3-4 years later.

What is the life of kitchen cabinets?

You can expect kitchen cabinets to last from 30 to 60 years, with an average of 45 years. Cabinets begin to show signs of age after about 20 years, such as doors that don't fully close, drawer fronts coming loose, and surface dings—especially at heavily used areas like below the sink.

How much does it cost to sand kitchen cabinets?

The typical price range to strip, sand and paint kitchen cabinets is $5 to $10 per square foot. Prior to painting, paint stripping, sanding and applying putty costs $2 to $3 per square foot, depending on the current condition of the cabinets and the extent of any damage.

Should you strip cabinets before painting?

There are some things you need to do when painting a kitchen cabinet without sanding or stripping. If you want to refinish your kitchen cabinets with a stain and clear finish, you have to strip them first, but you can paint over any type of finish without stripping, and sometimes that's your only option.

How do you strip kitchen cabinets without sanding?

How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets with ZERO Sanding Required:
  1. Wash down the cabinets with a TSP substitute to remove any grime, grease, or finger oils.
  2. Scrub down the cabinets further with Liquid Sander/Deglosser.
  3. Prime all the lower cabinets with two thin coats of primer. ...
  4. Paint the lower cabinets.

Is it hard to Restain cabinets?

Cabinet refinishing is one of the easier DIY projects, all you will need are some supplies, power tools, and adequate space to work on the cabinets. You won't even have to strip down the old finish from your cabinet doors unless you are looking to make a drastic color change.

How difficult is it to refinish kitchen cabinets?

Macfarlane estimates that refinishing kitchen cabinets can take anywhere from four to eight weekends, or between 60 and 130 hours. This time frame depends on the size of your kitchen, and it may need to be adjusted depending on the extent of the work.

Should I refinish my oak cabinets?

To remove surface checking and other signs of wear, golden oak cabinets must be refinished. The process of refinishing golden oak cabinets is the same process used for any wood cabinet.

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