What is cabinet refacing?

Author: Cristina Kovacek IV  |  Last update: Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Cabinet refacing replaces the cabinet skin panels to give your kitchen a new look. It entails removing cabinet doors and drawer fronts to apply a new veneer over the existing surface. Refacing can also involve hardware replacements, such as hinges, handles, and drawer pulls.

Is it worth it to reface kitchen cabinets?

If your kitchen layout is fine the way it is and your cabinet boxes are in good shape, refacing absolutely can be worth it. You'll get an upgraded look in a shorter timeframe and at a lower cost. Is painting or refacing cabinets cheaper? Painting cabinets is typically considerably cheaper than refacing.

Is it cheaper to reface or replace cabinets?

While it's cheaper to reface your cabinets rather than replace them, it's important that you know whether or not a refacing project will work for your kitchen.

What is the difference between refinishing and refacing cabinets?

Unlike cabinet refacing which replaces the doors and drawer fronts with new materials, refinishing transforms the current doors and drawers via repainting or restaining them.

What are the cons of refacing kitchen cabinets?

The main downside of cabinet refacing is that it only offers limited structural changes. If you're looking to make major adjustments to your kitchen layout‒such as adding an extra cabinet or two, relocating the sink, or installing a kitchen island‒you'll need to go with a full cabinet replacement. Cost.

What is a Cabinet Refacing - 5 Day Refacing Revealed

How long does refacing cabinets last?

For instance, cabinets refaced using high-quality wood veneers or laminate materials may last up to 20 years or more. However, if cheaper materials are used, such as particleboard or low-quality veneers, your refaced cabinets may begin to deteriorate much sooner.

Do you have to remove countertops to reface cabinets?

We can reface your kitchen without removing the existing countertops or appliances. Refacing is a great option when you're not changing the layout of the room. While we can make some modifications to your cabinets as part of a reface the footprint of your kitchen will have to stay the same.

Why is cabinet refacing so expensive?

Cabinet Refacing Cost by Linear Foot

That large price range accounts for different materials and the cost of labor in your area. Note that labor can make up roughly 60% of your overall cabinet refacing cost, so you might only spend $36 to $200 per linear foot on materials if tackling the job on your own.

Can you reface really old kitchen cabinets?

Even cabinets made from lumber products utilizing particle board or other low-quality materials can be refaced. If the face of the cabinet is made from hardwood, it can be sanded to produce a surface that can be repainted.

Which is cheaper cabinet refacing or painting?

Refacing cabinets is a more affordable option than replacing them all together. However, painting can be done for less than both of these options and it gives your cabinets better durability with an updated look. Let's see how it's done and then talk about price. Note: Premier Cabinet Painting does not reface cabinets.

Can you put new cabinet doors on old cabinets?

You can still select new materials, colors and door styles when you reface your cabinets. But those details will only exist in the new doors instead of the entire cabinet construction. Since the cabinet doors create the look of your cabinet setup, it makes sense to replace just the doors and drawer fronts.

Can I replace cabinet doors only?

Replacing just your cabinet doors, also known as cabinet refacing, can be a quick DIY project for most homeowners. The best part about replacing just your cabinet doors is that it is cheaper than replacing the whole cabinet. In fact, you may also be able to reuse your existing hardware to further the savings.

How do professionals reface cabinets?

Refacing and refinishing are completely different kitchen remodeling processes. When refacing, an installer removes the doors and drawers, laminates the existing cabinet boxes in the new color, style and material and then replaces the doors and drawers fronts with all-new.

Does cabinet refacing include painting?

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.

Why choose cabinet refacing?

Refacing your cabinets is much less expensive than replacing them. When your cabinets are torn out, you often need to replace other parts of your kitchen as well. You can get a fresh new look by refacing without all the expensive costs of a renovation.

What material is used to reface kitchen cabinets?

WalzCraft offers a variety of Cabinet Refacing Materials including Non-Adhesive Veneer, PSA Veneer, Veneer, and MDF Core Plywood, and Solid Wood Refacing Stock. These options give you the flexibility you need for an efficient and quality cabinet refacing installation.

What is better refacing or painting kitchen cabinets?

Either way, both choices give you a less expensive option in lieu of doing a full replacement, which is great for any homeowner on a budget. While painting tends to be the cheaper of the two, painted cabinets build up grease and dust more easily than refaced cabinets, so they'll require more maintenance.

How do you reface kitchen cabinets on a budget?

If your goal is to update the look of your existing cabinets, the cheapest route is to simply reface them. This process involves either stripping the stain or paint from the existing cabinets and adding new stain, varnish or paint; in some cases, you might even want to refinish the cabinets with a stick-on veneer.

Is it cheaper to replace cabinet doors or the whole cabinet?

By opting to replace just your cabinet doors instead of your entire cabinets, you save yourself time, money and labor while still providing a refreshed look to your space. Purchasing new cabinet doors is far less expensive than purchasing the materials to reconstruct all new cabinets.

What makes kitchen cabinets look expensive?

Use lighter colors.

A light color on the walls and cabinets instantly brightens a space making it look larger and in turn, more expensive. Light colors reflect light and hide a multitude of sins, including those scratches, dings and dents in your old cabinets.

Can you replace cabinets but keep granite?

Here's the short answer: Yes, absolutely. You can replace your countertops without having to renovate all your cabinets. However, there are a few implications and questions you may want to consider before you decide to go that route.

Do countertops sit directly on cabinets?

Since countertops sit directly on the cabinets, the cabinetry must be installed prior to the final measurements, fabrication, and installation. If an apron or farmhouse sink is being used, it must be installed prior to template process.

Should countertops be the same color as the cabinets?

It is common to hear people say that the best way to match up countertops and cabinets is exactly that, to match them, but there are plenty of other options. For example, you might choose contrasting colors and patterns for the two surfaces, use similar colors but different shades, and anything in between.

Is refacing cabinets easy?

Not only is it a quick and easy makeover, but it is also cost-effective compared to remodeling. Refacing cabinets does require you to pay attention to details and have some experience working with tools. But you do not need to be a master carpenter to get refacing cabinets right.

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