What’s the Cost to Reface Kitchen Cabinets?

If you’re eager to give your kitchen cabinets a makeover but aren’t quite ready for an extensive remodel, refacing is an excellent cost-effective alternative. While refacing cabinets isn't necessarily cheap, it can save time and money, while still changing the look of your kitchen entirely.

So, what’s the cost of refacing kitchen cabinets?

The average price of a professional cabinet refacing project in Arizona typically ranges between $5,000 and $15,000.

The price of kitchen cabinet refacing is determined by a handful of cost factors, including:

We’ll explain all of those cost factors below, but first let’s explain the most important price factor: the contractor you choose and their specific method or version of refacing.

Contractors have various methods when it comes to refacing that can impact the overall cost of your project. Before you settle on a particular contractor, be sure to familiarize yourself with the version of refacing that they perform.

First off, almost all contractors will replace your cabinet doors completely during a cabinet refacing project.

However, contractors vary in the material they use to coat/cover the new cabinet doors:

1. Some contractors use veneers to cover the front of your new cabinet doors.
2. Some contractors apply a high-grade coating to your new doors instead of applying veneers

What’s the difference?

Veneers are made of thin sheets of wood or melamine (a type of plastic laminate also called thermofoil). These veneers are then cut and then glued or heated onto cabinet boxes, doors, and drawer fronts.

Unfortunately, doors that are covered with veneers—compared to doors that are coated with a high-grade finish—are typically an inferior solution in both appearance and quality. Veneers typically chip, warp, bubble and peel easily and don’t hold up as well as doors that are coated with a durable finish.

What is Cabinet Coatings’ process?

We never use veneers. Having worked on cabinets for 20+ years, we know that the only way to achieve a high-quality, long-lasting cabinet makeover is to use the most high-grade quality finish available.

When you choose us, we work with a local door manufacturer who will custom-design your new cabinet doors according to your style preferences and budget. Then, we add 2-3 applications of our ultra-durable coating product to your new cabinet doors.

How many cabinets do you have? How large are they?

While some companies have a fixed price for their refacing projects, most will calculate the total cost of a cabinet refacing project based on the total linear square feet of your cabinets. So, the more cabinets you have, the more it will cost to reface them.

While this may seem like a no-brainer, the number of cabinets within a kitchen is the second largest factor in the cost of a cabinet refacing project.

In addition, the layout of your cabinetry can add complexity to the job. Keep in mind - any tight angles or corner cabinets with double hinged doors could increase project difficulty and time required to complete, thereby increasing the total price.

Like with anything, some materials are more costly than others.

Materials for cabinets are typically divided into two types:

1. Engineered
2. Natural (wood)

Natural materials tend to cost more than engineered materials and may require additional protection (protective finishes) to resist wear and tear.

Natural materials are exclusively made of hardwood. Various types of wood will cost more based on their attractiveness, durability, water-resistance and functionality. For example, hickory and white oak are pricier hardwood options, whereas birch and beech tend to be less expensive.

Engineered materials include wood composite products like particleboard, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and combination plywood/solid wood.

In addition to the type of material used in the cabinets themselves, new hardware such as soft-close drawer tracks, hinges, pulls, etc., will also boost the total cost of an install.

And when it comes to cabinet makeovers, there seem to be many add-ons available. Many of these add-ons are designed to enhance the usability and appearance of your kitchen.