The Role of Cabinet Refacing in Kitchen Remodeling Projects

Are you considering replacing your kitchen cabinets? Maybe the wood has distorted after years of cooking, or there are stains and blemishes you simply cannot get rid of. Regardless of the issue, cabinet replacements aren’t always an option depending on your situation. Replacing cabinets can be a time-consuming process, and it can also be relatively costly. The good news is, there's an alternative: cabinet refacing.

If you're unfamiliar with refacing, imagine a facelift for your cabinets. Ultimately, it transforms the appearance of your old, worn-out cabinets, making them look and feel brand new. In this blog, we'll review everything you need to know about refacing, including the following:

Keep reading to learn more about the role of cabinet refacing in kitchen remodeling projects.

A significant factor to consider when updating cabinets is cost. Prices vary greatly depending on your materials — hardwood will cost more than low-quality laminate wood. If you don't want to compromise on material quality, another way to save money is by refacing cabinets instead of replacing them.

For a standard 15x15 kitchen, installing new cabinets can cost anywhere from $15,000 to upwards of $30,000. Cabinet refacing, meanwhile, usually costs about $7,000 to $15,000. If you're doing an entire kitchen remodel, spending the extra money on new cabinets might make sense. On the other hand, if your sole focus is cabinetry, refacing is probably the way to go.

We rely on cabinets to store everything from oven mitts and utensils to spices and packaged goods. When undergoing a kitchen remodeling project, you must relocate all these items to another part of your home. And, to make matters worse, you can't freely use your kitchen. Thus, you want to complete kitchen remodeling projects quickly and efficiently.

Compared to cabinet replacements, refacing takes less time. Generally, you can expect a cabinet refacing project to be completed within three to five days. Meanwhile, a full cabinetry replacement may take anywhere from five to 14 days.

People commonly replace their cabinets because they want a new look. For example, if you're remodeling your kitchen floor or walls, you'll want your cabinets to match the new style. What many people don't realize, however, is that you can completely transform your cabinets' appearance through refacing.

Do you want to give your cabinets some extra flair? Cabinet moldings may be what you're looking for. Put simply, moldings are decorative wooden pieces that give cabinets a more customized look and feel. You may add moldings to the following areas:

• Cabinet tops
• Cabinet bottoms
• Gaps between the cabinets and walls

In addition to improving appearance, cabinet moldings can help smooth out any sharp cabinet edges. And the best part is that you don't need to tear down your cabinets to add moldings — they can be incorporated during a simple refacing.

A common incentive for updating cabinets is changing their color. Maybe you just redid your kitchen floors, and your cabinets no longer fit in well. Or perhaps you've always wanted darker cabinets but just never got around to updating them. Whatever the reason, refacing cabinets is a great way to switch up the coloring. You can add paint to any resurfaced cabinets without disrupting the overall style.

At Cabinet Coatings, we add 2-3 applications of our ultra-durable coating of your choice to your new cabinet doors and apply the same reliable coating product to your cabinet boxes.

Cabinet refacing is more than just an aesthetic makeover — it can also be a functional makeover. During a refacing project, you can swap out the following cabinet hardware elements:

• Knobs or pulls
• Drawers
• Drawer slides or catches
• Hinges
• Backplates

Are your cabinet knobs too high to reach? Remove those knobs and add new ones on a lower portion of the cabinet. Do you want to improve the organization of your drawers? Swap them for drawers that have dividers. Ultimately, cabinet refacing lets you play around with the features you want — without worrying about the time, money, and resources involved in full cabinet replacements.

While refacing generally requires less work than replacements, you still have to make choices regarding appearance and functionality. If you need help deciding which direction to go, our team at Cabinet Coatings is happy to help. Our experts have assisted homeowners with expert advice and high-quality craftsmanship for over two decades. After evaluating your kitchen, design preferences, and budget, we can help draft a new cabinetry plan that meets your precise needs.