What exactly is Cabinet Refacing? Cabinet Refacing adds resale value to your home, making it appear fresher, newer, and more valuable than ever. Professional cabinet refacing specialists perform precise, step-by-step measurements to make certain your newly refaced cabinets are visually identical and color-matched to exact perfection with your brand-newnew doors and drawer fronts.
Why choose cabinet refacing over remodeling? Refacing is less expensive than a complete kitchen renovation. In addition, the end result will be virtually identical – your existing kitchen look will be the same, if not better. If you’re tired of a dull, outdated kitchen and ready for a change, cabinet resurfacing is definitely the way to go.
Cabinet refacing is performed by professional cabinet reface artists using tools similar to those used to paint an old western town square. The refacing process also includes staining, painting, and mounding. Some of the options available include: flat sanding and mounding, sanding and polishing, and a variety of stains and paints. The number of cabinets in your kitchen will dictate the choices of the different steps. For example, the removal of baseboards and doors, then reupholstering and repainting existing kitchen cabinets is much more costly than simply refacing.
One option to consider is adding new cabinetry while refacing existing cabinetry. There are many advantages to this method including saving money, replacing dated cabinet styles, duplicating your countertop and floor treatments, and creating a unified theme throughout your kitchen design. It’s also very popular for homeowners with smaller kitchens because it allows them to use more individual cabinet spaces, which can be a challenge with larger cabinetry arrangements. Some cabinet refacing options include: adding new cabinet doors and hardware, replacing door faces or drawer fronts with new ones, changing the face frame, adding new cabinetry hardware and drawer pulls. Depending on your cabinet layout, this can create a new feel and look to your kitchen design while saving money and time in the process.
While it may be tempting to add new hardware and drawer fronts at the same time, doing so can often lead to an overhang in some areas, an uneven surface, and an overall unattractive result. A good rule of thumb is to always add new hardware during the finishing process, after you have painted the cabinets. Adding new door hardware and drawer fronts will help the overall appearance and also allow you to replace dated hardware styles without spending extra money. Remember to also measure your cabinets before you begin, to avoid paying too much for hardware.
Other items that can be easily changed, such as cabinet boxes and face frames, can also be refaced or painted. If your boxes are painted but not stain-coated, then you can paint the boxes with an alternate color to save you money. Paint both sides of face frames to match existing cabinetry hardware, and then re-stain the frames to blend in with the rest of your room’s decor. For the same price as a new box or face frame, you can purchase new knobs, pulls, and drawer slides for your cabinets.
Refinishing cabinet doors is an easy project that can be done in-house, or you can hire a contractor to do the work for you. The first step is to remove the doors and drawer fronts from your cabinets. This will help determine whether you need to refinish cabinet boxes and face frames or is simply painting them will suffice. If your cabinets appear to be in decent shape, you may opt to just repaint them. There is no need to invest in new doors if your cabinets are still in fairly good shape; a simple refinishing job will do the trick.
If you’re planning on using veneers to refinish your old cabinets, then you’ll want to start by removing the old doors and drawer fronts and any hardware such as cabinet handles, screws, and latches. Any trim that may be around the cabinets’ edges can be trimmed away to get a smooth, level surface. Cleanout the floor under the cabinets, and then remove the old veneering. Apply new veneering using a wood-glue gun, and then use finishing nails to attach it to the cabinet fronts and the sides.