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Cabinet Refacing With New Cabinet Doors

Jun 22nd 2021

A full-blown kitchen renovation is a big undertaking. It usually takes a lot of time, a hefty budget, and leaves your kitchen unusable for a while. This is not only inconvenient, but it can be pretty stressful, too. If you want the look of a new kitchen, without the big investment of both time and money, consider cabinet refacing.

Over the past decade, the option of refacing kitchen cabinets has become much more popular. This is because refacing cabinets typically saves the homeowner over 50% of the cost of new cabinets and can be finished in half the time. DIY cabinet refacing also has the benefit of not rendering your kitchen unusable like a full renovation would.

Because of these reasons, refacing kitchen cabinets has become a very popular alternative to buying and installing all-new cabinets. Even more enticing is the fact that this is a job homeowners can easily do themselves. With a little homework and preplanning, DIY kitchen cabinet refacing is a great option for giving your kitchen a new look.

What Is Cabinet Refacing?

So, what is cabinet refacing exactly and what’s the difference between cabinet refacing vs. painting? In short, cabinet refacing is a reskinning of your cabinet boxes and replacement of your doors and drawer faces. You cover the existing exteriors of the cabinet boxes with a veneer, and replace the cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Often, new handles and hinges are added as well.

This gives the appearance of brand new cabinetry, but at a fraction of the cost. While repainting your cabinets just changes the color and gives a temporary refresh, cabinet refacing can be a long term solution. Plus, with cabinet refacing options, you can give your room an update without having to live through a full renovation.

When Refacing Cabinet Doors Is a Good Option

If your kitchen, or any other room in your home, needs an update, but it’s not time for a full renovation, kitchen cabinet refacing is often the ideal option. However, there are a few conditions to ensure that everything looks as good as you want it to. Here’s what will make DIY cabinet refacing a great option for you.

  • You’re happy with your layout. Cabinet refacing is a perfect solution if you like your current layout. Since you’ll just replace the cabinet doors and reface the cabinet boxes, you should be satisfied with the layout of your existing cabinets.
  • Your cabinet boxes are structurally sound and in decent shape. Kitchen cabinet refacing will only be successful if your cabinet frames are in relatively good condition, even if they look old and worn. If this is the case, cabinet refacing is perfect. Know the difference between when you can reface and when you need to replace your cabinets.
  • You have some experience with DIY refinishing. While DIY kitchen cabinet refacing is certainly doable even with no experience, it requires an eye for detail and careful work. As such, it’s ideal to have a little refinishing experience under your belt so you know how to make sure everything is well aligned and applied correctly for excellent results. Either way, patience will be your greatest asset.
  • You’ve done your homework on your materials. Depending on the type of veneer you’re using, you may need contact cement, glue and nails, or a steady hand for peel-and-stick veneer. Make sure you know what type of materials you’re using before you go to apply them so you have everything ready to go ahead of time and know what to expect.
  • You understand that you can’t cut corners. Cabinet refacing can produce great results when you’re patient and go carefully through each step of the process. Take your time and work carefully, and your cabinets will look brand new!

How to Reface Cabinets

If you’re starting a DIY cabinet refacing project, it’s essential that you know how to reface cabinets step by step. Because this process requires meticulous attention to detail, each step really is important. Here’s how to reface kitchen cabinet doors.

  1. Prepare your cabinets. Start by removing all of the cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware. If there’s anything you’ll be keeping, make sure you label it well and go through the next step with those items as well. Remove cabinet molding if it is in the way or needs to be replaced as well.
  2. Examine the cabinet boxes. Check for damage, scratches, small holes, or dents. Smaller dents, scratches, and holes can be filled with wood putty. However, if there is significant damage, including cracks or anything that might affect the structural integrity of the cabinets, you may need to fully replace the cabinets themselves.
  3. Sand the cabinet boxes. You’ll need to lightly sand the exteriors of your cabinet boxes to help ensure that the new veneer will adhere properly.
  4. Clean the cabinets. Wipe down all the surfaces with a damp sponge to clean off debris from sanding. If your cabinets are grimy or greasy, you should also clean them with a small amount of dish soap and warm water. Let them dry thoroughly before proceeding.
  5. Apply veneer. Make sure you carefully read the instructions for the type of veneer you’re using to ensure that you know exactly how to apply it correctly. Cover the sides, face frames, and tops of the cabinets with veneer. Carefully trim excess with a utility knife.
  6. Install your new cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Line everything up carefully and install according to the manufacturer’s instructions, including new hinges.
  7. Install new hardware. If you’ll be adding hardware to your cabinet doors and drawer fronts, this will be your final step. You may also need to replace any cabinet moldings.

Depending on the number of cabinets you are refacing, as well as how experienced you are with the process, refacing cabinet doors can take anywhere from a few days to a week. Plan on giving yourself a full week to complete the project, just so you don’t feel rushed. When done properly, DIY kitchen cabinet refacing offers a professional looking result. And, when you do it yourself, the cabinet refacing cost is significantly less.

Refacing Cabinet Doors With Cabinetdoors.com

When you’re learning how to reface cabinets, you’ll quickly discover that refacing cabinet doors is not advised as the veneer tends to fail on cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Instead, it is recommended that you replace your cabinet doors and drawer fronts for the best DIY cabinet refacing results.

If you’re looking for high-quality cabinet doors and drawer fronts that can be custom sized to fit your needs, Cabinetdoors.com has you covered. We are able to offer excellent custom products at prices 30-50% lower than the prices you’ll find in big box stores, because we’re the manufacturer.

When you order from Cabinetdoors.com, you will receive the same high-quality cabinet doors we supply to custom cabinet makers and luxury home builders in all 50 states. Since starting our business in 1980, we have manufactured and shipped thousands of cabinet doors across the United States, and in other countries, too.

Cabinetdoors.com manufactures all our doors in Arizona, and we ship your products right from the factory to your door. As the leading manufacturer of cabinet doors offering our products online, we have a long history of customer satisfaction. We have been in business for over 41 years and have a Better Business Bureau rating of A+, which is why we have such a loyal customer base.

Ready to become one of our satisfied customers? Watch the video on this page to learn how to order your new cabinet doors and drawer fronts for your DIY cabinet refacing project.

Get Started With Your Cabinet Refacing Project Today

If you’re ready to do your own DIY kitchen cabinet refacing project, let Cabinetdoors.com help you get your new cabinet doors and drawer fronts. We can help you ensure that your cabinet doors and drawer fronts fit perfectly and achieve the look you want for your upgrade. Explore your cabinet door and drawer front design choices on our website, Cabinetdoors.com.

Once you’ve found a design and style you love, scroll down to the Order Box, and your cabinet door or drawer front can be ordered in the wood type and size you need. Determine the correct sizes for your replacement cabinet doors by measuring the cabinet openings carefully. This process is covered in our “How to Measure for New Cabinet Doors” video, which you will also find conveniently located on the left hand side of each cabinet door’s page on our website.

Are you ready to explore your cabinet refacing options and to get an idea of the cabinet refacing cost for you? Explore our website to get started. We can help you give your cabinets a brand new look, at a price that works for your budget. When it comes to new cabinet doors and drawer fronts, Cabinetdoors.com always delivers. Contact us online or by phone at 800-342-1010 for more information.

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