Cabinet Refacing: Breathing New Life into A Kitchen

Many people want a new look for their kitchen, but, in all honestly, really like the layout of their current kitchen, and even like the location of the cabinets.  It’s just that, over time, the kitchen cabinet surfaces may have become tired-looking and worn. The style may not suit the homeowner. There may be a couple of drawers which have stopped drawing correctly and are creating sawdust in the shelves below.  The hardware might be reminiscent of ‘early American yard sale.’

If this sounds like your kitchen, cabinet refacing might be an option to consider. Cabinet refacing is the process of covering the frames with a thin layer of wood or laminate, or, in some cases, replacing existing cabinet doors. This offers the opportunity to change not only the style of the cabinet face, but also the color, texture, and hardware. It’s a much more significant overhaul than cabinet refinishing because it gives a whole new look to the cabinets, yet the cost is about half of what new cabinets would run.

Why refacing?

Refacing works well for cabinets which can’t be either painted or stained, or if the homeowner wants an entirely different style of cabinetry without the cost of buying new ones. The results are dramatic, and new hardware can be added without having to ‘match’ the holes of the old hardware. 

Matching upgrades

Sometimes, a homeowner will change the style of the kitchen, for example, add new flooring or a countertop, but it doesn’t mesh with the old cabinet style. Cabinet refacing works well in such situations because it doesn’t make the upgrade look like someone put ‘lipstick on a pig.’ The entire kitchen will have a fresh, new, and homogeneous look.

Dinner doesn’t stop

One of the other beautiful things about refacing is that your kitchen isn’t ‘out of commission’ during the refacing. You can still use the kitchen during the refacing process, which makes it much less inconvenient than an entire kitchen remodel. 

Cabinet interiors

Some people opt to have the cabinet interiors sanded and painted or even veneered. New cabinet features such as pullout or rotating shelves, wireless devices and other features. 

Economical

There is no doubt that cabinet refacing is an economical way to get a kitchen which looks like it’s been completely remodeled without an outrageous price tag. As a result, some homeowners use their cost savings to install under cabinet lighting, upgrade appliances and add other features which transform their old kitchen, making it look as though the kitchen has undergone an expensive remodeling job. 

The Wood Doctor is the leader in wood restoration, refinishing and refacing in the Portland area. Call 503-560-5220 for a project consultation.