By Karen Warner, Designer at Dean Cabinetry
Dean Cabinetry does not currently offer refacing or refinishing services. Read more to learn the pros and cons of refacing or refinishing.
Refacing existing cabinet boxes with new wood veneer and new doors and drawer fronts can be a nice way to upgrade a kitchen because there is usually less disruption to the homeowners’ lives than with a more involved kitchen remodel. With refacing, the layout stays mostly the same but gets an updated look.
People sometimes assume refacing their cabinets will save a lot of money compared to buying new cabinets, but costs vary widely depending on the quality of the materials involved and how extensive you want the updates to be. For example, if your drawer boxes and glides need replacement, that is a more involved job than just a new drawer front. Also, if you like the quality and feel of real wood for your new fronts, that will cost more than plastic laminate or thermofoil wrapped doors.
There are a number of reasons why new cabinets may be a better choice if you’re trying to upgrade your kitchen:
Refinishing cabinets can be a good option if they are of good quality and you already like the layout. If, as stated above, the storage options are not great or it is a frustrating space to work in, refinishing your cabinets will not solve those problems.
A DIY-minded homeowner can paint or refinish cabinets relatively inexpensively, but having patience and realistic expectations are definitely helpful when approaching this job. Getting a high quality result is a specialized, multi-step process. Excellent finishes are easier to achieve in a dedicated facility, or at least by an experienced professional. Also, if your cabinets are already painted, you should test them to determine whether lead paint is involved. If so, proper precautions should be taken to meet the environmental and health safety requirements.
If you decide to hire professionals for refacing or refinishing your cabinets, make sure you are confident you have chosen a quality company. Do your research, ask questions, get references and be sure you understand what the warranty covers (if there is one). And don’t hesitate to contact a cabinet company if you’d like to see what that option might mean for your budget.
See what John Dean, owner of Dean Cabinetry, has to say about cabinet refacing and refinishing in the video below!