Your kitchen is where you have your morning coffee, eat dinner with your family, and host special occasions. If you’re not in love with your cabinets, it’s easy to dread spending time in the most frequently used space in your home. You are probably wondering if you can make a dramatic cabinet change without blowing up your budget? The answer is yes! Cabinet refacing makes it possible.
What Does Cabinet Refacing Entail?
With hybrid cabinet refacing, sometimes called cabinet door replacement, you’re essentially replacing the doors and drawer fronts with new ones. The cabinet boxes, however, stay where they are. These are then stained or painted to match your new doors and drawers, so you get a seamless look at a fraction of the price of a full cabinet replacement.
Why is Cabinet Refacing More Affordable?
For several reasons. First and foremost, since cabinet refacing only involves the replacement of doors and drawer fronts, not the entire structure, there are fewer materials used. When you’re considering the cost of hardwood – especially today – this can save you a significant amount of money.
In addition, since fewer materials are needed, this translates into lower labor costs. The actual cost savings depends on where you are located. But wherever you live, the final price tag will be less with a cabinet door replacement instead of a full renovation. For instance, since your cabinet boxes don’t need to be ripped out, there’s no costly demolition or unexpected – and potentially expensive – surprises underneath them to deal with.
Instead, with cabinet refacing, the doors and drawer fronts are replaced with brand new ones in a style that works better for your vision and lifestyle. The boxes are repaired where there are any dents or scratches, then painted or stained to match. This is a far less labor intensive process than a full replacement of all your cabinets.
Just How Much Can You Save With Cabinet Refacing?
Besides your location, there are some other factors that can impact the cost. This includes the size of your kitchen and the number of drawers and door fronts. Your choices for door style and finishing touches will also impact the cost. There are many styles to choose from, but also different finishing techniques, like glazing and antiquing. In addition, there are a wide range of selections for hardware; some that are economical and others that come in at designer prices.
On average, though, the cost to reface your cabinets is significantly lower than all new custom cabinetry. This means there’s a lot of money left over you can spend in other areas, like purchasing new appliances, adding a backsplash, or refinishing your hardwood floors.
Plus, with refacing, you can customize the look and feel of your cabinets with the style of your choosing- from Shaker and beadboard to traditional raised front, contemporary flat front, and more. You can further personalize your space by adding glass-fronted cabinets or crown molding to your upper cabinets. In the end, you’ll get a kitchen that is totally transformed without the huge cost.
What Are Other Benefits of Cabinet Refacing?
Besides cost, refacing your cabinet doors and drawer fronts instead of a total replacement offers other advantages as well. For instance, there’s a faster turnaround time since you’re not removing all the cabinetry. In fact, in a matter of days, your kitchen cabinets can be fully refaced. A complete renovation, on the other hand, can take weeks or even months and results in a lot more disruption to your life, plus a big mess in your home.
Another reason to consider cabinet refacing? It’s environmentally friendly. Since you’re not replacing everything, your old boxes won’t end up in a landfill. In addition, less hardwood and fewer fossil fuels will be used to create just the doors and drawer fronts. This makes cabinet door and drawer replacement a more sustainable choice than a complete renovation.
When Not to Reface Your Cabinets
There are a few instances when refacing your cabinets isn’t necessarily the best choice. If you want to reconfigure the space, for instance, then you’ll need to fully rip out your cabinets and replace them with new ones in a different layout. Likewise, if your existing cabinets don’t offer you the storage you need, you won’t be able to increase storage space if you reface.
Also, if your cabinet boxes are damaged, and therefore not structurally sound, then refacing them will be a waste of money. While refacing will give you a temporary boost in appearance, the cabinets could begin to sag, warp, or have other issues that will eventually require a full replacement.
Other than these few exceptions, in most cases, refacing your cabinets is a great choice: one that offers the best of both worlds. You can get a whole new style of cabinetry in your kitchen, all without the hefty price tag of a custom renovation. Plus, you won’t have to live in a construction zone for weeks and can enjoy gorgeous-looking cabinets in just a few days.
Ready to upgrade your cabinets? At N-Hance®, we’re cabinet refacing pros and can completely transform your existing cabinets, so they look like they just arrived from the factory. You’ll be amazed at the difference we can make. Call (855) 642-6230 to set up a FREE consultation.