If you’re aiming to transform the appearance of your kitchen cabinets without undertaking an entire remodeling project, cabinet refacing presents an excellent solution. This approach offers a revitalized and contemporary look for your kitchen, all while costing significantly less than a complete remodel. However, it’s crucial to exercise caution when selecting a company to execute the refacing process. It’s advisable to steer clear of companies that utilize veneers. Here’s the reason why:
What are Veneers?
To begin, it’s important to understand the nature of veneers. Veneers are crafted from thin layers of wood or melamine, a form of plastic known as thermofoil. In essence, these materials are affixed to particle board and subsequently applied to your cabinets.
The Problem with Veneers
A significant drawback of opting for veneers in cabinet refacing lies in their reduced durability compared to other materials. Because they consist of thin layers applied to cabinet surfaces, veneers are susceptible to chipping and damage, particularly along edges and corners. Such issues can result in an unappealing visual aspect and detract from the kitchen’s overall aesthetics. By choosing to reface your cabinets with fresh hardwood doors and drawer faces, as exemplified by N-Hance®, you guarantee the durability essential for a kitchen environment. Our refacing approach is tailored to withstand the demands of high kitchen activity, ensuring a resilient and superior finish.
Additional issues associated with using veneers for cabinet refacing include susceptibility to chipping and vulnerability to water damage. Given that veneers are thin overlays affixed to cabinet surfaces, moisture can readily penetrate between the veneer and the cabinet, resulting in warping and the formation of bubbles. Addressing these problems can prove challenging and may undermine both the overall aesthetics and the long-term resilience of your cabinets.
The concerns related to veneers extend beyond those points. Veneers frequently develop cracks when subjected to varying elements and temperatures, including exposure to hot water or grease. As a consequence, the veneers may undergo expansion at a dissimilar rate compared to the wood beneath them.
Damage might not always be visible on the surface, but the underlying particle board can be susceptible to easy harm. Particle board, composed of low-cost materials like wood shavings that are bonded together, is porous and inclined to issues like ripples, cracks, sagging, and similar concerns. Even if your cabinet veneers are affixed to plywood, vulnerability to damage, particularly due to moisture, remains a possibility. While plywood may offer more durability than particle board, hardwood emerges as the superior choice, ensuring longevity that spans decades.
Tempted by the Cost of Veneers?
Don’t let uncertainty deter you. When you’re making an investment in your home, your ultimate goal is to achieve stunning outcomes. Over time, veneers can show signs of wear, particularly in households with bustling activity and kitchens that experience heavy foot traffic. While they may present an economical choice initially, the appearance of veneers can deteriorate and potentially become less appealing than your original cabinets.
Conversely, selecting a cabinet refacing company that centers on hardwood and meticulously crafts your cabinet doors and drawer fronts from the ground up—much like our approach at N-Hance of Southeast Nebraska—guarantees a premium outcome.
In line with the adage “you get what you pay for,” this principle remains applicable to cabinet refacing. Moreover, you can achieve substantial savings in comparison to a complete replacement.
Ready for a Better Choice?
N-Hance employs solid hardwood for the refacing of kitchen cabinets, presenting an extensive range of styles, colors, and finishing methods for your selection. What’s more, our exclusive Lightspeed® Nano system cures the coating, rendering your cabinets exceptionally durable. This surface toughness safeguards against cracking or peeling, even in the face of extensive household activity and robust utilization.
Furthermore, N-Hance offers an array of personalized accessories and hardware options, encompassing soft-close drawer glides, knobs, pulls, glass cabinets, crown molding, wine racks, shelves, and dovetail drawer boxes. With the guidance of our team of refacing experts, your cabinets will undergo a remarkable transformation, emerging as a brand new and distinctly reimagined feature of your space.
Want a quality look at a fraction of the cost of a traditional remodel? Our cabinet refacing team at N-Hance can deliver. Call N-Hance of Southeast Nebraska to set up a FREE consultation.