What are your options when your kitchen cabinets are damaged and dented? Until recently, the sole option for cabinet replacement was to paint the cabinets—an effective substitute but challenging when dealing with mainly unpaintable thermofoil cabinets. Cabinet refacing and cabinet replacement are now both feasible choices when your cabinets are in disrepair.
Cabinet refacing has been around for a long time—basically it's wood-veneering on stimulants cabinet refacing as a cottage industry is relatively new. Because cabinet refacing is a near substitute for cabinet replacement, the distinctions tend to merge. The primary distinction is that refaced cabinets have a new appearance, but the cabinet boxes, and hence the complete cabinet arrangement, are not new.
Cabinet Refinishing
Replacement of Cabinets
Existing cabinets are being demolished. Experienced installers will position and carefully level your base cabinets, ensuring that the countertops remain level enough so that the eggs do not roll. Improperly leveled bases may cause counters to fracture years later. Cabinets are mounted on the wall. The doors and hardware have been fitted.
Reface Cabinets | Replace Cabinets | |
---|---|---|
Cost | Refacing costs between 40 and 50 percent less than replacement. | Contractor-grade cabinetry will cost between $12,000 and $20,000. |
Professional Work | Only a small minority of businesses reface cabinets. | There are significantly more people and businesses who install new cabinets than reface old ones. |
What It Is | Cabinet boxes have been veneered, new doors have been installed, and door fronts have been replaced. | Existing cabinets are completely removed and replaced with new cabinets. |
When It's Recommended | Best when the cabinet boxes are in solid shape and cost is an issue. | When remodeling a full kitchen or when cabinet boxes are in bad condition, this is the best option. |
Can You Do It Yourself? | Because veneering has a learning curve, it is difficult for a do-it-yourselfer. | Although less complex than refacing, it is still tough to get correctly. |
Do-It-Yourself Installation
Cabinet Refinishing
Replacement of Cabinets
Cabinet replacement entails both heavy lifting of wall cabinets and accurate leveling of base cabinets. Professionals will always perform a better job than you, but doing it yourself will save you money.
Professional Installation
Cabinet Refinishing
Fewer firms reface cabinets than replace them, however this is changing as more homeowners become aware of the benefits of refacing. Kitchen Tune-Up and other franchises provide refacing services around the United States. Because cabinet refacing is a specialized job, don't expect a regular carpenter or handyman service to be able to perform it.
Replacement of Cabinets
There is no lack of companies that change cabinets, ranging from home improvement retailers like Home Depot and Lowe's to local kitchen renovation centers to individual contractors who will install for a fee.
Cost
Cabinet Refacing
To reface kitchen cabinets in a 10-foot by 10-foot kitchen, expect to pay between $7,000 and $10,000. Refacing costs around 40% to 50% less than replacing all of the cabinets in a kitchen.
Contractor-grade
budget cabinets cost between $15,000 and $20,000 to replace.
When Is It Beneficial?
Cabinet Refinishing
- When the cabinet boxes are in good condition
- When money is tight
- When renovating rather than building a new house
- When you appreciate the present arrangement of your kitchen
Replacement of Cabinets
- When building a new house, knocking out your kitchen, or creating a new addition with a kitchen
- When designing a new kitchen plan, there are several factors to consider.
- When cabinet boxes, drawers, or doors are in poor condition
- When remodeling a full kitchen,
How Environmentally Friendly Is It?
Cabinet Refinishing
Cabinet doors and drawer fronts are the only materials that are discarded, making cabinet refacing an environmentally responsible alternative.
Replacement of Cabinets
Often, the entire cabinet—from the contents to the hardware—is discarded. However, nice cabinets can be donated to recycling yards such as Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store.
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