Your kitchen cabinets need refreshing. Maybe they’re scuffed or stained. Maybe you’re just plain tired of the color or finish. But you’re reluctant to yank out all those cabinets, rip up the walls, and start from scratch–that’s expensive and could put your whole kitchen out of commission!
Kitchen Tune-Up’s cabinet refacing service can transform your kitchen without the mess, fuss and expense of a remodeling job. You get the beauty and benefits of new-looking cabinets in just days, not weeks. How do you decide if cabinet refacing is right for you? Check out this primer to learn how refacing works.
What Is Cabinet Refacing?
Cabinet doors and drawers tend to wear out faster than cabinet frames. In cabinet refacing, we remove doors and drawers but keep the kitchen cabinets’ existing frames (or “boxes”) in place. We cover the boxes with a new veneer of wood or laminate. Then we install new cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. The cabinets appear completely new–and the doors and drawer fronts are new, with the original boxes veneered specifically to match them.
Here’s what refacing isn’t: It isn’t painting existing cabinets. It isn’t refinishing the wood on existing wood cabinets. Don’t get us wrong–for many kitchens, painting cabinets or revitalizing wood with Kitchen Tune-Up’s wood refurbishment process are ideal choices! But if refacing with veneers and new doors is right for your kitchen, we’ve got the expertise and a fantastic selection of materials to make your cabinets look like new.
Is Refacing or Renovating the Right Option?
Ask yourself these questions to decide if refacing is the best option for your particular kitchen.
Do I crave a fresher look, but don’t want to pay big bucks for a full remodel? HomeAdvisor says refacing is 30 percent to 50 percent less expensive than kitchen cabinet remodeling. That gives refacing the cost advantage, if you mostly want to alter the kitchen’s appearance and not change its functionality or footprint.
Do I like my kitchen’s current layout? If your familiar layout works efficiently, there’s no need to tear out cabinets for a full remodeling job. Refacing keeps the layout while upgrading the look.
Are the cabinet boxes in good shape? We’ll inspect your cabinets and tell you if the boxes have damage or other issues that mean replacement, instead of refacing, is your best choice. If the boxes are sturdy, refacing likely is an option.
Would I like to keep using my kitchen normally while it’s getting upgraded? Refacing doesn’t require demolition and doesn’t move appliances around, so you can keep using your kitchen while we’re on the job. Our refacing service usually takes only two to four days. We clean the area every day before we leave, so you have a usable kitchen during the refacing process!
Do I plan to stay in this house for a while? If you’re looking at moving within just a few years, painting might be an option for your kitchen cabinets. But if you aim to use these cabinets for years to come, then refacing gives you incredibly durable cabinets for the long term.
Refacing, Step by Step
What will you experience if you choose refacing?
Choose your beautiful new doors and drawers. Browse our huge collection of kitchen cabinet door styles. Talk to your Kitchen Tune-Up expert about the styles that work best on your cabinet boxes. Our door catalog has options galore, in styles, sizes, finishes and colors to perk up any space. Kitchen Tune-Up also features exclusive door designs created just for our customers, giving you unique choices you won’t get elsewhere. As an established home improvement company that does business nationwide, Kitchen Tune-Up gets favorable pricing from cabinet manufacturers. We pass that savings along to you.
Consider whether you want to add some new cabinets, a kitchen island, or more drawers instead of cabinets. With Kitchen Tune-Up’s Refacing Plus option, you can add these changes at the same time we’re doing the refacing.
Say goodbye to your old cabinet doors and drawers. The next time you see the drawers, they’ll have new fronts that match your new cabinet doors.
We veneer the boxes. Using wood or rigid thermofoil (RTF) veneer, we cover the fronts and sides of your cabinet boxes. RTF is a melamine product known for toughness and versatility–RTF comes in colors and patterns to match a host of design schemes.
Your new doors and drawers arrive. We install new hinges, if needed, then hang your new cabinet doors and install the drawers. To complete the fresh look, add new door handles and drawer pulls.
Can’t I Just Do It Myself?
Yes. Handy homeowners can replace doors and drawer fronts and even attach veneers to cabinet boxes themselves. Measuring precisely and choosing materials carefully are key. You’ll need to source your drawer fronts and doors and a matching veneer, plus the adhesives and tools to attach the veneer. Don’t forget hinges and hardware.
While doing it yourself is possible, if you’re looking to refresh your cabinets, consider letting your nearest Kitchen Tune-Up team do it for you. Ask about our refacing service today and compare it to the time you’d spend on DIY refacing.
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