Cabinet Refacing
Refacing kitchen cabinets can bring new life to a kitchen at a fraction of the cost of getting new cabinets installed. Refacing involves removing the old doors and framework and replacing them with brand new materials. The existing structure of the old units is left untouched and the basic layout remains unchanged. The doors, hardware and drawer fronts are all replaced. Any exposed framework is painted or covered with new paint or veneer to match the replacement doors and drawer fronts. The end result is the look of brand new kitchen cabinets at a much lower cost than what a complete tear out and replacement would cost.
Door Fronts
The most visible part of any cabinet is the door front, because it takes up the most space on the front surface of the unit. The door style and the composition of the door both have to be considered when refacing kitchen cabinets. There are many different stylistic options available to customize your new cabinet look. Recessed panels, bead board, and glass fronts are just a few of the options available. The choices consumers will make will necessarily depend on their budget. But when choosing refacing over full replacement, you have more room for customization because the overall cost of the job is so much lower. This is an important point to ponder.
The physical composition of the doors is another area with several different options to choose from. Obviously, wood is a popular choice, and there are many different types of wood used in refacing kitchen cabinets. Poplar, birch, alder, cherry, and maple are just a handful of the wood materials available to select from. Different species of wood have different properties from their particular grain patterns to moisture resistance.
Some woods look great with just a natural finish while others take on deep varnishes beautifully. Consumers remodeling their kitchen will choose based on the décor they are looking for and the utilitarian purposes they have in mind for their cabinets. And of course, aside from wood there is also medium density fiberboard (MDF), an inexpensive alternative, as well as metal.
Hinges
Refacing kitchen cabinets includes new hardware and hinges. Hinges on frameless kitchen cabinets attach to the door and the side or the cabinet box end panels. Refacing framed cabinets involves attaching the new hinges to the door and the cabinet frame. Buyers have some choices on the hinges they select as well. The two basic hinge styles are traditional and European. Traditional hinges are exposed, while European hinges are concealed. Those who go with traditional hinges might opt for the self closing barrel hinge. There are many different hinge options for refacing kitchen cabinets.
Cost of Cabinet Refacing
The cost of refacing kitchen cabinets as a general rule is less than half what you would pay for a full replacement job. But the expense of a job can vary widely depending on a number of factors. The great thing about cabinet refacing is that it can be done pretty well on a shoe string budget. Different finish options, for example, will affect the cost of a kitchen remodel tremendously.
The size and scope of the project will have a huge impact on its cost. The materials chosen by the homeowner and the complexity of the install all play a role. The best way to determine how much a job will cost is to gather some quotes from qualified local professionals. Some companies will give a ballpark price for refacing kitchen cabinets based on a price per unit. Get some quotes for more specific pricing information.
