Best Kitchen Cabinet Refacing for Your Home

Dated or worn-looking cabinets are common reasons to remodel a kitchen. However, you can skip the full remodel to change the appearance of the cabinets. Instead, have the cabinets refaced.

Cabinet refacing is changing the look of cabinets without changing their structure. Cabinet refacing involves cosmetic changes. This includes replacing kitchen cabinet doors and hardware. It might also mean adding a wood veneer or layer of paint. The main body and layout of the cabinets stays the same. It's usually a quicker and
more cost-effective solution than completely removing and replacing kitchen
cabinets.

Plus, hanging new cabinets can be a difficult task for DIYers. Cabinet refacing, on the other hand, is a project you can do yourself. Refacing can be simple or more involved. You may only replace cabinet door handles, for example. For a bigger change, you might apply a veneer and install a backsplash. You’ll never be starting from scratch like you would with a full remodel.

Whether you should reface or replace cabinets depends on the cabinets' condition. If the changes you want are surface level, choose refacing. If your cabinets need major structural changes and improvements, replacement is the better solution.

When to reface cabinets:

• The main body and shelves are sturdy and in good condition.
• Only the cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware need updating.
• The cabinet face frames are made from solid hardwood. Hardwood accepts veneers well and supports new doors.
• The internal hardware, including shelves and drawer slides, works well and suits your needs.
• You like the existing layout of your cabinets.

When to replace cabinets:

• The main body and shelves are poorly constructed or
  in bad condition. They can't support new cabinet door installation.
• You need more shelving, storage accessories or a different cabinet layout for your kitchen.
• You want so many changes that it’s less expensive to buy new stock cabinets.

Most cabinet refacing projects include replacing the cabinet doors. Pick from many kitchen cabinet door styles to find the perfect fit for your kitchen. New doors can quickly and easily change the look and feel of your cabinets. When choosing replacement cabinet doors, you'll have a few custom options. Choose the material, finish and panel style. Creating fully custom cabinet doors allows you even more freedom. Check out kitchen cabinet samples to discover what suits you.

Cabinet Door Material:

Choose between cabinet doors made from solid wood, rigid thermofoil or MDF.

• Solid wood doors are available in maple, cherry, birch and oak. Customize them to your preference with interior wood stain, paint and glazes.
• Rigid thermofoil doors have a thin, layered plastic coating fused to medium density fiberboard (MDF) with heat and pressure. Paint them or get them in a white, gray or antique white finish.
• Medium density fiberboard (MDF) doors are paintable cabinet doors that resist moisture. They're less likely to warp
  from humidity than solid wood. MDF is often the most budget-friendly cabinet door material.

Cabinet Door Overlay:

An overlay is how the cabinet doors lay on the cabinet face. There are two overlay styles.

• Standard overlays (also called traditional overlays) create a frame. You can see the face of the cabinet box around doors and drawers.
• Full overlays mount the cabinet doors to cover the cabinet box. No cabinet frame shows around the doors and drawer fronts.

Cabinet Door Panel Style:

The most common cabinet door panel styles include recessed panels and raised panels. Others are Shaker panels and slab panels.

• Recessed cabinet doors have a flat center panel surrounded by a slightly higher rim. They include beadboard cabinet doors. This type has a center panel of vertical wood planks called beads.
• Raised cabinet
  doors have a raised center panel and a decorative carved rim.
• Shaker cabinet doors
  are a type of recessed door with a simple, uncarved rim.
• Slab cabinet doors have a flat panel door. They have no rim or overlay.

Cabinet refacing is more than just replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts. It also involves either painting or adding a veneer to the cabinet boxes.

Painting the cabinets adds color and
a fresh finish. With the right primer, paint works with any cabinet material. Paint also gives you the most style and color freedom. If you have hardwood cabinets and want to keep the natural wood grain, try interior wood stain. Wood stain comes in natural wood tones, plus shades of gray and white.

To make the cabinet look like a different type of wood, add a wood veneer. This is the best cabinet refacing option. A veneer is a thin piece of wood glued to a core panel.
Installing veneers makes your cabinet look like solid hardwood at a fraction of the cost.

The final step in cabinet refacing is updating the hardware.
Kitchen cabinet hardware adds a finishing touch to your decor. Match your cabinet hinges, handles, knobs and drawer pulls for a newly remodeled look.

Cabinet handles or drawer pulls come in a variety of styles and materials. Choose from plastic, wood, ceramic or crystal. Most come in matching sets of knobs for doors and handles for drawers.

The type of cabinet you have helps determine the type of hinges to use:

• Framed cabinets have hinges attached to the door and frame. Frameless cabinets have hinges attached to the door and the wall.
• European hinges, or concealed hinges, aren't seen when the door is closed. They provide a sleek, clean appearance for contemporary styles.
  Most of them are self-closing and limit the door to opening 110 degrees. European hinges are always used on full overlay cabinet doors or frameless cabinets.
• Traditional or exposed hinges show on the outside of the cabinet. They're used with traditional cabinet styles. Types include spring-loaded and
  self-closing barrel hinges, as well as knife hinges. These hinges allow the door to open 180 degrees.