Should I Replace, Reface or Refinish My Cabinets?
When you’re doing a kitchen remodel, it’s important to decide whether you want to completely replace your cabinets or just improve the look of them. Replacing cabinets can be expensive, so it’s usually a better choice to reface or refinish them. While refacing involves replacing old doors and drawers with new ones, refinishing keeps the original cabinetry but updates it with a new finish. If your cabinets are still in good shape, refacing or refinishing them are usually your best option. Find out how these three processes work and how to choose between them for your next kitchen remodel!
Kitchen Remodel Costs
When it comes to remodeling your kitchen, you want to make sure that you account for everything so that it can look as great as you want it to. However, kitchen remodels come at a price, literally. In 2019, the average kitchen remodel costs $23,863 but can increase depending on what additions you’re wanting to include. While the cheapest remodel hangs around $12,000 for smaller projects, extensive ones can reach upwards of $35,000 alone. The quality of materials that you use and the size of the space that you’re remodeling are huge contributors to the rising costs of kitchen remodels, but each of them can be simplified. The more expensive remodels are that way because homeowners tend to replace cabinets over updating their old ones, install high-end appliances and use expensive materials for their counters, like granite. Although spending money on your kitchen is one of the best ways to increase your home’s property value, there are others ways to make your kitchen standout without sacrificing your budget. For this article, we will focus on one of the costliest areas of the kitchen to remodel: the cabinets. Learning how you can cut costs when updating your cabinets will help you save more money in the long run and still give you the kitchen that you’ve always dreamed of.
Replacing, Refacing and Refinishing Cabinets
One of the most used and abused parts of our kitchen are the cabinets. They hold our cooking appliances, food and dishes, and we are constantly opening their doors and drawers. This process can cause them to wear down after a few years and make them look ugly and haggard. If you are looking to refresh your cabinets, there are three options available to you: replace, reface or refinish. To begin, replacing cabinets allows you to start over in your kitchen with brand new, clean cabinets that can undergo another decade of use. If your cabinets are in bad shape or you’re looking to change the layout of the space, replacing is the best option. However, prepare to pay a large sum for new cabinets. These cabinets and their installation can cost between $12,000 and $20,000 alone. If this is too expensive for you, consider refacing your cabinets instead. If your cabinets are in good shape, refacing can save you 30-50% of the cost that you would have paid for new cabinets. This process includes replacing the old doors and drawers with new ones while you keep the original cabinet frames. The frames will additionally be covered with new paint or veneer to keep the whole product looking fresh for years to come. But refacing isn’t your cheapest option. For those on a budget, refinishing can provide an updated look to your cabinets that mirrors the results of refacing and replacing but at a fraction of the cost. Refinishing adds a fresh coat of paint or veneer of your choice to your original cabinets, and it does not remove old doors or drawers nor does it replace the original cabinetry with anything new. This type of treatment is the fastest available and it looks so great that no one will know that you didn’t get new cabinets after the refinishing process is completed.
Why Refinishing Is Your Best Option
If your cabinets don’t have water damage and still function well, you will get the best bang for your buck by refinishing them over replacing or refacing. Cost is typically the driving factor behind kitchen remodels, and refinishing is your cheapest option. Not only that, but it takes only 4-6 days to complete the entire refinishing project, meaning your family can start using your kitchen within the first week of the remodel. But don’t think that just because refinishing is the cheapest option that you aren’t getting a high-end result. The entire process includes washing, hand-sanding and caulking your cabinets, including the frames, doors and drawers, before applying your choice of finish. Additionally, the entire structure will receive three coats of commercial-grade acrylic coatings to create a beautiful and long-lasting finish that can withstand scratches and stains. Refinished cabinets look, function and last just as well as new cabinets but will save you more money and time.
While you can refinish your cabinets on your own, it is recommended that you don’t unless you have the experience and the correct tools to do so. Cabinets with laminate fronts, for example, do not do well being refinished, and using the wrong type of paint can actually cause warping and peeling. For the paint to apply well, the surface of the cabinets needs to be prepared correctly or you run the risk of a ruined DIY project. If you want to avoid all of these risks entirely, it is best that you hire a professional company to refinish your cabinets for you. By doing so, you can ensure that your cabinets will withstand the use that will be required of them for years to come.
Improve The Look of Your Kitchen With Our Help!
Our team at Summit Cabinet Coatings provides a variety of different finishes to refinish your cabinets with. We have years of experience creating dream kitchens that our clients want while helping them save money at the same time. Your dream kitchen is only one call away, so call us at (970) 282-9856 to receive a FREE estimate on your next cabinet project!