If you love the arrangement of your kitchen, but think it’s looking a little tired, consider cabinet refacing. You don’t have to change a thing; your counters remain intact, the layout you love will still be there, and you won’t get lost looking for the coffee pot when you stumble down in the morning.
Refacing your cabinets is a fairly simple process with stunning results. It works something like this:
- If your cabinet box is in good condition, it stays in place while the doors, drawer fronts and hardware are removed.
- A good contractor will know what’s available on the market and will show you a wide selection of door styles, wood species, stain colors, glazing, crown molding and hardware.
- Once you’ve made your selection, the contractor gets to work on the cabinet boxes. For a quality result, insist on having your cabines boxes lined with wood, veneer or thermofoil, not painted or stained. This gives your cabinets true quality and durability and the appearance is sleek and impressive.
- He will then reface your doors, drawers and install the hardware you’ve chosen.
- Since you’ve saved so much money – 50-60% of new cabinets – you might as well spring for a few additions that will make you life so much easier. Have him add roll-out shelves, modern fixture and eye-catching hardware.
Key to this process is finding the right contractor. You want one who has been in business for some time and who has excellent referrals. Beyond that, you want one who is up to date with current methods, materials and styles. Keep in mind that an good independent contractor will probably save you even more money. They have less overhead and fewer employees to support.
Cabinet refacing is an excellent alternative to a complete kitchen remodel. The finished product will be of no less quality, the look will turn heads, and your cabinets will be more durable.
