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Many of you may know that cabinet refacing is a viable alternative to a full kitchen remodel. As cabinet refacing experts, when people come to us looking for an affordable kitchen remodel, they always ask about resurfacing or refinishing. These are completely different kitchen remodeling options.
Desirable Kitchens and Refacing would like to set the record straight on the differences between cabinet refacing and cabinet resurfacing as well as explain why cabinet refacing is the best option available to bring new life to your kitchen cabinets affordably.
The cabinet refacing process involves replacing everything but the cabinet boxes or frames with substitutes of your choice, essentially giving you new cabinets at a fraction of the price. The cabinet resurfacing process involves removing existing paint or stain and applying a new finish to your cabinets.
Cabinet resurfacing, also known as cabinet refinishing, will only work with solid wood cabinets with a finish like paint or stain. This can be accomplished by using strong chemicals that remove the adhesion between the paint and the wooden or by aggressively sanding and scraping the cabinet door and drawer fronts.
The cabinet resurfacing process is time-consuming and is only a cosmetic improvement to your kitchen cabinets that will not fix warped cabinet doors, dented cabinet doors, or issues with loose hardware.
If your cabinets are in good condition and do not have ornate designs and intricate facets, cabinet resurfacing is a suitable optoin.
During a cabinet refacing project, the cabinet doors, the drawer fronts, hardware, toe kicks, and any valances, if they are present, are all removed from the cabinet frames. This is a much better option, especially if you just want to stay with the same layout as before and your cabinet frames are still in good condition.
At this point, the cabinet frames are prepared to receive new trim, doors, drawers, and a veneer or other finishing method to make the front of the cabinet frame match the new doors and drawers.
Refacing is not as time-consuming as resurfacing, though we do recommend hiring a professional since the process can be tricky, and noticeable mistakes can have you wishing you had just hired someone with experience to do it.
With cabinet refacing, you are essentially getting new cabinets at a fraction of the price minus the boxes if they are still in good condition. You now have the option to select completely new designs and materials for ALL of the visible parts of your cabinets, including the hardware.
You can improve every aspect of your cabinets during the refacing process with less time and less money. You also do not need to deal with the harsh fumes from chemicals involved in the stripping process of resurfacing, as well as the fumes from the new paint or stain.
Cabinet refacing also allows you to correct issues with your current kitchen cabinets. These issues can be things like misaligned doors or loose hardware. There are other common problems with kitchen cabinets that can be fixed during this process as well, such as the natural tendency for cabinet doors to shrink due to moisture and temperature changes that negatively affect the wood that makes up your cabinets.
Find out more about cabinet refacing and what is involved in the process,
If you want to restore your cabinets, Desirable Kitchens & Refacing has been refacing cabinets for years and recommends refacing over refinishing. Contact us on our website or give us a call at 412-515-0582 to get a cabinet refacing quote!
