Replacing VS Refacing For Kitchen Cabinet

You may decide to remodel your kitchen to give it a new fresh look or update it with new, more functional gadgets. When remodeling kitchen cabinets, you can either choose to replace or reface your to give your kitchen a more appealing look. As the name implies, replacing involves replacing the entire cabinet and installing something new.

You can give your traditional cabinet a more classy and modern look by changing the wood, changing cracked and old doors. Replacing is a good option for a rundown, damaged, cracked, old, chipped cabinet. During the project, your kitchen will remain operational until the project is completed

Refacing on the other hand involves applying new veneer to your cabinet frames, replacing the drawer faces, doors, hardware such as hinges, covering them with new moldings and paint to give your cabinet a fresh look. Think of Refacing as re-skinning your cabinet to give it a fresher look. The outside of your cabinet will get a facelift, but you will inside the new doors are the same old shelves. This is a great option if you want to give your kitchen cabinet a new look without changing its layout.


Refacing

Pros

1. Costs much less than replacing

2. Less time, normally takes around 3 days to a few weeks to complete the project

3. The kitchen is still usable during the refacing project

Cons

1. Refacing does not fix an inside damage. As mentioned above refacing involves giving your cabinets a facelift, if there were interior problems, they will still the thereafter the refacing project is complete

2. You can’t change the design or layout of the cabinet Refacing is more of a cosmetic than a functional fix.

3. No warranty or guarantee for your cabinet, only the new products are covered in the warranty.

Replacing

Pros

1. Makes it possible to change the entire layout, design and look to revamp your cabinet’s look

2. Allows you to change your cabinet to improve its functionality and operations

3. You can change an old, broken and chipped cabinet to increase its life

Cons

1. Replacing is more expensive

2. You won’t be able to use your kitchen for the duration of the project

Factors to consider

When deciding whether to replace or refinish your cabinet, there are important things that you should keep in mind to help you make the right decision.

· Durability- If your cabinet is still in great condition, refacing it can improve its appearance without having to alter the layout or design. However consider replacing your cabinets if they are chipped, worn and damaged. You can hire an expert to look at the condition of your cabinet to help you choose the best option.

· Cost- You obviously need to consider your budget when deciding whether to reface or replace. As mentioned above, refacing is more cost effective than replacing. There are many options for refacing and replacing to meet your budget

· The look you want- If you are remodeling your whole kitchen, you may want to talk to an expert to help you decide whether a complete cabinet renovation would be a better option than refinishing. Depending on your budget, if your cabinets are in great condition, you may want to reface them to match the rest of the kitchen. If you want to give your cabinets a new style and layout you will need to replace them to achieve your desired modern, classy look.

· Function ability- If there are no operational problems with your cabinet, refacing is a good option to give them a newer, fresher look. However replacing is the best option if you want to add more space, replace old and chipped cabinet and to install more classy and modern cabinets

· Preference- After all is said and done, it all boils down to what you want. After considering all the above factors, make a choice that you will be happy with in the long run. If you want to give your cabinets a new modern look replacing is a better option, reface them if you want to give your kitchen a facelift without changing the design and layout

Your kitchen cabinet plays an important role in the look and layout of your kitchen. Make the right decision guided by your budget, goals and desires when choosing between replacing and refacing your kitchen cabinets. Make a decision that you will be proud of, for a long time to come.