Kitchen Cabinet Refacing (May 20, 2009)

Give your cupboards a well-deserved facelift

Changing the style of your cabinets does not mean you have to rip them from the walls and start anew. There are plenty of ways to add a more modern look to your kitchen without the work and cost of drastic measures. A simple and relatively inexpensive solution to your outdated kitchen look is to reface your cabinets.

Cabinet refacing involves replacing the parts that get the most use and attention, including the doors, handles and hinges. These are simple changes that can add new life to your kitchen without breaking the bank. If done efficiently, such alterations can be completed over a weekend or the course of a few evenings.

Doors

The doors in your kitchen ride out the storms of your life and take a lot of abuse. Therefore they must not only be eye-catching but also convenient and sturdy.

The choices are simple when it comes to doors: replace them completely, refinish your existing doors or do a combination of both.

Replacing your doors is quite self-explanatory; unless you have strangely designed custom-built doors, door sizes are standard and replacements will be easy to find at most good home renovation stores.

Though not always recommended, a good paint job on your kitchen cabinets could provide the change you¡¯re looking for. This is by far the most inexpensive way to brighten a boring kitchen. However, it is time consuming, and if your doors are of a good quality wood it could be a shame to cover the natural beauty of their grains.

If your kitchen cabinet doors are flat paneled, another option would be to add a veneer. Thin slices of wood, generally 1/8 inch thick, veneer layers can be glued over the surface of your existing finish to give your cabinet doors a brand new look and a change of style. Veneering your doors is an inexpensive way to add the visual effect of expensive wood to your cabinets.

Another option for adding a new look to your kitchen is by replacing a few high profile doors with glass panel doors. The glass will add a touch of modern aesthetics to your kitchen and is an easy way of displaying your fine dishes.

Hinges and Handles

Once you have decided on color and finish, you will have in your kitchen it will be easy to accessorize your cabinet doors. Think of your kitchen cabinet hardware as not only utilitarian but as the jewelry of your kitchen. You probably wouldn¡¯t consider costume jewelry if you are dressed in haute couture, therefore you shouldn¡¯t cheapen the look of your new doors with boring plastic knobs and flimsy hinges.

Good looking, well-made hinges and handles can be purchased both online and in brick and mortar shops, in an endless array of styles and finishes. Prices also vary so it is a good idea to shop around.

A good trick when trying to decide on the type of hardware to install in your kitchen is to bring a sample of the color (if you have painted your cabinets) or the veneer finish to your local home renovation center and hold it against some of the products. This "sneak peak" will get you as close to the full effect of how it will look in your kitchen as possible, and you¡¯ll also get a boost of confidence toward achieving your goal.

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