How to Reface Kitchen Cabinets: Tips and How-tos
Do your kitchen cabinets look dated? Are they a little worn at the edges? Then make your cabinets look new again by refacing them. Read on to see our essential tips on how to reface kitchen cabinets.
What does it mean to reface a cabinet?
Refacing is a budget-friendly and quick way to refresh your kitchen cabinets and drawers. The cabinet and drawer exterior changes, but the interior stays the same.
Additionally, this means minimal interruptions to your everyday kitchen use!
Another small but mighty thing to consider upgrading is the hardware (knobs, pulls, or handles). Updating them can help achieve a new and modern appearance. However, this will depend on the desired look that you’re going for.
How to reface your kitchen cabinets
There are three ways to go about refacing your kitchen cabinets. All three are effective and great ways to do so, but it will ultimately depend on your budget and time.
You can either paint them, apply a veneer, or buy new cabinet doors and drawer fronts.
Painting kitchen cabinets
Paint is an inexpensive option for sprucing up kitchen cabinets. And, if you’re handy with a paintbrush, you can upgrade your kitchen in about two weekends.
- Check the temperature – it’s best to start your painting project when the outdoor temperatures are cool to warm. The heat of midsummer may cause the paint to dry too quickly. Thus causing brush marks to remain on the painted surface.
- Remove dishes, foods, and other kitchen items from the cabinets, drawers, shelves, and countertops. Set kitchenware and food aside in another room.
- Remove cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware – for the best finish, it’s best to remove them. Keep track of which door, drawer, and hardware go where. It will make the re-installation process go faster.
- Cleaning time – wipe down cabinets with Wet & Forget Indoor Mold + Mildew Disinfectant Cleaner. This will remove all grease, dirt, and grime.
- Contain sanding dust – hang sheets of plastic or an old bed sheet above the kitchen entrance. This will keep sanding dust from floating into the rest of the house, which means fewer cleanups.
- Sand all surfaces – use 220-grit sandpaper to sand the interior and exterior surfaces. A sanding pad works well for recesses and design details. Then remove sanding dust with a microfiber cloth.
- Primer time – brush on two coats of quality, shellac-based primer. Be sure to sand lightly between coats.
- Before you paint – choose an alkyd-based enamel paint. Moreover, mix in a little paint additive, such as Penetrol, according to the manufacturer’s directions. The paint additive will help the paint flow better and will help eliminate brush and roller marks.
- Paint in order – paint the inside or back of cabinet doors first in the direction of the wood grain. Next, turn the doors over and paint the door fronts. Paint flat surfaces with a foam roller or bristle brush and touch up drips and uneven areas as you go. Then, paint the recesses and details with a narrow paintbrush such as a poly-nylon, 2-inch paintbrush.
- Follow the above procedures for drawer fronts.
- Reassembly – reinstall the doors, drawers, hinges, and catches. Finish the project by adding new drawer and door pulls, handles, or knobs.
Applying Veneer
If you prefer the look of natural wood or a modern finish, then consider applying a veneer to the cabinet and drawer fronts.
Veneers are sold as finished or unfinished. If you’re looking for a more customized looked, go with the unfinished veneer. This allows you to stain the veneer to achieve the wood tone you desire.
However, applying veneer requires a lot of precision and skill. If you mar the finish of a stained veneer, then it may be difficult to touch up.
Installing an unfinished veneer and then applying stain is usually the easiest option for the more experienced home DIYer.
Buying New Cabinet Doors & Drawer Fronts
This is the more costly option when it comes to refacing your kitchen cabinets. Doing so would mean tossing out the old cabinet doors and drawers and replacing them with new ones.
Home repair expert, Bob Vila, says, “When shopping for new cabinet doors and drawer fronts, accurate measurements are of the utmost importance, particularly when purchasing online. To minimize error, provide your cabinetmaker with an old door and drawer front in each size that you will need.”
The Finishing Touch
New hardware is often necessary because it ensures that everything coordinates and completes the desired look. Kitchen cabinet handles, pulls, and knobs are available in a wide range of styles and finishes at hardware stores.
The hardware influences the look and feel of your kitchen space, so it’s an important decision. Furthermore, your hardware’s design, shape, and finish will add a sparkling finish to your project.
What type of cabinet and drawer hardware should I choose?
Bronze hardware gives a warm, classic feel to your kitchen. Moreover, bronze-finished hardware blends well with stained, raised-panel cabinetry.
Brushed nickel will enhance the angular simplicity of modern kitchen designs. Moreover, look for sleek, tubular drawer pulls to create a contemporary kitchen.
Black, iron-look handles will add a country charm to any kitchen. Furthermore, it creates a nice contrast in kitchens.
Smooth stone knobs impart an organic, coastal feel to a lakeside or seaside home.
Oil-rubbed bronze in half-rounded drawer pulls gives off a classic farmhouse look. Consider this hardware choice if you’re trying to achieve a country or vintage-inspired kitchen.
Glass knobs pair well with shaker or vintage-style cabinetry and come in a variety of colors. To save money, choose acrylic knobs because they’re more affordable and durable than glass.
Bonus tip: Transform your current kitchen hardware with a coat or two of spray paint. Furthermore, this is an inexpensive way to upgrade hardware without breaking the bank.
Whether your design style is vintage, modern, traditional, or eclectic, there’s a hardware style available for your kitchen design. No matter your budget, there are ways to reface your kitchen cabinets and make them look more up-to-date.
Now that you’ve got an updated kitchen be sure to keep it organized! Looking to redo your countertops as well? Then check out these 6 kitchen countertop ideas.
