Have you ever looked at those tired looking cabinets in your kitchen or bath and thought it would be nice to just rip them out and replace them with some nice new custom cabinets? If you have, I bet it was not long after having this thought that the next thought was something to do with how doing such would cost a small fortune. There is an option that will make those cabinets look brand new at a fraction of the cost of replacement. Cabinet refacing cost is an option that involves either applying a laminate over the existing cabinets and replacing the cabinet doors or simply applying a new finish to the existing cabinets.
One of the most common rooms that usually requires a major remodeling every couple of decades is the kitchen. Of course, one of the major expenses in a kitchen remodel is addressing the cabinets. However, kitchen cabinet refacing cost will be extremely affordable when compared to replacing the cabinets and can possibly be the difference in being able to proceed with the remodel at all.
Whenever I speak to people about one of the projects in their kitchen, the first question is almost always, "How much does it cost to reface kitchen cabinets?" Cabinet refacing costs can be kept to a minimum if you choose to tackle the project yourself by simply refinishing the cabinets. If you do decide to handle your own cabinet project, the cost of cabinet refacing will involve just the materials themselves. The material cost of refacing cabinets in an average kitchen should run in the one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollar range. As you can see, refacing kitchen cabinets cost a fraction of what replacing the cabinets would cost.
When figuring the cost of refacing kitchen cabinets, do not forget to factor in the cost of replacing your cabinet hardware. In all likelihood, your cabinet hinges, cabinet pulls, and drawer pulls will have also seen their better days. Even though there are major savings when you consider refacing cabinets cost, some people still try to save a few more dollars by reusing the old hinges on their newly refinished cabinets. Even if the appearance of the hinges may be okay, the installation of new self-closing hinges will save the aggravation of constantly pushing the cabinet doors shut.
So, if you are in the planning stages of an upcoming kitchen remodel, the cost of kitchen cabinet refacing can play a major factor in the overall cost of the remodel. When you consider the cost to reface kitchen cabinets can easily save you enough money to replace that tired old refrigerator, as well as a few other items in your new kitchen, the amount of work you will put into this project will prove to be a small price to pay.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Kitchen Cabinet Refacing is a Big Money Saver
We all face the same major decision at some point in our adult lives. What are we going to do with those outdated kitchen cabinets? Do we tear them completely out and replace them with new custom cabinets, or will refacing kitchen cabinets accomplish the goal. Whether you just purchased an existing older home or you have lived in your home for some time and the kitchen decor has become somewhat dated, the time will come when you will face this question. My wife and I purchased and moved into an existing home a few years back and lo and behold, the kitchen needed some serious updating. The rest of the home did too, but we will discuss that at a later date. Of course, the kitchen is always the focal point of any home since everyone seems to gravitate to that point when there is some type of gathering. Therefore, the first thing on my wife's agenda was a complete makeover of her newly acquired kitchen.
I recall standing in the kitchen not long after we moved in and discussing the major sticking point in the upcoming kitchen remodel. What were we going to do about the cabinets? This decision was going to be the major factor that would drive the remainder of the updated kitchen remodeling. The first thing to consider was whether the cabinet configuration was adequate for our needs. Thankfully, the answer to this question had been addressed some years ago and the necessary kitchen work triangle required in every kitchen had been considered so there was no need to completely tear out the cabinets to meet this need. There were two groups of base cabinets that separated the den and dining area from the kitchen that my wife chose to tear out and replace with an new island, but this was not too costly of an endeavor. These base cabinets were also reused and turned into cabinetry in the laundry room and a nice new bar on the back porch.
Now that the work area had been addressed, it was time to determine whether the cabinets were in good condition and aesthetically pleasing. Again, my pocket book lucked out since the existing cabinets had been custom built from solid oak material and had held up well throughout the years. However, the aesthetically pleasing question was definitely answered negatively for my wife and I. The cabinets had a dark oak finish that really made the kitchen a dark and dreary place. But, since the structural aspects of the cabinetry had all turned out to be positives for us, the decision was made to do a total kitchen cabinet refacing using all the existing boxes and doors. The only thing that would be replaced would be the hinges, cabinet pulls, and drawer pulls. This decision saved us the thousands of dollars that it would have taken to completely replace the entire kitchen cabinets and we were able to do the entire cabinet refacing project for about $500 dollars including a new island.
If, or when, you find yourself facing the same situation my wife and I encountered, follow this simple approach to analyzing your situation and you will easily arrive at the direction you need to take. I wish you luck and hope that the decisions your kitchen remodel results in will have the same favorable results as ours did. If not, my thoughts and sympathy lie with you.
I recall standing in the kitchen not long after we moved in and discussing the major sticking point in the upcoming kitchen remodel. What were we going to do about the cabinets? This decision was going to be the major factor that would drive the remainder of the updated kitchen remodeling. The first thing to consider was whether the cabinet configuration was adequate for our needs. Thankfully, the answer to this question had been addressed some years ago and the necessary kitchen work triangle required in every kitchen had been considered so there was no need to completely tear out the cabinets to meet this need. There were two groups of base cabinets that separated the den and dining area from the kitchen that my wife chose to tear out and replace with an new island, but this was not too costly of an endeavor. These base cabinets were also reused and turned into cabinetry in the laundry room and a nice new bar on the back porch.
Now that the work area had been addressed, it was time to determine whether the cabinets were in good condition and aesthetically pleasing. Again, my pocket book lucked out since the existing cabinets had been custom built from solid oak material and had held up well throughout the years. However, the aesthetically pleasing question was definitely answered negatively for my wife and I. The cabinets had a dark oak finish that really made the kitchen a dark and dreary place. But, since the structural aspects of the cabinetry had all turned out to be positives for us, the decision was made to do a total kitchen cabinet refacing using all the existing boxes and doors. The only thing that would be replaced would be the hinges, cabinet pulls, and drawer pulls. This decision saved us the thousands of dollars that it would have taken to completely replace the entire kitchen cabinets and we were able to do the entire cabinet refacing project for about $500 dollars including a new island.
If, or when, you find yourself facing the same situation my wife and I encountered, follow this simple approach to analyzing your situation and you will easily arrive at the direction you need to take. I wish you luck and hope that the decisions your kitchen remodel results in will have the same favorable results as ours did. If not, my thoughts and sympathy lie with you.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Easy Cabinet Refacing
My wife and I purchased a home that was built in the mid 1980s in a rural area of a rural county just outside a large metropolitan area. We were looking to get out of the urban/suburban area we had lived in while I children were in school and find a home with a little space around it. We were fortunate to locate a home that met our needs and that was also to our liking. However, the decor of the home was definitely in need of an upgrade and as my wife will tell you, she is more than up for a task like that.
The first thing we did was go room by room and begin to develop a task list. The first stop was of course the kitchen. It was immediately apparent to my wife that although the kitchen was laid out adequately, there were major cosmetic changes in store for our new kitchen. One thing that stood out over and above everything else that needed to be done was the cabinetry. Luckily for me and my bank account, the wife decided that a simple kitchen cabinet refacing would accomplish her goals and that I was just the man for the job. If any of you have ever undertaken the refacing of cabinets, you know that there is really nothing complicated about it but it is extremely labor intensive.
The kitchen cabinets in our newly purchased home were oak stained with an extremely dark oak stain that made the kitchen kind of dreary looking. The counter tops did nothing to offset the dreary appearance as they were a dark brown butcher block. The first decision was whether the cabinet doors would have to be replaced. While I am sure my wife would have preferred a different door pattern, she did see the wisdom in keeping the doors as they were custom made oak and were in great shape. Once the decision to keep the doors was behind us, it was time to determine the finish that would result in the end product. She decided that an off white cream finish would look great and really brighten up the space.
Now that her work on the cabinets was done, she quickly moved on to planning the total makeover of the kitchen while I was left to begin the grunt work. I have found that the easiest way to approach refacing kitchen cabinets
is to first remove the doors. The cabinet doors are much easier to refinish when they are laid horizontally on a flat surface. Once all the door hardware (hinges and cabinet pulls) are removed, the real fun can now begin. All surfaces must be cleaned thoroughly using a good industrial strength cleaner which will remove any greasy residue that may have accumulated on the surfaces.
Once the surface is completely clean, you are ready to begin preparing the surface for the new finish. If your intent is to apply a new coat of stain to the cabinets, then you will need to remove the present finish from the wood. In years past, this was little fun due to the noxious fumes put off by these extremely smelly paint removers. Today, there are many environmentally safe paint and stain removers that also have a much more pleasant odor than those of yesteryear but still do a great job of removing even the toughest finishes. If you are going this route than the general instruction would be to apply the paint and stain remover per directions on the container followed by a good sanding prior to refinishing.
Since we were applying a painted finish to the our cabinets, we did not need to completely remove the present surface. After cleaning, I lightly sanded the surface in order to dull the old finish which provides a good surface for the adherence of the new paint. Let me say this before I go any further, and tell you that I cannot emphasize this enough, buy the best quality oil based primer available, as well as, the best oil based paint you can locate that is designed to be applied when refacing cabinets. Even using the most expensive paint available, your cabinet refacing cost will still be a fraction of the cost of replacing your cabinets. If you do this, you will achieve a great finish that will last for many years to come. Another place that you should not scrimp is on the primer. You need to ensure that the cabinets have a good hard finish on them in order to resist nicks and scratches and also to allow for cleaning with a good heavy duty cleaner.
Okay, back to the task at hand, once the cabinets are sanded and all the dust from the sanding is removed, apply two coats of a high quality primer allowing at least 24 hours between each coat and also do a light sanding between coats. The directions may indicate that you can apply a second coat after a shorter period of time but I believe the extra drying produces a much smoother finish. Once the second coat of primer is dry, it is now time to start to see the results of your labor. Again, apply two coats of the finish paint, following the same procedures you used for the primer.
Once the final finish coat has dried for the required twenty four hours, you can reattach the old hardware if you desire, or in most cases when you reface kitchen cabinets you will purchase new hinges, drawer pulls, and cabinet pulls
in order to provide a more up to date look. After the hardware is on, hang the newly resurfaced doors and your cabinet refacing is complete. By taking your time and doing some good, attentive prep work when you reface cabinets, you should now have cabinets that will serve the purpose for which they are designed as well as providing a great, fresh look in your kitchen for many years to come.
The first thing we did was go room by room and begin to develop a task list. The first stop was of course the kitchen. It was immediately apparent to my wife that although the kitchen was laid out adequately, there were major cosmetic changes in store for our new kitchen. One thing that stood out over and above everything else that needed to be done was the cabinetry. Luckily for me and my bank account, the wife decided that a simple kitchen cabinet refacing would accomplish her goals and that I was just the man for the job. If any of you have ever undertaken the refacing of cabinets, you know that there is really nothing complicated about it but it is extremely labor intensive.
The kitchen cabinets in our newly purchased home were oak stained with an extremely dark oak stain that made the kitchen kind of dreary looking. The counter tops did nothing to offset the dreary appearance as they were a dark brown butcher block. The first decision was whether the cabinet doors would have to be replaced. While I am sure my wife would have preferred a different door pattern, she did see the wisdom in keeping the doors as they were custom made oak and were in great shape. Once the decision to keep the doors was behind us, it was time to determine the finish that would result in the end product. She decided that an off white cream finish would look great and really brighten up the space.
Now that her work on the cabinets was done, she quickly moved on to planning the total makeover of the kitchen while I was left to begin the grunt work. I have found that the easiest way to approach refacing kitchen cabinets
is to first remove the doors. The cabinet doors are much easier to refinish when they are laid horizontally on a flat surface. Once all the door hardware (hinges and cabinet pulls) are removed, the real fun can now begin. All surfaces must be cleaned thoroughly using a good industrial strength cleaner which will remove any greasy residue that may have accumulated on the surfaces.Once the surface is completely clean, you are ready to begin preparing the surface for the new finish. If your intent is to apply a new coat of stain to the cabinets, then you will need to remove the present finish from the wood. In years past, this was little fun due to the noxious fumes put off by these extremely smelly paint removers. Today, there are many environmentally safe paint and stain removers that also have a much more pleasant odor than those of yesteryear but still do a great job of removing even the toughest finishes. If you are going this route than the general instruction would be to apply the paint and stain remover per directions on the container followed by a good sanding prior to refinishing.
Since we were applying a painted finish to the our cabinets, we did not need to completely remove the present surface. After cleaning, I lightly sanded the surface in order to dull the old finish which provides a good surface for the adherence of the new paint. Let me say this before I go any further, and tell you that I cannot emphasize this enough, buy the best quality oil based primer available, as well as, the best oil based paint you can locate that is designed to be applied when refacing cabinets. Even using the most expensive paint available, your cabinet refacing cost will still be a fraction of the cost of replacing your cabinets. If you do this, you will achieve a great finish that will last for many years to come. Another place that you should not scrimp is on the primer. You need to ensure that the cabinets have a good hard finish on them in order to resist nicks and scratches and also to allow for cleaning with a good heavy duty cleaner.
Okay, back to the task at hand, once the cabinets are sanded and all the dust from the sanding is removed, apply two coats of a high quality primer allowing at least 24 hours between each coat and also do a light sanding between coats. The directions may indicate that you can apply a second coat after a shorter period of time but I believe the extra drying produces a much smoother finish. Once the second coat of primer is dry, it is now time to start to see the results of your labor. Again, apply two coats of the finish paint, following the same procedures you used for the primer.
Once the final finish coat has dried for the required twenty four hours, you can reattach the old hardware if you desire, or in most cases when you reface kitchen cabinets you will purchase new hinges, drawer pulls, and cabinet pulls
in order to provide a more up to date look. After the hardware is on, hang the newly resurfaced doors and your cabinet refacing is complete. By taking your time and doing some good, attentive prep work when you reface cabinets, you should now have cabinets that will serve the purpose for which they are designed as well as providing a great, fresh look in your kitchen for many years to come.
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You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/'s privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.
If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.
At http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/ and how it is used.
Log Files
Like many other Web sites, http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/ makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.
Cookies and Web Beacons
http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/ does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.
DoubleClick DART Cookie
.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/.
.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/ and other sites on the Internet.
.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html
Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....
Google Adsense
These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/ send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.
http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/ has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.
You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. http://easycabinetrefacing.blogspot.com/'s privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.
If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.
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