Commonly, the job of refinishing kitchen cabinets can be nowhere near as expensive as a full renovation. But homeowners may still be surprised by the quotes from local craftsmen, even when you are not quite ready. Many variables determine how much you’ll have to pay for kitchen cabinet refacing.
First and foremost, we should look into what kind of material is being used for the cabinets’ surface. Laminate and melamine laminate are two common choices for kitchen cabinet refinishing. These materials come in a variety of colors and textures, and they are affordable enough for most homeowners. Another choice for the surface is vinyl, which can be tough but can crack under high heat and can fade over time.
A simple paint or stain job can do a lot of the trick when it comes to refinishing cabinets. If you’re looking for an easy and inexpensive way to makeover your cupboards, consider applying a quick coat of paint or stain to them. Be sure to allow plenty of drying time between coats. It’s best to use paint that’s similar in color to the existing finish on the cupboard doors. Using something darker like dark blue, black, or dark gray will only make your cupboards look worse. This is also a great way to avoid an extreme makeover when you decide to give your kitchen cabinet refinishing a second shot.
Once you’ve selected the paint or stain to use for your kitchen cabinet refacing project, you’ll have to decide whether to use a professional contractor. Some home improvement stores sell kits that include the tools needed for a do-it-yourself refinishing job. But if you want the peace of mind that comes with using real professionals, you can also hire one to come in and do the entire job for you. The key is to know the ins and outs of kitchen cabinet refacing so that you can prepare yourself when the time does come to hire the professionals.
Once you’ve picked out the right color paint or stain to use for your kitchen cabinet refacing project, you can move on to other tasks. One thing you need to do is clean out your cupboards to get rid of all the dust and old stains. This will help the refacing process look even better. After the dust is gone, you can start with replacing the old doors with new doors. Whether you choose a custom cabinet design or stock cupboard design, it’s a good idea to make sure the doors are installed properly to make sure there are no gaps between the doors and the frame.
Once you have refaced the cabinets, you need to take care of any hardware that was installed by the previous owner. Many people like to use solid wood pieces such as dowels and doorknobs for their hardware. But if you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, you might want to consider hiring a professional to finish this part of the kitchen cabinet refinishing project for you.
Another step of the kitchen cabinet refinishing process involves stripping the kitchen cabinets of their exterior coating. This usually involves taking off the hardware, stripping the door covering, sanding it down, and painting it. The reason this step is sometimes called “stripping” is that you should also strip the door from inside the cabinet. Sometimes the cabinet doors are simply glued down and never completely removed. But most of the time the doors are removed and the underlying structure is left intact. When you strip the existing coating, you’ll be left with wood that has been painted, sealed, sanded, or stained.
Although the steps above seem simple, they can be very complicated for someone lacking knowledge and experience. For example, in many cases replacing cabinets requires removing drywall as well as ripping out drywall joints. If you don’t feel comfortable with these types of tasks, you may want to hire a professional. But even if you do decide to hire a professional, it’s important to realize that kitchen cabinet refacing is a very long and difficult process that may require the use of specialized equipment.