Replacing vs. Refacing Kitchen Cabinets: Costs and Considerations

Cabinets that are damaged, outdated, or have just plain worn out their welcome can quickly diminish the appearance and enjoyability of your kitchen.

As a result, you may consider either refacing your cabinets or even replacing them outright. However, there are many things to consider when undertaking such a project, such as whether you should purchase antique hardware for cabinets or more modern pieces, what color the cabinets should be, the materials used, if the layout of the kitchen should change, the overall cost of the project and much more.

Defining all of these (and other) sorts of things will help you determine if you should reface or replace your kitchen cabinets.

While each is an equally viable option, this piece aims to explore critical factors to help you effectively determine which route is best for you and your kitchen.

On that note, here is what you need to take into consideration.

Replacing vs. Refacing Kitchen Cabinets

When it comes to replacing versus refacing, replacing cabinets is precisely as it sounds. When homeowners opt to go this route, they select all-new cabinetry and have it installed in their chosen layout.

Naturally, new kitchen cabinets will come in a panoply of materials, grains, colors, styles, textures, patterns, and the like.

Of course, there are drawbacks to this approach — namely, cost.

Alternatively, refacing kitchen cabinets can be less expensive to update cabinetry. This method retains the existing cabinets and layout, opting instead to replace the cabinet "skin," thereby giving the kitchen a new look and feel.

Moreover, another benefit of refacing is that you can learn to reface kitchen cabinets independently. This means that, in practice, you or a professional will remove the doors and drawer fronts of the cabinets and apply a new veneer over the existing surface. Generally speaking, the hardware is usually replaced during this process as well.

That said, you can only reface cabinets when the cabinet "boxes" is structurally in good condition, meaning no warping, cracks, breaks, or water damage.

Factors to Consider When Replacing or Refacing Cabinets

As mentioned earlier, there are many things to consider when debating whether to reface or replace cabinetry.

Some of the things you will want to contemplate when tackling the issue include:

Durability

If the structural integrity of the cabinetry is questionable or you have some doubts about its condition, then refacing might not be the best option.

If you do opt to go this route with damaged cabinets, they will likely look nice for a short while, but they will ultimately begin to exhibit issues in a relatively short amount of time.

Refacing damaged cabinets is kind of like putting a fresh coat of paint on a car that needs a new engine.

Cabinet Layout

If you never have enough room for all of your glasses or seem always to whack your head on the same cabinet, refacing isn't going to solve your layout issues. However, a cabinet replacement might be the way to go in this instance.

Suppose you do opt for a cabinet replacement to resolve layout issues. In that case, you will need to consider the types of kitchen cabinets you want to get, if you want to purchase floating shelves to integrate into the design, if you wish to open cabinets, closed cabinets, or a mix of the two, and similar proposals.

However, if these problems are simply the result of a cramped kitchen design, replacing the cabinets might not help here either.

That said, if you are okay with your kitchen's layout, then refacing is certainly worthy of consideration.

Appearance

The appearance of your kitchen is a massive factor when debating whether to reface or replace cabinets.

The reality of the situation is that replacing cabinets will open up a seemingly endless variety of stock and custom options. Alternatively, refacing will limit you in style selections.

The answer you land on will primarily come down to the refacing options and the time and funds available for the project.

Time

Refacing can take a few days to complete when it comes to time considerations. Alternatively, replacing cabinets can take 25 to 35 hours of professional labor, and custom work can take significantly longer.

Cost

Cost is usually one of the most significant considerations of the entire project. For that reason, it is best to give this issue a section of its own.

Refacing vs. Replacing: The Cost of Each Approach

Generally speaking, cabinet refacing is typically less expensive than replacing cabinets. However, be aware that prices can add up depending on the situation, and a refacing job can become just as expensive as replacing cabinets.

Therefore, if, after seeing the ballpark figures on refacing, you are still looking to save money, you might consider painting your cabinets instead, as this can be a viable alternative as well.

The Cost of Refacing Cabinets

Generally speaking, homeowners typically pay between $4,000 and $10,000 to reface their cabinets. But, of course, the price will vary depending on the materials used (natural wood veneers are much more expensive than plastic laminates) and the hardware selected.

That said, refacing jobs tend to cost roughly 40 to 50 percent less than replacing cabinets.

The Cost of Replacing Cabinets

To completely replace the cabinets in your kitchen, it is reasonable to expect to pay between $4,000 and $7,000 for stock cabinets, between $8,000 and $10,000 for semi-custom cabinets, and possibly $20,000 or more for custom cabinetry.

When Is Each Approach Recommended?

Cabinet refacing is recommended when:

• The cabinet boxes are structurally sound and in good shape
• Remodeling, as opposed to purchasing a new home
• The existing kitchen layout is acceptable
• Keeping costs down is a priority

Alternatively, homeowners might opt for cabinet replacements when:

• Cabinet boxes are in poor shape
• Constructing a new house or bumping out a kitchen
• Designing a new kitchen layout
• Cost is less of a concern

Reface or Replace: You Decide

Choosing to either reface or replace kitchen cabinets is a big decision.

This guide should have provided you with all the information needed to understand which decision is best for your kitchen.

No matter which way you choose to go, understand that you will be living with the results for years to come, so it is best not to cut corners and select the correct route for your cabinetry.