One of the most visible and impactful areas of any kitchen is the cabinets. Cabinets can make or break the aesthetic of a space, and they can also add value and curb appeal to your home. Whether you are looking to give your existing kitchen a facelift or you want to increase your home’s resale value, changing your cabinets is an easy way to make an impact on the look of a room. But what are your options? Cabinet refinishing, refacing, and replacement are all viable options. Each option offers different benefits, but which is right for your home?
Refinishing
Cabinet refinishing is an effective and cost-effective way to refresh your cabinets. It’s the best option for homeowners who are happy with their cabinet layout and do not want to undergo a complete kitchen renovation. With refinishing, your cabinets will be disassembled, sanded, and repainted or restained with a fresh new color. Depending on your preference, you may only refinish the doors and drawer fronts or you can choose to reface the entire cabinet with new veneer. Cabinet refacing is ideal for those who have dated decorative trim or do not want to change the color of their cabinets, but still want to update their kitchen. This will not work if you want to change the style of your cabinets, such as going from traditional to modern door styles or from painted to stained natural wood.
The disadvantage of refinishing is that it does not protect your cabinets from future damage. A fresh coat of paint or stain can hide signs of wear and tear, but it will not protect your cabinets from moisture, heat, or other environmental factors. In addition, refinishing will not work on laminate or thermofoil cabinets, as these cannot be sanded or painted. To ensure the beauty and success of your project make sure you hire a reliable Tampa cabinet refinishing expert and don’t attempt to work with yourself.
Refacing
If you are looking to completely transform the look of your kitchen, cabinet refacing is the solution. This process will replace your cabinet doors and drawer fronts while leaving the existing cabinet boxes in place. You can upgrade your cabinets by choosing new door and drawer styles, as well as new cabinet hardware. You can also opt to paint the cabinet boxes a contrasting color to your new door and drawer fronts.
Refacing is an affordable alternative to full-scale kitchen renovations and can be completed in a much shorter timeframe than replacing. But it does not offer as much flexibility as refinishing or as many design options as replacement.
Replacing is the most expensive of all the cabinet transformation options, and it will require you to remove your existing cabinets completely, and then select a new set to be installed. This type of project will typically take weeks or months, and you may need to find other accommodations for your cooking supplies while it is underway. This is not a good option for those who do not want to undertake a major remodel, or who have limited time and budget constraints.
