The smartest and easiest way to revive your kitchen’s overall appearance is revamping your kitchen cabinets. However, when you move ahead to refresh your kitchen, it is crucial to evaluate the available alternatives.
The three basic options available are repainting, refacing and replacing. However, which options suit you the best depends on the condition, functionality, impact and cost incurred on these smart cabinet renovation strategies. So here is a quick sneak peek into the different methods of kitchen cabinet renovation for the kitchen remodel return on investment:
What Is Cabinet Refacing?
Cabinet refacing is a method that is opted for when the cabinet boxes are intact and involves the replacement of those parts of the cabinets that are not functional anymore, such as the cabinet doors and drawer fronts.
To get a uniform look and a flawless finish, the cabinet frames are wrapped with color-matched veneers or laminates and new hinges, knobs and pulls for a complete refreshed makeover. Thus, you get the look of totally new cabinets without the high cost and the trouble of a full replacement.
The best time to reface cabinets is when your cabinets are still structurally sound, but have become dull and are not suitable for a modern-style kitchen and look outdated. With a wide range of styles, finishes, and colors, refacing can be done to work the wonder of changing your kitchen from an old-fashioned classic to a modern look.
Also, the process does not require months for completion and can be done quickly within a few days with little demolition and disturbance. However, refacing doesn’t address problems such as interior damage or inefficient storage layouts.
What is Cabinet Repainting?
Repainting kitchen cabinets is one of the most affordable cabinet makeover ideas to bring back the appeal of your kitchen with a new and vibrant look. It is a great way to give your kitchen a fashionable lift without a hefty spend, and is very effective when the inside of your cabinet boxes is in good condition, but the outside looks old and faded.
Additionally, people choose to repaint their cabinets when the current ones no longer fit their style. A new layer of paint can change the atmosphere of your kitchen entirely and can be very effective in giving your kitchen a brand-new character.
But, there lies a catch. Painting does not fix signs of water damage, shoddy craftsmanship and dents. This means, you cannot consider cabinet repainting if you want to modify any underlying issues in your cabinetry. At the same time, if your cabinets are meeting your requirements and you simply want to give your kitchen a quick remodel, painting kitchen cabinets is a smart and inexpensive method to beautify your kitchen.
What Is Cabinet Replacement?
This process involves removing the old cabinets entirely and installing brand-new. This is usually preferred if you want full-scale kitchen renovations. Thus, you can re-arrange your layout to improve workflow and install deep drawers, pull-out shelves, and built-in special storage for extra storage space.
Besides, you can also achieve luxurious finishes, unique dimensions, and world-class materials to make your kitchen more durable and stylish. It goes without saying that changing cabinets requires more time and effort. It usually entails the work of several trades, may need permits, and has a higher cost.
However, homeowners who want to renovate their kitchen completely to stay in their home for a long time; it is usually the most satisfying option.
Reface, Replace Or Repaint: What Suits You The Best?
All the kitchen cabinet upgrade tips mentioned above have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. A fresh coat of paint enhances the appearance of your kitchen cabinetry, but does not solve the hidden problems of an outdated or inefficient kitchen cabinet.
Refacing, on the other hand, is surely a convenient alternative, but can end up costing more than you expect in the long run, especially, if your cabinets are structurally weak or built from low-quality materials. In such a case, refacing gives a temporary fix without actually solving the underlying issues. Over time, such issues may escalate into costly repairs, and thus causing a hike in the overall expenditure on the cabinets.
On the flip side, replacement is a long-term choice, especially when you are dealing with outdated features and inefficient layouts.
