Refacing vs. Replacing Kitchen Cabinets: What to Know

When your kitchen cabinets are scratched and beat up, what are your alternatives?

Not long ago, the only alternative to cabinet replacement was to paint the cabinets—an adequate substitute but difficult when you are confronted with largely unpaintable thermofoil cabinets. Now, cabinet refacing and cabinet replacement are both equally viable options when your cabinets are looking the worse for wear.

Cabinet refacing has been around for a long time—essentially it is wood-veneering taken to the next level—but cabinet refacing as a cottage industry is new. Since cabinet refacing is a close substitute for replacement, the differences tend to blur. The main difference is that refaced cabinets have a look that is new, but the cabinet boxes, and therefore the entire cabinet layout, are not new.

What Cabinet Refacing Is

Cabinet refacing consists of two major components: one, installation of new drawer fronts and cabinet doors; two, veneering of the cabinet boxes. In addition, new cabinet hardware is usually installed.

The insides of the cabinets usually remain the same.

What Cabinet Replacement Is

With cabinet replacement, all of the existing cabinets are removed.

Experienced installers set and precisely level your base cabinets, a critical task to ensure that counters remain level enough so that the eggs don't roll.

Improperly leveled bases might result in counters cracking years down the road. Wall cabinets are hung. Doors and hardware are installed.

Do-It-Yourself Installation

Cabinet Refacing

While there are companies that sell refacing materials and equipment to the general public, cabinet refacing requires techniques and tools that most DIYers do not have. So, cabinet refacing is usually done by experienced professionals.

Cabinet Replacement

Cabinet replacement is partially about the heavy lifting of wall cabinets, but mostly about precise leveling of base cabinets. Professionals will always do a better job than you, but you can save money by doing it yourself.

Professional Installation

Cabinet Refacing

Fewer companies reface cabinets than replace cabinets, though the balance is slowly shifting as more homeowners discover refacing. Some franchises provide refacing services throughout the United States. Cabinet refacing is a niche industry, so don't expect a general carpenter or handyman service to be able to provide this service.

Cabinet Replacement

From home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's to local kitchen remodel centers to individual contractors who will install for a price, there is no shortage of companies that replace cabinets.

Cost

In some cases, cabinet refacing can be just as expensive as cabinet replacement. If that's the case and you're trying to save on costs, painting cabinets is another alternative.

Cabinet Refacing

Cabinet refacing costs range from $7,000 to $10,000 at a minimum to reface kitchen cabinets in a 10-foot by 10-foot kitchen.

Cabinet refacing costs about 30-percent to 50-percent less than the cost of replacing cabinets in a full kitchen.

Cabinet Replacement

Costs for kitchen cabinet replacement range from $13,000 to $30,000 for contractor-grade, budget cabinets.

When Cabinet Refacing Is Best

• When the cabinet boxes are in solid shape
• When cost is an issue
• When remodeling, as opposed to building a new house
• When you like your current kitchen layout

When Cabinet Replacement Is Best

• When constructing a new house, bumping out your kitchen, or building a new addition containing a kitchen
• When changing the current kitchen layout
• When cabinet boxes, drawers, or doors are in bad shape
• When doing a whole-kitchen remodel

How Environmentally Friendly Are They?

Cabinet Refacing

The only items that get landfilled are cabinet doors and drawer fronts, making cabinet refacing an eco-friendly option.

Cabinet Replacement

Often, every bit of the cabinets—from boxes to hardware—gets landfilled. It's possible, though, to donate good cabinets to recycling yards such as Habitat for Humanity's ReStores.