5 Signs It’s Time to Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets (And Save Thousands)

Staring at your kitchen cabinets and immediately you feel dread? In Northern NJ and NYC, a complete kitchen remodel can cost close to as much money as a new car, leaving many homeowners in a situation where they’re stuck with a room they hate. But here is the secret, if your cabinet boxes are in good structural shape, you aren’t stuck. You can easily refinish your kitchen cabinets to get a “new” kitchen at a fraction of the cost.

Kitchen cabinet refinishing is the ultimate “hack” to a high-end facelift on a small budget. Most good cabinets will last you decades so don’t let a contractor talk you into a complete tear out at the first sign of a scratch.

Here are five unarguable signs that it is time to move past the dumpster and call a professional refinisher instead.

 

5 Signs to Give Your Kitchen Cabinets a New Finish

1. The cabinets seem to be out of date.

One can have kitchen cabinets that are reasonably functional with the paint job still intact, but if they still have olden style and color options, the whole kitchen can look old. You may get brand new fixtures and equipment but your kitchen will still appear outdated if your cabinets are not changed. Refinishing the kitchen would have added a current chic colour as well as freshen up the look with subtle repairs such as refacing.

2. Kitchen Cabinet doors do not work correctly? Refinish it.

The above signs to refinish your kitchen cabinets must be helpful, lets talk now if your cabinet doors get locked, bump into each other, or stay on their hinges when you open them, it’s an indication that your kitchen cabinets are losing functionality. Although a quick repaint does not suffice, the best thing is that you may not have to rebuild them entirely! Hiring specialist cabinet refinishing firms will assist you in repairing the cabinets by merely refacing and tuning them at a portion of the replacement levels.

3. A change in cabinet fashion

As previously said, if your cabinets are still in good physical shape and you are simply tired of the design, you do not have to go through the expensive total cabinet replacement. This is often expensive and it may render your kitchen inoperable for days, if not weeks. If there are no noticeable signs of cracking, warping, or noticeable dents then you should consider refinishing your kitchen cabinets. This typically involves refreshing the exterior door finish. 

4. You like the layout of your kitchen.

One of the greatest frustrations with a total remodel is the “construction zone” kitchen that is out of commission for weeks at a time. If you actually like where your stove and sink are located, there is no reason to rip them out. Refinishing maintains your layout while entirely revolutionizing the aesthetic. It’s faster, cleaner and much less invasive. Dr. Cabinet offers a range of stylish and functional kitchen designs making them a great choice for your kitchen renovation project.

5. You’re on a limited budget.

Remodeling your whole kitchen can be expensive, and installing your kitchen cabinets can potentially cost more. This is huge project, and most homeowners do not have the kind of capital hanging around it. If you’re on a tight budget, refinishing your cabinets might be your best choice.

Wood Cabinets: The Best Place to Start

Wood cabinets are a gift. Solid oak, maple, cherry, they’re durable, timeless and built to last. Their best feature? That real wood surface is a perfect canvas to change. If you have cabinets that are not broken and are made of wood, you have already won half the battle. This process is a process of renewal. You’re not only covering up the old but bringing new life to a quality foundation and creating a new, modern look, without the high expenditure of new cabinets.

Refinishing Cabinets: Restoring Wood’s Beauty

What does it mean?

Refinishing is the procedure that involves modifying the staining or clear coating of your cabinets. It is the best alternative where you like the wood grain, but you want a new color or finish.

The Step by Step process:

1. Protect & Prep:

Start by cleaning out the kitchen. Remove doors, drawers and all hardware. Cover your countertop, floors, and backsplash with drop cloths. Then, do a thorough cleaning of everything – years of cooking grease is a must go. A simple wipe isn’t enough.

2. Sand for a Smooth Finish:

The wood surfaces should be lightly sanded. It removes the existing finish to make the new stain have a grip to the wood. Always sand against the grain and finish with a small piece of paper to ensure you have an even base.

3. Eliminate All Dust:

After sanding, vacuum out all the nooks and then wipe out everything with a tack cloth. A dust-free working surface provides a perfect result.

4. Stain & Seal:

Unload your brush or rag with your chosen stain. Use thin coats and wipe off excess to achieve your desired color. Allow it to dry completely. Finally, apply a clear topcoat such as polyurethane for a durable finish.

Cabinet Refinishing vs. Cabinet Painting: What’s the Difference?

You can get confused with these two terms and assume they are the same when in reality, they are not.

Refinishing = Changing the stain. You’re augmenting the natural wood grain.

Cabinet Painting=Covering with paint. You’re putting a good color finish.

If you opt to paint:

The prep is the same – clean, sand and de-dust. The critical difference is primer. A high quality primer is a must and this helps to prevent stains and is a great quality surface for applying paint. Then, apply 2-3 thin coats of a durable cabinet paint allowing each coat to dry fully. This is the way of getting that crisp, fresh, and professional look.

Cabinet Refacing: A Smart Middle Ground

What if you love the way your kitchen is laid out, but you hate the style of cabinets? Enter cabinet refacing.

Instead of replacing everything, only the visible parts are replaced:

• New doors and drawer fronts

• New hardware (pulls and knobs)

• A matching veneer applied to the existing cabinet boxes

You can choose to have a totally new door style, crown molding, and give the face a modern look with far less hassle, cost and disruption than performing a full renovation. It’s a great way to get a “new kitchen” feel without tearing all the stuff out.

Cabinet Painting: The Ultimate Style Makeover

The most well known and low cost way to completely re-do the look of your kitchen or bathroom cabinetry is through painting. Other than the traditional white, experiment with deep blues, beautiful green or an extensive two tone model.

The secret to success? Don’t cut corners.

• Prep it deep: Really clean and really sand.

• Prime properly: Use a cabinet-made primer.

• Paint patiently: Apply several thin layers for a smooth and durable finish.

A professional looking paint job may make dated cabinets appear to be custom and modern. For many, the hiring a professional service or advice comes worth it to avoid the hassle and attain furniture quality durability.

Conclusion

The decision to refinish your kitchen cabinets is an empowering one and gives your kitchen the much needed fresh look. It can be in the restoration of the natural beauty of wood with staining or in a clear painted finish or in the transformative mid-way refacing, it is a cost-effective alternative that requires minimal amount of money as compared to an entire renovation.

With minimal disruption you can have a beautiful, stable end result that portrays your own individual approach by investing in some good preparation and good material. Then treat your current cabinets not as being a handicap, but as an opportunity. Most people have been yearning to have the new modern kitchen and you can design it with the correct approach.

FAQs – Your Cabinet Transformation Questions Answered