Cabinet Refacing - looking for firsthand experiences

[Kibbiekat]

This thread is disheartening. My husband and I had pretty much decided that we'd eventually reface or re finish our existing cabinets because there is nothing wrong with them. It seems so wasteful to pull them out and get brand new ones. Why is it so expensive to reface? How does the cost compare to refinishing?

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

This thread is disheartening. My husband and I had pretty much decided that we'd eventually reface or re finish our existing cabinets because there is nothing wrong with them. It seems so wasteful to pull them out and get brand new ones. Why is it so expensive to reface? How does the cost compare to refinishing?

You said there is nothing wrong with your old cabinets. Then why are you considering making any changes? They must be outdated with a color you do not like or you would not be considering refacing or refinishing.

If they are structually sound, clean on the insides, all the drawer guides still work properly, hinges still self close, and inside the sink base is not saturated with 30 years of leaking chemicals then go reface them. But I can just about guarantee you refacing is more expensive then replacing.

Refacing is really a gimmic. Many unknowing consumers fall for it. Refacing is the same thing as putting a brand new clean pressed suit on an unwashed man who is wearing soiled underwear and worn sneakers. And you are still left with dirty pockets which is the interiors of the cabinets. You also are stuck with an old kitchen layout that does not work for you anymore having much wasted space and bad traffic flow.

If throwing the old ones out feel wasteful to you then I will suggest to you what I suggest to everyone, put them on the front curb with a free sign on them or list them on Craigslist for $200. They will be gone before you have dinner that night and I will bet the farm on that.

Your suggestion of refinishing is just about the same as refacing. In both cases you will buy all new doors. But refinishing you are sanding and skinning the faces and sides while refacing you are simply reskinning the entire cabinet box exposed areas. Do you really want some one sanding all that old finish off in your home while you breath it?

If bought properly from the proper cabinet outlet then I will stand by my word that REPLACE IS CHEAPER THEN REFACE any day. In 28 years I was never wrong with that statement. Maybe if the refacers would charge a reasonable price then they might prove me wrong but their claim is the consumer is paying for convenience over anything else.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

You said there is nothing wrong with your old cabinets. Then why are you considering making any changes? They must be outdated with a color you do not like or you would not be considering refacing or refinishing.

If they are structually sound, clean on the insides, all the drawer guides still work properly, hinges still self close, and inside the sink base is not saturated with 30 years of leaking chemicals then go reface them. But I can just about guarantee you refacing is more expensive then replacing.

Refacing is really a gimmic. Many unknowing consumers fall for it. Refacing is the same thing as putting a brand new clean pressed suit on an unwashed man who is wearing soiled underwear and worn sneakers. And you are still left with dirty pockets which is the interiors of the cabinets. You also are stuck with an old kitchen layout that does not work for you anymore having much wasted space and bad traffic flow.

If throwing the old ones out feel wasteful to you then I will suggest to you what I suggest to everyone, put them on the front curb with a free sign on them or list them on Craigslist for $200. They will be gone before you have dinner that night and I will bet the farm on that.

Your suggestion of refinishing is just about the same as refacing. In both cases you will buy all new doors. But refinishing you are sanding and skinning the faces and sides while refacing you are simply reskinning the entire cabinet box exposed areas. Do you really want some one sanding all that old finish off in your home while you breath it?

If bought properly from the proper cabinet outlet then I will stand by my word that REPLACE IS CHEAPER THEN REFACE any day. In 28 years I was never wrong with that statement. Maybe if the refacers would charge a reasonable price then they might prove me wrong but their claim is the consumer is paying for convenience over anything else.

They are light oak - kind of generic for when the house was built in the mid 1990's. Just not my first choice of wood. When I say "refinish" I mean keeping the old doors and staining or painting everything a different color. They all have pull out drawers in them (good). The ends look fake and don't quite match the fronts (bad). I've done a full kitchen remodel (last house), and don't want to have to do it again. I have some time to think about it...