If you're thinking about remodeling your kitchen but are daunted by the cost of new cabinets, all is not lost. Cabinet re-facing may offer an alternative worth exploring. Keep in mind, however, re-facing is not for everyone, and there are some definite advantages and disadvantages to the process that you need to consider.
Re-facing is simply the process of covering the old exteriors of the cabinets with new wood to give them a fresh, clean look, and it can make a good do-it-yourself project for the patient carpenter. Your existing cabinets need to be in good condition structurally and you need to be happy with their size and layout. If so, then re-facing them may offer a faster, lower-cost option to complete replacement, which also allows you to save the countertops.
The re-facing process is fairly straightforward, although it sounds a little easier than it is. First, all of the drawers are removed from the cabinets and set aside. Then the doors are removed and discarded. Any crown or scribe molding is also removed and discarded. All of this can theoretically be done with the contents still in the cabinets, but it's definitely easier and cleaner to box up the contents and store them temporarily. Prior to starting on the re-facing, the door openings are measured and new doors are ordered. Tag: