Will Refacing your Cabinet Doors and Drawers Cure Your Kitchen's Problems?

by Jane Smallman
Face Your Kitchen Columnist

Kitchen renovation can be one of the most expensive types of home-improvement. But you don't need to do major work in order to make a major difference. Refacing cabinet doors and drawers can make them look as if they have just been installed, without the high cost of new cabinetry. Before you start thinking about refacing your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers however, take a moment to think about whether it will really solve your problems. Although refacing cabinet doors and drawers is less expensive than doing a complete kitchen renovation, it will not change a poor kitchen layout or make good cabinets that are falling apart.

Ask First Before Refacing Your Cabinet Doors and Drawers:

• Am I happy with my kitchen layout?
• Are my kitchen cabinets in good condition or do they really need replacing?
• Is my kitchen free of major faults e.g. floors that are not level and that have caused cabinets to tilt and sway?

If your answer to all these questions is "Yes," then it is likely that your kitchen is only in need of cosmetic improvement, something that refacing the cabinet doors and drawers can do perfectly.

Once you have decided that refacing your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers can answer your problems, you need to find a reputable company to do the work. Make sure that you see examples of their previous work and get a detailed estimate before you hire them.

What Does Refacing Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers Involve?

• Cabinet doors and drawer fronts are removed.
• The remaining exterior surfaces of the cabinets are covered with the new wood or plastic veneer you have chosen.
• The cabinet doors and drawers are covered with the same veneer.
• Doors and drawers re re-attached and any new hardware is added.

Sources

• http://www.about.com
• http://www.homedepot.com

About the Author
Jane Smallman runs a mountain guiding business with her husband. Her early training was in hotel management and she has worked in the hotel industry in France, Holland, the US and the UK. Following this she worked in an administrative capacity for a number of not-for-profit organizations in the UK, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the Refugee Legal Centre. While doing this she earned a degree in Social Sciences through distance learning with the Open University. After graduation she progressed to the University of Sussex as a full-time student where she was awarded a Masters Degree in Social and Political Thought.