What is the difference between Refinishing, Refacing and Remodeling Kitchen Cabinets?

21 Apr What is the difference between Refinishing, Refacing and Remodeling Kitchen Cabinets?

REFINISHING:

• • • Sanding and/or chemically stripping the cabinetry’s existing finish allows painters to apply a new stain or paint.
    • Going from a solid color to a stain is usually impossible. Most solid-color cabinets are made from a material that cannot be stained. This is because stain-grade wood is expensive. Why use it if you plan on finishing it in a solid color? Most cabinet makers would use fiberboard instead, which cannot be stained.
    • Many man made materials, such as laminate, cannot be refinished because they cannot be stripped or sanded with good results.
    • Oak doesn’t look good painted.
    • It’s critical to hire an experienced professional to refinish your cabinets for the best outcomes and a long-lasting finish.
    • It’s typically the least expensive of the three options, in part because you don’t have to replace cabinetry.
    • It usually only takes a few days to refinish and repaint/stain cabinets.
    • Minor surface repairs can generally be made during the prepping process before refinishing.
    • You can update the look of your kitchen by refinishing your cabinets.

REFACING:

• • • Refacing involves keeping your cabinet boxes but replacing the doors and drawer fronts with new ones.
    • In some cases, refacing requires custom work to match the sizes of your current cabinet boxes.
    • It typically requires that you also reface the cabinet box exteriors, such as side panels, to match the new door and drawer fronts.
    • Refacing allows you to address needed minor repairs while changing elements such as color, style, and veneer or wood.
    • If there is too much splintering of materials on the boxes’ exterior, refacing might not be more complicated or not possible.
    • Refacing is a way to update the look of your kitchen.
    • Refacing costs more than refinishing cabinets but costs less than a complete replacement of your cabinets.

Remodeling:

• • • New kitchen cabinets can cost upward of $60 per linear foot – to as much as $1100+ per linear foot.
    • Downtime for not using your kitchen is the longest when you remodel and can be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
    • Unusual kitchen layouts or measurements might require custom-made cabinets, far more expensive than off-the-shelf cabinets from a big-box retailer.

We are Experts:

Mike Katounas

Mike Katounas is the owner of Home Works Painting, a painting business in Northern Virginia. He has over 15 years of experience in residential interior and exterior painting, drywall installation/repair, carpentry, wallpaper removal, power washing, commercial painting, color consultation, and staining/sealing. Their service areas include Chantilly, Fairfax, Herndon, Oakton, Reston. Mike takes pride in his work, and he always follows a strict code of conduct that includes the use of quality paint, a clean workspace, and an honest, respectful approach to his customers.