Resurfacing Cabinets vs. New Cabinets

Resurfacing Considerations

• If you are satisfied with the layout and storage space of your old cabinets and they are structurally sound, resurfacing is a good option. Wooden cabinets can be stripped and restained or painted, and metal and plastic cabinets can be painted. Cabinets, drawers and doors can be covered with wood veneers, laminates or rigid thermofoils to give them a new appearance. All these techniques can be done by professionals or by homeowners adept at home refurbishment and repairs.

Cabinet Replacement

• Cabinets with deteriorating shelves and drawers, and those damaged by fire or water, typically are not worth refacing or resurfacing. Kitchens and bathrooms that undergo expansion or are reduced in area need new cabinets to fit into the layout of the new room. If you have cabinets too small to meet your family’s needs or that are installed at heights impractical for easy access, replacement is the best option. In lieu of replacing all the cabinets in a bathroom or kitchen, add a few matching cabinets or ones in styles that complement the existing ones. Freestanding cabinets such as hutch cupboards and dressers add interest and diversity to rooms.

Cost Factors

• Depending on the area in which you live, resurfacing or refacing cabinets might cost as little as one-tenth of the price of cabinet replacement. Buying new, premanufactured cabinets is much less costly than having them custom made. Before having cabinets made to your specifications, thoroughly explore premade cabinet options because many manufacturers make cabinets that fit in oddly shaped spaces and corners to meet a wide range of homeowners’ needs.

Cabinet Upgrades

• In addition to refacing and resurfacing cabinets to make them more attractive and match new decor styles, you can upgrade them in other ways. All the doors can be replaced in colors and styles that complement the existing cabinet bases. Replacing the hinges, knobs, pulls and handles with new styles and materials of hardware gives the cabinets a new appearance.

Room Renovations

• Old cabinets topped with new natural stone or synthetic material counters renovate the room for less money than cabinet replacement. Installing colorful backsplashes on wall space above cabinets gives them new life, as does replacing floor coverings with styles and colors that bring out the best in the existing cabinetry.