This is a question that homeowners ask me very often. When you run a Kitchen Cabinet Refacing [or resurfacing] business you soon realize that a substantial number of people misunderstand what we actually do. They think that refacing is simply about sanding the cabinets and giving them a fresh coat of paint or stain. This is called “Refinishing” and while it is a viable option it is most certainly not the most effective one and could be completed in two different ways;
1. Done by the homeowner or professional painter with paint brush or roller It is definitely the most economical, but the results are poor due to the fact that the brush and roller marks will always be visible, even if the job is done by a talented painter. It is a good option if you have low quality cabinets and you want to spruce them up without having high expectations.
2. Done by professional refinisher with the stripping techniques and a spray gun. The door/drawer fronts are stripped to bare wood and finished with a spray gun in a spray booth guaranteeing a smooth finish. It appears as a great option but not too many refinishing companies are willing to do the same thing with your cabinet boxes, toe kicks and moldings. These will most likely end up being finished on site with brush or roller marks compromising the quality. Keep in mind that to strip and refinish a wood cabinet door can cost anywhere from $80 to $100. It is easy to realize that you can explore better options, unless there is a justified emotional attachment to the existing doors. When chatting with homeowners I understand their disappointment when they learn that to get a beautiful kitchen they should not use their old solid
wood doors. As a lover of wood myself I feel the same way, but the labor required to professionally refinish them is too intense and brand new, modern designed wood cabinet doors are available with similar financial effort. The
refacing industry has been booming in the last 10 years because homeowners get a brand new looking kitchen while saving 50%-60% as opposed to a complete kitchen remodeling. What can really excite them is Do It Yourself [DIY] kitchen cabinet refacing programs that are available where companies don’t just sell doors or veneers, but provide homeowners the knowledge with
step by step videos and the technical support.
