Refinishing kitchen cabinets - will it work for your home?

Updating your kitchen is a great way to refresh your space, add value, and make you happier in your home.  It can be a big project.  The mess, the cost, and every little decision can be overwhelming and make you want to quit before your project even gets off the ground.  Today we are going to take a look at refinishing cabinets vs. replacing cabinets.

Refinishing

Choices
When you choose to refinish your cabinets, you have a world of colors to choose from.  Classic white never goes out of style, and trendy grey cabinets are on the rise.  One of our favorite looks is the two tone kitchen which usually features an accented island.  This is where you can let your personality shine.  Bright yellows, deep greens, or soothing blues – if you can think it, you can paint it.  It really makes your kitchen – yours!

Functionality
One of my favorite things about refinishing cabinets is that at the end of each day, I can still use the kitchen.  Yes, it may look funny with drawer fronts and cabinets missing, but I can pack the kids lunches and make dinner each night during the project. 

Like New Look for Less
It may sound obvious, but refinishing costs less than replacing.  If your cabinets are quality and still functional but you hate the color and pulls, it’s much less expensive to refinish them than it is to buy new ones.

Less Mess
Refinishing cabinets can save you from messy demolition, renting a dumpster and having construction waste drug through your home, and putting perfectly functional cabinets in a landfill. 

DIY
There are many tutorials and videos online that can guide you through the process of painting your cabinets.  But before you start, make sure you are prepared.  Prep work is the base of your project.  If it isn’t prepped properly, it won’t last.  So many people do this and then end up repainting their cabinets a year later wondering what went wrong.  Make sure you have the correct tools, time, patience, and organizational skills to see your project through from start to finish.
 
Replacing

Condition
Not all cabinets can refinished.  If your cabinets are warped, chipped, cracked, or is disrepair, you will be better off replacing.

Layout
If you are changing the layout of your kitchen, you may need to purchase new cabinets.  Older door styles may be hard to match or older cabinets may not be easily moved.

More Cabinet Space
If you need more cabinets and can’t match your existing ones, you might need to consider replacing all of them.
 
Whatever choice you make, be sure you are prepared for the project.  And if you choose to use a professional to refinish your cabinets, we hope you reach out to us at EJ’s Painting.  We promise to give you a fair evaluation of your project and advise you on whether replacing or refinishing would be a better option for your home.

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