DIY Kitchen Cabinet Refacing – Is it worth it?

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DIYing has become popular during the past few years. In fact, today, there are thousands of DIY video tutorials all over the internet̶ from clothing, to crafts, home décor, and home improvement.

Most people refer to this trend as the ‘DIY phenomenon’ because of its effect on consumer behavior while some even call it ‘The Pinterest effect’ because aside from video tutorials, there are also photos that detail step-by-step DIY procedures.

The main reason behind this DIY craze is that building something with your own hands gives a satisfying feeling and adds value to the object’s worth as well. However, is it really worth the try? Follow these 5 Cs to find out:

Classify your DIY ability

In classify your DIY ability, you can be either a beginner, an intermediate, or an expert DIYer. If it’s your first time to try DIY, jumping into cabinet refacing right away might not be the best idea. It may come off as challenging to you.

It’s better to start it off with a more manageable task like replacing the hardware first. You can also search for DIY cabinet refacing tutorial videos to see the whole process and decide whether you can do it all by yourself.

Nevertheless, if you’ve done DIY tasks in the past, you’re probably good at handling home repair tools. Although the DIY tasks you’ve done aren’t exactly refacing, if it’s related to home improvement, it’s definitely a plus.

Create a list of materials

Another factor that you should consider when DIYing are the materials that you need to buy and use. In this case, you need to measure your kitchen cabinets first to estimate how much material you’re going to need.

Aside from the size of the slab material you’re going to use, you can also research on potential refacing materials that are durable and workable (assuming that you’re planning on using a different material). Take note that you can also buy ready-made doors if you’re only planning to replace the front and you’ll only need a screwdriver/drill screw, peel-and-stick veneers, a smoothing blade/ damp cloth,new hinges, and handles (optional).

However, if you’re also planning to create your own doors, you’ll need a saw, a sander, paint, paintbrush/ rolling paint, and varnish. Afterward, estimate the total cost of materials that you’re going to use and save it for later.

Create a to-do list

Again, if you’re planning to use off-the-shelf cabinet doors, it’s pretty easy after the measurement and buying process. You just need to make sure that it’s the right fit and use this process as a guide:

1. Clear out your cabinets (especially if it’s loaded)
2. Remove your cabinet doors.
3. Wipe off your cabinet interiors and front edges.
4. Cover front edges with peel-and-stick veneers
5. Flatten veneers and smoothen bubbles with a smoothing blade or a damp cloth to release trapped air.
6. Attach new cabinet doors to your existing cabinet boxes.
7. Install cabinet handles.

If there are other steps that you need to do (like creating your own cabinet doors), just insert them in between this list.

Check out pro cabinet refacing prices and duration

According to Thumbtack,refacing costs just $1,000 to $9,000 for a standard 10-foot by 12-foot kitchen.You may also inquire with a local kitchen cabinet refacing service for more accuracy.

Moving on to professional cabinet refacing duration, according to The Spruce, it usually lasts for only two to four days

Compare DIY and pro cabinet refacing

After classifying your DIY ability, creating a list of materials, and a to-do list, you can now compare DIY and pro cabinet refacing. Make sure to take into consideration your desired outcome, your budget, and your availability so that you’ll be able to choose what’s best for you.

The bottom line is, there’s no definite answer on is it worth it or not, it all depends on you. Did this help you decide on getting your cabinets professionally refaced? If it did, feel free to visit our showroom and warehouse at 4375 E. La Palms Ave in Anaheim, CA for actual material choices or Contact us at (800) 581-0694 today!