How do you reface kitchen cabinets?

Beverly Parsons
by Beverly Parsons
How do you reface kitchen cabinets?
  10 answers
  • Ken Ken on Jan 10, 2018

    A refacing company will replace the doors, hardware, and face frames with the material of your choice. I love the look of these pine cabinets.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jan 10, 2018

    Reface with new doors or refinish with stain or paint?????

  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Jan 10, 2018

    Hi Beverly, painting is time consuming but well worth it! My mom and I painted out all of her cabinets in three days. We removed the doors and the drawers, cleaned and sanded everything thoroughly and then did two coats of acrylic primer, then three coats of paint and then three coats of poly acrylic. We also replaced the hinges and the hardware - it made such a difference!! It was time consuming but not hard to do.

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Jan 10, 2018

    Remove the doors and the hardware. Sand and clean properly to remove any grease and/or dirt. Prime with a good quality primer and then paint. If you want to stain, sand, clean and then stain to your desired color and then varathane with at least two coats of Diamond Finish Varathane.

  • William William on Jan 10, 2018

    Refacing is best left to the pro's and costly. Easiest is to paint.


    Make sure they are clean and dry. Remove the doors and hardware. Mark the doors and cabinets with tape where they go. Lightly sand the doors and cabinets to remove any gloss and roughen the surface for paint with 120- to 220-grit sandpaper. Use a tack cloth or damp rag to remove dust after sanding. Prime with a stain blocking primer like Zinsser 123, KILZ,or BIN and have it tinted to the color of the top coat. This will prevent dark or stained surfaces from showing through the top coat. Acrylic, or water-base, paints are low-fume and clean up easily with water. Alkyd, or oil-base, paints require good ventilation because the paint contains solvents that can irritate your lungs and make you feel sick. Alkyd options require mineral spirits for cleanup, but they provide a hard, durable paint finish. Whichever you use, buy the best-quality paint you can afford for a lasting kitchen cabinet finish. Seal with at least three coats with a water based polyurethane. Use a small foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.


    If you want to stain use Minwax Polyshades.


    http://www.minwax.com/how-to-finish-wood/change-stain-color-with-polyshades/

  • BBB BBB on Jan 11, 2018

    Paint..you can even add trim to make them look like modern shaker style cabinets. Change out the hardware including hinges. Leave the refacing with veneers to the pro's.

  • Bess W Bess W on Jan 12, 2018

    Well, after you and your bestie remove and sand down every inch of the doors and drawers, you slightly trim all to 'inset' them...THEN when you discover you've trimmed too much, find a good, local carpenter to make new ones. Sadly, that's what I did with the same cabinets you've shown!


  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Jan 13, 2018

    I actually like the wood, it's beautiful. (Personal preference.) Maybe you just need a good cleaning and a simple light coat of wipe on polyurethane to bring out the wonderful sheen. Adding new hinges and handles will also give them a new look. If you have lots of energy change the wall paint color! Best of luck. (Seriously, I love the cabinets.)

  • I must say, I love the rustic look of the knotty pine, too. As was suggested, change the handles to some more substantial ones, maybe change the hinges to the hidden type. A fresh coat of paint is an instant face lift. Refacing is pricey!

  • Sar30489265 Sar30489265 on Jan 15, 2018

    change the handles first and see how they look