Interior decor can be an exhausting yet exploratory journey, which often brings some confusion. Kitchen cabinets are a pivotal part of the kitchen’s appearance, ambiance, and functionality; with that, whether to paint the kitchen cabinets or reface them to change the look can become a dilemma.
When you buy the home initially, you paint or decorate your kitchen cabinets according to the trend and your choices of that time. Years pass by, and now you want to make your kitchen look new, refreshed, and more relevant.
This is where either a kitchen cabinet painting or cabinet refacing can help thoroughly, as both procedures can change the look and feel of the cabinets.
Cabinet Refacing vs Painting – Which is Better?
Here we mull over the idea of restructuring the kitchen cabinets through painting or refacing. While both options can improve how your kitchen looks, they both require different approaches, different amounts of effort, and different methods too.
Kitchen Cabinet Refacing
If we compare the difference between painting vs refacing cabinets, Refacing is a bit larger-scale project than painting. You get to change the doors, knobs, and drawer covers entirely by unattaching them from the hinges and attaching the new ones. Option to choose designs that are trendy, and fit your budget too.
However, refacing is likely to be costly compared to painting. Refacing lets you apply new veneer or laminate to the exterior surfaces of your cabinetry while keeping the original (internal) cabinet boxes. There is close competition between refacing vs painting cabinets.
Pros of Cabinet Refacing
- Transforms Appearance: Gives cabinets the look of brand new, custom cabinetry.
- Wide Range of Finishes: Choose from wood veneers, laminates, or rigid thermofoil in various colors and styles.
- Less Disruption: Installation can usually be completed in a few days, with less mess than full renovations.
- Eco-Friendly: Reuses existing cabinetry, reducing landfill waste.
- Increases Home Value: Offers an updated look that can appeal to buyers without the cost of a full remodel.
- Improves Durability: New hardware and surfaces can be more durable than older finishes.
Cabinet refacing changes the appearance for the better and more impactfully while keeping the original boxes there, helping you continue with the same functionality.
Here, you will have wider options to choose from when it comes to the shades and designs you want, as you can change doors and door handles or knobs entirely. Changed wood veneers and laminates let you have wider options to choose from various colors and styles.
The new doors and covers make the cabinets durable for a longer time, also, you get to have a chance at increased resale value, at least wastage and mess around the house.
Cons of Cabinet Refacing
- Higher Cost Than Painting: Can be 2-3 times more expensive than painting since it involves new materials and skilled labor.
- Doesn’t Fix Layout Issues: If your cabinet boxes are damaged, poorly designed, or structurally unsound, refacing won’t resolve those problems.
- Limited by Existing Structure: No flexibility to rearrange or resize cabinets.
- Requires Sound Boxes: Cabinet boxes must be in good condition to be refaced.
While it seems more rewarding, between painting vs refacing kitchen cabinets, kitchen refacing can be more costly compared to painting, as it involves the replacement of doors and fronts. However, refacing won’t fix any structural issues, especially with the boxes, as they will remain the same and fixed to the wall. In order to get cabinets refaced, you need to ensure that the boxes of the cabinetry are sturdy enough.
Kitchen cabinet painting is where the cabinets get painted or repainted while the structure remains the same entirely. Here, a professional painter cleanses the surface, removes the old layers of paint and imperfections with sanding, and moves ahead with applying primer. After that, paint and finish are applied to the cabinet for ultimate shine and appearance.
Pros of Cabinet Painting
- Budget-friendly: One of the most cost-effective ways to give your kitchen or bathroom a facelift.
- Highly customizable: You can choose any color to match your aesthetic, from trendy matte blacks to classic whites.
- Quick turnaround: Most painting jobs take 3–5 days, depending on the size of your kitchen and the number of coats needed.
- Environmentally friendly: Since you’re reusing your cabinet doors, there’s less material waste.
Cabinet painting is a lot more cost-effective. With that, you can improve the appeal of the overall kitchen. The process of cabinet painting leaves a smaller carbon footprint, too.
Cons of Cabinet Painting
- The surface needs to be with the least flaws: Painting won’t hide scratches, dents, or any other structural flaws.
- Wear and tear over the years: Painted surfaces may chip or fall off after a certain point in time, especially in high-use areas like kitchens.
- Prep work is crucial: A poor prep job can lead to peeling, uneven coverage, and visible brush strokes.
- Not as “new-looking” as refacing: Painted cabinets still carry the original profile, so it’s more of a refresh than a total transformation.
Cabinet refacing is more impactful when it comes to giving a ‘makeover.’ Also, painting cabinets is a multi-step process compared to refacing. Cabinet painting doesn’t contribute to the durability of the cabinetry. If you are only looking for an appearance change in the kitchen, kitchen cabinet painting is a good option. However, refacing will enable you to have a multifaceted transformation.
While both cabinet refacing and cabinet painting can dramatically improve the look of your kitchen, with a tight budget, painting is likely the way to go. If you’re willing to invest a little more for durability and a polished finish, refacing would be a fitting option. All in all, cabinet refacing and painting both would serve the purpose of elevated appearances and the same functionality.
Both options are much more convenient compared to getting entirely new cabinets or even a complete renovation of the kitchen. You can figure out what fits best according to your choices and lifestyle. While choosing one of the cabinet makeover methods, keep in mind what is more crucial to you, whether it’s a quick, budget-friendly update or a more refined, durable upgrade.
Ready to transform your kitchen cabinets? Call 416-803-8897 or email us at apolo7071@sympatico.ca to get your free consultation today!
