Kitchen Cabinets: Install, Reface or Refinish
Cabinets are the biggest purchase in most kitchens, so the first question is whether to replace the boxes or keep them. If the boxes are solid and the layout works, refacing with new doors and drawer fronts, or refinishing the existing ones, gives a new look in days instead of weeks. If the boxes are damaged, water-stained or the wrong size, new cabinets are the better choice.
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New cabinets come as stock, semi-custom or custom. Stock is the quickest to get and has fixed sizes with filler strips. Semi-custom offers more sizes and finishes. Custom builds to your wall and takes the longest. Installation is more than hanging boxes: the wall is checked for level and blocking, the boxes are shimmed, fixed to studs and joined, then doors and drawers are aligned and trim added.
Measure drawings are worth the time. A cabinet plan that shows every box, filler and panel, with the appliance sizes next to it, prevents most of the on-site surprises.
What the work includes
- Removal and disposal of old cabinets, or protection of boxes that stay
- Checking walls and floor for level and fixing uneven spots
- Installing wall and base boxes, joined and fixed to studs
- Adjusting doors and drawers so reveals are even
- Crown, light rail, toe kick, filler strips and end panels
- Pulls and knobs installed from your drawing or sample
- For refacing: new doors, drawer fronts and veneer on exposed box faces
- Touch-up and removal of packaging
How to tell whether cabinets should stay or go
The boxes are firm and dry, and only the doors look worn: refacing or refinishing may be enough
Particleboard bottoms are swollen, flaking or smell damp: replace
You want deeper drawers, a taller upper row or a pantry unit that the current boxes cannot give
Doors do not close because the frames have racked out of square
The layout needs a different sink position or appliance size
Paint is chipping off thick old coats that cannot be sanded smooth
How the work goes, step by step
Check the existing cabinets
Share photos and note any water damage, swelling or doors that no longer close.
Measure the room
Walls, windows, plumbing and appliance sizes are measured so every cabinet is placed on a drawing.
Choose a line and finish
You compare stock, semi-custom or refacing options with sample doors.
Written quote and order
The quote lists every box, panel and piece of trim, plus the delivery timing.
Install and adjust
Boxes go in level, doors and drawers are tuned, and trim and hardware finish the job.
What changes the price
- Cabinet line
- Stock, semi-custom and custom differ in construction, finish choices and price per linear foot.
- Number of boxes and accessories
- Pull-out trays, corner units, pantry cabinets and glass doors add cost beyond a plain run.
- Door and finish style
- Slab doors cost less than raised-panel profiles, and painted finishes cost more than stained or laminate.
- Refacing versus new
- Refacing reuses the boxes, so it avoids demolition and most of the delivery wait.
- Wall and floor condition
- Out-of-level floors and crooked walls take shimming and extra scribing time.
What a good quote spells out
- A cabinet plan or drawing with each box size, filler and end panel listed
- Whether the price includes removal and disposal of the old cabinets
- Box construction: plywood or particleboard, and the drawer hardware used
- Delivery time, and who inspects the order for damage before installation
- For refacing, what is replaced: doors, drawer fronts, hinges and the exposed box faces
Kitchen Cabinets: questions people ask
Is refacing cheaper than replacing cabinets?
Usually, because the boxes stay and there is less demolition and wait. It only suits cabinets in good shape with a layout you are happy with.
Can kitchen cabinets be painted instead of replaced?
Yes, if the doors are in good condition. A proper refinish involves degreasing, sanding, priming and a durable coating, which is different from a quick coat of wall paint.
How long do custom cabinets take to arrive?
Often several weeks to a few months, depending on the maker. Orders are placed before demolition so the kitchen is not left unfinished.
Do cabinets or countertops go in first?
Base and wall cabinets go in first. Stone and quartz counters are measured after the cabinets are level and fixed, then cut to fit.
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