Cabinet Refacing: Five Keys to Getting Started
By Karen LawsonRefacingCabinet.com Columnist
You've decided to reface your kitchen cabinets. In order for your project to be successful, planning ahead is essential. Although refacing kitchen cabinets doesn't take as long as replacing them, good planning can help minimize the time needed to complete the job.
- Timing is everything: There are four stages of refacing cabinets--measuring, ordering, delivery, and installation. The time it takes between ordering cabinet refacing materials and delivery is a major component of scheduling if you need to arrange time off from work or hire installers.
- Accurate measuring: If you are math phobic or otherwise concerned about measuring for your cabinet refacing project, you may want to leave it to a professional. If you want to do it yourself, begin by drawing a diagram of your cabinets and assigning each a letter. Measure cabinet doors to 1/16 inch; measure for each cabinet at least twice and note the results on your diagram. For moldings, measure in linear feet and add five to ten percent extra to allow for cutting errors or any extra required if you're using plywood end panels.
- Choosing a supplier: Home improvement retailers may offer a wide variety of kitchen cabinet refacing options, but they typically cannot offer a high level of customer care. If you have doubts about accurately measuring your cabinets or completing the installation, you may want to pay more and go with a custom cabinet supplier that can measure for you.
- Selecting refacing material: Kitchen cabinet refacing options can depend on your decor preference, your project budget, how much you use your kitchen, and the decor of adjoining rooms. Also consider the reason why you're refacing your cabinets; if you want a quick update for selling or renting your home, you may wish to spend less and choose neutral colors. If you're fixing up your kitchen for your own enjoyment, the sky's the limit.
- Have a contingency plan: Get quotes on cabinet refacing in case problems arise or circumstances prevent you from doing the cabinet refacing yourself. Having a "plan B" can help minimize delays and frustration.
After ordering your cabinet refacing materials, you can arrange your work and family schedules to accommodate delivery and complete your cabinet refacing project.
About The Author
Karen Lawson is a freelance writer whose interests include home renovation and decor. She holds an MA degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.
