Kitchen cabinet refacing saves thousands over replacing all the cabinetry. Doing the job yourself saves even more money. Labor is a significant percentage of the total cost of refacing. You could save up to half the price by saving on the labor costs. While it isn't an easy task, it is possible for a skilled homeowner.



Do it Yourself or Hire a Pro?

This is a big job. You will need some skills and experience in home remodelling to tackle the job. It can be stressful, if you aren't sure of yourself. Refacing isn't a job that should be rushed. You need to have patience and the time to invest to do the job right.

Precise measurements are needed when attempting to give your home a makeover with cabinet refacing. Measuring is one of the most important parts of the job. It must be exact on the door openings, face frame and ends of the cabinets. Also accurate measurements are needed for the doors and drawer fronts. If you are off by even a little bit, the material won't fit right.

Time should be taken to prepare all surfaces for refacing. You will need to remove all the cabinet drawers and drawer fronts. Clean all surfaces to remove dirt and grease. You will then need to roughen the surfaces to prepare them to hold the materials. This part of the job shouldn't be rushed and steps shouldn't be skipped.

If you don't have the skills, time or patience, it's best to hire a professional to do the job for you. Attempting a big job like this is very stressful. If you don't take the time to do the job right, it could end up costing you more in the long run.

Tools for Kitchen Cabinet Refacing

Cabinet refacing supplies are available on the internet. Many sites offer tutorials with step by step instructions and pictures to help you do the job. There are a variety of tools to help you do a professional job at home.

Pressure sensitive veneer is the easiest material for the do it yourself home handyman. This material is easy to use and has a paper backing that peels off. Line up the veneer to the surface and apply pressure to hold it in place. The surface will need to be prepared well before the veneer is applied. Solid wood veneer is the easiest to work with and is the best quality material for this job.

A veneer roller can be used to apply pressure to the material. These come in small and large sizes and give good pressure. The larger size covers more area. Always start at the center and roll outward. This removes air bubbles that can ruin the look of the veneer.

A smoothing blade can be used to press down firmly when attaching veneer. Start at the center and slide in the direction of the grain. Use both hands to give sufficient pressure. Repeat until firmly attached.

Edge band iron and edge trimmers are useful for finishing. The band iron is used to attach the band to the edge of the cabinet doors. A clothes iron can also be used for this job, but will be larger and more bulky to work with.