If you love the look of your kitchen cabinets, but they are becoming worn out after years of use, refacing them can be a worthwhile investment.

Refacing is a popular choice for many homeowners who want to keep their kitchen style the same, but just give it a more modern look. By bringing on board a professional cabinet maker, you can ensure that your kitchen retains its look and feel.

However, how much do you have to pay to reface your kitchen cabinets? Before we get the project’s cost, it’s important to recognize when you should do it.

When to Reface Your Kitchen Cabinets

There are many clear-cut signs that your kitchen cabinets should be refaced, including:

The look of your kitchen is downgrading
The cabinets are damaged with the hinges being loose or flimsy
The paint is wearing off
You feel the need for an upgrade without the expensive costs

If you notice any of these with your cabinets, be they hardwood or M D F cabinets, then it is time to consider undergoing refacing.

How Does Cabinet Refacing Work?

The process behind cabinet refacing involves refreshing the cabinets’ front coverings, instead of removing and replacing them. It is noticeably cheaper than the cost of installing brand new cabinets. The process usually involves:

The doors, drawers and hinges being removed
Cabinet surfaces are then matched with the same style and tone, or a new style that can enhance your kitchen
The cabinet doors are trimmed for the perfect fit
New doors, drawers, hinges and handles are installed

While the process might sound simple, it can take a lot of work and involve some intense rework. As such, you should look towards hiring a professional cabinet manufacturer or maker instead of managing it as a DIY project.

Installation of drawers handles on kitchen cabinets

What Affects The Price of Refacing Kitchen Cabinets?

Many factors can include the overall cost of the refacing project, including:

The size of the kitchen and the number of cabinets
The quality of the materials, like laminate or hardwood cabinets, which cost more than MDF cabinets
The labour costs of the professional
Any extra work that might be required for the project

As the above points suggest, you should always look out for value.

How Much Does Refacing Cost?

Having a thorough understanding of the project’s cost can help determine if it is a valuable investment for you.

According to Home Guide, the “average cost to reface cabinets is $6,518, with most homeowners spending between $4,214 and $8,110 for a 10′ x 12′ kitchen”. It also says that a “smaller kitchen costs $1,000 to $3,000 and larger kitchen costs can rise to $8,000 to $10,000”.

Home Advisor backs this claim up, showcasing similar numbers. It suggests that “cabinet refacing costs $6,943 on average, or between $4,258 and $9,635”. It does note that “refacing is typically 30% to 50% cheaper than replacing semi-custom or custom cabinets”.

With this guide as a firm foundation, you can begin searching for a professional to reface your kitchen cabinets.

Handhills is a cabinet maker and manufacturer serving central Alberta. We specialize in custom cabinet design and installation, closet design, bathroom vanities, bookcases, custom entertainment centers, kitchen cabinets, shelving, MDF cabinet doors, cabinet parts and more. Send us your measurements and get started with custom cabinets from Handhills. Call the best cabinet maker in Calgary today on (403) 910‐2373 or send an email to [email protected]

To begin with, multi-density fibreboard (MDF) is a type of wood product. However, it is not a natural type of wood, rather it is a composite of several different types of wood by-products or scraps. It undergoes a process to become akin to wood and serves many purposes in our day to day life.

These purposes include MDF cabinet doors, panels, and more. It is better suited for indoor use because it has a tendency to warp and break when exposed to excessive moisture or high humidity. However, it is made in a very interesting way, that begins with:

The Process of Making MDF Wood

The process begins with debarked wood chips getting shaped and sized. It goes through several processes to get to small chips or plugs. These are then added into a heating chamber where the natural binder (lignin) is loosened and expanded to make the fibre more malleable.

MDF cabinet door. Joinery. Disassembled glass cabinet doors in workshop. Furniture manufacture

It is then treated to a small amount of acid to further loosen the binder before moving into another chamber. Here, it is loosened and separated into individual fibres for the last time, before being exposed to a new binder agent. This allows the fibres to gather together, and then they are compressed with a combination of heat and pressure to form panels.

These panels are made in several different thicknesses and sizes to be more useful and often treated with a seal coat to keep chemical vapours from leaking out during their life cycle. This is occasionally utilized to colour the MDF board in different styles and patterns.

Where to Find MDF Wood

Finding MDF wood is a simple process. Simply look for MDF cabinet doors and other products from your favourite hardware store, or if you are in the market for a new set of cabinets, consider consulting with a cabinet maker. Cabinet makers have many purposes for MDF wood and use them in the construction of custom cabinets for a variety of purposes in residential, commercial, and industrial scenarios.

Cabinet makers are also aware of the ins and outs of proper cabinet door preparation and will be able to advise you on proper sealing and staining materials to use with MDF wood. An important part of working with MDF wood is the proper use of cutting and shaping tools, and the protective equipment that must be used during this process.

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Cabinets are the thing that truly defines your kitchen. While appliances and countertops matter, nothing will make an impact like your cabinets. Therefore, you need to pick the perfect kitchen cabinets. Here are a few tips from an experienced cabinet maker to help you make the right choice.

Pick Your Perfect Cabinet By Understanding Wood Grains
A good cabinet maker will tell you to look at the grain of the wood. For example, oak has a very pronounced grain. More expensive woods like cherry or maple have less defined grains. Some people like the look of visible grain. Others prefer something less defined.

Choose Your Cabinets for Functionality
Your cabinets have to function as storage, and modern cabinets can come with a lot of flourishes. Therefore, think about your functional kitchen needs. Consider cabinets with pullouts or other organizational features. Look at all the options for a customized corner cabinet. This allows you to get the most out of your cabinets.

Always Look at Quality When Considering Your Perfect Cabinets
Look carefully at the quality of the cabinet structure. Most cabinets are made with a composite wood, which is sturdy and affordable. However, make sure the end pieces are of good quality. If you skimp on the end pieces, then your expensive cabinet fronts will look tacky with the fake facade.

Talk to Your Cabinetry Maker About Different Door Styles
In addition to the type of wood and stain for your doors, you should also look at the door style. The style can add a lot of impact to your kitchen. A simple shaker style is easy and streamlined, but a more ornate cut on the door front can add an unexpected elegance to your kitchen.

When choosing a contractor to perform work on your home, it’s important to make sure you’re comfortable with them and able to communicate well. Asking questions to your Calgary cabinet maker is the best way to get a feel for the way they communicate and make sure you’re on the same page about the work. Just like with other contractors, it’s crucial to interview a cabinet maker before hiring them.

Ask A Cabinet Maker These Questions

What Materials Do You Use for Cabinets in Calgary?

Cabinets can be made of many materials including man-made materials and solid wood. The type of material you choose makes a big difference in the final product and how it looks in your home.

How Do Cabinet Makers in Calgary Assemble the Cabinets?

The right assembly helps cabinets last longer. Using pocket screws and glue is the preferred method for assembling cabinets to provide the best overall strength and appearance.

Will You Make Cabinet Doors Out of MDF?

You’ll also want to choose a material for the cabinet doors. Solid wood and MDF cabinet doors are the basic options. Wood cabinet doors are a better choice if you want to stain them, but MDF cabinet doors are a better choice for a painted finish.

Will You Provide Shop Drawings?

You want to know exactly what you’re getting before the work begins, so make sure the cabinet maker will provide detailed shop drawings of the cabinets and MDF cabinet doors. You should have a clear understanding from the Calgary cabinet maker of the final product before giving the okay to begin work.

Do You Also Install Cabinets?

New cabinets are an investment, so make sure the cabinet maker in Calgary is experienced at their job. They should install the cabinets for you or recommend a skilled contractor to complete the job.