Kitchen

[geegerbee]

My cherry cabinets are ok, except for 1 drawer. I am thinking of changing to a lighter color like white on top and blue on the bottom. One company came to assess my needs. He started out at an estimate of $21,000. After 2 hrs. he gave me 3 discounts and was down to $11,800. I told him no, I needed other estimates. His company was going to replace the doors with an acrylic product. I understand painted ones don't last long. Some spray the doors. I am confused and would like some feedback please.

[Mindy D]

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@geegerbee wrote:

My cherry cabinets are ok, except for 1 drawer. I am thinking of changing to a lighter color like white on top and blue on the bottom. One company came to assess my needs. He started out at an estimate of $21,000. After 2 hrs. he gave me 3 discounts and was down to $11,800. I told him no, I needed other estimates. His company was going to replace the doors with an acrylic product. I understand painted ones don't last long. Some spray the doors. I am confused and would like some feedback please.

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1. @geegerbee @Get quotes from national chains so you get an idea what it would they cost. Take a walk through Loews and Home Depot to see what some of  the options are.  I'm not suggesting that you use them for the cabinets. Just use them to get a feel for what you are dealing with.Unless your kitchen is as big as a super tanker $21k is exorbitant. After you get some ideas then start looking in your city. Take your time. I've had friends reface for well under 5k. One friend redid her cabinets with a gorgeous cherry wood. She got new, custom cabinets for the same cost as refacing. This was not under 5k. Another friend defaced her mica cabinets with wood doors. Hers ran about 6 K but this included a new sink, faucet, and some crown molding. Your refacing depends a lot on what you have now. This will be your substrate. When they reface cabinets you usually get new doors but they use thin wood veneer strips glued  to cover the cabinet faces you have now. If your cabinets are genuine cherry, you might consider refinishing or painting what you have now. Look at Houzz . Com for ideas about what treatments are out there now. Google search kitchen cabinet refinishing ideas, painting, sesurfacing ideas. Check Pinterest too. There are a lot of choices. Take your time. There are also YouTube videos that show the process. If you want to add in more cabinets, that's possible too. Below bottom is Home Depot. Top is unknown refacing.

[geegerbee]

;I know painting would be cheapest, but the hardware needs to be replaced and I understand the paint wears off after a while, especially around the handles.  Thanks for the tips about going to Lowe's and Home Depot. 

[panda1234]

Had this done ten years ago and regret it. It looks nice but I wish I just replaced everything. 

[hick]

I had this done almost 3 years ago when I moved into a condo that hadn't been touched for 30 years.  The cabinets  were oak.  THe salesman said that if I were to paint the cabinets white, the oak grain would still come thru.  So I had the choice of painting the cabinets a color or new ones or refacing.  I wanted white cabinets.

I just didn't want to go thru the hassle of having the kitchen cabinets torn out. 

  I had the refacing done thru Home Depot contractor.  They were great.  They were pricey!  I had some trouble in the beginning with the facing actually coming away from the cabinet.  The company sent a  person to fix it  - he said that perhaps there was a problem with the adhesive that was used.

In any event, they fixed it and it's been fine since then.

I love how they look and was glad I did it.

[Janey2]

I refaced my cabinets about 8 years ago. I have a granite countertop that is in perfect condition. No one would guarantee that the granite would not crack if I went with new cabinets. I used an independent company. The guy sent me to a place to pick put new cabinets fronts. I have no regrets. Job was perfect. No one can tell that this was refacing. The cost was what some people spend on all new cabinets. The cost of labor is what it is, then the rest is what you pick out. 

[AuntG]

Yes, in a little 1950's ranch house I bought when I started working. Cabinets were solidly built by the carpenters, but were so plain. For a reasonable cost, I hired a refacing company to add doors, drawer fronts and new hardware. It couldn't have been nicer.

[jlkz]

@geegerbee 

Wherever there is constant use, such as door handles of any types, there will be little marks from finger nails.  Over time, it can become " indented ".

I see this even on the shallow part of car door handles !

Many years ago, there was a vendor who sold Tips nail conditioner.  She was famous for constantly hitting her nails on the table top.  Well, she ruined the tabletop with her very strong nails.  QVC finally told her to bring in her own " board " to use to drum her nails !

[gardenman]

The white paint on my cabinets has yellowed so I recently bought a roll of white contact paper (vinyl) and I'm experimenting with using that. I've done one cupboard door and it looks great. If you're good at wrapping gifts, then wrapping a cabinet door (a relatively flat one anyway) is pretty much the same. I just give it a good scrub with a degreaser, dry it off, wrap the door with the vinyl, smooth it out and so far, so good. I'll be doing more over the course of the summer. The contact paper was cheap (under $9 for a long roll) and looks like a perfect paint job when applied. I've had the one door done for several weeks now and it still looks as good as when I put it on. I'm not sure how it'll work over the long term, but for now, it's working well. I'll likely do all of the cupboards before I'm done. 

[CelticCrafter]

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@geegerbee wrote:

;I know painting would be cheapest, but the hardware needs to be replaced and I understand the paint wears off after a while, especially around the handles.  Thanks for the tips about going to Lowe's and Home Depot. 

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Home Depot doesn't do it anymore.  At least not the one by us.