Is It Cheaper To Paint Or Reface Kitchen Cabinet?

Are you thinking to give your cooking den a new look and wondering Is It Cheaper To Paint Or Reface Kitchen Cabinet?

Recently, I realized I should spruce up my kitchen space, especially the cabinets. Before I began my upgrades, I needed to create a budget. After doing some research, I found out what can really make or break the overall look of my kitchen – refacing cabinets or painting cabinets.

To be honest, painting cabinets provide an instant face-lift to the kitchen. It is an easy, quick, and cheap option to consider.

I chose to reface the cabinets that were nearing their end of life.

What is Kitchen Cabinet Refacing?

Cabinet refacing is a cheaper method of achieving incredible results for your kitchen. It involves the replacement of old cabinet doors, drawers, knobs, and handles with factory-finished hardwood paneling.

In contrast, cabinet painting is simply covering up the imperfections and damaged parts of the cabinet’s exterior with a coat of paint.

Should you Reface or Repaint Kitchen Cabinets?

The cost of cabinet refacing and painting are both lower than the cost of buying a new kitchen. Yet, in comparison, refacing cabinets is definitely more expensive than painting them. 

TIP: When you Decie which road to take, ask yourself in what condition is your cabinet surface and if you are bored with design of your current kitchen fronts?

You should think about painting them if they are in good condition. The best are latex and oil paints because of their durability

To reface the kitchen cabinet becomes essential when your doors and knobs are no longer in place, are cracked, and maybe wilting as well. Such imperfections cannot be covered up for long. Therefore, you should replace the cabinet doors, drawer front, knobs, and handles all together.

Here are a few pros and cons of painting or refacing cabinets:

Pros and Cons of Kitchen Cabinet Painting or Refacing

1. Refaced cabinets are easy to maintain, while painted cabinets accumulate dust and grease quite faster. 
2. Painted cabinets cannot be treated with tough cleaning solutions or vigorous scrubbing.
3. If you are allergic to the strong odor of paints, it’s always better to get the cabinets refaced.
4. A budget-friendly option is painting the cabinets in comparison to refacing them.
5. Refacing cabinets increases the life-span of cabinets; thus, it is worth the money invested in replacement. 
6. Paints can peel off quite quickly, especially if you did not prepare the surface properly with a primer or sanding it. Otherwise, air bubbles can get trapped into the paint, and it will become flaky and unsightly. Rather it’s easy to peel off as well. 
7. Painting cabinets needs should be done by an expert to precisely paint them. Blotting the handles, or streaks of paint brush marks, or blotchiness at the end really are a waste of time and money. 

Cabinet Refacing Offers Greater Options

Refacing Cabinets is a risk-free, odor-free, easy to maintain, and easy to clean solution. In fact, it increases the shelf-life of your cabinets. Moreover, the best part of refacing is that you have plenty of option for a finished look. 

I was amazed to see what variety of colors, textures, patterns, grains, are available for veneers, and they could be easily mixed with affordable kitchen facelift options.

Refacing offer at the market is very wide. Here is example what you could choose from:

• Plastic laminates arrive in hundreds of patterns and colors, are moisture-resistant and durable, and are inexpensive options. You can choose contrasting or matching laminates for the drawer fronts and doors.
• Thermofoil doors feature a durable plastic coating on the fiberboard, and are an affordable alternative to laminate doors or wood.
• Wooden veneers can be chosen as per your budget, as there are many standard species of oak, maple, cherry. Moreover, you can choose from a range of stain colors. However, they are a bit pricier option. Although wooden veneer provides a subtle and sophisticated look to your kitchen, yet it needs to be sealed carefully to protect against moisture. 

During the last kitchen facelift, I went for plastic laminates as they are more durable and water-resistant. I’d recommend it if you want an affordable choice!

What Is The Average Cost Of Cabinet Refacing?

It costs around $1,000 to $3,000 for laminating the cabinets and giving a 10 to 12 foot kitchen a cabinet reface. If you are thinking to opt for real wood veneer, expect to pay around $3,000 to $6,000. The higher the quality of wood veneer and the kitchen space, the higher will be the cost. 

As for the knobs, hinges, and pulls, it can costs $2 to $50 per piece depending upon the high-end hardware you opt for. 

Is It Worth It To Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

Cabinet painting is worth it as long as the cabinets are still in a good condition. Use a high-quality paint that needs a single coating to cover up the imperfections perfectly. 

Painting cabinets is a detailed process done by the professionals. If you are inexperienced with priming and preparing the surface before a repaint, hire a professional. 

However, it doesn’t work for warped, chipped, or damaged cabinets. The paint will only end up getting blotchy and gross.  

What Is The Best Paint Brand For Kitchen Cabinets?

If you have made your decision to paint the cabinets, let me help you recreate the best look. After years of house upgrades, especially kitchen, I have come across these 3 cabinet paint brands that worked wonders if used properly.

1. Rustoleum 241168 Quart White Appliance Epoxy Paint

Rustoleum is a highly-rated epoxy paint that is formulated for application on metal surfaces and refinishing exterior appliances. However, it shouldn’t be used around high-temperature areas, especially the stoves and oven interiors.

When I first tried it, I was really bothered by the strong odor. However, by following the Youtube tutorial, I was able to nail it.

As for the downsides, the paint can get blotchy if you do not prime it first. Obviously, closing those open pores is necessary or else air bubbles will be trapped and it’s a mess. 

2. Nuvo Cabinet Paint Earl Grey Quart

Nuvo paint has a great greyish finish. It’s basically charcoal grey (instead the results were a bit lighter than what I’d expected). Double coating to darken up the color would have ended up in a disaster.

However, it’s a reasonable choice that provide 31 oz of paint that can cover up to 50 square feet of cabinets. I tried it for my Mom’s kitchen up do, and it was easy to apply. 

If it is not primed and prepped well, it’s definitely going to become tacky and may crack as well. 

Beyond Paint All-in-One Refinishing Paint -Quart of Bright White

Beyond Paint wins it as it’s an all-in-one paint that can be used to paint furniture, cabinets, walls, and what not. It’s easy-to-use and the results are quite professional to give your cabinets a transformed look. It has a thick consistency so it’s easy to work with. A little can go a long way!

On the downside, it can give a chalky finish if it’s not primed well. Foam brush is a better option to use this paint as it can leave brush marks otherwise. The paint may require at least two coats to give a finished look. 

However, in a cheaper price, it’s a great option for a kitchen facelift.

No matter how best the paint will be, what matters the most is care of the cabinets afterward.

Final Verdict

People have differing opinion about refacing cabinets or painting them. Whatever suits you better is what MUST opt for. 

Maybe, the cheaper option to paint kitchen cabinets will work for you because your cabinets aren’t in a bad condition yet. 

On the flip side, when it gets worst, add in a few more dollars to give your kitchen an uplift. At least, it’s far cheaper than replacing the entire cabinets later on.

Do you need some tips for your kitchen soffits. Click threw and read more about. I would be honored 🙂

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