When homeowners think about renovating their homes, they typically think of painting walls with a new color or rearranging furniture. While these are great options, many homeowners overlook the importance of upgrading their cabinetry. Cabinets are not only essential for storage and organization, they also serve as a focal point that can elevate a room’s ambiance. That’s why cabinet renovation is one of the most important home remodeling projects that can increase a property’s value.
When you need to upgrade the look of your kitchen, cabinet refacing is an affordable and effective option. This process replaces only the front-facing parts of your cabinets—the doors and drawer fronts—but leaves the cabinet boxes in place. This can save you money over replacing the entire cabinetry and can be done in a fraction of the time of a complete kitchen remodel.
Aside from refinishing or replacement, cabinet refacing is the most cost-effective way to give your kitchen a fresh new look. It’s also better for the environment than a full kitchen remodel since it doesn’t involve tearing down existing walls and hauling away debris.
If you have a smaller budget, refacing can be completed in stages—doing your countertops and backsplash in the spring while doing your cabinet refacing in the summer or fall. This allows you to continue using your kitchen throughout the renovation process without having to take a 6-week break from eating in your home like you would with a complete kitchen remodel.
Cabinet refacing is available in several different materials, such as wood veneer and thermofoil. Choosing the best material depends on your needs, budget and design aesthetic. For example, if you choose wood veneer, make sure that it’s genuine solid wood rather than plywood—plywood may warp in humid environments.
High-pressure laminate is another popular choice for cabinet refacing. Crafted from resins and paper that are compressed under heat and then fitted to particleboard, it is durable and impact-resistant. However, it cannot be stained or painted, which can limit your design options down the road.
Another cabinet refacing material is melamine, which is an inexpensive alternative to wood veneer or solid-surface countertops. This is similar to laminate in that it can’t be stained or painted, but unlike laminate, melamine is scratch-resistant and moisture-resistant. If you’re ready to make a change, the team at Espresso Finishes can help with affordable and efficient solutions like cabinet renovation in Tampa. Contact us today to see how you can transform your cabinets and boost your home’s value.
Even if your cabinet surfaces are in good shape, you might want to update their appearance with refacing or refinishing. By choosing a light shade for your cabinet finishes, you can create the illusion of more space and an airier kitchen. By contrast, dark-stained or paneled kitchen cabinets can seem cramped and unorganized. To minimize the clutter on top of your cabinets, consider adding a pegboard to hang items you don’t use daily—like heavy pots and pans—to free up shelf space for more frequently used items. You could also add decorative boxes or baskets to store seasonal dishes and special occasion serving pieces. This makes it easy to grab those items on the go and helps your kitchen stay organized while looking stylish.