Cabinet

Kevin Stith asked:




If you are tired of your old kitchen and are looking for ways to give it a new lease on life at affordable rates, then discounted kitchen cabinets can provide you with an ideal solution. This is for people who don’t want to actually replace the cabinets, but just give them a new look to brighten up the surroundings.

Buying discount kitchen cabinets are more affordable than replacing cabinets and have the advantage of giving your kitchen a fresh, clear and polished look. This brightens up the kitchen environment making working in it a pleasant experience. Also, if you are thinking of selling your home, new well-polished cabinets will definitely increase its resale value.

You can get discount kitchen cabinets by either refacing or refinishing your existing cabinets. Refacing kitchen cabinets is a way to give your cabinets a new ‘face’. For this, you can call any professional contractor who will remove your cabinet doors and then wrap thin veneers on them. Through cabinet refacing and refinishing you can not only revitalize your cabinets, but also save money that otherwise you would have incurred if you had replaced them.

You can pick your choice of veneers from a wide range of colors and finishes ranging from cherry to mahogany, or any color that blends with the color of the walls. Refacing is a relatively simple process that you can do it yourself.

The other option to remodel the kitchen cabinets is by refinishing. You can hire a professional contractor who can paint the cabinets for you. Painting kitchen cabinets usually takes three to four days. Instead of hiring a professional contractor, you can also do the painting yourself.

In fact, refinishing cabinets can provide you the perfect stimulus to satisfy your creative urges. Add to this the excitement of trying out something new and you’ll achieve the signature of a personal touch, a unique hand painted look that blends effortlessly with the rest of the kitchen.

refacing cabinets

kitchenremodel11 asked:

Colorado Springs Kitchen Tune-Up Before and After kitchen cabinet remodeling in Colorado Springs, Colorado. See cabinet refacing, cabinet resurfacing, cabinet tune-up, kitchen remodeling with before and after pictures. You will be amazed and ready to have a kitchen tune up now! Call today…

refacing cabinets

Eric B. Slarkowski asked:




Kitchen cabinet refacing is an excellent alternative to replacing your old cabinets, especially if they are still in good condition. If you know the basics of kitchen cabinet refacing, you should have no difficulty refacing the cabinets yourself. By doing the work yourself, you can save at least one-third and possibly twice the cost of new cabinets. If you choose not to do the work yourself, you might consider hiring the services of a cabinetmaking company who has experience in refacing. They may be able to add several new features and conveniences to your cabinets giving your kitchen even more of a remodeled look.

You should first choose a door type and style. If you have traditional face-frame cabinets, choose a door that will set into the frame but overlay it by a half inch or between what is referred to as a 3/8 inch inset. Doors for frameless cabinets can be with inset or overlay, though fully inset doors require more skill to fit and require perfect square openings. When choosing the door style, you need to determine the wood species, profile and finish. For instance, the profile could be a raised or flat panel and the finish could be painted, pre-finished natural or unfinished. If possible, ordering the door pre-finished in a style you like can save time and usually produce a better quality finish. However, a benefit to unfinished doors is that you can match them to other cabinets or a particular style you already have in your kitchen or home.

Next, choose the hinges and measure for the doors and drawers. Fully concealed hinges with either overly or fully inset doors, which you should keep in mind as you choose a door type and style. When choosing hinges, be sure to consider your door’s opening capacity, ranging from 100 to 180 degrees, as well as clearance for roll-out shelves, snap-closing compared to free-swinging and adjustability. Be sure to measure the height and width of all door and drawer openings to at least within 1/16 inch, including the false door front opening beneath your sink. For single-door openings, you need to add two times the amount of any overlay and, when two doors are to cover a single opening, add the overlay amount minus 1/16 to one-half the opening width. Subtract one-quarter inch from the width and height for inset doors.

Finally, when calculating your veneer order, keep in mind that you will need about sixteen square feet of veneer (peel-and-stick) for ten cabinet doors. This will allow for you to cover the front of the frames so they will also match your cabinet doors. You can add more veneer for additional items you would like to reface, such as drawer rails or base units, for example. You should also measure the wall and base cabinets and panels, which can be covered by either plywood or actual door panels. If any of your existing cabinets have a glass door or insert, measure the inside of the walls and order matching plywood. Until your order arrives, you can make any other improvements or repairs such as replacing damaged shelves.

refacing cabinets

Clinton Maxwell asked:




If you want to spruce up your kitchen but don’t have the funds for a remodel, why not consider painting your kitchen cabinets? Replacing kitchen cabinets can be very expensive, but if your cabinets are still decent shape and just look scratched and worn on on the surface, painting them can be the perfect solution. For a few hundred dollars, you can have new looking cabinets, instead of layiing out thousands of dollars for new ones.

Make sure you have to use the right kind of paint if you are going to repaint your kitchen cabinets. The staff at a paint or decorating store will be familiar with the correct products for this kind of a project. They will probably recommend an acrylic latex paint for the job. This kind of paint adheres well to the surface of the cabinets and is very long lasting. This kind of paint is washable, a real value when it comes to keeping your cabinets clean once the project is completed. The best way to get a smooth finish is to use spray equipment. This will eliminate any of the stroke marks you may see if you use the brush technique. You can rent spray equipment cheaply at a rental center, hardware store, home improvement center and sometimes at a paint store. Make sure you prepare the work area properly by covering and taping surfaces you don’t want to be painted.

Brushing is one idea for painting the cabinets, but you must make sure you use the very highest quality brushes, Otherwise you will be able to see the brush marks. The specialists at the home center or decorating store will be able to advise you here as well. Using the right brush is important, since some paints will go on better if you use a natural bristled brush, and others will work better with a synthetic bristle brush. Rollers should not be ised for cabinets, since they will leave the marks and the stippling from the roller.

Make sure you properly prepare the cabinet surface before you start painting. Remove all doors and all hardware such as hinges and handles. Make sure you put some kind of mark on each doors so you know which is the bottom and top so it will be easier when you hang them up again. Remove all the paint and varnish from the cabinets down to the plain wood, sand well and then clean thoroughly with mineral spirits. A clean, sanded surface will help the paint adhere better.

After you have removed varnish, sanded the surface and cleaned all of the cabinet pieces, take the time to make repairs to any damage. Spread wood putty onto nicks or gauges and let it dry thoroughly and sand it before painting. A primer that is an acrylic based primer is recommended as a first coat since this will further improve the adherence qualities of the paint.

After a primer coat, two more paint coats should be sufficient to cover. Make sure the first coat is thoroughly dry before you apply the second coat. You should paint all the cabinets first and then paint the doors. You may want to put the doors on sawhorses in order to paint them, since this will allow you to get at all of the edges.

You can reattach the hardware after you have painted the cabinets and put them back together, but how about totally updating the look of your cabinets, by putting in new hinges and handles? New hinges will look cleaner and will also make the doors operate better, adn new handles can completely transform the look of your cabinets.

The one thing you want to make sure of is that the hinges and handles are the same size as the old ones so you can re-use the holes that are already there. When you go shopping for the hinges and handles, bring along the old ones to make sure they have the same spacing and you will not have to drill new holes or have old holes showing through.



refacing cabinets

Paul Julian asked:




Although it was probably years in the making, all of a sudden one day you’ll stop and realize that your kitchen cabinets have gotten shabby looking. Your cabinets are used all the time and exposed to all the heat, grease, and moisture associated with a kitchen, but you most likely take them for granted and don’t pay a whole lot of attention to them. That’s why you don’t notice sooner that they are looking tacky. If you go out to price getting new cabinets, it’s likely you’ll get discouraged right from the start, because showroom cabinets are very expensive, and custom cabinets cost even more. Before you get too upset, though, stop and think about another alternative. If the boxes and doors of your cabinets are still solid and sturdy, you can reface them for a lot less cash.

Instead of paying $5,000 to $10,000 or more to replace your old kitchen cabinets, you can spend around $1,000 for veneering materials and do the job yourself. You’ll need to decide if you want to completely replace the cabinet doors and drawer fronts or if you want to try and reface them, too. You can buy peel-and-stick veneer that really makes the job easy. You can buy veneers in plastic laminates, rigid thermofoils (RTF), and wood. Right now RTF is very popular, because it not only looks like a wood surface, but it is also extremely durable, less expensive to buy, and easy to clean. This process does require special glue and a machine to apply it using heavy pressure, so it isn’t a good home project.

Wood veneers are the most expensive option, but they are beautiful. Unlike older wooden cabinet surfaces, the new ones don’t require extensive maintenance, because they are treated with very durable polyurethane finishes that resist scratches and dirt. Using wood veneer will cost you about 25% more than using plastic laminate, but wood will also enhance the value of your home and increase its desirability should you decide to sell it.

One thing you’re probably going to want to do when you reface your kitchen cabinets is to install new, updated hardware. Beautiful knobs and handles in many different kinds of materials and colors are available, and you can give your kitchen an entirely new look just by replacing the hardware. Since you have to remove the old hardware prior to refacing doors and drawers, it will be a simple matter to replace it with new hardware when you’re ready to hang the doors. Of course, new hardware will add to the cost of the project.

The plainer your cabinets are, the easier they will be to reface. Flat-surface doors will obviously be much easier to fit laminates to than will doors with decorative moldings. While you have your shelves out of your cupboards, you might want to try refacing them, too. A good way to do this is to go to a flooring store and buy inexpensive vinyl flooring remnants which can be cut and fitted to cover shelves giving you a permanent shelf paper and a very finished look inside your cabinets. You can do the same thing inside drawers if you like.

refacing cabinets

Wm David Allen asked:




I don’t know about where you live, but here in southern California, cabinet re-facing is big business. Witness the number of cabinet companies promoting the process including even mega stores like Sears and Home Depot. The primary reason? Huge profits. This huge markup attracts a certain type of sales person. You know the type I’m referring to; the ones who won’t come out unless both homeowners are there, has a special deal if you can decide today without thinking it over and who you can’t get out of your house without getting nasty. The lure of quick easy money generally draws the wrong type of person. If you’re looking for someone who cares about your well being prepare to be disappointed if this is the route you choose. Of course this is a generalization and there are always exceptions.

Lets start by discussing just what re-facing entails. The term re-facing covers more than one scope of work. Generally speaking it involves replacing the doors and drawer fronts and covering the remaining exposed exterior with a thin veneer that is glued to the old cabinetry. More expensive re-facing projects involve new drawer boxes, new drawer glides, pull outs where possible and a few other modifications that can be done without removing the cabinet structure.

Here’s the problem. Unless the kitchen is relatively new (less than 8 years old), and the builder or designer laid the kitchen out thoughtfully, most of what is wrong with kitchen is structural/functional and not just cosmetic/aesthetic.

If you have a newer kitchen with pullouts, a lazy susan and adjustable shelves and you simply want a new look, re-facing may make sense for you provided you can find someone to do it for a reasonable price and with at least a 10 year warranty in the event the veneer stars peeling off like old wallpaper. However you should give the matter a good deal of thought. I get at least three calls a month asking if a granite or quartz countertop can be removed without breaking it. Very rarely I answer. When I ask why, they say they had their cabinets re-faced or re-finished a year or two ago and now are very disappointed. Unfortunately, they spent a good deal of money on their countertop and can’t bear or justify trashing it. As the man said, “I feel your pain”.

Frequently, when I visit someone’s home to evaluate their kitchen and gather the information necessary to provide design ideas, they begin by telling me they are happy with the layout. I sense that they are reluctant to appear vulnerable to sales pressure and take them at their word. As the conversation continues and they relax, I inquire about an inaccessible corner and tiny drawer bank and listen as they tell me how much they dislike them and several other things about the layout they were happy with a few minutes earlier.

The truth is most homes and certainly tract homes were built to provide living space in areas where people wanted to live. It was not necessary to design and install kitchens with anything more than a basic layout. Very little regard was given to functionality. Consequently, it is very easy to modify and drastically improve a typical kitchen without having to resort to major structural changes.

If a kitchen or bath remodel is in your future do yourself a favor and interview several qualified kitchen and bath specialists before deciding to reface rather than replace your cabinets. The cost isn’t always that much more and you almost always get so much more for your money. If the extra cost is a burden then wait another year or so to get something you will appreciate and enjoy for years to come. It’s a significant investment. Make it a smart one.

refacing cabinets

Eugene Makeev asked:




Change is one well welcomed idea that makes your life in New York City take a refreshing course throughout the hectic days. As the kitchen is a popular area where you spend most every hour of the day that you are home, a home improvement project within this area would serve most rewarding. And with your cabinetry among the most visible features in it, nothing could spruce up while adding more functionality to the place than replacing kitchen cabinets.

Re-facing or replacing kitchen cabinets, that is the question. Yes, this is the common issue that often bogs down the homeowner when considering the project. If you are one of these having a hard time deciding, ask yourself this crucial question: What is the main goal that you want to achieve out of this kitchen improvement project? While pondering on this, the question may stem into more considerations which you should also tackle with enough time and thought.

To help you out on this, here are several benefits to get you to make your mind and get on with replacing kitchen cabinets:

. Re-facing kitchen cabinets is a face-level project that may change the way how things look but not the functions.

. Issues revolving around storage and workspace will remain unresolved.

. You will still have to deal with adding kitchen features that your current cabinet design cannot accommodate like a dish rack or wine bottle holders.

. The existing cabinetry would either have been designed traditionally or just to meet basic needs. And as yours and your family’s needs evolve with modernity and time, replacing kitchen cabinets, would be more ideal in meeting these needs.

So if your thinking of upgrading not only the look but maximizing storage and efficiency as well, then you better start planning on replacing kitchen cabinets. Here are several helpful tips to help you make a success out of it:

. Before even proceeding, try to find out if there are any permits needed and secure them.

. Accurate measurements are crucial in making the cabinets to line up beautifully and fit according to the layout.

. Make sure that the upper cabinets will be easily accessible to the people using the kitchen and that enough area for lighting fixture or range hood that goes with the needed working space is left if the cabinet goes over your stove or sink.

. While at the task of replacing your kitchen cabinets, other home improvement projects might also be done. You can also have the walls painted or the flooring changed as these jobs can be done easiest while the cabinets are out and not yet installed. This could also help in complementing the designs within your kitchen and creating a more harmonious ambiance.

. If you do not have the needed skills, experience and proper equipment to finish off replacing kitchen cabinets successfully, then you better let qualified NYC contractors to do the task for you. By doing so, you will not be risking the project which may eventually end up needing repair or even re-do by a contractor. With a properly installed, fully functional and beautiful kitchen cabinetry; you are assured of a refreshing look and additional years to the life of your well-organized kitchen cabinets.



refacing cabinets

Tony Evans asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Smoky Mountain Painting

Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great alternative to purchasing new cabinets. Not only can you save a lot of money but if done correctly the results are fantastic.

The most simple way to complete this project is to leave the inside of the cabinets unpainted . The inside is only seen when the cabinet is open so I would recommend that you leave them unpainted. Plus if you don’t paint the inside of the cabinets you don’t have to remove everything from inside the cabinets.

Be sure the room is well ventilated because the primer and paint have a strong odor. Consider using a fan placed by an open door or window to help and pull the fumes out of the house.

Step 1. Take off all of the cabinet hardware including all knobs, handles and pulls. Cover all countertops and flooring using drop cloths or tarps. Leave the doors attached. Using painters tape, tape all the hinges on the doors.

Step 2. You will need to clean the cabinets using a cleaning solution such as TSP. This is a cleaning agent which is readily available at most hardware stores. Wash the exterior of all the cabinets that are to be painted using your cleaning solution. Allow the cabinets to fully dry and then sand them to a dull finish using a fine grit sandpaper.

Step 3. Prime cabinets using a good oil based primer such as BIN or Zinsser primer which you can also purchase at most hardware or paint stores. Apply a thin coat of primer using a short nap roller and a brush. Prime the front of the doors first then open and prime the backs of the doors. After priming the doors, prime the remainder of the exposed cabinets. After the primer is completely dry, take your fine grit sandpaper and lightly sand the cabinets.

Step 4. Paint the cabinets using a brush and short nap roller the same way you applied the primer. You can use either oil or latex (water based) paint. The oil is going to be more difficult to apply but will be more durable than the latex. If you do use oil paint, you may need to thin the paint using paint thinner so that you can acheive a smooth finish. Be careful and do not thin the paint too much. Start out by thinning the paint a very small amount and thin more if necessary. You will also need paint thinner for cleaning up the paint and primer.

Step 5. Once the cabinets are completely dry, lightly sand any bubbles that formed in the first coat of paint using fine grit sandpaper. Do not sand so hard that you remove the paint you just put on. Apply the final coat of paint using the same technique as before. Allow the cabinets to dry at least 24 hours before reattaching the knobs and pulls.

Step 6. If you used an oil paint, clean the brush and roller sleeve using paint thinner. If you used latex paint you can use regular tap water to clean your brush and roller sleeve. If you used an inexpensive brush and roller sleeve you may want to discard them instead of trying to clean them.

Painting cabinetry can be a tedious task so just take your time and follow the steps in this article. Following these guidelines I believe you will be pleased with the outcome.



refacing cabinets

Darrin Reservitz asked:




Ah, so you want to update the look of your kitchen cabinet doors with a nice coat of paint, but you’re afraid that it will look amateurish. After all, you say to yourself, you’re not a professional painter. Well don’t worry. We’re here to show you how you can paint your kitchen cabinets in 5 easy steps.

Step 1: Clean Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors

You want to ensure that your kitchen cabinets are spotless or else you risk trapping dirt under the paint, which could lead to peeling. Because kitchen cabinets are magnets for grease, consider using water and grease cutting dish or laundry detergent. All purpose household cleaners like 409 could also do the job. Even though your next step in painting is sanding, take care to use a non-abrasive sponge while cleaning to prevent deep scratching.

Step 2: Sand

Sand the surface of your cabinets until all the existing paint is taken off. Make sure to sand smoothly and evenly to prevent the creation of small indentations in the wood, which will show through your new coats of paint.

Step 3: Apply Primer

Before painting your kitchen cabinet doors, you need to apply a primer to both prevent the paint from chipping and to ensure a smooth, thick coat that accents your existing kitchen colors. If you plan to use oil based paint, use oil based primer. Alternatively, if you will be using latex based paint, use shellac based primer.

Step 4: Apply the First Coat of Paint

After the primer dries, it’s time to apply the paint smoothly and evenly.

Step 5: Apply Two or Three More Coats of Paint

After the first coat dries, you will need to apply two or three more thin coats of paint to prevent bleed through. You will apply each subsequent coat after the previous coat dries.

See, simple, isn’t it? However, if you’d like an alternative to painting your kitchen cabinet doors, or perhaps a whole new kitchen cabinet design, go to www.kitchen-expert.info to learn about kitchen cabinet refacing.



refacing cabinets

Jonathan R Richards asked:




Probable the most important bit of advice anyone will impart to you when you are thinking about selling your house is to “remodel your kitchen”. Just the words “remodel your kitchen” are scary. You immediately envision dollar signs, $$$$$$$. Kitchen cabinets do play a huge role in remodeling your kitchen. But, in most cases, you don’t really have to replace the entire cabinet. You can simply reface your kitchen cabinet doors.

Refacing the kitchen cabinet doors, what does that mean? This simply means that if your existing kitchen cabinets are structurally sound, the kitchen cabinets doors can be easily removed and replaced with new doors. Immediately some of those dollar signs floating around in your mind should disappear. Refacing your kitchen cabinets eliminates the sometimes ugly process of damaging your walls, flooring, plumbing or electrical systems that is usually associated with the replacing of the entire kitchen cabinet. Your kitchen will always be totally functional. There is hardly any mess at all that is associated with refacing your kitchen cabinets.

The most taxing aspect in refacing your cabinets will probable be trying to select just one of the many varieties of doors that are available today. The multitude of colors and designs can become overwhelming; but pick one you must. The rest of the process is fairly uncomplicated. You simply remove the hardware that is securing the existing doors to your cabinets. The kitchen cabinet frames are then painted with the same color as your new refacing doors. New cabinet hinges should be used to attach your new kitchen cabinet doors. Now the only thing left is to choose your favorite door knobs and bingo, your kitchen cabinet refacing is done.

Deciding to reface your cabinet doors has saved you time, frustration and most of all a lot of money. By the way, recycling your old doors to an organization that helps the poor could also entitle you to a charitable tax exemption.

refacing cabinets