What Refacing Actually Means
Cabinet refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and replaces everything you see: new doors, new drawer fronts, and new veneer or laminate over the visible box surfaces. New hardware finishes the job. From the outside, the kitchen looks brand new — because everything visible is new.
What Full Replacement Means
Full replacement tears out the old cabinets down to the walls and installs brand-new custom cabinets — new boxes, new doors, new drawers, new hardware, new layout if you want it. Everything is built for your space from scratch. See our kitchen cabinets service for what a full custom project includes.
Cost Comparison
Refacing typically costs 30 to 50 percent less than full custom replacement. A kitchen that costs $20,000 to replace might cost $10,000 to $14,000 to reface. The savings come from reusing the boxes — no new box construction, no demolition, less labor.
But compare fairly. A refacing quote and a replacement quote should both list the door style, finish, and hardware. Cheap refacing with thin veneer and basic hardware is not the same value as quality refacing with real wood veneer and soft-close hardware. Our cost guide explains how to read quotes line by line.
Timeline Comparison
Refacing usually finishes in 3 to 5 days. Full custom replacement takes 8 to 14 weeks from design to done — most of that in the shop, with about a week of disruption in your home. If you need a new look fast — selling the house, hosting the holidays — refacing wins on speed. See the full timeline guide for details.
When Refacing Is the Right Call
- Your cabinet boxes are solid, square, and in good shape.
- You like the current layout — the sink, stove, and fridge are staying put.
- You want a fresh look for less money and less disruption.
- The kitchen is in a rental or a home you plan to sell soon.
When Replacement Is the Right Call
- The boxes are damaged — water damage, warping, mold, or falling apart.
- You hate the layout and want it changed. Refacing cannot move a sink or fix a bad work triangle — see our layout guide.
- You want storage the old boxes cannot give you: deeper drawers, pullouts, taller uppers.
- This is your long-term home and you want cabinets built to last decades.
- The old boxes are particleboard swelling from Florida humidity — new plywood boxes solve the root problem.
The Honest Middle Ground
Sometimes the smart move is refacing now and replacing later — for example, refacing a kitchen in a home you might sell in a few years, then doing full custom in your forever home. Other times, replacing just the worst section (like water-damaged sink cabinets) and refacing the rest stretches the budget. A good cabinet professional will tell you which path fits your situation instead of pushing the pricier option. That is one of the things to look for when choosing a cabinet maker.
What Refacing Cannot Fix
Refacing is cosmetic surgery, not a rebuild. It cannot fix boxes that are structurally failing — water-swollen particleboard, mold inside the boxes, or frames pulling away from walls. It cannot fix a bad layout: the sink stays where the plumbing is, the stove stays where the gas line is, and that awkward corner stays awkward.
Refacing also cannot add storage the boxes do not have. If your base cabinets are shallow, your uppers are short, and you dream of deep drawers and tall pantries, new faces on old boxes will not get you there. And it cannot fix installation problems — cabinets that were never level, doors that never closed right because the boxes are twisted. Be honest about what bothers you: if the complaints are about how the kitchen works, not just how it looks, replacement is the answer.
The Refacing Process Step by Step
Knowing the process helps you judge the quality of the work. First, the crew removes all doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. Then they inspect every box — this is the moment of truth. Solid boxes move forward; damaged ones get flagged for replacement or repair.
Next, they apply the new surface to the visible box frames — either real wood veneer or a quality laminate, cut and bonded carefully. Then the new doors and drawer fronts go on with new hinges (ask for soft-close), new drawer boxes or fronts, and new knobs or pulls. Finally, everything is adjusted, aligned, and touched up.
The whole job typically takes 3 to 5 days, and you can usually use the kitchen in the evenings. Dust is minimal compared to full replacement — there is no demolition. Ask whether the crew protects your counters, floors, and appliances during the work. A careful crew leaves the rest of your kitchen exactly as they found it.
Cost Traps to Avoid
Refacing quotes vary wildly, and the traps are predictable. The biggest one: veneer quality. Thin, cheap veneer bubbles and peels within a few years, especially in Florida humidity. Ask what veneer they use, how thick it is, and what adhesive bonds it. Real wood veneer properly applied lasts decades; bargain veneer is a short-term cover-up.
The second trap: hardware. Some refacing quotes reuse your old hinges and slides to hit a low price. New doors on worn-out hinges close badly and wear fast. Insist on new soft-close hinges and, if drawers are included, new slides. The hardware upgrade is a few hundred dollars that changes how the whole kitchen feels.
The third trap: the upsell spiral. A fair refacing price for most kitchens is 30 to 50 percent less than full replacement. If the refacing quote creeps up near replacement cost — after add-ons for crown molding, lighting, new counters, and extras — stop and compare honestly. At some point the math favors starting fresh with new boxes, new storage, and a full warranty.
Get the refacing quote in writing with the same detail you would demand for replacement: veneer type and thickness, door style and material, hardware brand, and exactly which boxes are included. "Reface kitchen" on one line is not a quote — it is a guess.
Not sure which path your kitchen needs? Request a free consultation — we will inspect your current cabinets honestly and tell you whether refacing or replacement makes more sense. If refacing wins, we will say so.