UPVC Back Door

Refacing Cabinets: A How-to Guide

If you’re looking for a simple way to take your old kitchen cabinets and make them look like a brand new, custom installation, but without paying the cost for custom cabinets, then you should think about cabinet refacing. It is a simple and fairly quick job that can be handled by nearly anyone.

The first thing you will need to do will be to take measurements of all of the areas where you will be applying the veneer. To make this long process a lot easier, draw a diagram of the cabinets and write your measurements on the drawing where they are on the full sized unit. You will also need to measure the cabinet doors, as you will be replacing them as well. With all your measurements taken, you can now order your materials (remember to order an extra 10% for waste).

The next step, once your materials have arrived, is to clean and sand your cabinets. You will want to use dish soap and water on any greasy stains that may be on your cabinets, as the adhesive will not stick to a greasy surface. When the cabinets have been wiped clean, take some 150 grit sand paper and smooth any area where the veneer will touch. Clean off any of the leftover dust from the sanding and you’re ready for application.

It’s always best to start with the end pieces when you start applying the self adhesive veneer to your cabinets. With a sharp utility knife, cut a piece that will have approximately ½ an inch overhang on each side, and dry fit it into place to check the back and top edge for accuracy. If the piece is the correct size, with the ½ inch overhang, then start pulling back the adhesive paper, small sections at a time, and stick the veneer to the old cabinets. Continue doing small areas at a time until the whole piece is stuck to the cabinets, and then trim the overhanging edges to fit with your utility knife. The last step is then repeated over and over for all of the cabinets, then the new cabinet doors and cabinet hardware are installed, and you’re finished.

For a fraction of the cost of even cheap kitchen units, cabinet refacing tends to take a little longer to do, around two days compared to one or one and a half days for new cabinets, but it is a simple enough process that any do-it-yourselfer can finish it on their own. If done correctly, many people won’t even be able to tell that you haven’t bought all new cabinets.