Your cabinets are one of the most important elements in your kitchen. They take up the most space, and they’ll often be noticed first when anyone enters the room. Plus, they have to be functional – there is no point in having cabinets if you can’t store plenty of food and equipment inside them.
If your kitchen cabinets are starting to look a little dated or worse for wear, you might think it’s time to replace them, but there is an alternative that might work better; refacing them instead.
Of course, you’ll need to think carefully about this option to determine whether it’s the best thing for you, but if it is, there is even more to consider. You don’t want to make a mistake when it comes to refinishing your kitchen cabinets, so bear in mind the following common mistakes so you can avoid them where possible.
Not Prepping The Cabinets
Refacing your kitchen cabinets might seem simple, but there is a lot to consider. Something you might not have considered but that is crucial is prepping your cabinets before you add the new paint or other refinishing materials. If you don’t prepare the cabinets, the new face won’t adhere properly, and the results will look messy and unfinished.
To begin with, you need to clean the cabinets. This doesn’t just mean wiping them down with a damp cloth – it means thoroughly scrubbing them so that every particle, dust, and grease has been removed. It’s essential that you do this otherwise anything else you do will come to nothing; it’s likely the entire process will have to be started again. This will cost you time and money, both of which are usually in short supply.
Once the cabinets are cleaned, you’ll need to sand them to make sure the new surface adheres properly. Then you’ll need to prime the cabinet doors before you finally refinish them in the way you have chosen. You can’t skip any of these steps if you want a great result, so make sure you put aside enough time if you’re planning to do this yourself.
Using The Wrong Type Of Paint Or Stain
Another big mistake that many people make when they decide to refinish their kitchen cabinets is using the wrong type of paint or stain. You might think that all of the paint you see in the store is exactly the same, but the reality is that different types of wood require different finishes. This is why you need to do your research before making any purchases, as you don’t want to buy the wrong thing. Plus, if the cabinets have been refinished or sealed in the past, whatever you pick has to be compatible with what is already there (or you’ll need to remove everything during the prepping stage, which will take a long time).
You need to know what wood your cabinets are made of before you can do anything else. In some cases, homeowners will know this because they chose them initially or because the details are noted in the house description that a real estate agent gave them. However, if it’s been a long time since the cabinets were installed or they weren’t your choice in the first place, and you have no details, it might be hard to work it out – an expert could be the best option in this case (the next point will cover this idea).
Trying To Do It Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes people will often make when it comes to refacing their kitchen cabinets (or bathroom cabinets, as this technique can be used for both rooms if you want to) is to try to do it themselves. DIY is a great thing, and it leads to more confidence, better general skills and knowledge about how your home works, not to mention a great sense of satisfaction. Plus, it can be cheaper than hiring experts.
However, when it comes to refinishing your cabinets, it’s always better to hire people who know exactly what they are doing when it comes to cabinet refacing services. Trying to do this job yourself will result in poor results that just don’t do justice to how your kitchen could look. Plus, because it wouldn’t look great, you would probably need to go on to hire experts anyway, so it would actually cost you more in the long term.
If you hire a professional to work on refinishing your kitchen cabinets, you can be sure that the job will be done right. Professionals have years of experience refinishing cabinets and know exactly what techniques and materials to use to achieve a flawless finish. Additionally, they have access to specialized equipment and tools that the average homeowner may not have, such as spray guns and air compressors. While hiring a professional might cost more than doing it yourself, it’s worth the investment if you want your kitchen cabinets to look their best.
Not Replacing Or Updating The Hardware
You might assume that the hard work is done once you have refinished your kitchen cabinets (or, ideally, have had them refinished by experts), but there is something else you need to consider, and not doing so is another mistake that can easily be made.
That one last thing is your cabinet hardware. This means the handles and potentially the hinges, if they are visible. It might be that the old ones you had just don’t work with the new style of kitchen cabinet you have now after it has been refinished. Or perhaps you just want to update the hardware because otherwise, it will take away from the brand new look of the doors.
No matter what, it’s ideal to change the hardware when you change the look of your kitchen cabinets. This will make them look completely fresh and new, and it’s a good chance to put in something that reflects your personality better now you have the opportunity to do so.
If you avoid these common mistakes when refinishing your kitchen cabinets, you will have cabinets you can admire for many years to come.
