Cabinet refinishing is almost always cheaper than purchasing new models and is a smart investment in many circumstances, including when:
- Current Cabinets Are in Decent Condition: When your cabinets are damaged or significantly warped, it may be more cost-effective to go with a replacement.
- Living "Green" Is a Priority: If environmental sustainability is a priority, you might want to consider cabinet refinishing as a better practice to reduce waste by upcycling your existing cabinets.
- You Want Unique and Personalized Cabinets: Refinishing can be done in a large variety of colors and finishes to achieve a vision that is wholly unique and matches your sense of style.
- Boosting Home Resale Value Cost-Effectively: If you're planning to sell your property, cabinet refinishing can be a cost-effective project to boost your property's appeal to try and maximize profits.
- You Are Pleased With the Current Layout and Operability: You're existing cabinets may already fit in perfectly with your kitchen's layout and give ideal functionality.
- Avoiding Disruption is Necessary: Cabinet refinishing requires minimal chaos to your lifestyle compared to a complete cabinet replacement.
Property owners in Euclid, OH have detailed paying nearly 70% less when refinishing their cabinets compared to replacing them. Prior to picking cabinet refinishing, evaluate your specific needs, budget, and the condition of your cabinets to understand if this option is right for you.
Though there aren't industry-standard certifications specifically for cabinet refinishing contractors, there are important qualifications and indicators of expertise that you can look for when vetting someone to refinish your cabinets. Most professional contractors will showcase their background in carpentry, woodworking, or a relevant field on their Thumbtack page.
You will want to ask the contractor you are thinking about hiring for a portfolio with pictures of cabinets they have refinished for previous clients, especially for results that are similar to the style you're trying to accomplish. Besides a picture gallery, most professional contractors will highlight their experience and reliability through online client reviews.
A reliable professional can give a detailed written estimate of the job before it begins, listing the scope of services, materials, and all associated costs. Contractors should have exceptional communication skills and be able to answer any questions and concerns regarding budget, time, and craftsmanship during the refinishing project. You should also ask for warranties or guarantees with the service, which is another indication that can show they have faith in the quality of their craftsmanship.
An expert working on your cabinet refinishing project will follow an established process for efficiency and excellent results. There are usually several steps taken to transform the appearance of existing cabinets, for example:
- Evaluation and Preparation: Cabinets are first evaluated to make sure they are in proper condition for refinishing. If so, any hardware will be disassembled, including handles, knobs, and hinges, and all cabinet surfaces will be cleaned to remove any dirt, grease, or other residue.
- Repair and Fill: Some minor damage, like cracks, dings, or other blemishes in the wood will be repaired or filled before being blended in when staining or painting.
- Painting or Staining: Whatever you choose for paint, stain, or finishing technique will be applied in smooth, even coats to accomplish the style you've envisioned. The drying and curing phase is crucial to giving a professional result, and may require several hours to complete.
- Reassembly: After your paint or stain completely cures, any parts will be put back on and cabinets fully reassembled for use. Performing a quality inspection will guarantee the finished results satisfies your expectations, which includes a last cleanup of the complete work area.
It's important to note that any refinishing project may vary based on factors such as the kind of cabinets and the desired finish. Additionally, contractors may perform specialized methods, such as distressing or glazing, to accomplish specific stylistic results, which will require a longer amount of time. Be sure to communicate clearly with anyone you employ to guarantee they can bring your vision to reality.
Cabinet refinishing is an especially beneficial home improvement project that many homeowners find worthwhile. Refinishing cabinets instead of buying new ones is a good practice to limit your impact to the environment by giving used furniture a longer lifespan rather than contribute to landfills. The method of constructing new cabinets also requires more wood and expels toxins into the atmosphere, both of which are significantly lessened when people choose to repurpose existing furniture rather than replace it. Some other excellent benefits of choosing cabinet refinishing include:
- Cost-Effectiveness: Buying and putting in new kitchen cabinets will be very costly, but refinishing current cabinets will allow you to refresh their look relatively affordably.
- Breathe New Life Into Your Kitchen: Cabinet refinishing can dramatically change the aesthetic of your kitchen through relatively small amounts of work and money.
- Limit Disruption To Your Home: Cabinet refinishing is seen as a relatively quick and stress-free project to update their style versus installing new ones. Because you're reusing existing cabinets that have already been installed, you'll bypass the hassle of having custom-made cabinets built from scratch or the demolition and reconstruction of your kitchen walls and layout to ensure they fit.
- Professional Results: You can expect high-quality outcomes when you allow a competent contractor to carry out your cabinet refinishing project. The proper technique and skill is crucial to make sure your cabinets appear as you wished, including following the proper steps of prepping the surfaces and permitting the paint or stain to cure before reassembly.