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Chances are your vision of your cabinetry conjures up images of doors and
mouldings—not of the frame. Refacing offers a speedy way to leave the frame as
is but makeover the rest.
If you’re in need of a refreshed kitchen look but are happy with the current
layout of your kitchen and your cabinets’ quality, refacing may be just the
route to take. Refacing does just that—gives your kitchen a new “face”—while
using the same “body,” a method that has the potential to save both time and
money.
Refacing refers to the process of removing your old doors, drawer fronts,
and hardware then resurfacing the frames and exposed cabinet ends with hardwood
veneer. The veneer is stained and finished to match your new choice of doors,
which are then installed to the recently refreshed frames.
Check with your refacer, but you should be able to add moulding or valences
to further dress up your new cabinetry. While your layout must remain static,
some refacers offer you the option of adding new cabinetry or an island to your
existing design.
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From
the designer
Jean Buchen,
CKD
K T Highland, Inc.
Lancaster,
Pennsylvania
www.kthighland.com
“The expense of uninstalling, refinishing, replacing doors, and
reinstalling cabinets may be almost as high as simply purchasing new cabinets.
Investigate wisely.”
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Unsure of whether you need to replace or reface? Ask yourself the following:
Are you tired of your kitchen’s current look?
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Do you want a more up-to-date look?
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Does your current kitchen offer adequate storage
and countertop space?
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Are your cabinet drawers still in good condition
and open easily?
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Have other neighborhood homeowners remodeled
their kitchens in the last few years?
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Has the value of your home stopped rising?
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Do you plan to sell your home in the next year?
If you answered yes to the majority of them, refacing may be the right
solution for you. Keep in mind the following:
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You can’t change they
layout—any current headaches you have from misdirected traffic or bumping
elbows won’t disappear.
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Check out the warranty: it
generally will cover the new products only, not the new “cabinet.”
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You will be applying veneer to
the surface, not solid wood.
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Your cabinets’ interiors will
remain the same—be sure you’re currently comfortable with the way they look
and the ease of cleaning them.
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