5 Questions to Ask About Building, Refinishing, and Refacing Cabinets

When you’re thinking about updating your kitchen cabinets, you’re likely only scratching the surface of what you can imagine when it comes to building, refinishing, and refacing cabinets. These kitchen cabinet questions, however, can have the most impact on whether your cabinet professional can take on the task, as well as how much time and budget it will take.  

Is your cabinet project part of a larger remodel? 

Building new cabinets or updating your current ones is a big project in itself, but can become even bigger if it’s part of a larger remodel. Timelines can shift if delays occur and your cabinetry work may have to wait for other pieces to fall into place. Letting your contractor or carpenter know about bigger renovation plans can help give them a better idea of what to expect, what other contractors they’ll need to coordinate with, and how to approach the project. 

What kind of cabinet changes do you want?

When it comes to cabinet refacing, you can replace your current drawer and door fronts with a variety of materials, from veneer to wood, beadboard, or even glass. The type of kitchen cabinets you want—from custom cabinets to stock cabinets—lets your cabinet expert know not only what look you’re going for but also what materials you’ll need, how much labor will be required, and what your budget will be. 

The more specific you are with your vision, the more accurate your contractor will be with the timeline and budget for the project.

What type of cabinet refinishing do you need?

Fresh sanding and repainting is one way to refinish your cabinets, but other, more complex techniques, such as lacquering or glazing, can involve several extra steps that can increase both the timeline and your budget. If you haven’t already, look into different types of cabinet refinishing methods and work with your pro to figure out which you prefer and what works best with your current cabinet material. 

When do you need your cabinet work done?

Is your timeline one month or several months? The answer to this is important, as it can be the deciding factor in whether a contractor or carpenter can fit your project into their schedule. Know that having new cabinets built can take anywhere from six to 12 weeks, while refinishing typically takes one to two weeks, and refacing falls between three and six weeks. 

With an average timespan in mind, have a general idea of when you need the work done and expect to pad in added time to account for potential roadblocks or delays. 

What material are the existing cabinets made of? 

Whether you hire a general contractor or a cabinetry refinishing pro, your project lead will need to know what your current cabinets are made of in order to move forward. For example, refinishing wood cabinets may require a specific type of sander and primer before the coat of paint or lacquer is applied. Laminate cabinets, on the other hand, are non-porous and don’t absorb stain, so sanding may result in damage to the exterior.