Refacing vs. Replacing – Why RTA cabinets are a game changer?

There comes a time in everyone’s lifewhen a person needs to make the tough kitchen decision – whether to reface the kitchen cabinets or replace the existing cabinetry, using RTA cabinets. Let me help you out of this dilemma. If you’re on a low budget, you should go with cabinet replacement. If you want your kitchen to look amazing, you should go with cabinet replacement. As we have mentioned in the previous post, remodeling your kitchen demands allocation of huge funds, but if you are going with RTA cabinets, then that cost comes down dramatically.

You may be wondering that since we are one of the top RTA cabinet suppliers in the US, we would naturally recommend you to go with RTA cabinets. But this is not the case. I have your best interest in heart. Refacing kitchen cabinets means you still have to allocate a good amount of funds, which will change the exterior of the cabinets only, and if the life of your kitchen cabinet is already over, so refacing is just useless. On the contrary, if you replace your kitchen cabinets using RTA cabinets, you will not only get new cabinetry they will be at a far lower cost than custom-made cabinetry options. Moreover, RTA cabinets are easy to assemble, which means you can replace the cabinets yourself without worrying about leveling the base.

Is refacing your kitchen worth it?

Again, putting my interest aside I would say no to this question. If you want to reface your kitchen cabinets, you’ll need to hire a professional and this very requirement limits your options. There are not many companies who offer this type of service. Secondly, if you get your hands on a good company, then I bet their service charges will blow your mind (there is no comparison between the service charges and RTA cabinets prices). The third reason I am against refacing is that you’re only changing the exterior at great expense; it’s like pay full price for only half of a meal. Certainly, it will taste good but who wants to pay full price for half a meal.

Pros &cons of refacing and replacing

Replacing and refacing the cabinet is a major expense, so evaluate the pros and cons before making a decision. Outdated or damaged cabinets can quickly ruin the look of your kitchen or bathroom, even if you upgrade the other elements in the space. Replacing the enclosures is a way to add an instant update, but you can also redo them. The best option depends on your budget and the layout or condition of the existing cabinets.

What it takes to reface kitchen cabinets?

Refacing cabinets involves the installation of new door fronts and cabinet drawer and covering the exposed face frames of the cabinets with a sheet of wood or plastic. This usually takes two to four days, depending on the size of your kitchen, and the work is usually done by professional artisans. Drawer doors and fronts should be removed for refacing purposes and the old finish is trimmed to prepare the surface for the new cover, which is glued or nailed over the antique finish. The nail holes are then filled and the seams and edges are cut. Replacing your cabinets is much more complicated and can take much longer if you consider the planning and organization of the cabinets. The cabinets should be removed, so your contents should be saved. While homeowners can replace their own cabinets, a professional installer knows how to measure and order to ensure that the cabinets fit perfectly into your kitchen or bathroom.

Refacing options

When refacing cabinets, you usually have three options for finishing: rigid thermofoils (RTF), wood veneer or plastic laminates. Laminates come in a wide variety of colors, but their rigidity limits their use to simple cabinet styles. The RTF is made using flexible vinyl sheet over medium density fiber can be molded in a variety of styles. The wood veneer gives the look and warmth of the natural wood cabinets, but it costs more than the other two options. If you choose to replace the cabinets, your design options expand to include a wide variety of colors, styles, sizes, and materials. Basically, you can choose what suits your budget.

Cost considerations

Using RTA kitchen cabinets to replace your old cabinets costs considerably less than replacing them with custom-made cabinetry. Moreover, RTA cabinets also cost similar or a bit more than a good refacing option, and by good refacing option I mean using wood veneer to reface cabinets with the help of a professional. Depending on the size of the kitchen and the materials you choose for refacing, you can spend between $4,000 and $12,000 as of 2018. However, you would spend almost twice as much to replace the cabinets, because there are several hidden costs that should be included in a complete remodel. For example, if you receive a quotation on the cabinets, you should add the cost of the handles, molding, delivery rates, and finishing, and re-finishing walls that are exposed or damaged after replacement. However, replacing your old cabinets with RTA cabinets are not going to cost you much when compared with good refacing options, and will remodel your kitchen just the way you like it.

Making the right choice

There are a few more factors you should consider before making a decision about refacing or replacing kitchen cabinets. If you are not satisfied with the look of your cabinets but they are in good shape and your layout works with your space, refacing may be the right choice. It improves the look of your cabinets and is less damaging to your daily routine. Because you are not removing the case, you can leave the content, which requires less work from you. If your kitchen does not work for you in terms of layout, replacing the cabinets gives you the chance to rearrange them. If the cabinets are structurally damaged, you must replace them. Refacing does not correct the damage or deterioration of cabinet materials. Moreover, if you go with replacement using RTA cabinets you’ll have peace of mind for a longer period of time and you’ll not have to worry about the fact that your kitchen cabinets look good from the outside, degraded from the inside.

When to replace or reface?

Kitchen renovation is one of the best investments you can make for your home. Unfortunately, renovating the kitchen is also one of the most expensive projects you can take on. One way to save a considerable amount of money is to reface instead of replace the kitchen cabinets.

According to experts, replacing kitchen cabinets can cost 40 percent to 60 percent more than refacing them. However, if you go with RTA cabinets then replacement becomes a viable option for you. There are some cases, however, when no other option is feasible. If cabinet boxes are worn by, rotten or cracked, new cabinets are necessary. If the basic layout of the kitchen needs to be changed due to structural changes in the room or if the flow of traffic makes the kitchen impractical or difficult to work with, new cabinets may be needed to accommodate the new plan.

Refacing is an option if existing cabinetry is structurally sound and the kitchen requires only minor layout changes such as adding wine rack or pantry.

The process of refacing

Cabinet refacing involves more than just a simple paint color change and a hardware upgrade. Existing cabinet boxes remain in place. One or two craftsmen start by removing the existing cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Face frames and side panels are then sanded. A new finish is then nailed or glued to the sanded sections. New molding, panels and the base kick toe cupboard are then installed. New cabinet drawer fronts and doors are installed to match the face frames, side panels and bottom of the cartons. New hardware replaces the old and old screw securely filled and finished to match the new faces.

Three refacing finishing options are available in a variety of styles, colors and prices. The lowest of cost are rigid thermofoils (RTF). This product is a vinyl sheet molded by means of pressure on the panel of medium density fibers. RTF can be molded into arches or raised panels and finished with a realistic looking wood grain or solid color finish. Laminates are a bit more expensive than RTF but cannot be molded. Smooth front doors are required for laminate to work. The most expensive, but most realistic of the finishes available, is real wood veneers. Costing 10 percent to 25 percent more than RTF or laminate, wood is more durable and offers the richer look.

A few more things to consider

Refacing cabinets usually takes two to four days from start to finish. Replacing and reconfiguring cabinets can take several weeks, particularly if you’re going with custom-made kitchen cabinets. Replacing cabinets can also mean mending, sanding and painting walls, where older cabinets had been located. All these extras add work, time and cost to the renovation project. Well, for a cost effective kitchen renovation, refacing cabinet surfaces used to be a good alternative to replace the entire cabinet until RTA kitchen cabinets come in. RTA kitchen cabinets not only offer you the luxury to order the size, color, and style you like, but the cost doesn’t wash away your savings. So, if you were planning to go with refacing, I recommend you to only go with replacement using RTA cabinets.

Conclusion

Should you replace or reface your kitchen cabinets?

Consider your current cabinets before you make a decision about whether to replace or reface them. If you’re unhappy with how your cabinets look, but they’re otherwise in good shape and their layout works with your space, refacing may be the right choice. It improves the look of your cabinets and is less disruptive to your daily routine. Because you’re not removing the cabinet, you can leave the contents, which makes less work for you. If your kitchen doesn’t work for you in terms of layout, replacing the cabinets gives you the chance to rearrange them. If the cabinets are structurally damaged, you should replace them. Refacing doesn’t correct damage or deterioration of the cabinet materials.

At our online RTA kitchen cabinet store you will have a range of RTA cabinet options to consider – from the wood type of your choice to the size/ color you want, we can help you with everything. And the best part of our online RTA store is that you’ll definitely find something that fits your budget.