Refacing vs. Replacing Kitchen Cabinets: Cost and Quality Compared

Reface or Replace? The Cabinet Dilemma

Your kitchen cabinets are dated, but the boxes are solid. Do you spend $5,000 on refacing or $20,000 on all-new cabinets? The answer isn’t as simple as “save money” vs. “go all out.” Here’s how to decide.

What Is Cabinet Refacing?

Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes in place and replaces only the visible parts:

• New doors and drawer fronts — custom-made to fit your existing boxes
• Veneer or laminate applied to the exposed box frames
• New hinges and hardware
• Optional: new crown molding, end panels, or drawer slides

What it doesn’t change: The cabinet layout, interior shelving, number of cabinets, or soft-close functionality (unless upgraded).

What Is Cabinet Replacement?

Full replacement means everything comes out:

• New cabinet boxes built to spec (or stock/semi-custom)
• New doors, drawers, and hardware
• Opportunity to change layout — add cabinets, remove soffits, change configurations
• Upgraded interiors — soft-close hinges, pull-out shelves, lazy Susans, drawer organizers
• Better materials — plywood boxes vs. particleboard (common in older cabinets)

Cost Comparison

	Refacing	Replacing
Average kitchen (20-30 doors)	$4,000 – $9,000	$12,000 – $30,000
Timeline	3-5 days	2-4 weeks
Layout changes	No	Yes
Interior upgrades	Limited	Full
Material quality	Depends on existing boxes	New throughout
Disruption	Minimal — no demo	Significant — full demo

When Refacing Makes Sense

Refacing is the right call when:

• Your cabinet boxes are solid — plywood boxes in good condition with no water damage, warping, or delamination
• You like your current layout — the number and position of cabinets works for you
• Your budget is limited — refacing costs 40-60% less than replacement
• You want minimal disruption — no demo, no dust, done in under a week
• The kitchen is in a rental property — refresh the look without the full investment

When Replacement Makes Sense

Replace your cabinets when:

• Boxes are damaged — water damage (very common in Florida), particleboard swelling, structural failure
• You want to change the layout — adding an island, removing a wall, reconfiguring the work triangle
• You want modern features — soft-close everything, pull-out trash, built-in organizers, full-extension drawers
• The existing cabinets are low quality — thin particleboard boxes won’t last another 10 years regardless of new doors
• You’re doing a full kitchen remodel — if you’re already changing countertops, flooring, and appliances, new cabinets complete the transformation

The Florida Factor

South Florida’s humidity is hard on cabinets:

• Particleboard boxes swell when exposed to moisture (common under sinks and near dishwashers)
• Thermofoil doors peel in heat and humidity — if your current doors are peeling thermofoil, refacing with a better material is a good option
• Plywood boxes last — if your boxes are plywood and structurally sound, refacing them can give you another 15-20 years

A Third Option: Paint

If your cabinet boxes AND doors are solid wood or plywood:

• Professional cabinet painting: $3,000 – $7,000
• New hardware: $200 – $600
• Total: $3,200 – $7,600 for a completely refreshed look

This works especially well for solid wood doors that just need a color change. We sand, prime, and apply multiple coats of durable cabinet-grade finish.

Our Recommendation

1. Solid plywood boxes + you like the layout → Reface or paint
2. Damaged boxes or layout needs to change → Replace
3. Not sure about box condition? → We’ll inspect during a free consultation

Schedule a free kitchen consultation and we’ll assess your cabinets on the spot — no guesswork.