A lower cost alternative to replacement cabinetry or to refresh a kitchen look, cabinet refacing gets you in the door and on the job. Elias Woodworks, a wood components manufacturer of doors and drawers, also provides matching materials for cabinet front and side refacing. Here are some questions Elias Woodwork frequently fields from its online booklet.

What is Refacing?
Refacing means replacing the doors, drawer fronts and hardware, as well as covering the sides and framework with stick-on veneer or glued-on plywood, all without having to replace the old cabinet boxes.

What are benefits for clients of cabinet refacing vs. new kitchen remodeling?
Clients get a new kitchen look at an average of one-third the cost of a new kitchen. Jobs can be completed in 2-4 days, and there is no hassle to coordinate plumbers, electricians, and floor installers, since it matches the existing footprint exactly. The kitchen is also still functional during renovation.

There are no additional costs in repainting, plastering, or redecorating, and countertops can stay in place. Refacing is environmentally friendly (less materials go to landfills), and updated kitchens increase home value instantly.

How can refacing increase my businesses’ bottom line?
It opens up a new target market of customers who would otherwise not be able to afford a new kitchen remodel. Because refacing costs are lower, customers can also purchase other products like flooring, countertops and hardware. The Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report 2013 says that refacing, also known as “Minor Kitchen Remodeling” is within the top 10 replacement projects again this year.

According to Remodeling Magazine, the biggest gainers this year were mostly replacement projects, which it says have always outperformed discretionary remodeling projects, and more so in recent years as the economic recession brought price to the forefront.

How do I know if a kitchen qualifies for kitchen refacing?
If the client likes the layout of the current kitchen, refacing works well, but if they plan on knocking down walls, it may not be the best option. Existing cabinets must also be structurally sound.

What tools are typically needed to complete a refacing project?
As with any type of remodel, there are several installation methods, but some of the more common tools used to reface are a utility knife, screwdriver, cordless drill/driver, handsaw, tape measure, level, clamps, brad nailer, hammer, nails, screws, small pry bar, wood glue, straight edge, miter saw and table/circular saw.

How do I replace toe-kicks?
Order 1/8” finished cut-to-size plywood or finished 3/16” refacing stock, then cut on site, or veneer the existing toe kick in place.

Find more at Elias Woodwork’s Refacing Material section: catalog, FAQ’s and a refacing measuring guide. eliaswoodwork.com