When your kitchen cabinets start looking tired, you have two main paths forward: reface the existing cabinets or replace them entirely. Both options can dramatically transform your kitchen, but they differ significantly in cost, scope, timeline, and the final result. Choosing the right approach depends on the condition of your current cabinets, what you want to change, and how much you’re willing to invest.
This guide breaks down both options honestly so you can decide which one makes sense for your kitchen.
Key Takeaways
- Refacing replaces doors, drawer fronts, and visible surfaces while keeping the existing cabinet boxes. It costs 40 to 60 percent less than full replacement.
- Replacement means removing everything and installing brand new cabinets, giving you complete freedom over layout, materials, and storage design.
- Refacing makes sense when your cabinet boxes are structurally sound and you’re happy with the existing layout.
- Replacement is the better choice when boxes are damaged, the layout doesn’t work, or you want to change the kitchen’s footprint.
- Refacing takes 3 to 5 days on average. Full replacement takes 3 to 8 weeks depending on whether cabinets are stock, semi-custom, or custom.
What Is Cabinet Refacing?
Cabinet refacing is a renovation technique that gives your kitchen a new look without ripping out the existing cabinets. The process involves three main steps:
1. Replacing doors and drawer fronts. The old doors and drawer fronts are removed and replaced with new ones in your chosen style, wood species, and finish. This is the change that has the biggest visual impact, since doors and drawer fronts are what you see when you look at a kitchen.
2. Veneering the cabinet boxes. The visible surfaces of the existing cabinet boxes (the face frames, sides, and any exposed ends) are covered with a thin layer of matching veneer or laminate. This makes the old boxes look like they match the new doors.
3. Installing new hardware. New knobs, pulls, and hinges complete the updated look. Most refacing projects also include adding new soft-close hinges, which is a noticeable quality-of-life upgrade if your current cabinets lack them.
Some refacing projects also include adding new moldings (crown, light rail, or base molding), replacing or upgrading the countertop, and making minor modifications like adding a few new cabinet boxes or converting a shelf into a pull-out.
What refacing doesn’t change
The cabinet boxes themselves stay in place. This means the interior dimensions, the layout, and the number of cabinets all remain the same. You can’t move the sink, add an island, or reconfigure where things are positioned through refacing alone. The internal structure, including shelves and drawer slides, typically stays as-is unless you specifically request upgrades.
What Does Full Cabinet Replacement Involve?
Full replacement means exactly what it sounds like: every existing cabinet is demolished and removed, and brand new cabinets are designed, built (or ordered), and installed in their place. This is a complete fresh start.
The process typically includes:
- Demolition and removal of all existing cabinets
- Wall repair and preparation (patching holes, addressing any damage revealed by the removal)
- Design and fabrication of new cabinets (for custom or semi-custom) or selection and ordering (for stock)
- Installation of the new cabinets
- New countertop fabrication and installation (the old countertop rarely fits new cabinets)
- Reconnection of plumbing, electrical, and appliances
- Touch-up painting and trim work
Full replacement gives you total freedom. You can change the layout entirely, add or remove cabinets, reconfigure the workflow, install a new island, or convert from framed to frameless construction. If you’ve ever said “I wish this cabinet was over there instead” or “I need more storage on this wall,” replacement is the path that makes those changes possible.
Cost Comparison
| Factor | Refacing | Full Replacement (Custom) |
|---|---|---|
| Average cost (mid-size kitchen) | $7,000 to $15,000 | $20,000 to $45,000+ |
| New countertop included? | Optional (existing may still fit) | Typically required |
| Demolition costs | None | $500 to $1,500 |
| Wall repair costs | None or minimal | $500 to $2,000 |
| Timeline | 3 to 5 days | 3 to 8 weeks (longer for custom) |
| Kitchen downtime | Partial use during work | Fully out of service for weeks |
The cost savings of refacing are significant: typically 40 to 60 percent less than full replacement. But it’s important to compare what you’re getting, not just what you’re spending. Refacing gives you a cosmetic refresh. Replacement gives you an entirely new kitchen. For a complete picture of what custom cabinets cost, see our custom cabinet pricing guide.
When Refacing Makes Sense
Refacing is the right call when several conditions are true at the same time:
Your cabinet boxes are in good shape. Open a few cabinets and inspect the boxes. Are the shelves solid? Are the sides, backs, and bottoms intact without water damage, warping, or delamination? Do the boxes feel sturdy when you push on them? If the structural components are sound, there’s no reason to tear them out.
You’re satisfied with the current layout. If the number of cabinets, their positions, and the overall kitchen workflow function well for you, refacing preserves all of that. You’re changing the appearance, not the architecture.
Your budget is limited. If a full replacement isn’t financially feasible right now but your kitchen desperately needs a visual update, refacing delivers a dramatic improvement at a fraction of the cost.
You want to minimize disruption. Refacing can usually be completed in a week or less, with partial kitchen access maintained throughout most of the process. There’s no demolition, no dust-filled house, and no weeks of eating takeout.
You’re updating for resale. If you’re renovating primarily to sell the home and need a cost-effective refresh, refacing with new hardware and possibly new countertops can modernize a dated kitchen at a price that makes financial sense relative to the expected return.
When Replacement Is the Better Choice
Your cabinet boxes are damaged or deteriorating. Water damage under the sink, particle board that’s swollen or crumbling, backs pulling away from sides, shelves that sag, and hinges pulling out of soft material are all signs that the boxes have reached the end of their useful life. Refacing damaged boxes is like putting new paint on rotting wood: it looks good briefly but the underlying problems remain.
The layout doesn’t work. If your kitchen has dead space that isn’t utilized, an awkward workflow (sink too far from stove, no counter space near the fridge), or you want to add an island, a pantry, or more storage, replacement is the only way to address these issues. Refacing is locked into the existing footprint.
You want to upgrade construction quality. If your current cabinets are builder-grade stock with particle board boxes and cam-lock assembly, refacing puts pretty doors on a mediocre structure. Full replacement with custom plywood-box cabinets, dovetail drawers, and soft-close everything is a fundamentally different product that will last decades longer.
You’re doing a major renovation anyway. If you’re already tearing up floors, moving plumbing, reconfiguring electrical, or changing the room’s footprint, the cabinets are coming out regardless. In that context, it makes little sense to reface when the kitchen will be gutted around them.
You want to go from stock to custom. Refacing can upgrade the appearance of stock cabinets, but it can’t upgrade their interior organization, drawer quality, or storage solutions. If you want full-extension soft-close drawers, pull-out shelving, custom inserts, and cabinet sizes tailored to your space, replacement is the path. For more on the differences between cabinet tiers, see our comparison guide.
The Middle Ground: Partial Replacement
Some projects blend both approaches. For example:
- Reface the upper cabinets (which take less abuse and are often in better shape) while replacing the lower cabinets and adding a new island.
- Replace cabinets on the main working wall where the layout needs to change, and reface the remaining cabinets where the layout works fine.
- Reface existing cabinets and add new custom pieces to fill gaps or replace a specific section that’s damaged.
This hybrid approach requires a skilled cabinet maker who can match the refaced and replaced sections seamlessly. It’s not always possible (matching door styles, finishes, and materials across old and new can be challenging), but when it works, it offers a good balance of cost savings and functional improvement.
Impact on Home Value
Both refacing and replacement can boost home value, but the magnitude differs.
A professional refacing project typically recoups 60 to 80 percent of its cost at resale, depending on the market. It’s one of the higher-ROI kitchen updates because the cost is relatively low and the visual impact is high.
A full cabinet replacement as part of a major kitchen remodel recoups 55 to 75 percent of its cost, according to industry estimates. The return percentage is slightly lower because the investment is much larger, but the absolute dollar value of the return is higher. In competitive housing markets, a fully renovated kitchen with custom cabinets can meaningfully affect how quickly a home sells and what offers it attracts.
For a broader view of renovation ROI, our budget breakdown guide covers how different spending categories contribute to the overall return.
How to Decide: A Quick Checklist
| Question | If Yes… |
|---|---|
| Are your cabinet boxes structurally sound? | Refacing is viable |
| Are you happy with the kitchen layout? | Refacing can work |
| Do you want to change the layout or add cabinets? | Replacement needed |
| Is there water damage, warping, or soft material? | Replacement recommended |
| Do you want upgraded drawer and storage systems? | Replacement offers this |
| Is budget the primary constraint? | Refacing saves 40-60% |
| Is this your forever home? | Consider investing in replacement |
Whether you decide to reface or replace, talking with an experienced professional is the best first step. They can assess the condition of your existing cabinets in person and give you an honest recommendation. Find cabinet professionals in your area through our directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reface cabinets myself as a DIY project?
Replacing doors and hardware is a manageable DIY task. Applying veneer to cabinet boxes is more skill-intensive and requires precision to avoid visible seams, bubbles, or misalignment. Most homeowners get better results hiring a professional for the veneer work while potentially handling the door swap and hardware installation themselves.
How long do refaced cabinets last?
A professional refacing job should last 15 to 20 years, assuming the underlying cabinet boxes were in good condition to begin with. The new doors and veneer are as durable as they would be on new cabinets. The limiting factor is the original box structure, which eventually ages out regardless of the surface treatment.
Can I change the cabinet door style when refacing?
Absolutely. That’s one of the main benefits. You can go from raised panel oak to shaker maple, for example, completely changing the kitchen’s style. The only constraint is that the door dimensions must match the existing box openings.
Will a refacing job look as good as new cabinets?
From the outside, a quality refacing job can look remarkably close to new cabinets, especially if new hardware and countertops are included. The difference is on the inside: the box interiors, drawer slides, and shelving will still be the original components unless specifically upgraded during the project.
Does refacing affect my countertops?
Usually not. Since the cabinet boxes stay in place, the existing countertop typically remains undisturbed. However, if you want to change the countertop as part of the update, refacing is a good time to do it since the new doors can be coordinated with the new surface.
Last Updated: February 2026