Cabinet refacing is a process in which the “skins” or veneers of cabinets and drawers are removed and replaced with new veneers. This differs from cabinet refinishing, as refinishing can only be applied to raw wood cabinets without veneers.
Refacing can be a great way to give your old cabinets new life or raise the value of your home when preparing to sell.
Lowe’s contracts through a company called National Refacing Systems (NRS) to provide its customers with cabinet refacing services.
You can also work directly through Lowe’s for cabinet refacing surfaces if you have a Lowe’s Pro Supply account. However, memberships are reserved for multifamily and commercial properties, such as housing developments, condominiums, and businesses.
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How Much Does It Cost?
Unfortunately, there’s no real way to know how much cabinet refacing will cost you without getting a consultation. You can apply for a free, in-home consultation from NRS here.
According to several sources, though, homeowners tend to pay between $4000 and $10,000 on cabinet refacing, depending on the size of their home, the materials they choose, etc.
Is It Cheaper to Reface or Replace Cabinets?
Generally speaking, refacing is significantly less expensive than replacing cabinets. According to some sources, you can save as much as 50% on your costs by refacing.
Can You Do Cabinet Refacing By Yourself?
If you’re wanting to save some money and you have a knack for DIY projects, refacing your own kitchen cabinets is definitely an option.
Check out this article from Family Handyman on how to reface your own cabinets. According to them, you can save up to $1000 by doing the work yourself.
Is It Worth Refacing Your Cabinets At Lowe’s?
When it comes to hiring contractors through stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot, the customer reviews are unfortunately never that great.
Here are some perspectives from a couple of users on Reddit who believe the quality just isn’t there when you hire Lowe’s:
These users on a different thread also point out that sometimes you can even find lower prices from smaller suppliers:
Nevertheless, here are some positive reviews from the National Refacing Systems website, for what it’s worth:
FAQs
What is the cheapest way to reface kitchen cabinets?
The cheapest way to reface your cabinets is to do it yourself. Check out this guide to refacing your own cabinets.
How often should kitchen cabinets be replaced?
This will depend on how heavily your cabinets get used, what they’re made of, what color they are, etc. For example, if you have white cabinets in a heavily used area, you might need to reface your cabinets every 5 years. But if you have dark wood cabinets, you can probably get away with refacing them every 10-15 years. In terms of full replacement, your cabinets might never need to be replaced as long as they are well-maintained and cared for.
Can you reface laminate cabinets?
Yes, laminate cabinets can be refaced.
Can you reface MDF cabinets?
Yes, MDF cabinets can be refaced.
What is the difference between cabinet refacing and refinishing?
Refacing is the process of replacing the veneers or “skins” on the outside of your cabinets. Refinishing is the process of sanding, re-staining, and re-varnishing raw wood cabinets. Cabinets with veneers cannot be refinished.
How much does Lowe’s charge to redo a kitchen?
According to Consumer Reports, an average kitchen remodel from Lowe’s costs around $20,000.
Conclusion
When it comes to home improvement projects, Lowe’s is a convenient place to turn to. They connect their customers with independent contractors across the country who can complete basically any home improvement job you can imagine, including cabinet refacing.
If you go through a team of contractors, expect to pay between $4,000 and $10,000 for your refaced cabinets. If you’re looking to save some money, you can try refacing your cabinets yourself.
Or you could also shop around for quotes from local contractors and small home improvement suppliers, where you might be able to find a more competitive deal.
