What Not to Do When DIYing Your Kitchen Cabinet Refacing

Are you into doing home remodeling projects yourself? Many people are and some are naturally quite good at it. Others take the time to learn about particular tasks by taking classes at home improvement stores, like those that help you learn to install your own backsplash or your laminate floor.

Often, the result is excellent but sometimes it’s not so great. A lot will depend on the difficulty of the project and whether or not the DIYer took the proper steps to learn the techniques involved.

DIYing your kitchen cabinet refacing is one of those home remodeling projects that can be quite tricky, yet there are homeowners that want to give it a try. If you’re absolutely convinced that this is something you want to do on your own, it’s important to understand how you should proceed with this project and what you need to avoid.

It’s all about the preparation

Details, details, details. You need to gather all of them and make a plan before you even consider heading out to buy materials. Don’t get started until you’ve done all your homework.

Look around your kitchen. What style is it now? Do you want to maintain that style or change to something else? Have you taken accurate measurements? Have you decided on the type of materials you’ll use (like thermofoil doors, perhaps?) and determined from where you will source your materials? Do you know what tools you’ll need to get the job done correctly?

If you’ve answered “no” to any of those questions, you’re not ready to get started. It’s essential to research your refacing project thoroughly before you swing that first hammer, and if you don’t have all your proverbial ducks in a row, you’re going to have delays and mistakes and may have to call in a professional to fix them.

And then there’s the budget

Hopefully, you’ve considered your budget for this project and you’ve researched prices so that your budget is realistic. Don’t proceed without a budget!  It’s fine to say you’re only going to spend $5000 to do this, but if the materials cost more than that, you’re out of luck. So, write down the things you need and price them out so you’ve got a realistic picture of what you’ll be spending. Don’t forget items such as the tools you’ll need but don’t currently own.

It’s also wise to shop around. Find out where you can get the lowest prices on the materials you need and check both brick-and-mortar and online stores for such information. If you know someone who does professional cabinet refacing, it’s okay to ask them for some advice as to where to purchase supplies.

Also recognize that you’re not a professional contractor and things can go wrong. So plan accordingly by leaving a little extra money in your budget to fix problems.

Don’t assume this is an easy task

Businesses that do cabinet refacing train their employees to do the job well. There’s a lot more to cabinet refacing than just gluing new material on top of old cabinet doors and trimming off the excess. Refacing takes time and precision to achieve a look that you’ll be proud to display in your kitchen.

You might also take time to look at online instructional videos or consult a professional for tips on doing your own refacing. Perhaps go to a junk dealer and find some old cabinet doors you can practice on before you work on your own cabinets. The more skill you have when you get started, the better.

Most of all, however, add up the costs of materials, hours spent, and aggravation (there WILL be some of that!) and decide whether you can do this or if hiring a professional would be a smarter move. Often times, a little extra money spent on doing a project right the first time is well worth the extra expense.