Advantages of Kitchen Cabinet Refurbishing

Aside from being functional items, cabinets add beauty and life to a kitchen. But kitchens are avenues for busy activities. Sooner or later, these activities take their toll on kitchen cabinets. Grime, heat, grease and chipping will soon make the cabinets look dirty and shabby. Naturally, the first thing that comes into his mind is to buy a new set of cabinets to replace the old ones. Before considering the money, time and hassle in replacing the cabinets, why not refurbish them?

 (photo: Espen Klem)

Kitchen cabinet refurbishing is more in line with furniture care rather than replacement. Refurbishing refers to a variety of procedures that are done to clean, repair and protect the furniture. Kitchen cabinet refurbishing does not remove or even replace the original finish. Rather it lessens the effects that years of wear and tear did on cabinets.

Kitchen cabinet refurbishing can be used to restore 85% to 95% of the cabinets’ original appearance. However, it is a misconception that the process makes the cabinets look brand new. Instead, the process gives them the appearance that they are well taken cared of.

Why is kitchen cabinet refurbishing a better option than replacement? Refurbishing is the fastest way to improve the look of a kitchen. In fact, a typical refurbishing session can be done within a day! Also, the owner doesn’t have to shell out a lot of money. In fact, refurbishing costs about one fourth of the price of a refinishing job. It costs around one tenth of the price of buying and installing new cabinets.

Another reason is that some owners want to preserve the original look of the cabinets, especially if they originally look antique.

Kitchen cabinet refurbishing starts with using special chemical cleaners that can penetrate grease and grime. The nice thing about these chemicals is that they are formulated not to harm the cabinet’s original finish.

Once the cabinets are cleaned, repairs are then made. Scratches, chips, stains, dents and burns are puttied and filled. Structural problems such as loose veneers are also fixed. The cabinets are then applied with the original finish. When this is dry, coats of protective chemicals are applied to protect the cabinets from grease, grime and dirt. Also, these coats make cleaning the cabinets easier.

Kitchen cabinet refurbishing is fast and affordable. However, the process should be left alone to the experts. Refurbishing requires a lot of training and experience. Furthermore, the materials and tools needed for the process are highly specialized. If refurbishing is done by a novice, the result would probably be worse!