| The first thing you will need to determine is whether | | | | are even solid slab cabinet doors for that clean |
| you will be painting your kitchen cabinets or if you will | | | | modern look. Another thing I would like to mention is |
| be using a wood finish. If you will simply be painting | | | | you can also purchase cabinet end panels that will |
| your kitchen cabinets that is quite a bit easier than | | | | match your new cabinet doors, these are great for |
| achieving a wood finish. | | | | cabinet ends, island ends, or even can be used as |
| If you desire a painted finish there are a few choices | | | | wainscoting in areas of the kitchen or other parts of |
| you will have to make. One is whether to replace your | | | | the home for that matter. It give a truly custom look to |
| existing cabinet doors, or to just paint the old ones. | | | | your finished project. The sky is pretty much the limit |
| Most people that undertake a cabinet reface or | | | | when it comes to doors. What you ultimately decide |
| resurfacing project have grown tired of their cabinets | | | | on is what will fit your decor and your cabinet refacing |
| and cabinet doors so it is very common to replace the | | | | budget. |
| cabinet doors prior to repainting your cabinets. | | | | Additional Options |
| Now if your going to want a wood finish for your | | | | During the purchase of your cabinet doors you can |
| cabinet refacing project then it is a bit more involved | | | | also order the necessary veneer to apply to your |
| than just repainting cabinets. Typical cabinet refacing | | | | cabinet face frames and exposed ends. This veneer |
| involves replacing the old cabinet doors with new ones | | | | material is available with an adhesive back, a peel and |
| and adding a thin solid wood veneer to the face | | | | stick affair. You can purchase it in raw wood and |
| frame, and any exposed cabinet ends. During this | | | | apply a contact cement to both the cabinet and the |
| process the veneer is cut to fit on every surface of | | | | veneer. I don't recommend that approach for most |
| the cabinet. Now you may be saying "this is already | | | | DIYers its messy and there are not much savings |
| getting complicated" but rest assured this is a DIY | | | | over the peel and stick veneers. Along with your |
| project. | | | | cabinet door purchase you may also opt to replace |
| With either route you take, painting or wood finish, you | | | | the cabinet drawer boxes, other options include pull out |
| will need new cabinet doors. Building custom cabinet | | | | or "roll out" drawers, trays, etc. These are great |
| doors is usually out of the scope of most do it | | | | storage and back saver options. One thing the |
| yourselfers and far beyond this article. But don't let that | | | | company I use offers that can be hard to find is |
| discourage you, many have made their own cabinet | | | | custom made bread boards. This is great for replacing |
| doors, but keep in mind it will take a variety of | | | | the old nasty worn out plywood breadboards that |
| specialized tools and equipment, as well as a good | | | | come with some homes. Although it seems to be a |
| supply of hardwood lumber. Now days the cost for | | | | fading trend to have built in bread boards there are |
| quality custom cabinet doors have made it affordable | | | | some people that really like them and nothing beats a |
| for the DIYer. There are numerous custom cabinet | | | | solid hardwood bread board, if built from quality |
| door companies out there but I have included a | | | | hardwoods they will last a lifetime. There a so many |
| resource below that has the best quality, price and | | | | other options such as organizer trays for silverware, |
| selection of cabinet doors and refacing materials I | | | | garbage bins, that I simply can not list them all here, but |
| have found to date. | | | | I would like to make you aware of them prior to |
| How To Measure For Cabinet Doors | | | | tackling a refacing project so that you can perhaps |
| If you will be purchasing new doors for your refacing | | | | further research them and see it they may fit your |
| project you will have to measure for new cabinet | | | | needs. |
| doors. If your existing cabinet door hinges are still in | | | | Applying The Veneer |
| good shape and you want to save some cash you | | | | Applying the veneer is a simple but time consuming. I |
| can reuse them. In this case all you have to do is | | | | will give you as many pointers as I can to aid you in |
| measure your old doors and your good to go. One | | | | this process. You will have to cut the veneer to fit it to |
| thing to keep in mind if your old doors have a rabbet | | | | your cabinet face frame and cabinet end panels. This |
| around the door, or simply put a notch that runs all the | | | | is pretty straightforward, measure the pieces you will |
| way around the door you will need to order doors that | | | | need and cut them to fit. One of the best ways to cut |
| have that should you be using the same hinges. Also | | | | veneer is with a good sharp utility knife and a metal |
| some hinges work with finger pull edges that is milled | | | | straight edge. You will want to use a sacrificial sheet |
| around the door, if you put a door that has square | | | | of plywood or mdf under your cutting. When cutting |
| edges in those hinges you may have some problems | | | | for the face frame pieces of your cabinets always try |
| with the door gap when two doors come together. All | | | | to be as accurate as possible so you do not have to |
| you have to do is make sure the new doors will work | | | | trim the veneer when it is placed on the cabinets, its ok |
| with your existing hinges. | | | | if it's a 1/32" over and you have use a block plane or a |
| If you will be buying new hinges for you r cabinet | | | | sanding block to fine tune it, any more than that you will |
| doors you will need to measure the cabinet openings | | | | have to try to cut it flush and that can cause problems, |
| themselves and add the appropriate overlay of the | | | | so accuracy is important here. Once you have all the |
| hinge. The most common is ½" overlay hinges. There | | | | cabinet face frames and ends covered you can move |
| are 1/4" and 3/4" overlays as well. If you are using | | | | on to installing your new cabinet doors. |
| 35mm European style hinges then these overlays are | | | | Installing Your New Custom Cabinet Doors |
| most often times determined by the mounting plate | | | | Once you have unpacked your new replacement |
| that the hinge uses. So the part of the hinge that get | | | | cabinet doors your have the option to hang them on |
| drilled into the door remains the same and you can set | | | | the cabinet, or as I would recommend is to paint or |
| the overlay by using a different overlay hinge plate | | | | stain them off of the cabinet cases. This allows for the |
| that snaps into the hinge. There are literally hundreds of | | | | best possible coverage and the most professional |
| different types of European hinges for just about | | | | looking job. Also install the hinges after everything is |
| every application. The ones I am referring to here are | | | | painted or stained to prevent unwanted finish build up |
| face frame mounted overlay hinges. | | | | on the hinges and drawer guides. That is the true mark |
| Ordering Cabinet Doors | | | | of a professional finishing job no paint or finish on the |
| One you have your cabinet door dimensions, you are | | | | cabinet hardware. |
| ready to order your new custom cabinet doors. There | | | | A great way to lay out your new cabinet doors for |
| are virtually endless styles of doors that can be made. | | | | painting or staining is to set up a few saw horses and |
| But one of the more affordable types I see requested | | | | place some 2 x 2 or 2 x 4 across them. You may opt |
| for quite often in kitchen cabinet refacing is the shaker | | | | to paint or spray them on these saw horses or you |
| style door. It is a inset or also called recessed panel | | | | can spray each door one at a time and place them on |
| cabinet door. These types of cabinet doors can be | | | | the saw horses to dry, allowing each side to dry |
| made from affordable MDF and also a combination of | | | | before flipping or recoating. |
| wood frame and MDF center panel for additional | | | | Once your new are finished you can mount them on |
| saving for those of you that want to paint them. Along | | | | the cabinets, make any final adjustment to the hinges |
| with the popular shaker style are traditional raised | | | | for a perfect fit, install the drawer boxes and your |
| panel, bead board, and applied moulding doors. There | | | | project is complete. |