Repairing Kitchen Cabinets Vs Replacing Them

The kitchen is often the heartbeat of the house, where we gather, linger and live our lives. That’s why for so many people, having their kitchen decorated and organized ‘just so’ is so critical. And that often means wanting new, or better, kitchen cabinets.

Many clients come to us wanting to re-jig, re-face or re-paint existing cabinets. But while repairing cabinets can certainly be more affordable than replacing them, it is not always the right choice

So let’s explore how we help our clients answer this critical question: can you repair my kitchen cabinets, or do I need to replace them?

A beautiful kitchen needs beautiful cabinets, inside and out.

Repairing Vs. Replacing: The Right Choice For Your Cabinets

For most laypeople simply enjoying their kitchen cabinets, their focus is on the doors. That’s why they often think that a simple paint job can make them look good as new.

But as a master woodworker, I have to pay much more attention to kitchen cabinet interiors.

So when I am assessing a new project, the first step is always to carefully inspect the boxes and drawers. More often than not, I find that these are just as worn out at the door faces. Drawers are loose and no longer close softly. The hinge plates are loosened. And the particle board panels are swollen with moisture or loose or missing edge tape.

In short, the cabinet interiors are almost always in as rough shape – or rougher – than the exteriors. And repairing or replacing the cabinet doors alone won’t change that.

Are new doors really the only thing this cabinet needs?

Remember that the face and the finish is the most expensive part of the cabinet. And no matter how beautiful the doors look, no one wants a kitchen that is mis-aligned and falling apart.

At this point, I usually remind my clients that they wouldn’t put an expensive paint job on a busted old car with a rusted frame and an engine that barely runs. And so why would they want to throw money away on used up cabinets?

At Truwood, we believe you deserve the truth about your old kitchen.

My experience has been that by the time a homeowner notices that there are issues with their cabinets, the problems generally run much deeper than can be solved by fixing the surfaces. At the end of the day our goal is to provide our clients with the best possible value and quality for their hard earned renovation dollars. We want you to LOVE your kitchen and we’ll build it to last a lifetime.

If you’d like to see our advice on how to choose the right wood for your kitchen cabinets, please see here. And to get started on your kitchen project in the Kelowna, BC area, please contact us at 250–765–5608 or email truwood@shaw.ca.