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Started By
Message
Cabinet refacing, diy
Posted on 8/31/26 at 7:26 pm
Posted on 8/31/26 at 7:26 pm
I think that’s what this is called anyway…
I’m looking to refresh the look of my bathroom vanities without wholesale replacement. I think changing to full overlay doors and drawer fronts would go a looong way and it seems like a messy enough diy project.
Has anyone done this before? I’ve looked casually at buying everything from Barker Doors online. Seems like I can get everything, down to priming, painting, and hardware pre-installed. Seems the crux is good measurements and ordering, which I think I can manage. Any war stories out there?
I’m looking to refresh the look of my bathroom vanities without wholesale replacement. I think changing to full overlay doors and drawer fronts would go a looong way and it seems like a messy enough diy project.
Has anyone done this before? I’ve looked casually at buying everything from Barker Doors online. Seems like I can get everything, down to priming, painting, and hardware pre-installed. Seems the crux is good measurements and ordering, which I think I can manage. Any war stories out there?
4
Posted on 8/31/26 at 8:38 pm to turkish
Haven’t replaced the faces. Instead, I took the faces off, stripped the plasticy coating, sanded them down, painted them and put a clear coat sealer on top. They look great. I will never do that again.
This post was edited on 8/31/26 at 8:39 pm
Posted on 8/31/26 at 9:50 pm to turkish
I've got a woodworking shop at my house and I pulled off all the face framing, doors and drawers from my kitchen cabinets several years ago and made my own out of cypress.
The original stuff was all faced with woodgrain Formica and very dated. I made the doors with a nice rail and style profile and the inserts with glued up panels of cypress with raised paned profiles. It was all finished off naturally with top of the line polyurethane semi-gloss finish.
Took me a couple weeks to build and finish the material for 24 doors 10 drawer fronts, 4 end caps, about 100 ft. of face framing and a decorative panel over the exhaust hood.
The original stuff was all faced with woodgrain Formica and very dated. I made the doors with a nice rail and style profile and the inserts with glued up panels of cypress with raised paned profiles. It was all finished off naturally with top of the line polyurethane semi-gloss finish.
Took me a couple weeks to build and finish the material for 24 doors 10 drawer fronts, 4 end caps, about 100 ft. of face framing and a decorative panel over the exhaust hood.
Posted on 8/31/26 at 9:52 pm to turkish
I changed my kitchen cabinet doors to drawers. I cut the middle vertical bar off flush and sanded it down. Added a new horizontal middle piece flush with existing face frame to create two separate drawers. Measured and built the boxes. Bought bottom slide rails and side rails for the top drawer. Had to add some side wood blocks for the fit of the top drawer box for the slide rail. Bought the faces online. Painted and clearcoated.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 7:35 am to gumbo2176
quote:
and made my own out of cypress
Your kitchen must smell good
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:38 am to idlewatcher
quote:
Your kitchen must smell good
Guess that observation went over my head. I've built a lot of stuff out of cypress and it's no different than working with any other wood with the exception of cedar-------which has a very distinct aroma when cut, planed, profiled, etc.
This post was edited on 9/1/26 at 8:51 am
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:45 am to turkish
We had out kitchen cabinets refaced a couple years ago - after watching all that went into the process I'm very glad I didn't try to do it myself.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 10:03 am to Don Quixote
What kind of stuff stuck out as being complicated or difficult? Generally, I’m interested in a diy job when it doesn’t involve new specialized tools.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 4:08 pm to turkish
Did you consider painting?
I painted our kitchen & bathrooms cabinets and they look like new.
I used a micro fiber 4” roller with the best woodwork paint. It takes some time because you have to remove all the doors & drawers. I just laid the doors on tables outside in assembly line fashion.
I painted our kitchen & bathrooms cabinets and they look like new.
I used a micro fiber 4” roller with the best woodwork paint. It takes some time because you have to remove all the doors & drawers. I just laid the doors on tables outside in assembly line fashion.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 7:13 pm to TigerKurt
Actually, finishing is one thing I want to avoid, which is what is attracting me to this idea. You can buy these fronts already primed and factory painted. I’d have to finish the boxes, but that’s much easier, to me. And with full overlay doors, that stays mostly hidden too.
Posted on 9/2/26 at 2:51 pm to gumbo2176
quote:
I've got a woodworking shop at my house and I pulled off all the face framing, doors and drawers from my kitchen cabinets several years ago and made my own out of cypress.
I assume if you're into woodworking, the thought of painting a wood surface makes you cringe? I love a good stained wood grain. If you have a decent wood then stain it and finish it or just roll with the natural color wood. If you're going to paint, then just use poplar or something else inexpensive.
My opinion is just that, an opinion. But I like the natural look of wood better than a painted surface for fixtures like furniture and cabinetry.
Posted on 9/2/26 at 4:47 pm to WhiskeyThrottle
quote:
I assume if you're into woodworking, the thought of painting a wood surface makes you cringe?
Yes it does. I have yet to paint any cabinetry, display cases, furniture, etc. I've made out of hardwoods. The only thing with Cypress is how it will often take stain.
I always hit the wood with a "piss coat" of shellac first so the stain goes on more evenly. I mix one part clear shellac and 2 parts denatured alcohol, brush it on and it dries in just minutes. Then lightly sand with 220 to knock down any raised grain, dust the surface and then apply stain. After that, it's applying as many coats of poly as needed to get a good finished product.
You can use MDF or cabinet grade plywood and poplar for things you're going to paint.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 10:27 am to gumbo2176
I lucked out, when I decided to resurface. I managed a cabinet shop. Convinced two outstanding cabinet makers to do the job. Few hundred dollars a piece, all materials over runs on jobs we had booked.
Posted on 9/4/26 at 1:15 pm to bluedragon
quote:
I lucked out, when I decided to resurface. I managed a cabinet shop. Convinced two outstanding cabinet makers to do the job. Few hundred dollars a piece, all materials over runs on jobs we had booked.
Good to have knowlegable friends in the right places..........
Posted on 9/6/26 at 5:29 pm to gumbo2176
Tru dat!
Posted on 9/7/26 at 1:11 pm to gumbo2176
Indeed it does. Especially when they work for you.
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