Cabinet Refinishing

Tips from Real-Estate-Agents.com

Cabinet options: Many people today are opting for a lighter, fresher look in their old kitchen cabinets. The most expensive choice would be to replace the cabinets completely. Another option would be to reface the cabinets. This involves applying a new wood veneer to the cabinet bases and installing new doors and drawers.

Your other option would be to paint or stain the cabinets, which can be the most cost-effective of all, offering the best return on your investment.

Color features: Cabinets in colors can be very exciting in the kitchen: in postal blue, parfait (a light peachy-pink), whisper gray and sunny yellow. Decorating magazines often show cabinets in spruce green, Navy blue and weathered or faux finishes. One of the latest trends is to combine painting and staining in different areas of the same kitchen cabinets, or stain in two different colors. You are only limited by your imagination! If you are not sure what color to select, your paint professional may offer color consultations, or you may want to get advice from an interior designer.

Cabinet repair basics: Sometimes a cabinet repair can involve little more than finding the right screwdriver to tighten loose door hinges and drawer pulls. Examine the door hinges; they may have adjustment screws you can use to realign crooked doors. The cabinet body may be particleboard or "all wood," a term that usually means plywood. The core material is actually less important than the quality of the interiors. The best interiors are 3/4-inch hardwood plywood. A close second is melamine-laminated interiors. Lowest quality is raw or painted particleboard.

-- Tips courtesy of Service Magic