The things you may not realise you didn’t know when it comes to your cabinetry refurbishment options
Not long ago, your most affordable alternative to a full cabinetry replacement was cabinetry resurfacing. Resurfacing is the process of applying a polyurethane spray system onto your existing doors, drawers and fixed cabinetry, essentially spray painting it to give it a little extra life and make it look a bit more attractive. Nowadays, many property owners are choosing to reface their cabinetry rather than resurfacing whenever their existing cabinets are needing either a change in colour, a refresh or makeover. Refacing is the process of replacing all of the doors, drawers and finishing panels on either your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry cabinets in a new panel of your choice, giving you the aesthetic finished result of a brand new kitchen
The Cost of Kitchen Cabinet Refacing
In previous years, resurfacing was the most affordable option for many homeowners which is why we saw this method grow in popularity for a number of years. However, for a couple of reasons, this is no longer the case and we now find refacing can be the far more economical option for many property owners.
Importing Products
As with many things in life, Covid came along and changed this up for the resurfacing industry. Most of the top resurfacers used imported specialized paints and the impacts of Covid on supply and shipping, saw the cost of these resurfacing materials sky rocket.
When refacing, there are a number of high quality panel manufacturers within Australia and so we haven’t seen as much of price rise in materials due to the effects of Covid 19 shipping delays.
Time is Money
Resurfacing is far more labour intensive process than refacing is, and the hours spent on the project, all add up to the overall costs. When resurfacing, the tradesman needs to attend the property, remove all of the panels, then take them away to be resurfaced in a specialized spray booth, wait for them to cure, mask and spray all of the fixed panels on site and the return to the property with all of the resurfaced panels to then refit. All of this takes a lot of time, and that time ultimately costs money.
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
– Benjamin Franklin
Turnaround and Downtime
The turnaround time for a resurfacing project can be extensive, and so its important to understand how the turnaround time for a refacing project would differ and ensure that you are left without the use of your cabinetry for as short a time possible. You can read more here on how to prepare for your kitchen refurbishment.
Resurfacing Preparation
Resurfacing is a labour intensive process. Aside from removing the cabinetry and taking it away, there is a lot of work involved in cleaning and preparing the surfaces before resurfacing. Then the process of resurfacing is completed in stages which require drying times in between
Refacing Project
The refacing process is quick and easy in comparison to the resurfacing process. Your cabinetry will be fully measured up in situ, production of new panels completed while your existing cabinetry is all in place, and then only when all the new panels are cut and ready for install, will your existing panels be removed in order to fit the new ones. The average size kitchen takes between 2-3 days to fully reface
Downtime
If its your kitchen or bathroom cabinetry you are wanting refurbished, no one wants to be without the use of these areas for longer than required. Despite not looking great with all of the doors and drawers removed, if you have children or pets, there’s the added risk of little hands getting hold of things that could be dangerous. SO be sure to take the time to think about the turnaround and down times of your kitchen make over before making your decisions.
My house is my refuge, an emotional piece of architecture, not a cold piece of convenience.
Luis Barragan
Overall Warranty
At the end of the day, when comparing cabinetry resurfacing with refacing, you’re comparing workmanship with very high quality manufacturing of panels.
You get what you pay for
In the resurfacing process, all fixed panels are manually repaired, prepared and sprayed on site from a spray gun in an environment that is exposed to the elements. With this is mind a pristine finish is not always possible and any imperfections from dust or the likes, is factor that needs to considered. Also its important to remember that the paint here is being applied by hand. Even the best resurfacers sometimes get an inconsistent finish, may have a slight run in the paint etc. These types of concerns are eliminated when opting for a brand new board that comes with no imperfections and a fully consistent finish
Basically Brand New
Refacing is the replacement of any existing doors, drawers and finishing panels with Flawless, new panels which all backed with a 10 year manufacturers guarantee. With the minor price difference between resurfacing and refacing, you will be left with an overall finish that looks like a brand new kitchen rather than the alternative of a refurbishment option, which often times can be considered the ‘Band-Aid” solution as its not designed to last as long as the new panels would. .
Spoilt for Choice
When it comes to cabinetry refacing options, the colours and finishes available are so extensive and youre bound to be able to create your dream kitchen from the many options available.
The difference between style and fashion is quality.
Giorgio Armani
Durability and Warranty
When considering resurfacing vs refacing, a very important aspect to cosider is the warranty and the overall durabilty.
General Warranty
With the resurfacing process, workmanship is key! Failure to repair and prepare a surface correctly will certainly result premature or immediate product failure and the product will certainly not wear well and be more prone to damage than that of a brand new refaced panel. Paint is prone to chipping from accidental bumping and scratching, whereas the new panels used in refacing are more durable and can handle everyday bumps and knocks a lot better. Most companies warrant their resurfacing workmanship and product adhesion for a period of 3 years. Not much peace of mind considering you have invested thousands on your cabinetry renovation.
Peace of Mind
When refacing with new panels, most manufacturers back their brands with a minimum of 10 year detailed product warranty and when spending your hard earned money on un upgrade, you want to be sure to have the peace of mind.
Cleaner and Safer Process
Of course one of the very important things to consider, is how will each of the processes affect your living situations and effect the people in your home…
Removes opportunities for accidents
Resurfacing is a very labour intensive process by means and preparation, and masking to protect areas that are not being painted. One mishap in this process can result in catastrophe in terms or paint or chemical spills, not to mention the possibility of masking tape possibly lifting your wall paint when being removed. In the spraying process, any paint that has travelled half a meter without touching a surface, turn to dust. and naturally that dust collects, escapes and can become a nuisance in other areas of the house. This added with overwhelming paint fumes coming from the area being sprayed, many homeowners do not enjoy this part of the process, especially in smaller homes and when living in close proximity to other people.
In and out
Given that we are removing panels and replacing with another, the process naturally is a lot cleaner and quicker, any trimming and scribing takes place outside leaving your areas dust, debris and noise free. No nasty smells to contend with during the process either which is certainly and less painful, and overall a much cleaner process and safer for the homeowner not having to inhale the fumes of the resurfacing products for days
There are many ways you can renovate your kitchen, read more here on some small changes you can make to completely change your kitchen on a budget
