Do you ever look at the cabinets in your home or office building and think to yourself, “I wonder if I should refinish those?”
Many people talk about doing home improvement projects all the time. Most can point out several items in their house they would like to change the appearance of. But many wonder if their project will be worth the hassle in the end.
People considering refinishing cabinets are no different. They want to improve the look of their features, but they don’t know if it will be worth the time or money.
Here’s a confession: we love refinished cabinets and think they offer your home or business many unsung benefits. Let’s get into them below.
What Does It Mean to Refinish Your Cabinets?
If this is your first time working with your cabinets, you might be wondering what it means to refinish them.
Simply put, refinishing means you strip away the old paint or finish on your cabinets and do it over yourself, rendering them with a completely new look. Since cabinets influence much of the way a space appears, many people elect to refinish them in order to suit modern styles or personal taste.
Benefits to Refinishing Cabinets in Your Home or Office
But why should you refinish cabinets instead of taking them out and replacing them?
There are many reasons people prefer refinishing to ordering and installing new cabinets. If done right, refinished cabinets can benefit your space greatly and contribute to its overall aesthetic appearance.
Below, we’ll discuss some of the benefits of refinishing your cabinets.
Not Replacing Cabinets Unless You Must
Did you know cabinets last a really long time?
In fact, many cabinet manufacturers craft them to last for at least 50 years, unless they receive external damage. Because of this, your cabinets have a long shelf life, and unless you purchased a decently old building, you might not need to replace them.
How do you tell if you need to replace your cabinets? If your cabinets show water damage, signs of mold, or are distressed behind the point of repair, it might be time to get new ones. Otherwise, consider just refinishing your cabinets.
Improving Your Aesthetics
But what if you still want to update the look of your cabinets? Should you really just leave them if they aren’t more than 50 years old or showing visible signs of wear?
Since cabinets comprise a featured part of your home or office kitchen, their appearance probably matters to you. So, if you purchase a space with cabinets you don’t like, you should consider refinishing them to improve their overall look. When you refinish your cabinets, you have the opportunity to change their color.
This alters your cabinets in a way that helps you match their color to your personal preferences and the overall style of your space.
Saving Money
For many people, refinishing their cabinets constitutes a cheaper alternative to replacing cabinets. When you purchase completely new cabinets, you have to pay for the new cabinets and spend money on their installation.
This adds up to a considerable amount of money. Cabinet, just on their own, can cost anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars, and that’s without the installation. On the other hand, you only have to pay for the refinishing process when you redo your cabinets.
Saving Time
Do you need your cabinets done quickly?
If you want to have your cabinets looking like new in a short amount of time, you need to avoid replacing them at all costs. Installing new cabinets can take up to 4 weeks to do properly, leaving your space in a subpar condition for an extended period of time.
Should you need newer looking cabinets fast, you should consider refinishing your cabinets instead. Refinishing cabinets takes much less time. If you refinish them yourself, you can take the process as quickly or slowly as you like. If you choose to use professionals to refinish kitchen cabinets, they should take around three to five days on average.
To learn the exact amount of time a specific company would take, give the business a call and ask them for an estimated length of time.
Adding Value to Your Home
Are you expecting to sell your home soon? If you answered, “Yes,” you likely want to be able to sell it quickly and boost its value.
Refinishing your cabinets constitutes a great way to do this. Since it only takes a short period of time to complete a refinishing project, you can do it as you prepare your home to go on the market, and you might be able to ask more for your home.
When prospective buyers start touring your home, impressions will matter a lot. Should you buyers like the appearance of your house, they might be willing to offer you more for it, and cabinets contribute to the look and tone of your kitchen space.
Because of this, you might end up getting better offers if you choose to refinish your cabinets.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Did you know that refinishing your cabinets actually keeps your carbon footprint low?
Most cabinets contain formaldehyde, which becomes harmful when it enters landfills. As such, it’s best to not get rid of your old cabinets if you can at all help it. Instead, reduce your carbon footprint by choosing to refinish functional cabinets.
Want More Home Advice?
Now that you know why refinishing cabinets is better than replacing them, you’re ready to get started on your project.
Refinishing your cabinets offers you a variety of benefits. It helps you make use of the cabinets you already have, improves the aesthetics of your space, saves you time and money, and reduces your carbon footprint.
Do you want more advice on improving your space? If so, check out the rest of our home improvement section!
