If you are looking for a way to give your cabinets a complete makeover without the price tag of replacing your cabinet boxes, then cabinet refacing can be an excellent option for you. Refacing your cabinets gives your kitchen a fresh and updated look at a fraction of the cost of a full remodel. While this method is a great way to renovate your kitchen cabinets, it’s important to be careful when it comes down to choosing the company that will handle all of the refacing work. Make sure you avoid using a company that uses veneers, and here’s why:
What are Veneers?
Veneers are manufactured from extremely thin sheets of material, usually made of some type of plastic which comes in a limited number of colors and is made to be apply to the fronts and exposed sides of your cabinets with some type of adhesive or glue.
The Problems with Veneers
The problems with any type of veneer are many. Top issues are:
- Cost
- Durability
- Fading and Yellowing
- Limited Colors
- Investment Protection
The High Cost of Refacing with Veneers
Application of veneers is tedious and time consuming. These veneers are largely coming from overseas and come at a hefty price tag, especially considering the labor involved. To achieve a decent looking result with veneers, every exposed surface of your cabinets needs to be covered using adhesives and heat to attach the veneers. Most times, corners are difficult so awkward trims and mouldings need to be applied to cover bad or difficult seams and these extra trims often detract from the overall look of your cabinets.
If you are considering using veneers to reface your cabinets, be sure and ask what additional trims and mouldings will be applied, how they will be applied, and what they’re made of, so you know how they will look and how they will last over time. In general, you can expect refacing to be 2x the price of alternative solutions from N-Hance including our redooring and refinishing which are both superior solutions for cost, durability and many more factors.
Veneers are Fragile and Lack Durability
One of the biggest drawbacks of using veneers for cabinet refacing is that they aren’t as durable as other materials. Refacing services will start by applying veneer to your cabinet frames and boxes and then, supply you with new cabinet doors made of Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) which are often wrapped in a similarly thin plastic veneer called thermofoil.
Because they are simply a thin covering applied to the cabinets’ surface, these plastic coverings will peel, chip and bubble, over time, especially around the edges and corners. Once any of these issues appear, they really can’t be repaired. Unfortunately, once these veneers have been applied to your cabinets, the only solution is to tear off the failing veneer and reapply new. Sometimes this is not even possible due to the underlying material, especially if the sides of your cabinets are made of composite material like particle board. There could also be adhesive build up. Also, due to the fact that these plastics react with sunlight and chemicals that change their color over time, repairs are not likely to match. If your thermofoil doors start to peel, the only solution is to replace them (again).
Because of how prone veneers are to chipping and peeling, this can actually cause more problems in the long run, like water damage. Since veneers are thin coverings attached to the surface of the cabinets, it’s easy for moisture to get between the veneer and the cabinet, leading to warping and bubbles. These issues can be extremely difficult to fix and can compromise the overall appearance, durability and long-term viability of your cabinets.
Unfortunately, the issues with veneers don’t end there. As they are exposed to different elements and temperatures, such as hot water or grease, veneers will often crack and can melt. This can cause the veneers to expand at a different rate than the wood underneath, leaving unsightly gaps at the seams of the applied veneers.
Since 90+% of cabinet face frames are made of solid hardwood such as oak, cherry or maple, they can actually be refinished. Refinishing can bring your existing color new depth and life or you can change to any color you’d like. Refinishing the cabinet fronts with N-Hance’s patented refinishing process gives you a factory-like finish that is a much more affordable and much more durable solution and preserves the long-term viability of your cabinets.
Colored Veneers Fade and White Ones Turn Yellow
Like most plastic, refacing veneers are prone to sun and chemical damage. Over time, colored veneers can fade and white ones can turn an ugly yellow/tan color. Since not all of your cabinets will be exposed to the same amount of sunlight, you can end up with a variation of colors in your kitchen due to sun and other chemical exposure.
If it’s a beautifully bright and beautiful kitchen you’re hoping for, avoid plastic veneers that will react with sunlight and turn yellow.
Veneers Come in Limited Colors
While you might think you want white cabinets and the lack of color choices in cabinet veneers doesn’t matter, think again. There are so many different shades of white. A typical paint manufacturer’s palette contains some 100+ different shades of white, all in very slightly different tints from grey to green, blue and yellow making a real difference in the feel of your home, especially if you are trying to match other elements in your home such as trim or doors, a stairway or other cabinetry.
When you refinish your cabinets with N-Hance, you have an unlimited color palette from which to choose so you can have that truly custom look at about half the price.
Protect your Investment with Refinishing
As described, refacing may give you a short-term updated look but, over a relatively short period of time, your investment in the update will be lost due to the lack of durability of the fragile materials being used and the adhesives that fail over time.
Refinishing and redooring are much better choices that can give you the exact look you want, in the exact color you want, at a much more affordable price – that will last and last – and maintains the original integrity of your hardwood cabinets.
Ready for a Better Choice?
At N-Hance of Columbus, our cabinet refacing (redooring) process uses solid hardwood doors, as well as offers a wide variety of styles, colors, and finishing techniques that will give you a designer look with durability and timeless beauty. Not only that, but we cure the coating with our proprietary Lightspeed® Nano system, so your cabinets will end up with a rock-hard, factory-like finish that resists cracking and peeling, regardless of high traffic and heavy use in your home.
In addition to refacing your cabinets, N-Hance of Columbus can provide a selection of custom accessories and hardware, from soft-close hinges and drawer glides to knobs, pulls, glass cabinet doors, crown molding, wine racks, shelves, and dovetail drawer boxes. Your cabinets will look brand new and completely different with help from our team of refacing experts.
Are you wanting to give your kitchen a fresh new look for a fraction of the cost of a traditional remodel? Our cabinet refacing team can deliver! Call N-Hance of Columbus to set up a FREE consultation today!