Guide
Reface or Replace Kitchen Cabinets?
Reface when the cabinet boxes are sound and the layout works; replace when the boxes are damaged or the layout has to change. Refacing typically costs a fraction of new cabinets and takes days, not weeks.
Draft: this page is waiting for review by the nuDoors team.
Should I reface or replace my kitchen cabinets?
Reface if your cabinet boxes are solid and dry and you like where everything is. You keep the boxes, the countertops and the layout, and change what you see: the doors, the drawer fronts and the finish on the frames. Replace if the boxes are water-damaged, sagging or falling apart, or if you need to move, add or resize cabinets. Refacing typically costs a fraction of new cabinets and takes days instead of weeks.
Reface vs replace at a glance
| Refacing (new doors and drawer fronts) | Replacing cabinets | |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | Doors, drawer fronts, panels; boxes painted to match | Boxes, doors, often countertops |
| Typical cost | DIY doors about $2,300 to $4,500 for a typical kitchen; pro refacing $4,000 to $13,000 | Stock boxes $6,000 to $10,000 for a small kitchen; installed semi-custom $12,000 to $30,000 |
| Time | Days once the doors arrive | 2 to 6 weeks on site, plus lead time |
| Countertops | Stay | Often replaced |
| Layout | Stays the same | Can change |
Costs: DIY figure from 319 nuDoors estimates (2026); others from Block Renovation's 2026 cost guide. See how much refacing costs for the details.
When is refacing the right choice?
- The boxes are structurally sound: no soft or swollen bottoms (check under the sink and next to the dishwasher), no sagging shelves, doors that hang without the frame moving.
- The layout works for how you cook.
- You want to keep the countertops, backsplash and floor.
- Your budget is closer to a few thousand dollars than a full remodel.
When should I replace instead?
- Water damage or rot in the boxes. New doors will hide it, not fix it.
- You need a different layout: moving the sink, adding an island, changing cabinet sizes, or fitting panel-ready appliances.
- You are already replacing the counters, floor and plumbing, so the boxes come out anyway.
Can I reface the cabinets myself?
Yes. With made-to-measure doors you measure the doors you have, order the same sizes in a new style, paint or wrap the face frames to match, and hang the new doors on new hinges. The Refacing Academy has step-by-step videos for each part, and our measuring guide walks you through the sizes.
Watch: Why You Don't Need to Change Your Kitchen Layout
What about just painting the cabinets?
Painting the existing doors is the lowest-cost option, but it keeps the old door style, and paint on solid-wood five-piece doors tends to crack at the joints as the wood moves. New doors change the style and give you a factory finish. See MDF vs wood cabinet doors.
Sources
- nuDoors nuVision Pro estimates, September 15 to October 22, 2026 (aggregated).
- Block Renovation, Refacing vs. Replacing Kitchen Cabinets: A 2026 Cost and Value Guide, May 8, 2026 (updated September 13, 2026).