How To Replace Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Want to upgrade your current tired, worn, or dated kitchen cabinets with the fresh and updated look of painted cabinets? Do you want to avoid tearing up your kitchen and keep the project cost down? If you're willing to do the work yourself, read on!
Painted Cabinets Are Best Option for DIY
Painted cabinets are the best option if you are doing the work yourself. Why? Upgrading your current wood stained or painted cabinets is an easy process. Old doors and drawer fronts are removed. The remaining cabinet frames and end-caps are painted to match the new cabinet door color and then the new doors and drawer fronts are installed.
If you want to upgrade to new stained wood doors and drawer fronts, you'll need to match the existing cabinet frames and end-caps to the color of the new doors. If you're not changing colors, there's no issue. But if you're changing wood stain color or wood species (oak to maple for example), you'll have to address the existing cabinet frames and end-caps. Can this be done? Yes, but it may involve either stain matching or veneer laminating which can be difficult. So if you want to upgrade your wood stained cabinets, replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts may not be your best option.
Limitations Of Door Replacement
Door and drawer front replacement is a great option but there are some limitations:
- Cabinet frames, drawers, or boxes are in poor shape. There's no avoiding this. If your current cabinets are rickety, drawers don't work well, and are in generally poor shape, it doesn't make sense to attach nice new fronts to lost cause.
- You want to reconfigure your kitchen by adding new cabinets. If you have big plans to rearrange your kitchen, you'll probably be changing cabinets. If this is the case, just replacing the doors and drawer fronts may not make sense.
- You're not comfortable with painting your cabinet frames and end-caps. But wait, you can do it! You won't need any special equipment (like a sprayer) to paint the cabinet frame or end-caps. Besides, most of what you're painting won't be the focus of your new kitchen. Everyone will be looking at your new doors!
Okay, if you think this project is for you, next you'll need to find a supplier that will meet your needs.
Comparison Of Online Custom Doors & Drawer Fronts Suppliers
The goal here is to find a supplier that's good fit for a DIY'er. This means they'll have a website where you can easily enter your custom door and drawer front requirements and place an online order. Here's some of the better options available.
Cabinet & Drawer Front Suppliers (Information as of 9/2020)
(SW=Sherwin-Williams)
Links to Suppliers:
Cabinet Now
Cabinet Doors 'N' More
Barker Door
Cabinet Door World
Cabinet Door Depot
Acme Cabinet Doors
Cabinet Doors 'N' More
Barker Door
Cabinet Door World
Cabinet Door Depot
Acme Cabinet Doors
- Solid Wood Doors: Indicates that solid wood doors are available. Paint grade maple is a great choice for durable painted cabinets.
- Solid Wood Drawers: Indicates that solid wood drawer fronts are available. Again, paint grade maple is a great choice.
- MDF Options: All of these suppliers offer some Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) options. MDF is a composites material (think particle board but more dense) that can be used to reduce the cost of the door or drawer front. MDF can be used for the entire piece or partially applied. MDF panel inserts with a solid wood frame is a common option. Although MDF can look great, it is not as durable as hardwood. Check each supplier's website to see what specific options are available.
- Top Coat: Some suppliers will apply a clear topcoat over the painted surface to provide additional protection and durability to the painted surface. Note that the clear coat will change the paint color slightly and set the final sheen of the finish. The best way to be sure that the finish is what you want is to order a sample door. A sample door is just a single door order made to your specifications. These are usually full price doors so make sure to order one that can be used in your kitchen if you like the sample.
- Hinges Available: Some suppliers offer hinges available for sale which can make things easier for you. If hinges are not available from the door supplier, you can find these online as well. Just make sure the hinge you order is compatible with the boring on your doors and the type of cabinets in your kitchen.
- Handles Available: To make the process easier, some door suppliers offer door and drawer handles for sale on their website. Handles can also be found in most home centers. This is a good option since you can see the handles in person before purchasing.
- Paint Colors: There's a wide range of finishes available depending on the supplier you choose. Everything from unfinished, primed, painted, painted and top coated finishes are available. DIY'ers that want to keep the project manageable should choose a supplier that offers painted doors and drawer fronts as opposed to unfinished or primed pieces. For the suppliers that offer painted doors, paint options vary widely. Some suppliers allow you to choose any Sherwin-Williams color, some use in-house paint mixes, and some only offer a very limited choice of colors.
Before You Place Your Order
The best option to help ensure your final project will meet your expectations is to order a sample door. Be sure to follow the suppliers guidelines on how to measure your cabinets to properly specify the door or drawer front sample.
Steps To Install New Doors and Drawer Fronts
Here's a general outline of the cabinet upgrade process. You may have to vary this procedure depending on the specific details of your project.
STEP 1 Select Cabinet & Drawer Front Supplier
Refer to the supplier list above to find the one that meets your needs.
STEP 2 Select Cabinet & Drawer Style and Finish
Browser the various cabinet door styles an select the one that best fits your design choices.
STEP 3 Order A Sample Door
Don't skip this step! Make sure to order a sample door built to your specifications. Measure your cabinet frame as instructed by the supplier. Order a door that can be used in your final kitchen design. Don't move onto the next step until you're satisfied with your sample door.
STEP 4 Order Full Set of Doors & Drawer Fronts
Complete all the cabinet frame measurements for all doors and drawer fronts. Make sure you can remove your drawer fronts and will be able to replace them with new drawer fronts later. Place your order using the same style and finish of your sample door.
STEP 5 Remove Existing Doors & Drawer Fronts
This would be a good time to temporarily empty your cabinets and drawers. Remove all existing doors and drawer fronts. Remove the cabinet doors by removing the hinges. Remove the all drawer fronts.
STEP 6 Prepare Cabinet Frames & End Caps For Painting
Clean the cabinet frames and any exposed end caps with a good de-greasing soap and water solution. Let the cabinets dry thoroughly. Use painter's tape to mask off inside cabinet edges, walls, or anything else you don't want painted.
STEP 7 Paint Cabinet Frames & End Caps
Follow the paint manufacture's direction on prepping the cabinet frames and end caps for painting. You will likely have to sand surfaces to provide a good base for the new paint. If your existing cabinet are made from a deep grained wood like oak, you may need to fill the grain first. This is especially true if your new doors will be made from a fine grain wood like maple or MDF. Use a tack clock to remove any surface dust before painting. Prime and paint the cabinet frames and end caps using the same paint and process that your door supplier is using. You can use a foam brush in combination with a 4" mini roller with a short 1/4" nap or foam cover to apply paint.
STEP 6 Install New Cabinet Doors and Drawer Fronts
After allowing ample time for your cabinet frame and end cap paint to dry, install your new cabinet doors following the instructions from the hinge manufacture. Install the drawer fronts. Adjust the hinges and drawer fronts if needed to obtain even spacing around all cabinets and doors.