Cabinet refacing in Chicago and Wisconsin
New doors, drawer fronts, veneer and hardware on the cabinet boxes you already have. Installed in 3–5 days, with no demolition and a kitchen you can still use.
What cabinet refacing is, and what it isn’t
Cabinet refacing in Chicago and across Wisconsin starts from a simple idea: if your cabinet boxes are solid and the layout works, they don’t need to go in a dumpster. We keep the boxes where they are and replace everything you see. New doors and drawer fronts go on, the exposed frames and end panels get a matching veneer, and new hinges and hardware finish the job.
Refacing isn’t painting over the old doors, and it isn’t a tear-out. Painting keeps your old doors, with their dated profile, dents and worn edges. Refacing gives you brand-new doors and drawer fronts, made to order for your openings, in the style and finish you choose.
It also isn’t a layout change. The sink, range and refrigerator stay put, and so do the boxes. If you want to add a pantry cabinet, extend a run or put in an island, that becomes part of a refacing-based remodel. Every refacing project includes:
- New doors and drawer fronts, made to order
- Matching veneer on face frames and exposed end panels
- New hinges, with soft-close available
- New knobs and pulls
- Floors and counters covered, work area cleaned daily
- A final walk-through with your project manager
Is your kitchen a good candidate for refacing?
Most kitchens with sound cabinet boxes are. Your designer checks these points at the free consultation and will tell you plainly if refacing isn’t the right fit.
-
You like your layout
The sink, range and refrigerator are where you want them, and you have about the storage you need. Refacing changes how the kitchen looks, not where things are.
-
The boxes are solid
Frames are square, shelves are sturdy and the cabinet sides aren’t soft or sagging. A single damaged cabinet can be replaced and refaced to match.
-
No ongoing water damage
A sink base with a long-running leak may need repair or replacement first. Your designer will check the sink base for swelling or soft spots.
-
You want it done in days
A typical kitchen is installed in 3–5 days, without weeks of demolition, dust and takeout dinners.
-
You’d rather not pay for replacement
Refacing typically costs 30–50% less than replacing cabinets with comparable new ones.
-
You’d rather not fill a dumpster
Keeping the boxes means far less material torn out and hauled away.
Refacing vs. replacing cabinets
Both get you cabinets that look new. The difference is what happens to the boxes, and everything that follows from that.
| Cabinet refacing | Full replacement | |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet boxes | Stay in place | Torn out and replaced |
| Demolition | None | Cabinets, countertops and often the backsplash |
| Typical installation | 3–5 days | Often several weeks |
| Kitchen during the work | Mostly usable; sink and appliances stay connected | Usually out of service |
| Cost | Typically 30–50% less than comparable new cabinets | Full cost of new cabinets plus tear-out |
| Layout changes | Add or replace individual cabinets, an island or a pantry | Anything, including moving walls and plumbing |
| Countertops | Keep yours or replace them | Usually replaced |
Want the longer version? Read refacing vs. replacing cabinets.
Door styles, materials and finishes
Your doors set the look of the whole kitchen, so this is where most of the consultation goes. There are three door styles: recessed panel (Shaker), raised panel and flat panel (slab). Shaker suits almost any kitchen, raised panel leans traditional, and slab doors read clean and modern.
Each style comes in rigid thermofoil (RTF), real wood veneer in maple, cherry, oak or walnut, or a painted finish, with dozens of colors and wood stains to choose from. Your designer brings samples to your home so you can see them in your own light, next to your floors and counters.
While the doors are being made, it’s worth deciding on the extras: soft-close hinges and drawer glides, new drawer boxes, crown molding, light rail, valances, pull-outs and organizers, and under-cabinet lighting.
See the doors in your own kitchen
Book a free in-home design consultation. A designer brings samples, measures your cabinets and leaves a written, itemized quote, often the same day.
- Tell us a little about your kitchen
- Pick a time for your in-home design visit
- New doors installed in 3–5 days
How cabinet refacing works, step by step
Five steps from the first visit to the final walk-through. One project manager is your point of contact the whole way.
-
Free consultation and quote
A designer spends about 60–90 minutes in your kitchen, measures, shows door samples, finish swatches and hardware, and leaves a written, itemized quote. There’s no obligation.
-
Precision measure
Once you decide to go ahead, your project manager measures every opening, frame and panel. These are the measurements your doors and veneer are built to.
-
Doors and veneer made to order
Your doors, drawer fronts and veneer are made for your kitchen. Allow about 4–6 weeks from the final measure to installation; you’ll have your install dates well before then.
-
Installation in 3–5 days
The crew removes the old doors, applies veneer to frames and end panels, hangs the new doors and drawer fronts, and installs hardware and any options you chose.
-
Final walk-through
Your project manager walks the kitchen with you, adjusts any door that needs it and goes over every detail before the job is closed out.
Install week, and what’s covered after
No demolition and no dumpster in the driveway. Here’s how the week usually goes.
Before we arrive
- Your project manager confirms install dates and daily start times
- Clear the countertops and anything stored on top of the cabinets
- Our prep guide covers the rest
During installation (3–5 days)
- Floors and counters covered before work starts
- Sink and appliances stay connected, so you can still cook
- Work area cleaned at the end of every day
- One project manager to call with questions
After installation
- Final walk-through and door adjustments
- Lifetime limited warranty on doors and drawer fronts for the original homeowner
- 5-year workmanship warranty
- Work done by a licensed and insured company
Cabinet refacing questions
Have a question we didn’t answer? Call (630) 555-0140 or send us a note.
How long does cabinet refacing take?
Installation of a typical kitchen takes 3–5 days. Before that, your doors and veneer are made to order, which takes about 4–6 weeks from the final measure.
Can I use my kitchen while you work?
Mostly, yes. There’s no demolition, and the sink and appliances stay connected unless you’re also replacing countertops. Some cabinets will be without doors for part of the week.
How much does cabinet refacing cost?
It depends on the size of the kitchen, the door style and material, and the options you add. Refacing typically costs 30–50% less than replacing cabinets with comparable new ones, and you get a written, itemized quote at the consultation. Financing is available through third-party lending partners, subject to credit approval.
What if one of my cabinets is damaged?
If a box has water damage or is past saving, we replace that individual cabinet and reface it to match the rest. Your designer will point out anything like that during the consultation.
What warranty comes with refacing?
Doors and drawer fronts carry a lifetime limited warranty for the original homeowner, and the installation is covered by a 5-year workmanship warranty.
Do you offer cabinet refacing outside Chicago?
Yes. We work throughout the Chicago suburbs in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will, McHenry and Kendall counties, and in Wisconsin around Madison, Milwaukee and Waukesha, Racine and Kenosha. See all service areas.
Related services
See your kitchen with new doors before you commit
A designer comes to your home with door samples, finishes and hardware, measures your cabinets and leaves a written, itemized quote. It’s free, and there’s no pressure to decide that day.
- Tell us a little about your kitchen
- Pick a time for your in-home design visit
- New doors installed in 3–5 days