Price cabinet refacing from the fronts and visible cabinet-box surfaces
Cabinet refacing usually replaces visible doors and drawer fronts while retaining suitable cabinet boxes. It is not the same job as installing an entirely new kitchen, because the existing layout, carcasses and much of the installation labor may remain. A useful estimate begins with an inventory of doors and drawer fronts, followed by the exposed frame, end panel and other surfaces that need a matching veneer or finish. This calculator prices those components individually rather than applying a single square-foot rate to the entire kitchen.
Measure each visible cabinet-box face that will be covered, avoiding hidden surfaces and overlapping measurements. The entered veneer-sheet coverage represents usable coverage for the chosen product; wood-grain direction, seams and defects may create additional offcuts. Purchase quantities are rounded up to whole sheets, while hinges and cabinet pulls are counted from the actual number of moving fronts. Some doors require more than two hinges, particularly when their size or weight exceeds the hardware manufacturer's recommendation.
Cabinet fronts, veneer and hardware formulas
Whole veneer sheets = round up (veneer order area ÷ usable coverage per sheet)
Replacement hinges = cabinet doors × hinges per door
Handles or pulls = cabinet doors + drawer fronts
Total = replacement fronts + veneer sheets + hardware + quoted labor and surface preparation
Worked example: doors, drawers and cabinet frames
Suppose a kitchen has sixteen cabinet doors and eight drawer fronts, with 85 square feet of exposed cabinet-box surfaces. A twelve-percent cutting allowance creates a veneer ordering area of 95.2 square feet. If each sheet offers 32 square feet of usable coverage, the project requires three whole sheets. Two hinges for each door produce 32 hinges, and one pull on each front produces 24 handles.
The budget then multiplies these purchase counts by entered product quotes and adds any independently quoted labor, cleaning, finishing or trim. It does not assume that all cabinets accept the same door style or hinge cup placement.
Check cabinet condition and finish compatibility before ordering
Refacing is only reasonable if existing cabinets are sound and the new front sizes and hardware positions can be accommodated. Water-damaged particleboard, warped doors, failing drawer runners and unstable boxes may require repair or replacement before any visible finish is applied. Confirm the measurements of every opening rather than multiplying one representative door width across the kitchen. Some installations require special fillers, exposed end panels or new drawer slides that are not automatically priced by the front count.
When comparing quotations, determine whether the refacing company includes removal of old doors, disposal, surface cleaning, adhesive preparation, veneer installation, new hinges, adjustments and finishing. Hardware cost can vary significantly by hinge type, and new fronts may arrive prefinished or require local finishing. Those differences belong in an itemized bid rather than in an assumed universal cost percentage.
Cabinet refacing questions
Does cabinet refacing change the kitchen layout?
Not in this model. Refacing assumes usable cabinet boxes remain in place. Moving cabinets or changing the plumbing, electrical outlets and countertop layout adds work not measured by veneer and front quantities.
Why are veneer sheets rounded up?
Cutting a large sheet into individual frame and end-panel pieces creates unusable scraps. Whole-sheet purchases reflect typical ordering units, but the actual cutting pattern and grain direction should be confirmed before materials are ordered.
Are new hinges required for every project?
No. Existing hinges can sometimes be retained when compatible, but the calculator makes replacement hardware visible as a separate price component. Enter zero hinge price if no new hinges will be purchased, after confirming the new fronts fit the existing hardware.