Do not be fooled – this is a huge job, but with experience and home improvement skills, you can do this. However, without these it is stressful. You should never rush refacing, and you need to exercise both time and patience.



Cabinet refacing requires exacting measurements if you want a kitchen makeover. It is one of the most important parts. You have to be exacting with cabinet ends, face frames, door openings, drawer fronts and doors. Even being a fraction off and your materials may not fit.

Before beginning your refacing, you must prepare your surfaces. You have to start by removing drawer fronts and cabinet drawers, and clean off any grease or dirt. Then you have to slowly and carefully, without rushing, roughen up the surfaces so they can bind to any materials needed.

Hiring a professional is the best option if you lack the patience, time or skills to do this. With the stress involved with such a large job, you could cost yourself a fortune over time if you cannot spare the time to get things done correctly.

The Internet is a great place to find supplies for cabinet refacing. Websites even offer step by step tutorials with clear pictures and instructions on how to do this job. For the homeowner, many varied tools are available to assist you in doing this professionally.

For the homeowner handyman, the easiest materials to use are veneers, which are both sensitive and pressurised. They have peel-off, paper type backings that are easier to use. All you need to do is to line up the material to your surfaces and hold it in place by applying pressure. However, preparing the surface first will help the veneer to stick properly. Solid wood veneers offer the best quality and easiest materials to use.

Veneer rollers are great for applying pressure to your materials. There are varied sizes and apply excellent pressure. Larger ones cover greater areas, and it is necessary to being in the center and gradually roll outwards, helping you remove any air bubbles that can ruin the overall appearance of your chosen veneer.

When applying your veneer you may also wish to use a smoothing blade. Again, being in the center and then slide outwards in the grain's direction. You will need to use both of your hands to apply the right amount of pressure. This should be repeated until the veneer is properly attached.

Afterwards you can use edge trimmers and an edge band iron to finish the job. Edge band irons help attach bands to cabinet door edges. However, a clothing iron is a great alternative, but it will be harder to use as it is bulkier and larger.