Cabinet Refacing vs. Repainting vs. Replacing: Which Is Cheapest?
“Refacing” gets mentioned as a middle option between painting and full replacement, but it’s often unclear what it actually includes or costs. Here’s the real breakdown.
What each option actually means
- Repainting/refinishing: keeps the existing doors, drawers, and boxes; strips or sands the surface and applies new paint or stain.
- Refacing: keeps the existing cabinet boxes but replaces the door and drawer fronts entirely, plus new veneer on visible box surfaces. Changes shape/style options, not just color.
- Replacing: removes everything, including the boxes, and installs entirely new cabinetry.
Cost comparison
For an average kitchen (10–15 doors/drawers):
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Repainting (pro) | $1,500–$4,000 | Same doors/hardware style, new color/finish |
| Refacing | $4,000–$9,000 | New door styles/materials, same layout |
| Full replacement | $4,000–$25,000+ | New layout possible, all-new materials |
Refacing sits closer to the low end of full replacement than to repainting — it’s not really a “budget” middle option, it’s a style-upgrade option that happens to cost less than replacement.
When refacing actually makes sense
- Your cabinet boxes are solid but the door style itself feels dated (not just the color) — e.g., you want shaker-style doors instead of flat slab fronts.
- You want new hardware, soft-close hinges, or different door materials without touching plumbing or layout.
When it doesn’t make sense
- Budget is the primary constraint — repainting delivers most of the visual change at 30–50% of the cost.
- You want a different layout (moving where the sink, stove area, or storage sits) — refacing keeps the existing box positions, so it can’t help here.
Bottom line
If your cabinet boxes are in good shape and you just want a color change, repainting wins on cost every time. Refacing only makes sense if the door style itself (not the color) is what’s bothering you, and even then, it costs closer to half of full replacement — not a small step up from paint.
