It is no secret that one of the best ways to store all kinds of kitchen and other items is in a pantry cabinet.  While regular kitchen cabinets work for some things, a kitchen pantry cabinet can be a real godsend for when you need to put bulky items out of sight.  They are great for foods items like cereal boxes, cans, and cases of beverages.  In addition, they are also great locations for tucking away household cleaners, brooms, and mops – ugly things you don’t exactly want lying around in plain sight.  There are a surprisingly large number of ways that you can design pantry cabinets, so let’s take a look at some of the best layouts.

First, it should be noted that most people who are thinking about a pantry

cabinet are in the phase of either designing a new kitchen for a new home, or are planning a kitchen remodel.  If you do it this way, you can have a pantry storage cabinet that is framed right into your kitchen, going from floor to ceiling.  Doing it this way definitely looks the best, but it is also costly and a bit difficult.  But then again, if you are building a new home, carpenters can easily add a space like this into your kitchen. It might not even cost any extra to add this extra on as well.

If you are renovating your kitchen or have the space for a closet in the kitchen, an easy way to do it is to purchase one of the many kitchen pantry cabinets that are pre-made and available. You can take a look at them online here.  You can get one for as little as a hundred bucks, and better ones can be had for just a bit more.  Buying one of these ready-to-install pantries is by far the easiest option.  All you need to do is bring it home, assemble it (usually requires only a screwdriver), and you are good to go.

Pantry Layouts

There are a few different ways that you can lay out your kitchen pantry.  Due to the fact that the shelves on most units can be spaced wherever you choose, you have total control over the inside layout. The most common way to do it is to have shelves on the upper two thirds of the pantry for food items, and then keep the lower third empty for storing bulky things like cases of soft drinks or beer, cleaning spray bottles, and other things like that.  With so many people shopping at warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club these days, many people find themselves coming home with a car full of large boxes and cases.  It is hard to find somewhere to store these boxes of food that won’t be used right away, and pantry storage cabinets are a great solution.

Although most people just put shelves in their pantries and leave it at that, a great way to organize your kitchen pantry is by getting a lazy susan for it.  A company called Rev-A-Shelf makes a 5 shelf lazy susan that fits right into a tall pantry cabinet which you can see right here.  It can work in most cabinets with a diameter greater than 20 inches.  The height is adjustable from 56 to 62 inches in height, and each shelf can be moved up or down to the desired location.  Although you probably won’t be able to fit as many items in the pantry this way, the advantage is that everything is easily accessible – no more digging and removing things to get to the back of the shelf.

One of the most common places that people put their pantries is in the corner.  The reason is because the corner of the kitchen is an awkward place where things like kitchen cabinets and large appliances waste valuable space.  Placing pantry cabinet furniture there, on the other hand, provides full use of the corner space for storage.  Another great idea that I’ve seen in use are additional shelves that get attached to the inside of the pantry doors.  Doing this creates lots of additional storage space for smaller items in what is normally wasted space. Take a look at the shelves here.

Whether you want to install a custom-installed kitchen pantry or just buy one that is already assembled, if your kitchen has the space, you should definitely get one.

Tags: Kitchen Cabinets, Kitchen Furniture by Jeffrey
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When you hear or read about kitchen doors, what they are most likely talking about are the doors that are on cabinets, cupboards, and kitchen pantries.  In terms of importance, kitchen cabinet doors are pretty important.  While the structural integrity of your cabinets is a key factor, the kitchen door is what is going to be seen, not the insides.  If you find yourself looking at your kitchen and thinking that it is time for a makeover or renovation, here is some information to help you make an informed choice.
One of the best ways to give your kitchen a new look without spending a king’s ransom is by doing what is called cabinet refacing.  What this means is you replace the kitchen cupboard doors with new ones, but you leave the rest of the cabinets intact.  Be aware that this method is really only viable if your cabinets are still in good shape inside.  If they are falling apart or have been eaten by termites too much, you will probably have to rip them out and replace them completely.
You can find your new replacement kitchen doors at any reputable cabinet maker or large home supply store such as the Home Depot or Lowes.  There are some companies that specialize in kitchen unit doors.  Choose one that has a large inventory of styles, colors, and types of wood to choose from.  Keep in mind that you are free to change the style to anything you want.  There is certainly no obligation to keep the same look as your old cabinets had.  Many people want to lighten up their kitchen by choosing new kitchen doors in a lighter wood color like oak or birch.  The cabinet manufacturer should provide you with kitchen door handles to match the cabinets as well.
Many people these days are choosing materials other than wood for their replacement kitchen cabinet doors.  Examples of these are glass kitchen cabinet doors, and those made of synthetic materials such as RTF’s, which is short for rigid thermofoils.  The good thing about kitchen doors made out of this material is that they can pretty much be molded into any shape you want.  In addition, RTF doors aren’t so susceptible to damage from termites or humidity like wood.  The are a good choice if you are looking for cheap kitchen doors and those made of solid wood scare you.  For more information about the kinds of doors and materials available, take a look at this website.

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Many people take a look at their decades-old kitchen and know it is time to do some replacing.  You might think that you will need to rip out and replace the existing cabinets completely, but there is another option available as well.  One of the best options doesn’t require ripping cupboards off the walls and tossing them into the landfill.  You just get replacement kitchen doors and switch them with the old ones that are already there.  Although there is a bit more complexity to completing this task than you might think, it is definitely a cheaper option.  Let’s explore the work involved so you can see if this option is right for you.

Replacement Kitchen Cabinet Doors:  Is This Option Right For You?

If you are wondering whether this option is going to work for you, here is a little guide.  First, you need to take a good look at the interior of your cabinets.  Open the doors, put your head right up close, and take a good look.  Do you see any signs of structural damage?   Can you see any signs of termite damage?  Push on the cabinets a bit so you can tell if they are still strong.  In many cases, whether you will need to replace your entire cupboards or just replace kitchen doors will depend on the quality of the cabinets themselves.  Good quality cabinets are made of solid hardwood, and some of these can last many decades, or even centuries, depending on the type of wood and the conditions.  On the other hand, cheap kitchen cabinets are often made of particle boards pressed together with solid wood on the outside only.  These poor quality units usually don’t have very long lives.

Replacing Kitchen Doors

If you have discovered that replacement kitchen cupboard doors is a viable option, here is an idea of the work involved in this process.  There are cabinet manufacturers that specialize in replacement kitchen unit doors, and they will be able to provide you with whatever you need.  You should keep in mind that you can change the look and color of your cabinets completely if you want, regardless of how they looked before.  A large cabinet manufacturer will have many different types of wood and styles on hand to choose from.  In addition to kitchen door replacements, you will need to cover the other visible parts of the cabinets with a layer of material as well.  The cabinet supplier will provide you with this material, which comes in three basic options:
•    Rigid Thermofoils – otherwise known as RTF’s, which are basically fake wood that can be molded into any shape or style you want.
•    Plastic laminates – these can be made to look just like wood, but can’t be molded like RTF’s
•    Wood veneer – this is real wood, usually of the same type that your replacement kitchen doors and drawers are made of, so they match.

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There comes a time in the life of every house where the kitchen just starts to look a bit run down.  Eventually, usually after decades of heavy use (or even no use at all!), the kitchen cabinets start looking dull and faded.  In addition to this, the small pieces of hardware that hold the kitchen cupboard doors and drawers together start to break as well.  Hinges don’t work properly, and kitchen drawers don’t slide out smoothly.  When this happens, you have a few choices.

• You can tear everything out and replace all of the cabinets.
• You can do what is called cabinet refacing, which involves putting new doors and drawer fronts on the cabinets, but leaving the rest intact.
• You can paint your existing kitchen cupboard doors so that they look nice again.

The list above is in order of cost and work involved.  As you might have guessed replacing all of the cabinets can cost a small fortune, depending on the type of material used and whether or not you are willing to do some or all of the work yourself.  Small tasks such as installing kitchen cupboard door handles are easy enough for most people to accomplish themselves, while mounting upper cabinets can be a daunting task best left to professionals if you don’t have any experience.  You may have no choice but to do a complete kitchen cupboard replacement if the interior of your cupboards are falling apart and in poor shape.
If the only thing that looks bad is the kitchen cupboard door, but the insides are still structurally sound, you can save yourself a large wad of money (I’m talking 10,000 or so) by refacing cabinets.  The work involved in this process consists mainly of removing the old ones and installing new kitchen cupboard doors and putting a thin layer of matching material on any other visible parts.  Doing only the kitchen cupboard doors replacement as opposed to a full cabinet replacement will usually cut your costs in half.  In addition to this, since there isn’t any heavy lifting or very precise measurements, it is a job that it is easier to do yourself if you are feeling up to it.

The final way to spruce up your home a bit is by painting kitchen cupboard doors.  It may sound like an easy task at first, but it is actually quite an elaborate process if you want to do it right and have the cupboards turn out looking great. It is usually recommended that you sand all of the doors first so the new paint will adhere to it.  Spending time on this step will save you from seeing your paint chip off later.  Take a look at this website here to get a feel for what is involved in this process.

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If the time has come to replace your kitchen cabinets, there is something you need to know.  In many situations, the cabinets themselves are structurally sound, but they just look a little shabby.  While most people will just rip out the old cabinets, send them off to the dump, and install new ones, the price tag of this option is enough to scare even people with money to spare.  Fortunately there is something you can do that will give you nearly the same result as a complete replacement for just a fraction of the price.  What I’m talking about is refacing kitchen cabinets.  This job involves replacing just the visible parts of the cabinets, which are the doors and other surfaces, and leaving the rest intact.  Let’s take a more detailed look at what this job entails and how much it costs.

Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Cost

Fortunately for those of us who don’t want to spend half a year’s wages on our renovation, kitchen cabinet refacing can be a really economical solution to getting a new looking kitchen.  While the price of removing and installing your cabinets can cost upwards of $20,000 and more, refacing them on the other hand can cost much, much less.  The price you will pay depends on what materials you want to use for your new doors, and other surfaces, and whether or not you are willing to do it yourself.  In most western countries, doing a job like this yourself can easily cut the kitchen cabinet refacing price in half. Even if you’ve never done this before, there is a plethora of books and other information that will show you step by step how to tackle a job like this.  See them for yourself here

Let’s take a look at the work involved to reface kitchen cabinets.  Many people consider refacing kitchen cabinet doors to be the easy part of the job.  The other thing you need to do is put a layer of material on the other parts of the cabinets that are visible to the eye.  For this step, you have a choice of three materials.  The first one is plastic laminate, which is made to look like wood.  The second choice is known as rigid thermofoils, or RTF’s for short.   This material has one main advantage, which is that it can be easily molded to form various detailed shapes, such as grooves, arches, and the like.  The third type of material is wood veneer, which like its name suggests is made of real wood.  The advantage of using real wood veneer is that it you can get it in any number of types of wood, including oak, birch, cherry, and maple.  Doing this will allow you to use the same wood as the doors themselves.  This option is about 25% more expensive than using the cheaper plastic or RTF options.  As far as appearances go, real wood will obviously look the best and match the wooden doors as closely as possible, but the other materials are designed to do this as well.  If you look very closely at them, you will see a difference, but from a distance, most people will never even know!

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Sooner or later, there comes a time when the cabinets that are in your kitchen start to look old and worn out.  Quality cupboards can last quite a while, but eventually even the best of them start to deteriorate from wear and tear and old age.  When this happens, you pretty much have three choices.  First, and most expensive, you can tear out all of the cabinets and install new ones.  The second way to do it is called kitchen cabinet refacing, which involves removing the doors and replacing them with new ones, along with other exposed areas.  The third method is called cabinet refinishing, which involves placing a new layer of material on top of the visible parts of the cabinets.  For this article, I’m going to explain the ins and outs of kitchen cabinets refacing so you can make an informed decision about whether this is something you want to do.

Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Cost

If you are trembling at the thought of dishing out tens of thousands of your hard earned dollars (or whatever currency you use), here is some good news for you:  Refacing kitchen cabinets cost about one-third of the cost of a full replacement.  In many cases, the structural integrity of your cabinets is fine, but the outside looks worn.  If you fall into this category, you really only need to replace the visible parts, which are the doors.  While a full cabinet replacement might cost $20,000 to $30,000 dollars, if you choose to reface kitchen cabinets, you might spend $5,000 to $10,000.  The reason why I can’t give you a specific price is because there are so many variables that affect the cost of the cabinets, including the type of material used the quality, and whether you pay someone to do it or try to tackle the job yourself.  If you are working on a very low budget and are either handy with tools (or are willing to give it a go anyway!), you can save yourself a heap of cash on the kitchen cabinet refacing price.

Additional Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Information

In addition to kitchen cabinet door refacing, which happens to be fairly easy to do, there is another step that many people find tricky.  The kitchen cabinets have lots of other surfaces that are visible, and you need to put a new finish on these so that they match the new doors.  You will need to put a new, thin material on these visible areas.  For this step, you generally have three choices as to materials that you can use.  All of them are designed to match the wood finish of your cabinets, but they differ in material and price.  Your choices are RTF’s, which stands for rigid thermofoils, laminates made of plastic (think of those fake wood floor panels), and wood veneer.  All of these are made to look like real wood, and while you can tell the difference right up close, from a distance they do the job quite well.  If you think you might want to tackle this job yourself, I highly recommend getting one of these books to show you the step by step methods involved in this renovation.

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You might have heard this term before, but not really understood what it really means.  A modular kitchen can best be described as individual pieces that fit together to create a complete kitchen.  Many people simply go to a large home supply store such as the Home Depot or one like it and purchase individual items until they have everything they need.  Although there is nothing inherently wrong with designing your kitchen this way, there is a good chance that when you put everything together, you will find a few problems.  One problem may be that the sizes of your cabinets and large appliances differ too much, resulting in items sticking out too far.  Another problem that arises is the colors don’t match each other very well.
As I type this article from the dining room table of a friend’s house, I can see a few areas in the kitchen that weren’t thought out very well.  The stove, for example, sticks out about 5 inches past the surrounding counters and is a color that doesn’t match its surroundings.  The refrigerator is a bit clunky looking and awkward as well, which is most likely the result of a purchase without much thought of integration.  Millions of homes are designed like this, but with just a little bit of planning and thinking, you can have a kitchen where each individual unit fits together like a puzzle and looks great together.  Modular kitchen designs are meant to provide this type of integration.

Modular Kitchen Design

The best way to think about modular kitchens is by either looking at pictures in books or on the internet to get an initial idea about the styles you are interested in.  The Ikea website has lots of great modular kitchen photos that can really get your ideas flowing. When you know what you want, the next step is to visit a kitchen showroom.  These are abundant in almost every modern town and city in the world these days.  With a basic design in mind, you will be able to piece together a kitchen that matches in all aspects:  dimensions, color, and style.

Modular Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinetry makes up such a large percentage of most kitchens that consideration of these units is absolutely crucial.  The cabinets that you choose will set the look and feel of your kitchen, so you will want to take your time at this step.  Most large kitchen showrooms will have a large number of modular kitchen units so that you can piece together a complete design that you are satisfied with.

Tags: Counters, Kitchen Cabinets, Kitchen Furniture by Jeffrey
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In order to get your new or remodeled kitchen to look its best, a lot of thought and consideration needs to go into the planning phase.  Modular kitchens are defined as a kitchen that has all of the pieces integrate together to form a complete unit that matches.  Before you head out to a kitchen showroom, it is a great idea to take a look at modular kitchen photos, either online or from books.  You can find a lot of kitchen design books either at the library or a large bookstore that should give you plenty of ideas that you might not have previously considered.  Kitchen showrooms have lots of ideas as well, but there is never enough space to show as much as you can see in a book or on the internet.
After you have taken a look at some modular kitchen pictures and have an idea about what you like, the next step is to see a showroom to get an idea of your choices. Keep in mind that you will need to bring the dimensions of your kitchen area with you if you want to be able to get the most out of your visit.  Use a tape measure and write down the room dimensions, including both the floor, the height of the ceiling, and any obstacles that might be in the way.
Your modular kitchen will fit together to include units such as the refrigerator, range oven, dishwasher, microwave, and any other large appliances you want to include.  The modular kitchen cabinets that you choose to incorporate into your design will need to fit with the appliances.  Large units like refrigerators and range ovens need to be the same dimensions as the counter top and lower cabinets to avoid odd looking appliances that stick out too far.   One final point to consider is additional pieces of modular kitchen furniture.  These may include kitchen carts and islands, a kitchen pantry, or a bar.  If you have a large space to fill, an island or a bar that is integrated into your kitchen design can make your house look fantastic.

Prices of Modular Kitchens

Many people think that completely customized kitchens cost a lot of money, but the truth is that modular kitchen designs don’t have to cost any more than other kitchens.  The reason for this is that a modular kitchen design incorporates everything together, which means you can often save a lot of money buy buying your cabinets and other items in bulk at one time.  If you were to purchase each unit individually, it would almost surely cost you quite a bit more money when all is said and done.  The family resource center website has more information on kitchens and other home items.

Tags: Kitchen Accessories, Kitchen Cabinets, Kitchen Furniture by Jeffrey
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Let’s face it, there are great kitchens, and there are normal ones.  Most people don’t put a whole lot of thought into their kitchens, but doing even a few things can have an enormous impact on the look and feel of your house.  Designing a luxury kitchen doesn’t have to cost a fortune either.  There are some relatively simple solutions that go a long way towards giving you the luxurious kitchen that will amaze both your family and your guests.

Luxury Kitchen Design

Luxury kitchens usually begin in the design phase.  When you are planning your kitchen, it is wise to keep in mind that a large, spacious kitchen is usually better.  The more room you have, the less crowded the kitchen will feel.  Allow extra room for a kitchen island, which serves as both extra counter space and gives you extra storage space.  When you are in the design phase, make sure you think about what kind of appliances you want to get.  These days some luxury kitchen appliances such as French door refrigerators are larger than standard units, so you will need to account for the extra room they will take up.   It often helps a lot to look at luxury kitchen photos from a website like this one for inspiration and ideas.  I find that looking at what other people have done in their kitchens really inspires me.

Choosing Luxury Kitchen Cabinets

One of the most important parts of the kitchen is the cabinets, so this step is crucial when thinking about luxury kitchen designs.  There are so many cabinets available to choose from.  Some handcrafted cabinets cost a small fortune, but you don’t need to spend that much.  Because the outside of the cabinet is the only part that is actually seen, there are many reasonably priced cabinets available that have great looking doors and trim, but cheaper insides.  There are all sorts of styles that cabinets can be made in as well.  Choosing a unique cabinet style can go a long way towards making your kitchen look special.  You really need to look at many luxury kitchen pictures to get an idea of what you want in your own kitchen.

Luxury Kitchen Style

Sometimes the style of the kitchen is what makes it feel luxurious.  The truth is that most people have pretty boring kitchens.  If you try a little bit to choose unique and original items, your kitchen will almost surely look fabulous.  There are different styles that you can choose from.  Here are a few of them:  Old-fashioned farmhouse, contemporary, rustic back-woods style, cutting edge.  One way to put a unique and personal touch is by using wall decals quotes.  You can choose from any of the many designs available.  Another way to make an impact on your kitchen is by looking at some of the small things.  Kitchen items like luxury kitchen sinks with fancy faucets or designer toasters and coffee makers on the counter can add to the style of the kitchen.

Tags: Carts and Islands, Kitchen Accessories, Kitchen Cabinets by Jeffrey
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With increasing wealth on the planet, more and more people are choosing to spend money on their homes.  A lot of this money gets put into making a luxury kitchen, which happens to be one of the most complex areas of the house.  There are many parts and pieces that go into the design of a kitchen, so a considerable amount of thought is needed to create one that is fantastic looking.  Let’s take a look at what makes up these luxury kitchens.

Luxury Kitchen Designs

The beginning of a great kitchen is the design phase.  If you take your time and really plan out your kitchen well at this stage, it will almost always turn out better than if you bought everything without planning.  Many parts of the kitchen such as cabinets and large appliances need to match and fit properly.  Ensuring a proper fit requires planning in advance.  Many people these days consider a luxury kitchen design to result in a full integration.  What this means is that when you look at the kitchen, the cabinets, countertop, and large appliances all have the same look.  Fully integrated refrigerators and dishwashers, for example, have a front panel made of wood that matches the cabinets or stainless steel, making them blend right into the rest of the kitchen.

Luxury Kitchen Appliances

One of the biggest parts of luxurious kitchens are the appliances.  There are manufacturers who specialize in producing high end appliances.  From 4 door built in refrigerators to fully integrated dishwashers, you can get any appliance designed to match the style of your kitchen.  It isn’t just the large appliances that go into great kitchens though.  Small ones such as espresso machines, microwaves, and toasters can all be purchased with luxurious features and designs. 

Luxury Kitchen Cabinets

Arguably the most important, and certainly the most expensive part of the kitchen are the kitchen cabinets.  Cabinets come in all shapes, sizes and materials, offering unlimited choice of style.  From handcrafted solid wood cabinets to those made of stainless steel or glass, there are high end cabinets that will satisfy anyone with good taste.  These days, most people get mass-produced cabinets made out of cheap materials, so if you get quality hand made cabinets made to your specifications, you will be able to see the difference.

Of course, there are countless other features not mentioned here that do their part in transforming your kitchen into an oasis.  Sometimes it is the small details that are important.  Choosing things like luxury kitchen faucets and sinks can really make your home look special.

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While some people might be looking for an actual kitchen door, most kitchens in fact don’t even have doors.  What people are referring to are kitchen cabinet doors or doors for other kitchen storage units.  There are a few reasons why you might want to replace the doors on the cupboards in your kitchen.  The number one reason to replace these is when you want to reface your cabinets.  When your cabinets look worn out and ugly, you basically have two choices.  You can either rip out all of the cabinets and replace them with brand new ones, or you can simply replace the cabinet doors themselves and leave the cabinets intact.  Switching the kitchen cupboard doors is much, much cheaper than replacing the cupboards themselves and the job is a lot simpler as well.

Replacement Kitchen Doors

The best place to find kitchen cabinet doors is from a cabinet company.  Nearly all cabinet manufacturers or shops sell both the entire cabinets and the doors by themselves.  While you can order kitchen doors online, I find it is a lot better if you can take one of the doors into a shop yourself and match the color exactly.  Doing so will enable the shop owner to take a look at the kitchen unit doors in stock and tell you if he has what you are looking for.  When shopping for a replacement kitchen door, keep in mind that the most common types are wooden and PVC doors.

Wooden Kitchen Doors

Wooden doors come in many styles and wood types, with oak, maple, and cherry being the most popular.   In the past, kitchen cabinets were crafted entirely of solid wood.  These days, it is much more common to see the cabinets made of particle board and the kitchen cabinet door made of solid wood.  The reason why cabinets are made this way is because it is cheaper, and customers demand cheap products that can be manufactured quickly these days.  If you have one of the more common woods, such as oak kitchen doors, you can just get replacements in that same wood type.  If you can’t find a replacement easily, another way to do it is to get light colored wood cabinets and then stain them to whatever color you want.  There are a myriad of wood stains available to match all different types of exotic woods.

PVC Kitchen Doors

There is another option available besides wood.  PVC doors are designed to either look just like real wood or to be painted any color you want.  They are very versatile and are usually cheaper than solid wood.  They have another advantage as well, which is that they tend to last longer than wood, which is susceptible to moisture and termite damage.

Kitchen Door Handles

When you are replacing your kitchen doors and drawers, you need to think about what you are going to do with the door handles.  If you have wooden kitchen door handles, chances are that these are worn as well and will need replacing.  Compared to the doors, they are relatively cheap to buy.  However, if you have metal kitchen door handles that are still in good shape, you can simply unscrew them and use them on your new doors.  Giving them a simple buffing with some metal polish will usually bring them to a new-looking shine.

If you need more space to store kitchen items, you may want to look into closet organizer systems.  They are a good way of making the most of your limited storage space.  While cabinets are great, kitchen pantries and closets are great for keeping less frequently used appliances, cleaning supplies, and other items.

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When referring to kitchen unit doors, this usually means kitchen cabinet doors.  Nearly all cabinets have doors, and sometimes these doors need replacing.  There are some things to consider when you are looking for replacement kitchen unit doors.  Let’s look at the reasons why people buy new kitchen doors.

The biggest reason why people buy new kitchen unit doors is because they are resurfacing or refinishing kitchen cabinets.  When your kitchen cabinets look worn out, you have two choices:  You can either rip out all of the cabinets, or you can leave the cabinets in place and simply replace the doors.  If the interior structure of your cabinets is still fine, it definitely makes a lot of sense to just replace the unit doors.  The cost savings are huge, and the amount of work required to replace just the doors as opposed to the entire unit pales in comparison.

Where to Buy Kitchen Unit Doors

There are a number of companies that specifically specialize in producing kitchen doors.  Many of these companies also sell the whole cabinets as well.  Since most kitchen cabinet units come in pretty standard colors, they are quite easy to match.  Most people either have one of the following types of cabinets:  wooden, PVC, or stainless steel.

Wooden Kitchen Unit Doors

When replacing wooden kitchen doors, you can choose both the design of the door and the type/color of the wood.  Keep in mind that it is fine to change the style of your door, as long as you keep it the same size as your old one, to make sure it will fit on.  You will have a choice of oak, maple, soft maple, cherry, or paintable wood.  If you choose a paintable wood, it will come in a light color that will allow you to paint it to an exact match of your existing cabinets or kitchen cupboards.

When ordering PVC kitchen unit doors, you have many choices of colors and designs as well.  Some PVC doors have a glass window in them as well.  If you are looking for stainless steel kitchen unit doors, you can get ones that will replace the ones you have on your cabinets.  Stainless steel cabinets shouldn’t need replacing very often at all, so if you want a polished look, replacing the doors will work great.  One thing you should know is that some cabinet producers don’t actually sell stainless steel cabinet doors anymore.  What they sell is called brushed aluminum, which looks almost identical, and is available for a fraction of the price.  Make sure you know what you are getting if you want stainless steel doors!

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If your kitchen is looking dull and worn, before you rip out your old cabinets and replace them, consider getting them refaced.  Kitchen cabinet refacing involves removing the cabinet drawers and doors and replacing them with new ones.  If you don’t have cabinets, you will need to buy new ones.  If you already have cabinets, you should definitely consider a cabinet reface as one of your options.

Why should you consider refacing?  There are many reasons.  First of all, the cabinets you have now may well be better quality than the new ones you will buy.  Most cabinets used to be made of solid wood, but these days the majority of them only have solid wood doors and drawer fronts.  The rest of the cabinets are made from cheap particle board.  Refacing kitchen cabinets lets you keep your quality cabinets intact (if you have them), and only replace the parts that are visible from the outside.  In addition, it is a lot quicker, easier, and cheaper to reface cabinets than to replace them with new ones.
If your cabinets look really, really bad, chances are they will need to be thrown away and replaced.  Cabinet resurfacing may hide some things, but if your cabinets are really falling apart, it is better in the long run to just replace them.  For example, if your cabinets have extensive termite damage, or moisture has rotted the particle board away, it might be time to consider replacing them.

Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Cost

A typical cabinet refacing cost is between $5,000 and $8,000.  Compare this with $12,000 minimum for new cabinets, and you can see that you can save 50% right there.  What’s more, if you are handy and have the time and desire to figure out how to do it on your own, do it yourself cabinet refacing can save thousands of dollars off your typical cabinet refacing cost. It actually isn’t that hard a job, and most people can complete the task in a weekend.
Although you might be cringing at the expense, resurfacing kitchen cabinets will add value to your home.  The kitchen is arguably the most important room of the house.  Home inspectors know this, and will look closely at your cabinets when determining the value of your house or apartment.  If the insides look fine and have little or no visible damage, you should be able to reface kitchen cabinets.  If however, the insides look awful, it is most likely better to just replace them.

If you are going to hire professionals to do your kitchen cabinet resurfacing, here is a checklist to make sure that quality work has been done:

1. Open and close each door and drawer.  Make sure they close easily and return to the correct place
2. Take a look and make sure the doors and drawers line up and are level.  Hinges that are incorrectly installed can cause gaps and doors that are not level.
3. Make sure the colors are all the same.  You might have a completely different color than you had before.  This is fine, as long as all doors, drawers, and trim match.

Tags: Kitchen Cabinets by Jeffrey
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